1.

Principles of statics
1.1 Resultant of Force System
1.2 Resultant of Three or more Concurrent Forces
1.3 Principles of Moments
1.4 Resultant of Parallel Forces
1.5 couples
1.6 Resultant of Non-Concurrent Forces
1.7 Equilibrium of Concurrent Forces
1.8 Equilibrium of Non-concurrent Forces
2. Forces System in Space
2.1 Resultant of Concurrent Force System in Space
2.2 Moment of a Force about an Axis
2.3 Equilibrium of Concurrent space Forces
3.4 Equilibrium of Non-Concurrent Space Forces
 1. Principles of statics

Engineering mechanics may be described as the science

that studies the effects of forces on rigid bodies. The
subject naturally separates into two sections: statics and
dynamics. In statics, we study the effects and distribution of
forces on rigid bodies that are and remain at rest. Dynamics
studies the motion of rigid bodies induced by forces acting on
them.

FIG. 1-1-Outline of engineering mechanics

Figure depicts a visual introduction to engineering mechanics.

1-1. The subject is divided into two categories: statics and
dynamics. These are separated into two sub-branches. In
statics, we first study the various types of force systems,
and then apply them to the various circumstances depicted. The
figure does not, however, reflect all phases of statics; just
the most prevalent ones are depicted. Dynamics is similarly
separated into two branches: kinematics (which deals with the
pure motion of rigid entities) and kinetics (which links
motion to applied forces). Each of these subgroups is
primarily concerned with rigid body movements like
translation, rotation, and plane motion. Part II goes into
great detail about these terminologies, but for the time
being, we'll stick with statics.

 Fundamental Concepts and Definitions

 Rigid Body - A rigid body is defined as a certain

amount of stuff whose pieces are fixed in place
relative to one another. Actually, solid things are
never rigid; they flex in response to applied
forces. In many circumstances, this distortion is
minor in relation to the size of the body and the
body may be considered to be inflexible. This kind
includes bodies composed of steel or cast iron.
 However, the research of material strength is based
on the minor deformation of such things.
 Force - may be defined as anything that alters, or
tends to modify, the state of motion of a body. This
concept refers to the outward impact of a force. A
force produces stress and distortion in the body on
which it operates. Engineering mechanics considers
the external impacts of forces, whereas material
strength considers internal consequences.
 A force's characteristics include (1) its magnitude,
(2) the location of its line of action, and (3) the
direction (or sense) in which the force acts along
its line of action.
 According to the concept of force transmissibility,
- the external impact of a force on a body is the
same at all places of application along its line of
action; in other words, it is independent of the
point of application. A force's internal impact, on
the other hand, is clearly determined by where it is
applied.
 The pound is the most often used unit of force in
the United States, followed by multiples of the
pound such as the kip (1000 pounds) and ton (2000
pounds). Units such as gram and kilogram are also
utilized. In this book, we will use the "foot-pound-
second" unit system, in which the common unit of
length is the foot, force is the pound, and time is
the second. If different units are provided in
questions, it is often advisable to convert them to
the foot-pound-second system before solving for the
result.

 Force system

A force system is any arrangement in which two or

more forces act on a single body or a collection of
connected entities. When all of the forces in a force
system have lines of action in the same plane, the system
is said to be coplanar; otherwise, it is said to be non-
coplanar. The coplanar system is obviously simpler than
the non-coplanar system since all of the force action
lines are in the same plane. We will begin with a
discussion of coplanar systems, which will be followed by
a reasonably easy description of non-coplanar or space
systems of forces.
The force systems are further divided based on their
directions of action. Forces whose lines of action meet
 at a common point are referred to as concurrent force
systems; those whose lines of action are parallel are
referred to as parallel force systems; and those whose
lines of action do not intersect at a common point are
referred to as nonconcurrent force systems.

 Axioms of Mechanics

The principles of mechanics are based on various

more or less self-evident facts that cannot be
quantitatively proven but must be demonstrated to be
true. We will refer to these truths as the fundamental
axioms of mechanics. The axioms are extensively examined
in later articles when they are applied. At this point,
we will just compile them for reference and present them
in the following format:

1. The parallelogram law states that the resultant of two

forces is the diagonal of the parallelogram produced by
their vectors.
2. Equilibrium exists when two forces are equal in size,
opposing in direction, and collinear in action.

3. A set of forces in equilibrium may be introduced to

any system of forces without affecting its impact.

4. Action and reaction forces are equal but oppositely

oriented.

 Introduction to Free-Body Diagrams

One of the most fundamental ideas in mechanics is

the free-body diagram. This notion is thoroughly
described in Chapter III, where we first use it. It is
presented here to assist beginners differentiate between
action and response forces. To accomplish this, it is
necessary to isolate the body under consideration. A
free-body diagram is a depiction of an isolated body
showing solely the forces operating on it. The forces
that act on a free body are referred to as action forces,
or applied forces. The response forces are those exerted
by one free body on another.

The free body may be a complete constructed construction

or an isolated
 (b)
(a) (c)
Free-body diagram of point C
Derrick Free-body diagram of
derrick

Fig. 1-2.-Free-body diagrams.

part of it. Consider the derrick illustrated in Figure.

1-2a. The free-body diagram of pin C (Fig. 1-2b) solely
displays the forces operating on C. These forces are the
weight, the pull T exerted by the cable, and the push P
exerted by the boom. If a free-body diagram of the
complete derrick was wanted, it would just depict the
forces operating on the derrick, as shown in Fig.1-2c.

 Scalar and Vector Quantities

Scalars. Consider two sets of marbles: one of 15

marbles and the other of 10. If they are mixed together
to create a common group, the total number of marbles
will be 25, as determined by arithmetic addition. Scalar
quantities are those that just have magnitude and may be
added arithmetically.

Vectors. Assume the weight W and tension T' at the

derrick's point C (Fig. 1-2b) were both 100 lb. What is
force P in the boom? By arithmetic addition, the result
is 200 pounds. This finding, however, is inaccurate, as
demonstrated by a measurement device inserted in the
boom. Actually, the force of the boom varied as it was
lifted. The mistake occurred when arithmetic addition was
used to numbers that had both direction and magnitude.
Such values may only be joined via geometric addition,
also known as vector addition. A vector of a quantity can
be represented geometrically (i.e., visually) by drawing
 a line acting in the amount's direction, with the length
of the line reflecting the magnitude of the quantity on
some scale. An arrow is drawn on the line, generally at
the end, to indicate the sense of direction.

 Parallelogram Law

Vector addition is based on the parallelogram law.

The parallelogram law cannot be proved; it must be
demonstrated by experiment. It is a fundamental
assumption of mechanics. One approach of showing the rule
is to use the apparatus depicted in Fig. 1-3. Tie three
cords together and secure the weights P, Q, and W to
their free ends. (The total of P and Q must be more than
W.) Place the cords connecting P and Q over the smooth
pegs as illustrated, and allow the system to find
balance.

Fig. 1-3.-Parallelogram Law

The tension in these cords will then correspond to the weights

P and Q. Draw vectors P and Q to scale from point A, where the cords
are linked together, then use these vectors to form a parallelogram
with the original sides. It will be discovered that the diagonal R
of the parallelogram scales perfectly to the value of W and is
consistent with the vector expressing W.
Based on Axiom 2, which stipulates that two equal, opposing,
collinear forces are in equilibrium, we deduce that weight W will be
perfectly supported by the force R. In other words, the combined
action of forces P and Q may be replaced by a single force R. Such a
force is known as a consequence. As a consequence, the sum of two
forces produces a single force that has the same impact as the
original forces.
 The parallelogram rule may now be expressed as follows: the
resultant of two forces is the diagonal of the parallelogram
produced by the vectors of both forces.

 Triangle Law

If we examine closely the parallelogram formed by forces P and

Q as in Fig.1-4b, we observe that side BC is parallel and
equal to side AD. If the

Triangle ABC was drawn alone, as seen in Figure. 1-4c, the

Fig. 1-4-Triamgle law

consequent R connecting A and C would be the same magnitude

and direction as the diagonal of the parallelogram ABCD. In
this case, force Q is represented by the free vector BC. A
free vector differs from a localized vector in that it does
not show the vector's location of application.

It is also clear that, since DC is equal and parallel to

P, the triangle ADC in Fig. 1-4a can also be used to calculate
R. In this scenario, P is regarded as the free vector, whereas
Q is the localized vector.

We can now state the triangle law as a convenient

corollary of the parallelogram law: if two forces are
represented by free vectors placed tip to tail, their
resultant vector is the third side of the triangle, with the
resultant vector pointing from the tail of the first vector to
the tip of the last vector. Assuming one direction is positive
and the other is negative, the resultant of two collinear
pressures is their algebraic total. This use of the triangle
law is often employed in analytical solutions.

 Solution of Problems (Techniques)

 1. You should acquire the ability to organize your work in a
neat and orderly manner.
2. Identify or understand the problem then, start constructing
a neat diagram of the quantities involved.
3. Write the given legibly and other information required to
answer the problem.
4. Write out the equations you need to use before substituting.
5. If you were not able to come up with a correct solution, try
to do dimensional checking and conversion of units if
applicable.

 Dimensional Checks
Engineering equations must be dimensionally homogenous, which
means that the units on both sides must have the same dimension. To
examine the dimensions of an equation, just insert the dimensional
equivalents of each term and multiply or divide them as if they were
algebraic values. This procedure finds the dimensional unit for each
word.
 Conversion of Units
To make an equation dimensionally valid, a term may need to be
converted from one system of units to another. The conversion is
achieved by multiplying the provided term by unity, which is a ratio
of units (of the same kind but different sizes) including the
necessary units and those given.
 Units of Measurement
 We’ll stick to MKS (SI) units in this course
o MKS: meters; kilograms; seconds
o As opposed to cgs: centimeter; gram; seconds
o Distance in meters (m)
o 1meter is close to 40 inches
o Mass in kilograms (kg)
o 1kg is about 2.2 pounds
o Time in seconds (s)

1.4 Resultant of Parallel Forces

The directions of parallel forces might be opposite or the same. One
can choose the direction's sign at will; if one way is considered
positive, the opposite direction is considered negative. According
to its magnitude, direction, and line of action, the consequent is
fully defined.

R=ΣF=F1+F2+F3+...
Rd=ΣFx=F1x1+F2x2+F3x3+...

EXAMPLE 1
A parallel force system acts on the lever shown in the figure.
Determine the magnitude and position of the resultant.
SOLUTION:
R = Σ F❑
R = -30-60+20-40
R = 110 downward

M A = Σ F❑
= 30(2)+60(5)-20(7)+40(11)
= 660 ft∙lb clockwise

M A = Rd
660 = 110d
d = 6ft to the right of A

Thus R = 110 lb downward at 6 ft to the right of A.

1.5 Couples

A pair of equal, parallel forces that are directed in opposite

directions is called a couple. As illustrated in Fig. 1-1.5 The
moment arm of the couple is the distance d, measured
perpendicularly, between the forces' action lines. These two forces
have a vector sum of zero but a moment sum that is not zero. A
couple's only impact on a body is the propensity to rotate it around
an axis that is perpendicular to the couple's plane. The moment sum
of a couple's forces is constant and unaffected by any moment
center, which is one of its special qualities. Selecting moment
centers at A and B to provide, respectively, demonstrates this

+Σ M A = Fd

+Σ M B = F(d + a) - Fa = Fd

We determine that the moment of a pair C is equal to the product of

the perpendicular distance between their action lines and one of the
forces that make up the couple. The equation represents this
relation

|C| = Fd

IMPORTANT POINTS

•When two non-collinear forces have the same magnitude but opposite
directions, they create a couple moment. Its result is pure
rotation, or the tendency to rotate in a certain direction.
•The rotational effect of a couple moment is independent of the
location of its application on a body because it is a free vector.
• Any point can be used to calculate the moment of the two couple
forces. To reduce the force's moment regarding the point, this point
is frequently selected based on the force's course of motion for
ease.

1.6 Resultant of Non-Concurrent Forces

A non-concurrent force system's resultant is determined by its

magnitude, inclination, and position. The following is how the
resultant's magnitude can be determined:

R x = ΣF x

R y = ΣF y √
R = R x2 + R y2

The inclination from the horizontal is defined by

Ry
tanθ x =
Rx
By using the principle of moments, the position of the resultant can
be determined.

M R= ΣM o R y ix = M R
Rd = M R R x i y =M R

Where,
Fx = component of forces in the x-direction
F y= component of forces in the y-direction
Rx = component of thew resultant in x-direction
Ry =component of thew resultant in y-direction
R = magnitude of the resultant
θ x = angle made by a force from the x-axis
M o= moment of forces about any point O
d = moment arm
M R = moment at a point due to resultant force
i x = x-intercept of the resultant R
i y = y-intercept of the resultant R
 1.1 RESULTANT OF THREE OR MORE CONCURRENT FORCES

EXAMPLE 1
Determine the resultant couple moment of the three couples acting on
the plate in Fig. 4–30.
SOLUTION
As shown the perpendicular distances between each pair of couple
forces are d1 = 4 ft, d2 = 3 ft, and d3 = 5 ft. Considering
counterclockwise couple moments as positive, we have

+ M R = ΣM; M R = - F 1 d 1 + F 2 d 2 - F 3 d 3

= -(200 lb)(4 ft) + (450 lb)(3 lb) - (300 lb)(5 ft)

= -950 lb · ft = 950 lb · ft

The negative sign indicates that M R has a clockwise rotational sense.