ES 61

Statics of Rigid Bodies

Engineering Mechanics: Statics, 12th edition
R.C. Hibbeler
Vector Mechanics For Engineers, 7th edition
F.P. Beer and E.R. Johnston
~
Introduction and Lesson 1

Maria Cristina P. Vegafria

 ES 61 Statics of Rigid Bodies
Course Description:
Fundamental principles of mechanics and their applications to
simple engineering problems involving static equilibrium; forces
and moments and their vector representation; systems of
discrete and continuously distributed forces; analysis of beams,
frames, trusses and cables; friction; centers of gravity and
centroids; first and second moments of length, area, volume and
mass; virtual work.
 ES 61 Statics of Rigid Bodies
General Objectives:
At the end of the course, the students are able to:
1. State the principles involved in the analysis of rigid bodies
subjected to external and internal force/force systems
2. Apply the different laws and principles in solving statically
determinate structure and simple machines
3. Interpret the result of the analysis of the engineering problems
involving equilibrium systems in relation to the life and safety
of people
 ES 61 Statics of Rigid Bodies
Specific Objectives:
At the end, students should be able to:
1. Draw free body-diagram and determine the forces involved in
rigid bodies (external and Internal)
2. Calculate the unknowns of equilibrium of rigid bodies in two-
and-three-dimensional area
3. Determine the equivalent systems of forces and moments
4. Calculate the engineering problems involving simple supports
and connections, distributed forces, beams and cables
5. Apply the Laws of Inertia using composite bodies and
integration
6. Relate their learning experiences in this course to the Institute
Vision and Mission, College Goals and Program Objectives
 Mechanics
• Body of knowledge which deals with the study and prediction
of the state of rest or motion of particles and bodies under
the action of forces

Statics
 deals with the equilibrium of bodies, that is those that are
either at rest or move with a constant velocity

Dynamics
 is concerned with the accelerated motion of bodies
 Fundamental Concepts
Length
• Used to locate the position of a point in space and thereby describe the size
of a physical system
Time
• Conceived as a succession of events
• Although the principles of statics are time independent, this quantity plays
an important role in the study of dynamics
Mass
• A measure of a quantity of matter that is used to compare the action of one
body with that of another
• Manifests itself as a gravitational attraction between the two bodies and
provides a measure of the resistance of matter to a change in velocity
Force
• Considered a s “push” or “pull” exerted by one body to another
• Can occur when there is direct contact between the bodies (i.e. Person
pushing a wall) or it can occur through a distance when the bodies are
physically separated (i.e. gravitational, electrical and magnetic forces)
• Completely characterised by its magnitude, direction and point of application
 Idealizations
Particle
• A particle has a mass but a size that can be neglected.
• When a body is idealised as a particle, the principles of
mechanics reduce to a simplified form, since the geometry of
the body will not be involved in the analysis of the problem.
• All the forces acting on a body will be assumed to be applied
at the same point, that is the forces are assumed concurrent.
Concentrated Force
• Represents the effect of a loading which is assumed to act at
a point on a body
• Load can be represented by a concentrated force, provided
the area over which the load is applied is very small
compared to the overall size of the body (i.e. contact force
between a wheel and the ground)
 Idealizations
Rigid body
• A combination of a large number of particles in which all the
particles remain at a fixed distance from one another, both
before and after applying a load
• one that does not bend or change shape when forces are
applied to it (e.g. rods and ladders)
Equilibrium
• no acceleration ( i.e. a particle remains at rest , or with constant
velocity.

For a rigid body to be in equilibrium, two conditions need to be

satisfied:

i. The vector sum of the forces acting on the body must be zero.
ii. The sum of the moments about any point must be zero.
 Scalars and Vectors
Scalar
• Any positive or negative physical quantity that can be
completely specified by its magnitude (e.g. length, mass, time)
Vector
• Any physical quantity that requires both a magnitude and
direction for its complete description (e.g. force, position and
moment)
• Shown graphically by an arrow
• The length of the arrow represents the magnitude of the vector
• The angle between the vector and a fixed axis defines the
direction of its line of action
• The head or tip of the arrow indicates the sense of direction of
the vector
 Force on a Particle
A force, F, is a vector quantity and must have magnitude, direction
and point of action.
• P is the point of action of force
• α an and are directions
• the magnitude of force is
denoted as |F| or simply F.

• There can be many forces acting on a particle.

• The resultant of a system of forces on a particle is the single
force which has the same effect as the system of forces.
• The resultant of two forces can be found using the
parallelogram law.
 Equal Vectors
Two vectors are equal if they are equal in magnitude
and act in the same direction.

A B

Forces equal in magnitude can act in opposite directions

C

D
 Vector Addition
Parallelogram Law
To construct a parallelogram with two component vectors P and Q:
• First join the tails of the components at a point so that it makes them
concurrent
• From the head of Q, draw a line parallel to P. Draw another line from the
head of P that is parallel to Q. These two lines intersect at point S to form
adjacent sides of a parallelogram.
• The diagonal of this parallelogram that extends to S forms R, which then
represents the resultant vector, R = P + Q

P
R S R=P+Q
Q
 Vector Addition
Triangle Rule
When two vectors are represented by two sides of a triangle in magnitude
and direction taken in the same order, the third side of that triangle
represents in magnitude and direction the resultant of the two vectors

R
Q R =P+ Q
P
Also:
P
Q Q + P= P + Q
R

This is the Commutative Law of Vector Addition

 Vector Addition
Polygon Rule
Can be used for the addition of more than two vectors. Two vectors are
actually summed and added to the third.

S Q
P S

R
• P + Q = (P + Q) Triangle Rule (P + Q) Q
i.e. P + Q + S = (P + Q) + S = R

P
R=P+Q+S
 Vector Addition
Polygon Rule
Can be used for the addition of more than two vectors. Two vectors are
actually summed and added to the third.

S Q
P S

R
• Q+ S = (Q + S) Triangle Rule (Q + S) Q
i.e. P + Q + S = P + (Q + S) = R

This is the Associate Law of Vector Addition P

R=P+Q+S
 Vector Subtraction
P
• P - Q = P + (- Q)
Q

-Q
P- Q P- Q
P
P
-Q
Parallelogram Law Triangle Rule
 Resolution of Forces
• It has been shown that the resultant of forces acting at the same point
(concurrent forces) can be found.
• In the same way, a given force, F, can be resolved into components.

Two major cases

Case 1: When one of the two components, P, is known:
• The second component Q is obtained using the triangle rule.
• Join the tip of P to the tip of F.
• The magnitude and direction of Q are determined graphically or by
trigonometry.
P Q

F
 Resolution of Forces
Two major cases
Case 2: When the line of action of each component is known:
• The force, F, can be resolved into two components having lines of action
along lines ‘a’ and ‘b’ using the Parallelogram Law.
• From the head of F, extend a line parallel to ‘a’ until it intersects ‘b’.
• Likewise a line parallel to ‘b’ is drawn from the head of F to the point of
intersection with ‘a’.
• The two components P and Q are then drawn such that they extend from
the tail of F to points of intersection.

a
F

Q
b
P
 Rectangular Components of Force
In many problems, it is desirable to resolve force F into two perpendicular
components in the x and y directions.
• Fx and Fy are called rectangular vector components.

In two-dimensions, the cartesian unit vectors i

y and j are used to designate the directions
of x and y axes.

Fx = Fx i and Fy = Fy j
F = Fx i + Fy j
Fy = Fy j
F where:
Fx and Fy are scalar components of F
j

i x
Fx = Fx i
 Rectangular Components of Force

While the scalars, Fx and Fy may be positive or negative, depending on the sense of Fx

and Fy, their absolute values are respectively equal to the magnitudes of the component

forces Fx and Fy,

Scalar components of F have magnitudes:

 
Fx = F cos and Fy = F sin

F is the magnitude of force F.

 Equilibrium of a Particle
A particle is said to be at equilibrium when the resultant of all the forces acting on it is
zero. It two forces are involved on a body in equilibrium, then the forces are equal and
opposite.

.. 150 N 150 N

If there are three forces, when resolving, the triangle of forces will close, if they are in
equilibrium.
F2 F1 F2
F3
F1

F3
 Equilibrium of a Particle
If there are more than three forces, the polygon of forces will be closed if the particle is
in equilibrium.
F3
F2 F2
F3 F1 F4

F1

F4

The closed polygon provides a graphical expression of the equilibrium of forces.

Mathematically: For equilibrium:
R = F = 0
i.e.  ( Fx i + Fy j) = 0 or  (Fx) i +  (Fy) j
 Equilibrium of a Particle

• For equilibrium:
•  Fx = 0 and
•  Fy = 0.

Note: Considering Newton’s first law of motion, equilibrium can

mean that the particle is either at rest or moving in a straight
line at constant speed.
 Free Body Diagrams
The Space Diagram represents the sketch of the physical problem.
The Free Body Diagram (FBD) selects the significant particle or points and
draws the force system on that particle or point.
Steps:
1. Imagine the particle to be isolated or cut free from
its surroundings.
Draw or sketch its outlined shape.
2. Indicate on this sketch all the forces that act on the
particle.
These include active forces - tend to set the particle
in motion
(e.g. from cables and weights and reactive forces
caused by constraints or supports that prevent
motion)
3. Label known forces with their magnitudes and
directions. use letters to represent magnitudes and
directions of unknown forces.
Assume direction of force which may be corrected
later.
Reactions at
Supports and
Connections
 Example
• The crate below has a weight of 50 kg. Draw a free body diagram of
the crate, the cord BD and the ring at B.

B ring C
45o

D
CRATE
Example
 Example

(c) Ring
FA (Force of cord BA acting along ring)

FC (force of cord BC acting on ring)

FB (force of cord BD acting on ring)

 Exercise
1. A book is set at rest on a tabletop. Diagram the forces acting on the book.
2. A gymnast holding onto a bar, is suspended motionless in mid-air. The bar is
supported by two ropes that attach to the ceiling. Diagram the forces acting
on the combination of gymnast and bar.
3. An egg is free-falling from a nest in a tree. Neglect air resistance. Diagram
the forces acting on the egg as it is falling.
4. A flying squirrel is gliding (no wing flaps) from a tree to the ground at
constant velocity. Consider air resistance. Diagram the forces acting on the
squirrel.
5. A rightward force is applied to a book in order to move it across a desk with
a rightward acceleration. Consider frictional forces. Neglect air resistance.
Diagram the forces acting on the book.
6. A rightward force is applied to a book in order to move it across a desk at
constant velocity. Consider frictional forces. Neglect air resistance. Diagram
the forces acting on the book.

https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/newtlaws/Lesson-2/Drawing-Free-Body-Diagrams
 Exercise
1. A book is set at rest on a tabletop. Diagram the forces
acting on the book.

2. A gymnast holding onto a bar, is suspended

motionless in mid-air. The bar is supported by two
ropes that attach to the ceiling. Diagram the forces
acting on the combination of gymnast and bar.

3. An egg is free-falling from a nest in a tree. Neglect air

resistance. Diagram the forces acting on the egg as it
is falling.
 Exercise
4. A flying squirrel is gliding (no wing flaps) from a tree
to the ground at constant velocity. Consider air
resistance. Diagram the forces acting on the squirrel.

5. A rightward force is applied to a book in order to

move it across a desk with a rightward acceleration.
Consider frictional forces. Neglect air resistance.
Diagram the forces acting on the book.

6. A rightward force is applied to a book in order to

move it across a desk at constant velocity. Consider
frictional forces. Neglect air resistance. Diagram the
forces acting on the book.
 Exercise
7. A college student rests a backpack upon his shoulder. The pack is
suspended motionless by one strap from one shoulder. Diagram the vertical
forces acting on the backpack.
8. A skydiver is descending with a constant velocity. Consider air resistance.
Diagram the vertical forces acting upon the skydiver.
9. A force is applied to the right to drag a sled across loosely packed snow
with a rightward acceleration. Neglect air resistance. Diagram the forces
upon the sled.
10. A football is moving upwards towards its peak after having been booted by
the punter. Neglect air resistance. Diagram the forces acting upon the
football as it rises towards its peak.
11. A car is coasting to the right and slowing down. Neglect air resistance.
Diagram the forces acting upon the car.

https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/newtlaws/Lesson-2/Drawing-Free-Body-Diagrams
 Exercise
7. A college student rests a backpack upon his
shoulder. The pack is suspended motionless by one
strap from one shoulder. Diagram the vertical forces
acting on the backpack.

8. A skydiver is descending with a constant velocity.

Consider air resistance. Diagram the vertical forces
acting upon the skydiver.

9. A force is applied to the right to drag a sled across

loosely packed snow with a rightward acceleration.
Neglect air resistance. Diagram the forces upon the
sled.
 Exercise
10. A football is moving upwards towards its peak after
having been booted by the punter. Neglect air
resistance. Diagram the forces acting upon the
football as it rises towards its peak.

11. A car is coasting to the right and slowing down.

Neglect air resistance. Diagram the forces acting
upon the car.
FBD Examples
FBD Examples
FBD Examples
FBD Examples
FBD Examples
Rectangular Components of Force
(Review)
y
F = Fx + Fy
F = |Fx| . i + |Fy| . j
Fy = Fy j
|F|2 = |Fx|2 + |Fy|2

j | F|  | Fx|2  | Fy |2
F

i x
Fx = Fx i