Centroids

Introduction
• The earth exerts a gravitational force on each of the
particles forming a body. These forces can be replace by a
single equivalent force equal to the weight of the body and
applied at the center of gravity for the body.

• The centroid of an area is analogous to the center of

gravity of a body. The concept of the first moment of an
area is used to locate the centroid.

5-2
 Centroids
• Centroid of mass
– (a.k.a. Center of mass)
– (a.k.a. Center of weight)
– (a.k.a. Center of gravity)
• For a solid, the point where
the distributed mass is
centered
• Centroid of volume, Centroid of area
xM
  xm
  x dm

yM   ym

  y dm
 Center of Gravity of a 2D Body
• Center of gravity of a plate • Center of gravity of a wire

M xW   xW
y

  x dW
M yW   yW
y

5-7
   y dW

5-8
Centroids &First Moments of Areas & Lines
• Centroid of an area • Centroid of a line

xW   x dW

xgM  g  x xW   x dW
dM
M  V  tA) x La  x  adL

dM  dV  tdA
xAt    x t xL   x dL
dA
xA   x dA  Qy yL  y dL
 first moment with respect to y

yA   y dA  Qx
 first moment with respect to x
First Moments of Areas and Lines
• An area is symmetric with respect to an axis
BB’ if for every point P there exists a point P’
such that PP’ is perpendicular to BB’ and is
divided into two equal parts by BB’.
• The first moment of an area with respect to
a line of symmetry is zero.
• If an area possesses a line of symmetry, its
centroid lies on that axis
• If an area possesses two lines of symmetry, its
centroid lies at their intersection.
• An area is symmetric with respect to a center
O if for every element dA at (x,y) there exists
an area dA’ of equal area at (-x,-y).
• The centroid of the area coincides with the
center of symmetry.
 Centroids of Common Shapes of Areas

5 - 10
 Centroids of Common Shapes of Lines

5 - 11
Composite Plates and Areas
• Composite weight

X
xW
W Y
  yW
W

• Composite area

X A xA
Y  A  y A
 Sample Problem 5.1
SOLUTION:
• Divide the area into a triangle,
rectangle, and semicircle with a circular
cutout.
• Calculate the first moments of each
area with respect to the axes.
• Find the total area and first moments of
the triangle, rectangle, and semicircle.
Subtract the area and first moment of
the
For the plane area shown, determine circular cutout.
the first moments with respect to the
x and y axes and the location of the • Compute the coordinates of the area
centroid. centroid by dividing the first moments
by the total area.
 Sample Problem 5.1

• Find the total area and first moments of the 3

Qx  506.2 10 mm
triangle, rectangle, and semicircle. Subtract the 3
area and first moment of the circular cutout.
3
Qy  757.7 10 mm
 Sample Problem
• Compute the coordinates of the area
centroid by dividing the first moments by
the total area.
 x A  757.7 103 mm 3
 3 2
13.82810 mm

X  54.8 mm
3 3
 y A  506.2 10 mm
 3
13.82810 mm
2
Y 36.6 mm
 Determination of Centroids by
xA 
 xdA  x I nAte•gDroaubtlieoinntegration to find the
  xel d
 dxdy
first moment
yA may be avoided by defining dA as a thin
 ydA  y   yel
 rectangle or strip.
dxdy dA


xA  x dA xA   xel dA xA   xel dA
 el
x ax 2r 1 2 
ydx
  a  xdx  cos r d
 2 
3
2 
yA
  yel dA  
y
  yA   yel yA   yel dA
dA
 ydx
  y a  1 2 
2 sin d 

xdx 2r 
 r

2
3
 Sample Problem 5.4
SOLUTION:
• Determine the constant k.
• Evaluate the total area.
• Using either vertical or horizontal
strips, perform a single integration
to find the first moments.
Determine by direct integration the
location of the centroid of a parabolic • Evaluate the centroid coordinates.
spandrel.
Sample Problem 5.4
SOLUTION:
• Determine the constant k.
2
ykx

bka
2 b
k 
a2
b 2
y  or x 2 a
a x
b 1 y1 2
2

• Evaluate the total area.

A   dA
a
a b x 3
b 2
  y dx  x dx   
 2
a 3 
0 a2
0
 ab
 3
Sample Problem 5.4
• Using vertical strips, perform a single integration
to find the first moments.
a
Q  x dA  xxyd  b 2
 x dx
y  el  
x 
2
b 4 a a b 0 a
2

  x  
2
 a 4  4
0 a
y 1b 2
Qx   yel dA   ydx   x 2  dx
2
2 0 2 a 
2
 b a5 
2 ab
 x
4  
 2a 5  10
0
Sample Problem 5.4
• Or, using horizontal strips, perform a
single integration to find the first moments.

Qy  2
a 2 0  x
a xd
ax dy
 xel dA 2
y
  2 b

 2

1b 2
 2
a y dy a b
2 0  b  4


Qx  12

 yel dA  ya  xdy    a y dy
y 
a 12
b

 
 b ay  0

 
a b1 2 32 2
y ab
 10
dy
 

Sample Problem 5.4
• Evaluate the centroid coordinates.
xA  Qy
2 3
ab  a b x a
x 4 4
3

yA  Qx

ab 2 y3 b
y 3 ab
 10 10
 Theorems of Pappus-Guldinus

• Surface of revolution is generated by rotating

a plane curve about a fixed axis.

• Area of a surface of revolution is

equal to the length of the generating
curve times the distance traveled by
the centroid through the rotation.
A  2 yL
 Theorems of Pappus-Guldinus

• Body of revolution is generated by rotating a

plane area about a fixed axis.

• Volume of a body of revolution is

equal to the generating area times
the distance traveled by the
centroid through the rotation.

V  2 y A
 Sample Problem 5.7
SOLUTION:
• Apply the theorem of Pappus-Guldinus
to evaluate the volumes or revolution
for the rectangular rim section and the
inner cutout section.

• Multiply by density and

acceleration to get the mass and
acceleration.
The outside diameter of a pulley is 0.8 m,
and the cross section of its rim is as shown.
Knowing that the pulley is made of steel
and that the density of steel is
determine th e m a ss a n d3 w e ig
  7 .8 5  1 0 k g
h t 3of the rim.
m
SOLUTION:
Sample Problem 5.7
• Apply the theorem of Pappus-Guldinus
to evaluate the volumes or revolution
for the rectangular rim section and the
inner cutout section.

• Multiply by density and acceleration

to get the mass and acceleration.

m 
 7.8510
3
m
3
7.6510 6
mm
3
  9
10
3
mm  m  60.0 kg
V 3
kg m 
W
mg 
 60.0 kg  9.81 s
2
W  589 N

m 
 Distributed Loads on Beams

L
• A distributed load is represented by plotting the
W   wdx   dA  load per unit length, w (N/m) . The total load is
0
A equal to the area under the load curve.

OPW   • A distributed load can be replace by a concentrated

xdW load with a magnitude equal to the area under the
L
0
OPA  xdA 
 xA
load
curve
and a
line
of
actio
n
passi
ng
throu
gh
the
area
centr
oid.
 Sample Problem 5.9
SOLUTION:
• The magnitude of the concentrated load
is equal to the total load or the area under
the curve.
• The line of action of the concentrated
load passes through the centroid of the
area under the curve.
• Determine the support reactions by
A beam supports a distributed load as summing moments about the beam
shown. Determine the equivalent ends.
concentrated load and the reactions at
the supports.
Sample Problem 5.9
SOLUTION:
• The magnitude of the concentrated load is equal to
the total load or the area under the curve.
F  18.0 kN

• The line of action of the concentrated load

passes through the centroid of the area under the
curve.
X  63 kN  m
18 kN X  3.5
m
Sample Problem 5.9
• Determine the support reactions by
summing moments about the beam ends.

MA 0 By 6 m   18 kN 3.5 m  0

:
By  10.5
kN

 MB  Ay 6 m   18 kN 6 m  3.5 m 

0 0
:
Ay  7.5 kN
 Center of Gravity of a 3D Body:
Centroid of a Volume

• Center of gravity G • Results are independent of body orientation,

W   W xW   yW   zW   zdW
 
j j xdW ydW

  
rG  W j    r   • For homogeneous bodies,

W j 
  
r W    j    W   V and dW   dV
r W    j 
G
 xV   xdV yV   zV   zdV
W   dW rG W  
ydV

r dW
Centroids of Common 3D Shapes
Composite 3D Bodies
• Moment of the total weight concentrated at the
center of gravity G is equal to the sum of the
moments of the weights of the component
parts.
X W  Y Z
    zW
xW W yW W

• For homogeneous bodies,

X V  Y Z
    zV
xV V yV V
 Sample Problem
SOLUTION:
5.12
• Form the machine element from a
rectangular parallelepiped and a
quarter cylinder and then subtracting
two 1-in. diameter cylinders.

Locate the center of gravity of the steel

machine element. The diameter of each
hole is 1 in.
 Sample Problem 5.12

5 - 34
 Sample Problem 5.12

X 
xV V  3.08 in
4
 5.286 in3 
X  0.577
V   5.047 in  5.286 in3 
4

Y   yV


V  1.618 in
4
 5.286 in 
Y  0.577
3

Z   zV
Z  0.577
5 - 35