Engineering Mechanics

Fundamental Principles

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 Fundamental Principles
1.Principle of transmissibility
2. Principle of superposition
3. Principle of parallel transfer of forces OR Resolution of a force in to
a force and a couple
4. Triangle law of forces
5. Polygon law of forces
6.Parallelogram law of forces
7. Lami’s theorem
8. Principle of moments
9.Varignon’s theorem

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 1.Principle of transmissibility
If a force acts at a point on a rigid body, then it is assumed to act at any
other point on the line of action of the force within the body.

Line of Line of
action action

A
F = B
F

Same direction Applicable only for rigid

Same magnitude bodies
Same line of action

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 1.Principle of transmissibility
+ve Y axis (North)

+ve Y axis (North)

F
-ve X axis

-ve X axis
Ɵ = (West) Ɵ
+ ve X axis
(East)
(West) + ve X axis
(East)
F

-ve Y axis (South)

-ve Y axis (South)

Line of
action

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1.Principle of transmissibility

30 m
TsinƟ

Ɵ 600
C TcosƟ 12 m O

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2. Principle of superposition
It states that the action of a given system of forces on a rigid body is unaltered if
we add or subtract from them another system of forces in equilibrium.

F F
F

A B = A B

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3. Principle of parallel transfer of forces OR Resolution of a
force in to a force and a couple
When a force is transferred from one point to another point in a plane parallally,
then that force must be accompanied by a moment whose magnitude is equal to the
force multiplied by the perpendicular distance between the two parallel transfer of
forces.

F P
P F P
d

F F Q
Q F
Q
M = F. d
(a) Force acting at ‘P’ (b) A null force added at ‘Q’ (c) Force acting at ‘Q’ with a
moment ‘M’

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4. Triangle law of forces

If two coplanar concurrent forces are acting simultaneously on a body are represented
in magnitude and direction by the sides of a triangle taken in order, then their
resultant may be represented in magnitude and direction by the third side taken in
opposite direction.

Q
R
C c
Ɵ R
Q
α B
O
A P a P b
(a) Space diagram
(b) Vector diagram

Bow’s notation and scale eg. 1cm = 1N

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4. Triangle law of forces

Two forces P = 6 N and Q = 8 N act on a particle and their lines of actions are inclined
to each other at an angle of 70 degrees .Find the resultant force of P and Q graphically.

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5. Polygon law of forces
If a number of coplanar concurrent forces acting simultaneously on a body
represented in magnitude and direction by the sides of a polygon taken in order, then
their resultant may be represented in magnitude and direction by the closing side of a
polygon taken in the opposite order.
e 40 N
d
30 N C R 30 N
D 20 N
40 N
B c
E 200 300 20 N
O 10 N a 10 N
A b

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5. Polygon law of forces

Six forces 10 N, 20 N, 10 N,10 N,20 N, 20 N are concurrent and pull in sense and make
equal angle with each other. Calculate graphically the resultant of the forces.

Y axis
20 N
20 N

10 N X axis
10 N

10 N 20 N

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6. Parallelogram law of forces

If two coplanar concurrent forces are acting simultaneously on a particle, be

represented in magnitude and direction by the two adjacent sides of a parallelogram,
then their resultant may be represented in magnitude and direction by the diagonal of
the parallelogram which passes through their point of intersection.

B
C
R
Q
Ɵ
α
O
p A

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6. Parallelogram law of forces
B
C
Q
Q R QsinƟ
Ɵ
α Ɵ
O D
p A QcosƟ

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6. Parallelogram law of forces

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7. Lamis’s Theorem

“If three coplanar concurrent forces act at a point and constitute a system of
forces in equilibrium, then they can be represented by three sides of a
triangle taken in order and each force is proportional to the sine of the angle
between the lines of action of the other two”

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7. Lamis’s Theorem

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8. Principle of Moments

“When a body acted up on by several forces is in (rotational)

equilibrium, the sum of the C.W. moments of the forces about

any point is equal to the sum of ACW moments of the forces

about the same point.”

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8. Principle of Moments

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9. Varignon’s Theorem

“It states that, the algebraic sum of the moments of all forces
about any point in their plane is equal to the moment of their
resultant about the same point.”
OR
“Moment of force about any point is equal to the sum of the
moments of it’s components about the same point.”

This theorem is very useful in locating the position of the resultant of non-
concurrent forces.

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9. Varignon’s Theorem

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