Engineering Mechanics

Teaching Fellow: Engr. Abid Abbas

Mechanics
Mechanics: Oldest of the Physical Sciences
Archimedes (287-212 BC): Principles of Lever and Buoyancy!

Mechanics is a branch of the physical sciences that is

concerned with the state of rest or motion of bodies
to the action of forces.
Rigid-body Mechanics €
ME101 Statics
Dynamics

subjected
Deformable-Body Mechanics, and
Fluid Mechanics
Rigid-body Mechanics
• a basic requirement for the study of
the mechanics of deformable bodies
and the mechanics of fluids
(advanced courses).
• essential for the design and analysis of
many types of structural members,
mechanical components, electrical devices,
etc, encountered in engineering.
A rigid body does not deform under load!
Rigid-body Mechanics
Statics: deals with equilibrium of bodies
under action of forces (bodies may be
either at rest or move with a constant
velocity).
 Engineering Mechanics
Rigid-body Mechanics
• Dynamics: deals with motion of
bodies (accelerated motion)
Mechanics: Fundamental
Concepts
Length (Space): needed to locate position of a point in
space, & describe size of the physical system €
Distances, Geometric Properties
Time: measure of succession of events € basic
quantity in Dynamics

Mass: quantity of matter in a body € measure of inertia

of a body (its resistance to change in velocity)

Force: represents the action of one body on another

€ characterized by its magnitude, direction of its
action, and its point of application
€ Force is a Vector quantity.
Mechanics: Fundamental
Concepts
Newtonian Mechanics

Length, Time, and Mass are absolute concepts

independent of each other

Force is a derived concept

not independent of the other fundamental concepts.
Force acting on a body is related to the mass of the
body and the variation of its velocity with time.

Force can also occur between bodies that are

physically separated (Ex: gravitational, electrical, and
magnetic forces)
Mechanics: Fundamental
Concepts
Remember:
• Mass is a property of matter that does
not change from one location to
another.
• Weight refers to the gravitational attraction
of the earth on a body or quantity of
mass. Its magnitude depends upon the
elevation at which the mass is located
• Weight of a body is the gravitational force acting on it.
To simplify application of the theory
Particle: A body with mass but with
dimensions that can be neglected

Size of earth is insignificant

compared to the size of its
orbit. Earth can be
modeled as a particle when
studying its orbital motion
Rigid Body: A combination of large number of
particles in which all particles remain at a fixed
distance (practically) from one another before and
after applying a load.

Material properties of a rigid body are not required

to be considered when analyzing the forces acting
on the body.

In most cases, actual deformations occurring in

structures, machines, mechanisms, etc. are relatively
small, and rigid body assumption is suitable for
analysis
Concentrated Force: Effect of a loading
which is assumed to act at a point (CG) on
a body.
• Provided the area over which the load is
applied is very small compared to the overall
size of the body.
Ex: Contact Force
between a wheel
and ground.

40 kN 160 kN
Mechanics: Newton’s Three Laws of
Motion
Basis of formulation of rigid body mechanics.
First Law: A particle originally at rest, or moving in a
straight line with constant velocity, tends to remain in this
state provided the particle is not subjected to an
unbalanced force.

First law contains the

principle of the equilibrium of
forces € main topic of
concern in Statics
Mechanics: Newton’s Three Laws of
Motion
Second Law: A particle of mass “m” acted upon by an
unbalanced force “F” experiences an acceleration “a”
that has the same direction as the force and a
magnitude that is directly proportional to the force.

m F = ma

Second Law forms the basis for most

of the analysis in Dynamics
Mechanics: Newton’s Three Laws of
Motion
Third Law: The mutual forces of action and reaction
between two particles are equal, opposite, and
collinear.

Third law is basic to our understanding of Force € Forces

always occur in pairs of equal and opposite forces.
 Mechanics: Newton’s Law of Gravitational Attraction
Weight of a body (gravitational force acting on a body) is required
to be computed in Statics as well as Dynamics.
This law governs the gravitational attraction between any two particles.

m1m2
FG
2
r
F = mutual force of attraction between two particles
G = universal constant of gravitation
Experiments € G = 6.673x10-11 m3/(kg.s2)
Rotation of Earth is not taken into account
m1, m2 = masses of two particles
r = distance between two particles
Gravitational Attraction of the Earth
Weight of a Body: If a particle is located at or near the
surface of the earth, the only significant gravitational force
is that between the earth and the particle
Weight of a particle having mass m1 = m :
Assuming earth to be a non-
rotating sphere of constant
density and having mass m2 =
Me
mM e
W G
2
r r = distance between the
earth’s center and the particle
Let g = G Me /r2 = acceleration due to gravity
W  mg (9.81m/s2)
 Mechanics: Units
Four Fundamental Quantities
Quantity Dimensional SI UNIT
Symbol Unit Symbol
Mass M Kilogram Kg Basic Unit
Length L Meter M
Time T Second s
Force F Newton N

F  ma € N=
1 Newton is the force
kg.m/s2 required to give a mass of
1 kg an acceleration of 1
W  mg m/s2
€ N=
kg.m/s2
Mechanics: Units Prefixes
Scalars and Vectors
Scalars: only magnitude is associated.
Ex: time, volume, density, speed, energy, mass
Vectors: possess direction as well as magnitude, and must obey the
parallelogram law of addition (and the triangle law).
Ex: displacement, velocity,
acceleration, force, moment,
momentum
Equivalent Vector: V = V1 + V2 (Vector Sum)

Speed is the magnitude of velocity.

Vector
sVector V can be written as: V = Vn
A
V = magnitude of V
n = unit vector whose magnitude is one and whose direction coincides
with that of V
Unit vector can be formed by dividing any vector, such as the
geometric position vector, by its length or magnitude

Vectors represented by Bold and Non-Italic letters (V)

Magnitude of vectors represented by Non-Bold, Italic

letters (V)

y j
x i i, j, k – unit vectors

z k
 Vector
s Vector: whose action is not confined
Free
to or associated with a unique line in space
Ex: Movement of a body without rotation.

Sliding Vector: has a unique line

of action in space but not a
unique point of application
Ex: External force on a rigid body
€ Principle of Transmissibility
€ Imp in Rigid Body Mechanics

Fixed Vector: for which a unique

point of application is specified
Ex: Action of a force on deformable body
 Vector Addition: Procedure for Analysis
Parallelogram Law
(Graphical) Resultant
Force (diagonal)
Components (sides of
parallelogram)

Algebraic Solution
Using the coordinate system

Trigonometry (Geometry)
Resultant Force and
Components from Law of
Cosines and Law of Sines
Force
Systems
Force: Magnitude (P), direction (arrow) and point of application (point A) is
important
Change in any of the three specifications will alter the effect on the

bracket. Force is a Fixed Vector

In case of rigid bodies, line of action of force is important (not its point of
application if we are interested in only the resultant external effects
of the force), we will treat most forces as
External effect: Forces applied
(applied force); Forces exerted by
bracket, bolts, Foundation (reactive
force)

Internal effect: Deformation, strain

pattern – permanent strain; depends
Cable Tension P on material properties of bracket,
bolts, etc.
 Force
Systems
Concurrent force:
Forces are said to be concurrent at a point if their lines of
action intersect at that point
F1, F2 are concurrent forces; R will be on same plane; R = F1+F2

F2 F2
R = F1+F2
R
F2
R R F2
A A
F1 A F1
F1 F1
Plane

Forces act at same point Forces act at

different point Triangle Law
(Apply Principle of Transmissibility)
Components and Projections of Force
Components of a Force are not necessarily equal to the
Projections of the Force unless the axes on which the forces
are projected are orthogonal (perpendicular to each other).

F1 and F2 are components of R. R = F1 + F2

Fa and Fb are perpendicular projections

on axes a and b, respectively.

R ≠ Fa + Fb unless a and b are

perpendicular to each other
 Components of Force
Examples
Vector

0
6) II
II
(9— 2)i+ (6— 3J)
II

p (9— 2)°+ (6— 3)°

 Components of Force
Example 1:
Determine the x and
y scalar
components of F1,
F2, and F3 acting
at point A of the bracket
 Components of Force
Solution:
 Components of
Force Solution
Alternative
- p - cos(35°) i + sin(35°)J
i°• 1 F 1 1 F1
2 2
(cos(35°)) + (sin(35°))

= 600[0.819i -1- 0.5735J]

= 491i -1- 344J
F;g —— 491 N Fly ' 344 N

—4i + 3J
i°•2 = F•2 2 ' F•2
p (—4) 2 + (3) 2

= 500[—0.8i -1- 0.6J] = 400i -1- 300J

• 2x 400 N FJy' 300 N
 Components of
Force
Alternative Solution

AB 0.2i — 0.4J
AB —— $; (0.2) 2 -F (—0.4) 2

AB
F•3 ' - 3 3 ' - 3
AB
0.2i — 0.4J
= 800
(0.2) 2 + (—0.4) 2
= 800[0.447i — 0.894J]
= 358i — 716J

F3 x 358 N F 3 p = 716 N
Components of
Force
Example 2: The two forces act on a bolt at A.
Determine
their resultant.

Graphical solution - construct a

parallelogram with sides in the same
direction as P and Q and lengths in
proportion. Graphically evaluate the
resultant which is equivalent in
direction and proportional in
magnitude to the diagonal.

Trigonometric solution - use the

triangle rule for vector addition in
conjunction with the law of cosines
and law of sines to find the
resultant.
 Components of
Force
Solution:
• Graphical solution - A parallelogram with sides
equal to P and Q is drawn to scale. The
magnitude and direction of the resultant or of
the diagonal to the parallelogram are
measured,
R  98 N   35

• Graphical solution - A triangle is drawn with P

and Q head-to-tail and to scale. The
magnitude and direction of the resultant or of
the third side of the triangle are measured,

R  98 N   35
 Components of Force
Trigonometric Solution: Apply the triangle rule.
From the Law of Cosines,
R 2  P 2  Q 2  2 PQ cos B
 40 N  2  60 N 2  240 N 60 N  cos 155 



R  97.73 N 


From the Law of Sines,

sin A sin B

Q R
Q
sin A  sin B
R
60 N
 sin 155 
97.73 N
A  15.04
  20  A
  35.04
Components of
Force
P —— 40[cos(20)i + sin(20)J]
37.58i + 13.68j

Q = 60[cos(45) i + sin(45)J]
42.43i + 42.43j

A 80.01i + 56.10J
A 97.72
a = 35.03
Components of
Force
Example 3:Tension in cable BC is 725-N, determine the resultant of
the three forces exerted at point B of beam AB.
Solution:
• Resolve each force into
rectangular components.

• Determine the components of

the resultant by adding the
corresponding force
components.

• Calculate the magnitude

and direction of the
resultant.
Components of
Force Resolve each force into rectangular components

Magnitude (N) X-component (N) Y-component (N)

725 -525 500
500 -300 -400
780 720 -300

Calculate the magnitude and direction

 Components of
Force
Alternate solution

Calculate the magnitude and direction

 Rectangular Components in Space

• Resolve Fh into
• The vector F is • Resolve F into rectangular
contained in the horizontal and vertical components
plane OBAC. components.
Fx  Fh cos
Fy F cos y  F sin  y cos
Fh F sin y Fz  Fh sin 
 F sin  y sin 
 Rectangular Components in Space

Fq —— Fcosq F•y F OS y Fz
F F + Fy + Fz!!
F —— FcoS8
q I -t FCOS y + FCOS&
q k

F F(cosq8 i -I- cos8qj -I- cos8q k

F FY
Where A = cos8gt + COSTED + COS8q k

J is a unit vector along the line of action of F ana

COS y C S y dnd cos8 are the direction cosine for F
Rectangular Components in
Space
Direction of the force is defined by the location of two points
Rectangular Components in
Space
Example: The tension in the guy
SOLUTION:
wire is 2500 N. Determine:
a) components Fx, Fy, Fz of the • Based on the relative locations of the
force acting on the bolt at A, points A and B, determine the unit
vector pointing from A towards B.
b)the angles qx, qy, qz defining the
• Apply the unit vector to determine
direction of the force
the components of the force acting
on A.
• Noting that the components of the
unit vector are the direction cosines
for the vector, calculate the
corresponding angles.
 Rectangular Components in
Space
Solution
Determine the unit vector pointing from A
towards B.

Determine the components of the force.

Rectangular Components in Space
Solution
Noting that the components of the unit
vector are the direction cosines for the
vector, calculate the corresponding angles.

 x  115.1o
 y  32.0o
 z  71.5o
 Vector
Products
Dot Product

Applications:
to determine the angle between two vectors
to determine the projection of a vector in a specified
direction

A.B = B.A (commutative)

A.(B+C) = A.B+A.C (distributive operation)
 Vector
Products
Cross Product:

Cartesian Vector
Moment of a Force
(Torque)

Sense of the moment may be determined by

the right-hand rule
 Moment of a
Force
Principle of Transmissibility
Any force that has the same
magnitude and direction as F, is
equivalent if it also has the same
line of action and therefore,
produces the same moment.

Varignon’s Theorem
(Principle of Moments)

Moment of a Force about a point is equal to

the sum of the moments of the force’s
components about the point.
Rectangular Components of a Moment
The moment of F about O,
Rectangular Components of the Moment
The moment of F about B,
Moment of a Force About a Given
Axis
Moment M of a force F applied at
O
the point A about a point O

Scalar moment MOL about an axis

OL is the projection of the moment
vector MO onto the axis,

Moments of F about the coordinate

axes (using previous slide)
Moment of a Force About a Given
Axis Moment of a force about an arbitrary axis

rAB
rB rAB = rA — rB
rA
C
If we take point C in place of point
B

0
MBL = fi. rA — rC × F
= fi. rA — rB × F + fi. rB — rC × F

rB — rC and fi are in the same line

 Moment:
Example
Calculate the magnitude of the moment about the
base point O of the 600 N force in different ways
Solution 1.
Moment about O is

Solution 2.
 Moment:
Example
Solution 3.

Solution 4.

Solution 5.

The minus sign indicates that the

vector is in the negative z-direction
 Moment of a Couple
Moment produced by two equal, opposite and
non-collinear forces is called a couple.
Magnitude of the combined moment of
the two forces about O:
M = F a + d — Fa = Fd
M = rA × F + rB × —F
= rA — rB × F
= r×F
M = rFsin8 = Fd
The moment vector of the couple is independent
of the choice of the origin of the coordinate axes,
i.e., it is a free vector that can be applied at any
point with the same effect.
 Moment of a Couple
Two couples will have equal F1d1 = F2d2
moments if The two couples lie in
parallel planes

The two couples have the same sense or the

tendency to cause rotation in the same
direction.

Examples:
 Addition of
Couples
Consider two intersecting planes P 1
and P2 with each containing a couple
M1 = r × F 1 in plane P1
M2 = r × F 2 in plane P2
Resultants of the vectors also form a couple
M = r × R = r × F 1 + F2

By Varigon’s theorem
M = r × F 1 + r × F2
= M1 + M2
Sum of two couples is also a couple that is equal to
the vector sum of the two couples
Couples
Vectors

A couple can be represented by a vector with magnitude and

direction equal to the moment of the couple.

Couple vectors obey the law of addition of vectors.

Couple vectors are free vectors, i.e., the point of application is not
significant.

Couple vectors may be resolved into component vectors.

Couple: Example Case I

Moment required to turn the shaft connected at

center of the wheel = 12 Nm
Case I: Couple Moment produced by 40 N
forces = 12 Nm
Case II: Couple Moment produced by 30 N
forces = 12 Nm
Case II
If only one hand is used?
Force required for case I is 80N
Force required for case II is 60N
What if the shaft is not connected at the center
of the wheel?
Is it a Free Vector?
Equivalent Systems

At support O
Wr= W1 + W2
Mo = W1d1 + W2d2
 Equivalent Systems: Resultants

FR = F1 + F2 + F3
What is the value of d?
Moment of the Resultant force about the grip must be equal to the
moment of the forces about the grip

FRd = F1d1 + F2d2 + F3d3 Equilibrium Conditions

 Equivalent Systems:
Resultants
Equilibrium

Equilibrium of a body is a condition in which

the resultants of all forces acting on the body
is zero.

Condition studied in Statics

 Equivalent Systems: Resultants
Vector Approach: Principle of Transmissibility can be used

Magnitude and direction of the resultant force R is obtained

by forming the force polygon where the forces are added
head to tail in any sequence
 Equivalent Systems:
Example Solution:
a) Compute the resultant force for
the forces shown and the resultant
couple for the moments of the
forces about A.
For the beam, reduce the
system of forces shown to (a) b) Find an equivalent force-couple
an equivalent force-couple system at B based on the force-
system at A, (b) an equivalent couple system at A.
force couple system at B, and
c) Determine the point of application
(c) a single force or resultant.
for the resultant force such that its
Note: Since the support moment about A is equal to the
reactions are not included, the resultant couple at A.
given system will not maintain
the beam in equilibrium.
 Equivalent Systems:
Example (a) Compute the resultant force and
SOLUTION
the resultant couple at A.

R = Σ F = 150j − 600j + 100j − 250j

R = − 600N j

A = Σr × F
MR
= 1.6i × −600j + 2.8i × 100j + 4.8i × −250j
MAR = − 1880 N. N k
Equivalent Systems:
Example b) Find an equivalent force-couple system at
B based on the force-couple system at A.
The force is unchanged by the movement
of the force-couple system from A to B.

R = − 600N j
The couple at B is equal to the moment about
B of the force-couple system found at A.

MR = MR + rBA × R
B A

= −1800k + −4.8i × −600j

= 1000N. N k
 Equivalent Systems:
R = F + FExample
1 2+ F +F
3 4

R
R = 150 − 600 + 100 − 250 = −600 N
d
Rd = F1d1 + F2d2 + F3d3 + F4d4

d = 3.13 N

R R
d

A B

−R
 Rigid Body Equilibrium

A rigid body will remain in equilibrium provided

• sum of all the external forces acting on the
body is equal to zero, and
• Sum of the moments of the external forces
about a point is equal to zero

z x
Rigid Body Equilibrium
Free-Body Diagrams

Space Diagram: A sketch

showing the physical conditions Free-Body Diagram: A sketch
of the problem. showing only the forces on the
selected particle.
Rigid Body Equilibrium

Support Reactions
Prevention of
Translation or
Rotation of a
body

Restraints
Rigid
Body
Equilibriu
m
Various
Supports 2-D
Force Systems
Rigid
Body
Equilibriu
m
Various
Supports 2-D
Force Systems
Rigid
Body
Equilibriu
m
Various
Supports 3-D
Force Systems
Free
body
diagram
Rigid
Body
Equilibriu
m

Categories
in 2-D
Rigid Body
Equilibrium

Categories
in 3-D
 Rigid Body Equilibrium:
Example Solution:
• Create a free-body diagram of the joist. Note
that the joist is a 3 force body acted upon by
the rope, its weight, and the reaction at A.

• The three forces must be concurrent for static

A man raises a 10 kg joist, of equilibrium. Therefore, the reaction R must
length 4 m, by pulling on a rope. pass through the intersection of the lines of
action of the weight and rope forces.
Find the tension in the rope and Determine the direction of the reaction force
the reaction at A. R.
• Utilize a force triangle to determine the
magnitude of the reaction force R.
Rigid Body Equilibrium:
Example • Create a free-body diagram of the joist.
• Determine the direction of the reaction force R.

AF ABcos45  4mcos45  2.828m

CD AE  AF 1.414m
1
2
BD  CDcot(45 20)  1.414mtan20  0.515m
CE  BF  BD  2.828 0.515 m  2.313m
CE  2.313  1.636
tan
AE 1.414


58.6o
Rigid Body Equilibrium:
Example • Determine the magnitude of the reaction
force R.

T R 98.1 N
 
sin31.4 sin110 sin38.6o
o o

T  81.9N
R 147.8 N