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Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics

Chapter 3.3 & 3.4

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Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics
Contents
Moment of a Couple
Addition of Couples
Couples Can Be Represented By Vectors
Resolution of a Force Into a Force at O and a
Couple
Sample Problem 3.6
System of Forces: Reduction to a Force and a
Couple
Further Reduction of a System of Forces
Sample Problem 3.8
Sample Problem 3.10
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Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics
Objectives

By the end of this lesson you should be able

to:
1) Define the moment of a couple.
2) Resolve a given force into an equivalent force-
couple system at another point.
3) Reduce a system of forces into an equivalent
force-couple system.
4) Examine circumstances where a system of
forces can be reduced to a single force.

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Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics

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Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics

Couple:
Moment = F * d
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Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics
Moment of a Couple
• Two forces F and -F having the same
magnitude, parallel lines of action, and
opposite sense are said to form a couple.
• Moment of the couple,
    
M = rA  F + rB  (− F )
  
= (rA − rB )  F
 
= r F
M = rF sin  = Fd
• The moment vector of the couple is
independent of the choice of the origin
of the coordinate axes, i.e., it is a free
vector that can be applied at any point
with the same effect.
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Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics
Moment of a Couple

Two couples will have equal moments if

• F1d1 = F2 d 2

• the two couples lie in parallel

planes, and

• the two couples have the same

sense or the tendency to cause
rotation in the same direction.

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Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics
Addition of Couples
• Consider two intersecting planes P1 and
P2 with each containing a couple
r r r
M1 = r  F1 in plane P1
r r r
M 2 = r  F2 in plane P2

• Resultants of the vectors also form a

couple
 r r r r r r
M = r  R = r  F1 + F2 ( )
• By Varignon’s theorem
r r r r r
M = r  F1 + r  F2
r r
= M1 + M 2

• Sum of two couples is also a couple that is

equal to the vector sum of the two couples
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Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics
Couples Can Be Represented by Vectors

• A couple can be represented by a vector with

magnitude and direction equal to the moment of
the couple.
• Couple vectors obey the law of addition of
vectors.
• Couple vectors are free vectors, i.e., there is no
point of application – it simply acts on the
body.
• Couple vectors may be resolved into component
vectors.
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Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics
Resolution of a Force Into a Force at O and a Couple

• Force vector F can not be simply moved to O

without modifying its action on the body.
• Attaching equal and opposite force vectors at
O produces no net effect on the body.
• The three forces may be replaced by an
equivalent force vector and couple vector, i.e,
a force-couple system.
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Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics
Resolution of a Force Into a Force at O and a Couple

• Moving F from A to a different point O’ requires the

addition of a different couple vector MO’
  
M O' = r   F
• The moments of F about O and O’ are related,
         
M O ' = r 'F = (r + s )  F = r  F + s  F
  
= MO + s  F
• Moving the force-couple system from O to O’
requires the addition of the moment of the force
at O about O’.
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Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics
Sample Problem 3.6
SOLUTION:
• Attach equal and opposite 20 lb forces in
the ±x direction at A, thereby producing 3
x couples for which the moment components
are easily computed.

• Alternatively, compute the sum of the

moments of the four forces about an
z arbitrary single point. The point D is a
good choice as only two of the forces will
produce non-zero moment contributions..
Determine the components of the
single couple equivalent to the
couples shown.

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Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics
Sample Problem 3.6
• Attach equal and opposite 20 lb
forces in the ±x direction at A
• The three couples may be
represented by three couple
vectors,
M x = −(30 lb)(18 in.)= −540 lb  in.
M y = +(20 lb)(12 in.)= +240lb  in.
M z = +(20 lb)(9 in.)= +180 lb  in.
r r r
M = −(540 lb  in.)i + (240lb  in.) j
r
 + (180 lb  in.)k
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Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics
Sample Problem 3.6
• Alternatively, compute the sum
of the moments of the four
forces about D. (Why D?)
• Only the forces at C and E
contribute to the moment about
D.
r r r r
M = M D = (18 in.) j  (−30 lb)k
r
 
r r
+ (9 in.) j − (12 in.)k  (−20 lb)i
r r r
M = −(540 lb  in.)i + (240lb  in.) j
r
+ (180 lb  in.)k

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Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics
System of Forces: Reduction to a Force and Couple

• A system of forces may be replaced by a collection of

force-couple systems acting at a given point O
• The force and couple vectors may be combined into a
resultant force vector and a resultant couple vector,
r r rR r r
R=F MO =  r  F ( )
• The force-couple system at O may be moved to O’
with the addition of the moment of R about O’ ,
rR rR r r
 MO' = MO + s  R
• Two systems of forces are equivalent if they can be
reduced to the same force-couple system.
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Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics
Further Reduction of a System of Forces
• If the resultant force and couple at O are
mutually perpendicular, they can be
replaced by a single force acting along a
new line of action.
• The resultant force-couple system for a
system of forces will be mutually
perpendicular if:
1) the forces are concurrent,
2) the forces are coplanar, or
3) the forces are parallel.

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Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics
Further Reduction of a System of Forces
• System of coplanar forces
 isreduced to a
force-couple system R and M OR that is
mutually perpendicular.

• System can be reduced to a single force

by moving the line of action of R until
its moment about O becomes M OR

• In terms of rectangular coordinates,

xR y − yRx = M OR

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Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics
Sample Problem 3.8

SOLUTION:
a) Compute the resultant force for the
forces shown and the resultant
couple for the moments of the
forces about A.

b) Find an equivalent force-couple

For the beam, reduce the system of system at B based on the force-
forces shown to (a) an equivalent couple system at A.
force-couple system at A, (b) an
equivalent force couple system at B, c) Determine the point of application
and (c) a single force or resultant. for the resultant force such that its
moment about A is equal to the
Note: Since the support reactions are
resultant couple at A.
not included, the given system will
not maintain the beam in equilibrium.

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Tenth
Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics
Sample Problem 3.8
SOLUTION:
a) Compute the resultant force and the
resultant couple at A.
r r
R=F
r r r r
= (150 N) j − (600 N) j + (100 N) j − (250 N) j
r r
R = −(600 N) j
rR r r
 (
MA =  r  F )
r r r r
( )( )( )(
= 1.6 i  −600 j + 2.8 i  100 j
 )
r r
( )( )
+ 4.8 i  −250 j
rR r
M A = −(1880 N m)k


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Tenth
Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics
Sample Problem 3.8
b) Find an equivalent force-couple system at B
based on the force-couple system at A.
The force is unchanged by the movement of the
force-couple system from A to B.
 
R = −(600 N ) j

The couple at B is equal to the moment about B

of the force-couple system found at A.
rR rR r r
M B = M A + rB A  R
r r r
= −(1880 N  m)k + (−4.8 m)i  (−600 N) j
r r
= −(1880 N  m)k + (2880 N  m)k
rR r
M B = +(1000 N m)k


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Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics
Sample Problem 3.8
c) The resultant of the given system of
forces is equal to R, and its point of
application must be such that the
moment of R about A is equal to M RA. This
equality of moments leads to
r  R = M RA
xi  ( −600 N ) j = −(1880 N  m)k Solving for x, you get x = 3.13 m.
− x(600 N )k = −(1880 N  m)k Thus, the single force equivalent
to the given system is defined as
R = 600 N , x = 3.13 m

REFLECT and THINK:

This reduction of a given system of forces to a single equivalent force uses the
same principles that you will use later for finding centers of gravity and centers
of mass, which are important parameters in engineering mechanics.
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