Couple/ Moment/

Equilibrium
By
Dr. Nadia Imran
Types of forces
• Collinear Forces: The forces
whose line of action lie on the
same line.
• Coplanar forces: Forces whose
line of action lie on the same
plane.
• Concurrent: Forces whose line
of action meet at a point.
Concurrent forces may or may
not be collinear.
 Couple
• The moment produced by two equal, opposite, and noncollinear
forces is called a couple.
• Consider the action of two equal and opposite forces F and -F a
distance d apart, as shown in Fig.a. These two forces cannot be
combined into a single force because their sum in every direction is
zero. Their only effect is to produce a tendency of rotation. The
combined moment of the two forces about an axis normal to their
plane and passing through any point such as O in their plane is the
couple M.
M=F(a+d)-Fa, M=Fd
• Its direction is counterclockwise when viewed from above the
magnitude of the couple is independent of the distance a which
locates the forces with respect to the moment center O.
• It follows that the moment of a couple has the same value for all
moment centers.
 Vector Algebra Method
• The combined moment about point O of the forces forming the
couple of Fig.b is

• Where rA and rB are position vectors which run from point O to

arbitrary points A and B on the lines of action of F and –F
respectively. Because rA – rB = r, we can express M as
M=r×F
• The moment expression contains no reference to the moment
center O and, therefore, is the same for all moment centers.
Thus, we may represent M by a free vector
• where the direction of M is normal to the plane of the couple
and the sense of M is established by the right-hand rule.
 Direction
• Because the couple vector M is always
perpendicular to the plane of the forces
which constitute the couple, in two-
dimensional analysis we can represent
the sense of a couple vector as
clockwise or counterclockwise by one of
the conventions shown in Fig. d
Equivalent Couples
• Changing the values of F and d does not change a given couple as long as
the product Fd remains the same.
• A couple is not affected if the forces act in a different but parallel plane.
• Fig shows four different configurations of the same couple M. In each
of the four cases, the couples are equivalent and are described by the
same free vector which represents the identical tendencies to rotate
the bodies.
 Force–Couple Systems
• The effect of a force acting on a body is the tendency to push or pull the body in
the direction of the force, and to rotate the body about any fixed axis which does
not intersect the line of the force.
• We can represent this dual effect by replacing the given force by an equal
parallel force and a couple to compensate for the change in the moment of
the force.
• The given force F acting at point A is replaced by an equal force F at some point B
and the counterclockwise couple M =Fd.
• We can see in middle fig that the equal and opposite forces F and F are added at
point B without introducing any net external effects on the body.
• The original force at A and the equal and opposite one at B constitute the couple
M=Fd, which is counterclockwise.
• We have replaced the original force at A by the same force acting at a
different point B and a couple, without altering the external effects of the
original force on the body.
• The combination of the force and couple in the right-hand part of Fig is
referred to as a force–couple system.
• By reversing this process, we can combine a given couple and a force
which lies in the plane of the couple (normal to the couple vector) to
produce a single, equivalent force. Replacement of a force by an
equivalent force–couple system, and the reverse procedure, have many
applications in mechanics.
 Problem 2.7
• The rigid structural member is subjected to a couple consisting of the two
100-N forces. Replace this couple by an equivalent couple consisting of the
two forces P and P, each of which has a magnitude of 400 N. Determine the
proper angle .
 SAMPLE PROBLEM 2.8
• Replace the horizontal 80-lb force acting on the lever by an equivalent system
consisting of a force at O and a couple.
 Resultant action of system of forces
• Most problems in mechanics deal with a system of forces, and it is usually
necessary to reduce the system to its simplest form to describe its action.
The resultant of a system of forces is the simplest force combination which
can replace the original forces without altering the external effect on the
rigid body to which the forces are applied.
• Consider a system of three forces F1, F2, and F3 in Fig a. We obtain the
magnitude and direction of the resultant force R by forming the force
polygon shown in part b of the figure, where the forces are added using
head-to-tail in any sequence.
• Graphically, the correct line of action of R may be obtained by preserving the
correct lines of action of the forces and adding them by the parallelogram
law. We see this in part a of the figure for the case of three forces where the
sum R1 of F2 and F3 is added to F to obtain R.
1

• The principle of transmissibility has been used in this process.

 Algebraic Method
• We can use algebra to obtain the resultant force and
its line of action as:
1. Choose a convenient reference point and move
all forces to that point as shown in Fig a, b where
M1, M2, and M3 are the couples resulting from
the transfer of forces F1, F2, and F3 from their
respective original lines of action to lines of
action through point O.
2. Add all forces at O to form the resultant force R,
and add all couples to form the resultant couple
MO. We now have the single force–couple
system, as shown in Fig c.
3. In Fig d, find the line of action of R by requiring R
to have a moment of MO about point O. Note that
the force systems of Figs a and d are equivalent,
and that Σ(Fd) in Fig.a is equal to Rd in Fig d.
 Principle of Moments

• The first two of Eqs. reduce a given system of forces to a force–couple system
at an arbitrarily chosen but convenient point O. The last equation specifies
the distance d from point O to the line of action of R, and states that the
moment of the resultant force about any point O equals the sum of the
moments of the original forces of the system about the same point. This
extends Varignon’s theorem to the case of nonconcurrent force systems; we
call this extension the principle of moments.
• For a concurrent system of forces where the lines of action of all forces pass
through a common point O, the moment sum σ 𝑀0 about that point is zero.
Thus, the line of action of the resultant 𝑅 = σ 𝐹, determined by the first of
Eq, passes through point O.
• For a parallel force system, select a coordinate axis in the direction of
the forces.
• If the resultant force R for a given force system is zero, the resultant
of the system need not be zero because the resultant may be a
couple.
• The three forces in Fig., for instance, have a zero resultant force but
have a resultant clockwise couple M=F3d.
Problem 2.9
Determine the resultant of the four forces and one couple which act on the plate shown .

Sin

Hence, the resultant R may be applied at any point on the line which makes a 63.2 angle with the x-axis and is tangent
at point A to a circle of 1.600-m radius with center O, as shown in part b of the figure.
 Equilibrium
• When a body is in equilibrium, the resultant of all forces acting on it is zero.
Thus, the resultant force R and the resultant couple M are both zero, and we
have the equilibrium equations:

• These requirements are both necessary and sufficient conditions for

equilibrium
 Free body diagram
• A mechanical system is defined as a body or group of bodies which can be
conceptually isolated from all other bodies. A system may be a single body or a
combination of connected bodies. The bodies may be rigid or nonrigid.
• The system may also be an identifiable fluid mass, either liquid or gas, or a
combination of fluids and solids.
• Once we decide which body or combination of bodies to analyze, we then treat
this body or combination as a single body isolated from all surrounding bodies.
This isolation is accomplished by means of the free-body diagram.
• free-body diagram is a diagrammatic representation of the isolated system
treated as a single body.
• The diagram shows all forces applied to the system by mechanical contact with
other bodies, which are imagined to be removed.
• The gravitational or magnetic attraction are also shown on the free-body diagram
of the isolated system.
• Only after such a diagram the equilibrium equations can be written
 Free body diagram
• The free-body diagram is the most important single step in the solution of
problems in mechanics.
• Each example shows the force exerted on the body to be isolated, by the body
to be removed.
• Newton’s Third law The force exerted on the body by a contacting or
supporting member is always in the sense to oppose the movement of the
isolated body which would occur if the contacting or supporting body were
removed.
• Example 1 depicts the action of a flexible cable, belt, rope, or chain on the
body to which it is attached. Because of its flexibility, a rope or cable is unable
to offer any resistance to bending, shear, or compression and therefore exerts
only a tension force in a direction tangent to the cable at its point of
attachment.
• When the tension T is large compared with the weight of the cable, we may
assume that the cable forms a straight line. When the cable weight is not
negligible compared with its tension, the sag of the cable becomes important, and
the tension in the cable changes direction and magnitude along its length.
• When the smooth surfaces of two bodies are in contact, as in Example 2, the
force exerted by one on the other is normal to the tangent to the surfaces and is
compressive.
• When mating surfaces of contacting bodies are rough, as in Example 3, the force of
contact is not necessarily normal to the tangent to the surfaces, but may be
resolved into a tangential or frictional component F and a normal component N.
• Example 4 illustrates a number of forms of mechanical support which
effectively eliminate tangential friction forces. In these cases the net
reaction is normal to the supporting surface.
• Example 5 shows the action of a smooth guide on the body it
supports. There cannot be any resistance parallel to the guide.
• Example 6 illustrates the action of a pin connection. Such a
connection can support force in any direction normal to the axis of
the pin. We usually represent this action in terms of two
rectangular components. The correct sense of these components
in a specific problem depends on how the member is loaded. If
the solution of these equations yields a positive algebraic sign for the
force component, the assigned sense is correct. A negative sign
indicates the sense is opposite to that initially assigned.
Construction of Free-Body Diagrams
• Step 1. Decide which system to isolate. The system chosen should
usually involve one or more of the desired unknown quantities.
• Step 2. Next isolate the chosen system by drawing a diagram which
represents its complete external boundary. This boundary defines the
isolation of the system from all other attracting or contacting bodies,
which are considered removed.
• Step 3. Identify all forces which act on the isolated system as applied
by the removed contacting and attracting bodies and represent them
in their proper positions on the diagram of the isolated system.
• Step 4. Show the choice of coordinate axes directly on the diagram.
Equilibrium Conditions
• A body is in equilibrium if all forces and moments applied to it are in
balance.
• The third equation represents the zero sum of the moments of all
forces about any point O on or off the body. These are the necessary
and sufficient conditions for complete equilibrium in two dimensions.
• They are necessary conditions because, if they are not satisfied, there
can be no force or moment balance. They are sufficient because once
they are satisfied, there can be no imbalance, and equilibrium is
assured.
• These conditions are independent requirements, and one may hold
without another.
Equilibrium Conditions
• for example, a body which slides along a horizontal surface with
increasing velocity under the action of applied forces. The force–
equilibrium equations will be satisfied in the vertical direction where
the acceleration is zero, but not in the horizontal direction.
• Also, a body, such as a flywheel, which rotates about its fixed mass
center with increasing angular speed is not in rotational equilibrium,
but the two force–equilibrium equations will be satisfied.
Categories of Equilibrium
• Category 1: equilibrium of collinear forces, clearly requires only the one
force equation in the direction of the forces (x-direction), since all other
equations are automatically satisfied i.e.,σ 𝑀 = 0, σ 𝐹𝑦 = 0
• Category 2: equilibrium of forces which lie in a plane (x-y plane) and are
concurrent at a point O, requires the two force equations only, since the
moment sum about O, that is, about a z-axis through O, is necessarily zero.
Included in this category is the case of the equilibrium of a particle.
• Category 3: equilibrium of parallel forces in a plane, requires the one force
equation in the direction of the forces (x-direction) and one moment
equation about an axis (z-axis) normal to the plane of the forces.
• Category 4: equilibrium of a general system of forces in a plane (x-y),
requires the two force equations in the plane and one moment equation
about an axis (z-axis) normal to the plane.
Two- and Three-Force Members
• A two-force member to be in equilibrium, the forces must be equal,
opposite, and collinear.

• The second situation is a three-force member, which is a body under

the action of three forces. We see that equilibrium requires the lines
of action of the three forces to be concurrent. If they were not
concurrent, then one of the forces would exert a resultant moment
about the point of intersection of the other two, which would violate
the requirement of zero moment about every point.
Problem 3.1
• Determine the magnitudes of the forces C and T, which, along with
the other three forces shown, act on the bridge-truss joint.
Problem 3.2
• Calculate the tension T in the cable which supports
the 1000-lb load with the pulley arrangement shown.
Each pulley is free to rotate about its bearing, and the
weights of all parts are small compared with the load.
Find the magnitude of the total force on the bearing
of pulley C.

• The free-body diagram of each pulley is drawn in its

relative position to the others. We begin with pulley A,
which includes the only known force.
• With the unspecified pulley radius designated by r, the
equilibrium of moments about its center O and the
equilibrium of forces in the vertical direction require
 Problem 3.3
• The uniform 100-kg I-beam is supported initially by its end rollers on the
horizontal surface at A and B. By means of the cable at C it is desired to elevate
end B to a position 3 m above end A. Determine the required tension P, the
reaction at A, and the angle made by the beam with the horizontal in the
elevated position.
Problem 3.4
• Determine the magnitude T of the tension in the supporting cable
and the magnitude of the force on the pin at A for the jib crane
shown. The beam AB is a standard 0.5-m I-beam with a mass of 95 kg
per meter of length.