Engineering

Mechanics

Introduction
By
Dr.Mustansar Hayat Saggu
Course Objectives
 We will predominantly study statics:
 Involve study of methods for quantifying effect of forces
between objects such that mechanical equilibrium is
maintained.
 No real world problem is truly static: but many problems can
be modeled as static problems in time/length scales of
interest.
 Study of interactions and forces that occur in many
objects of man-made world as well as in many
natural phenomena.
 The concepts and methods in this course should give
you firm grounding for your future courses on solid
mechanics, fluid mechanics, kinetics and dynamics
of machines.
 Such ideas are hoped to prepare you for solving
open-ended questions in your profession (design or
research).
Example: 1
Mechanical Engg.

 Use of statics in Robotics to build evil

Terminator.
(http://www.societyofrobots.com/mechanics_statics.shtml)
Example 2
Civil Engg.

 The bridge should be capable of being in

equilibrium while subject to self-load, wind-load etc
(http://oli.web.cmu.edu)
Example 3
Biomedical Engg.

 Force applying
mechanisms are
applied to bones
for lengthening or
removing
deformities.
(http://oli.web.cmu.edu)
Example-4
Computer Engg.

 Hard-drives are complex mechanical systems. High

magnetic forces are used to swivel (spin) recording
head to required position. (http://oli.web.cmu.edu)
Example-5
Seismology (natural
phenomena)
 Earthquake
results because
of release of
pent-up up
energy between
two sliding
tectonic plates.
(http://oli.web.c
mu.edu)
What is Mechanics?
What’s the big deal with E.
Mech?
 In principle, like cricket, it’s a simple

game.
 Simply, force balance and moment balance.
 What is the need for an elaborate course?
 The basic rules are simple but there are many
intricacies (details). Multi-body interactions
can be very complex.
 A good understanding of fundamentals goes a
long way in solving such complex problems.
 Concepts of appropriate Free Body Diagrams
and equations of equilibrium (motion in
dynamics) will be indispensable (vital) in later
studies of mechanical engineering.
Fundamental Principles

• Parallelogram
Law

• Principle of
Transmissibility
Newton’
s Laws
Newton’s Laws
 Newton’s third law on a
lighter note
"for every action there is an
equal and opposite reaction" and
we shouldn't forget the laws of
cause and effect, karma or
whatever

http://www.kunama.com/personal/blog/2005/07/balance-of-nature.html
 Systems of Units
• International System of Units (SI):
• Kinetic Units: length, time, mass, The basic units are length, time, and mass
and force. which are arbitrarily defined as the meter
(m), second (s), and kilogram (kg). Force
is the derived unit,
• Three of the kinetic units, referred to
as basic units, may be defined
arbitrarily. The fourth unit, referred
to as a derived unit, must have a
definition compatible with Newton’s
2nd Law,
In this course we will predominantly use SI system of
units. At times we may use imperial units (length:foot,
mass:pound, time:second, force:pounds/kips.
http://www.onlineconversion.com/
Modeling Real Life Problems
 Any physical/mechanical model is simple a
caricature (picture) of a real-world problem.
 Such a model is our way of understanding of
real-world in as simple and tractable (good)
way as possible.
 Allows us to calculate forces/etc., which can
then be re-mapped to the real problem.
 The real skill is to remove unwanted flab (fat),
and get a bare-bones model, which gives a
quick and reasonably accurate solution.
Example-1: Roof Truss
Another Example: Aircraft
Landing Gear
Example 3
Bridge

http://oli.web.cmu.edu
Example 4
Simple
basket-ball
pole

http://oli.web.cmu.edu
Example-5
Ladder
Climbing

http://oli.web.cmu.edu
Example-5
Draw-Bridge
Mechanics?

 Mechanics is a branch of the physical science that

is concerned with the state of rest or motion of
bodies that are subjected to the action of forces.
 It deals with the effect of forces upon material
bodies.
Division of Mechanics
 Mechanics of fluids, a phase of it is called
hydraulics
 Mechanics of materials, more often called
strength of materials, as subject which deals with
the internal forces or stresses in bodies
 Analytic mechanics or mechanics of
engineering, a study of external forces on bodies,
ordinarily rigid bodies or bodies considered to be
rigid, and of the effects of these forces on the
motions of bodies.
Analytic Mechanics

Analytic mechanics includes the study of:

 Statics, which deals with the forces acting on

bodies or structures which are at rest relative to

the earth or which are moving with a constant
velocity
 Dynamics, which deals with the accelerated

motion of bodies.
Our Concern: Statics

 We can consider statics as a special case of

dynamics, in which the acceleration is zero.
 However, statics deserves separate treatment in
engineering education since many objects are
designed with the intention that they remain in
equilibrium.
Base of Analytical Mechanics
Application of Newton’s Laws

 Law 1 define the condition of equilibrium and

from it develops the first part of the work- Statics.
 The study of Dynamics is developed from Law 2.
 Law 3 applies to both Statics and Dynamics.
SI Units

 The SI is founded on seven SI base units for

seven base quantities assumed to be mutually
independent, as given in Table 1.
SI Derived Units
 Other quantities, called derived quantities, are
defined in terms of the seven base quantities via a
system of quantity equations. The SI derived units
for these derived quantities are obtained from
these equations and the seven SI base units.
Examples of such SI derived units are given in
Table 2
Table 2. Examples of SI
derived units
For ease of understanding and convenience,
SI derived units have been given special
names and symbols, as shown in Table 3.
Table 3. SI derived units with special
names and symbols
Analytic Mechanics: Deals with Forces

 In mechanics, a force arises out of the interaction

of two bodies and causes or tends to cause the
motion of the bodies. A body which is at rest or is
moving with a constant velocity is said to be in
equilibrium.
 Force is a vector quantity. The characteristics of
a force vector are that it has (1) magnitude (2)
sense or direction and (3) line of action.
Cosine Law and Sine Law
Vector Addition & Subtraction

 Vector quantities, such as force, acceleration,

velocity and momentum, cannot be added or
subtracted as are scalar quantities, which posses
magnitude only.
Resultant of Forces
The resultant of forces as presented in this chapter may be found
out either by use of the Parallelogram Law or Triangle Law.

 Parallelogram Law: If two coplanar force vectors are laid out to

scale from their point of intersection, both pointing away from the
point of intersection, and if a parallelogram is completed with
these force vectors as two sides, then the diagonal of the
parallelogram that passes through the point of intersection
represents the resultant in magnitude and direction.
 Triangle Law: If two coplanar force vectors are laid out to scale
with the tail of one at the point of other, the third side of a triangle
of which these two vectors are two sides represents the resultant in
magnitude with a sense from the tail of the first vector to the point
of the second vector.
Laws of Cosine
 R2 = F12 + F22 – 2F1F2 cos(180 - α)
 or, R2 = F12 + F22 + 2F1F2 cos α ……(1)
[Since, cos(180 - α) = -cosα]
 Where, α is the angle between the vectors F1 and F2.
Also from Fig. (a)
 tan θ = F2 sin α / (F1 + F2 cos α) …… (2)
Rectangular components
 For α = 90º, we get the special case of components which
are perpendicular to each other. Since cos 90º = 0, we
have from equation (1) and also from the right triangle
AKB of Fig. (c)
 R2 = F12 + F22 or, R = (F12 + F22)1/2 ………….. (3)
 Components of a resultant that are at right angles to each
other are called rectangular components.
 Fx = F cosθ and Fy = F sinθ ..………………….(4)
 And, tanθ = Fy / Fx
 The process of finding components of a force is called
resolution.
Simple Math Probs.

 Find the resultant of a horizontal force of F x = 400

lb, acting toward the right, and a vertical force of F y
= - 300 lb, the negative sign indicating that the force
acts in the negative direction, downward.

 A force of 5000 lb. acts upward toward the right at

an angle of θ = 30 º with the horizontal. What are its
horizontal and vertical components?
Classification of Force System
 Based on the planes, Force System may be classified
as:
 Coplanar force system: The force vectors are all in
the same plane.
 Non-coplanar force system: The forces are not all in
the same plane.
Classification of Force System
 Based on Line of Action, Force system may also be classified
as:
 Collinear force systems: All the forces act along the same
line of action. A collinear system is necessarily coplanar.
 Concurrent force system: All lines of action intersect at one
point. A concurrent force system may be either coplanar or
non-coplanar provided that there are more than two forces.
 Non-concurrent force system: The lines of action of the
force vectors do not intersect at a point. A non-concurrent
system may be either coplanar or non-coplanar.
 Parallel force system: The lines of action of all force vectors
are parallel. A parallel force system may be either coplanar or
non-coplanar.
THANK YOU 