PROBLEM 4.

101
A 1.2 × 2.4-m sheet of plywood having a mass of 17 kg has been
temporarily placed among three pipe supports. The lower edge of the
sheet rests on small collars A and B and its upper edge leans against pipe
C. Neglecting friction at all surfaces, determine the reactions at A, B,
and C.

SOLUTION

First note ( )
W = mg = (17 kg ) 9.81 m/s 2 = 166.77 N

h= (1.2 )2 − (1.125)2 = 0.41758 m

From f.b.d. of plywood sheet

 (1.125 m ) 
ΣM z = 0: C ( h ) − W   =0
 2 

C ( 0.41758 m ) − (166.77 N ) ( 0.5625 m ) = 0

∴ C = 224.65 N or C = − ( 225 N ) i

ΣM B( y -axis ) = 0: − ( 224.65 N ) ( 0.6 m ) + Ax (1.2 m ) = 0

∴ Ax = 112.324 N or A x = (112.3 N ) i

ΣM B( x-axis ) = 0: (166.77 N ) ( 0.3 m ) − Ay (1.2 m ) = 0

∴ Ay = 41.693 N or A y = ( 41.7 N ) j

ΣM A( y -axis ) = 0: ( 224.65 N ) ( 0.6 m ) − Bx (1.2 m ) = 0

∴ Bx = 112.325 N or B x = (112.3 N ) i
 PROBLEM 4.101 CONTINUED

ΣM A( x-axis ) = 0: By (1.2 m ) − (166.77 N ) ( 0.9 m ) = 0

∴ By = 125.078 N or B y = (125.1 N ) j

∴ A = (112.3 N ) i + ( 41.7 N ) j

B = (112.3 N ) i + (125.1 N ) j

C = − ( 225 N ) i
 PROBLEM 4.102
The 200 × 200-mm square plate shown has a mass of 25 kg and is
supported by three vertical wires. Determine the tension in each wire.

SOLUTION

First note ( )
W = mg = ( 25 kg ) 9.81 m/s 2 = 245.25 N

From f.b.d. of plate

ΣM x = 0: ( 245.25 N ) (100 mm ) − TA (100 mm ) − TC ( 200 mm ) = 0

∴ TA + 2TC = 245.25 N (1)

ΣM z = 0: TB (160 mm ) + TC (160 mm ) − ( 245.25 N ) (100 mm ) = 0

∴ TB + TC = 153.281 N (2)
ΣFy = 0: TA + TB + TC − 245.25 N = 0

∴ TB + TC = 245.25 − TA (3)
Equating Equations (2) and (3) yields
TA = 245.25 N − 153.281 N = 91.969 N (4)
or TA = 92.0 N
Substituting the value of TA into Equation (1)

TC =
( 245.25 N − 91.969 N ) = 76.641 N (5)
2
or TC = 76.6 N
Substituting the value of TC into Equation (2)
TB = 153.281 N − 76.641 N = 76.639 N or TB = 76.6 N
TA = 92.0 N
TB = 76.6 N
TC = 76.6 N
 PROBLEM 4.103
The 200 × 200-mm square plate shown has a mass of 25 kg and is
supported by three vertical wires. Determine the mass and location of the
lightest block which should be placed on the plate if the tensions in the
three cables are to be equal.

SOLUTION

First note ( )
WG = m p1g = ( 25 kg ) 9.81 m/s 2 = 245.25 N

( )
W1 = mg = m 9.81 m/s 2 = ( 9.81m ) N

From f.b.d. of plate

ΣFy = 0: 3T − WG − W1 = 0 (1)

ΣM x = 0: WG (100 mm ) + W1 ( z ) − T (100 mm ) − T ( 200 mm ) = 0

or − 300T + 100WG + W1z = 0 (2)

ΣM z = 0: 2T (160 mm ) − WG (100 mm ) − W1 ( x ) = 0

or 320T − 100WG − W1x = 0 (3)

Eliminate T by forming 100 ×  Eq. (1) + Eq. ( 2 ) 

−100W1 + W1z = 0

∴ z = 100 mm 0 ≤ z ≤ 200 mm, ∴ okay

Now, 3 ×  Eq. ( 3)  − 320 ×  Eq. (1) yields

3 ( 320T ) − 3 (100 )WG − 3W1x − 320 ( 3T ) + 320WG + 320W1 = 0

 PROBLEM 4.103 CONTINUED

or 20WG + ( 320 − 3x )W1 = 0

W1 20
or =
WG ( 3 x − 320 )

W1
The smallest value of will result in the smallest value of W1 since WG is given.
WG

∴ Use x = xmax = 200 mm

W1 20 1
and then = =
WG 3 ( 200 ) − 320 14

WG 245.25 N
∴ W1 = = = 17.5179 N ( minimum )
14 14
W1 17.5179 N
and m= = = 1.78571 kg
g 9.81 m/s 2
or m = 1.786 kg
at x = 200 mm, z = 100 mm
 PROBLEM 4.104
A camera of mass 240 g is mounted on a small tripod of mass 200 g.
Assuming that the mass of the camera is uniformly distributed and that
the line of action of the weight of the tripod passes through D, determine
(a) the vertical components of the reactions at A, B, and C when θ = 0,
(b) the maximum value of θ if the tripod is not to tip over.

SOLUTION

First note ( )
WC = mC g = ( 0.24 kg ) 9.81 m/s 2 = 2.3544 N

Wtp = mtp g = ( 0.20 kg ) ( 9.81 m/s ) = 1.9620 N

2

For θ = 0 xC = − ( 60 mm − 24 mm ) = −36 mm

zC = 0
(a) From f.b.d. of camera and tripod as projected onto plane ABCD
ΣFy = 0: Ay + By + C y − WC − Wtp = 0

∴ Ay + By + C y = 2.3544 N + 1.9620 N = 4.3164 N (1)

ΣM x = 0: C y ( 38 mm ) − By ( 38 mm ) = 0 ∴ C y = By (2)

ΣM z = 0: By ( 35 mm ) + C y ( 35 mm ) + ( 2.3544 N ) ( 36 mm ) − Ay ( 45 mm ) = 0

∴ 9 Ay − 7By − 7C y = 16.9517 (3)

Substitute C y with By from Equation (2) into Equations (1) and (3), and solve by elimination

(
7 Ay + 2 By = 4.3164 )
9 Ay − 14By = 16.9517

16 Ay = 47.166
 PROBLEM 4.104 CONTINUED
∴ Ay = 2.9479 N

or A y = 2.95 N

Substituting Ay = 2.9479 N into Equation (1)

2.9479 N + 2 By = 4.3164

∴ By = 0.68425 N

C y = 0.68425 N

or B y = C y = 0.684 N

(b) By = 0 for impending tipping

From f.b.d. of camera and tripod as projected onto plane ABCD

ΣFy = 0: Ay + C y − WC − Wtp = 0

∴ Ay + C y = 4.3164 N (1)

ΣM x = 0: C y ( 38 mm ) − ( 2.3544 N ) ( 36 mm ) sin θ  = 0

∴ C y = 2.2305sin θ (2)

ΣM z = 0: C y ( 35 mm ) − Ay ( 45 mm ) + ( 2.3544 N ) ( 36 mm ) cosθ  = 0

∴ 9 Ay − 7C y = (16.9517 N ) cosθ (3)

Forming 7 ×  Eq. (1)  +  Eq. ( 3)  yields

16 Ay = 30.215 N + (16.9517 N ) cosθ (4)

 PROBLEM 4.104 CONTINUED
Substituting Equation (2) into Equation (3)
9 Ay − (15.6134 N ) sin θ = (16.9517 N ) cosθ (5)

Forming 9 ×  Eq. ( 4 )  − 16 ×  Eq. ( 5 )  yields

( 249.81 N ) sin θ = 271.93 N − (118.662 N ) cosθ

2
or cos 2 θ =  2.2916 N − ( 2.1053 N ) sin θ 

Now cos 2 θ = 1 − sin 2 θ

∴ 5.4323sin 2 θ − 9.6490sin θ + 4.2514 = 0

Using quadratic formula to solve,
sin θ = 0.80981 and sin θ = 0.96641
∴ θ = 54.078° and θ = 75.108°
or θ max = 54.1° before tipping
 PROBLEM 4.105
Two steel pipes AB and BC, each having a weight per unit length of
5 lb/ft, are welded together at B and are supported by three wires.
Knowing that a = 1.25 ft, determine the tension in each wire.

SOLUTION

First note WAB = ( 5 lb/ft )( 2 ft ) = 10 lb

WBC = ( 5 lb/ft )( 4 ft ) = 20 lb

W = WAB + WBC = 30 lb
To locate the equivalent force of the pipe assembly weight
rG/B × W = Σ ( ri × Wi ) = rG ( AB ) × WAB + rG ( BC ) × WBC

or ( xGi + zGk ) × ( −30 lb ) j = (1 ft ) k × ( −10 lb ) j + ( 2 ft ) i × ( −20 lb ) j

∴ − ( 30 lb ) xGk + ( 30 lb ) zG i = (10 lb ⋅ ft ) i − ( 40 lb ⋅ ft ) k

10 lb ⋅ ft 1
From i-coefficient zG = = ft
30 lb 3
40 lb ⋅ ft 1
k-coefficient xG = = 1 ft
30 lb 3
From f.b.d. of piping
ΣM x = 0: W ( zG ) − TA ( 2 ft ) = 0

1  1 
∴ TA =  ft  30 lb  ft  = 5 lb or TA = 5.00 lb
2  3 
ΣFy = 0: 5 lb + TD + TC − 30 lb = 0

∴ TD + TC = 25 lb (1)
 PROBLEM 4.105 CONTINUED
4 
ΣM z = 0: TD (1.25 ft ) + TC ( 4 ft ) − 30 lb  ft  = 0
3 
∴ 1.25TD + 4TC = 40 lb ⋅ ft (2)

−4  Equation (1)  −4TD − 4TC = −100 (3)

Equation (2) + Equation (3) −2.75TD = −60

∴ TD = 21.818 lb or TD = 21.8 lb

From Equation (1) TC = 25 − 21.818 = 3.1818 lb or TC = 3.18 lb

Results: TA = 5.00 lb

TC = 3.18 lb

TD = 21.8 lb