Statics – Lecture

1
Addition and
Resolution of Forces

Dr JD Shephard

1
 Introduction to Statics
Engineering Mechanics

Engineering Mechanics

Rigid Bodies Deformable Fluids

Bodies

Rigid Body
Mechanics
Rigid Bodies Mechanics

Statics Dynamics
(Bodies at Rest or at (Accelerated Motion
Constant Velocity) of Bodies)
Semeste Semester 2
r1
Statics may be considered as a
special casewhere
dynamics of the acceleration is
zero, however,
is generally
it studied separately
ensure a firmto grasp of the concepts of force,
moment, and physical-mathematical modeling
necessary to the study of mechanics. 2
Statics topics
• Addition and Resolution of
Forces
• Free Body Diagrams
• Moments
• Force Equilibrium
• Moment Equilibrium
• Levers
• Pin jointed Frames

Books
GORDON, J.E., “Structures or why things
don't falldown”, Penguin, 1978
MERIAM, J.L. & KRAIGE, L.G., “Engineering
Mechanics Vol 1: Statics”, Wiley 4th
edition 1998
HIBBELER, R.C., “Engineering Mechanics,
Statics”, Prentice Hall, 1995

Rigid Body Mechanics in

3
the “real world”?
 Trigonometry:
basic rules and equations
Pythagoras

a
b
a2 b 2

c
c2

Where a, b and c are the sides of a right

angled triangle and a is the hypotenuse

Sine rule

C a
b a b c
 
A B sin
A
c
sin
Where a, b, and c are the sides of the triangle
and A, B, C are the angles opposite the sideB of
the same letter.
sin
C4
Cosine
rule
a  b
2
2
 c 2
 2bc
cos A
a, b, c are the sides and angle A opposite side a,
i.e. between sides b and c.

Algebra
Linear
y  mx  c
Where y and x are variables, m is the slope of
the line and c is the intercept on the y axis.
Note that when m is positive, as x increases,
so does y so the line slopes uphill from the
origin. When m is negative, the opposite is the
case.
Quadratic
The solution to the ax 2  bx  c
equation:
0
b b2 
is given 4ac
by: x 5


2
a
 Scalars and Vectors

Scalar Quantity
– a quantity that has
magnitude but not
direction

Vector Quantity
– a quantity that has both
magnitude and direction

Examples of Scalar Quantities:

– Length
– Mass
– Speed

Examples of Vector Quantities:

– Force = Mass x Acceleration
(Newton’s 2nd Law)
– Velocity
– Acceleration
6
 Resolution of Forces
General Vector Addition – Triangle
rule
F2

F1 F2 F1 FR
F2
F1 Resultan
t
Resolution of Forces
In ANY defined co-ordinate system a force
F has components:
Fcos F
 Fsin
Fsin  
Fcos

In this case the co-ordinate
system is:-
y

x 7
Resultant
The resultant of any set of forces can be
determined by adding
all the “x” components:
Fx, all the “y”
components: Fy,
and using Pythagoras to work out the
magnitude of the resultant:

i.e. magnitude of resultantR FR is: x  y

2 2
F  ( F )  ( F )

The angle  which the resultant makes

with the x-axis is given by:

F y
  tan1
F
x

8
Force equilibrium

A system is in equilibrium when all the

forces applied to a body add up to zero.
The equilibrium force is equal and opposite
to the resultant force and this equilibrium
force is often called the “equilibriant”.

For all the forces to add up to zero, then all

the components of the forces must add up
to zero so:

Fx = 0
Fy = 0

To do this, it is often helpful to draw up

a table of all the forces and all the
components.

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 Worked example
Q. Combine the two
forces F1 and F2
act on the bracket F1 =
which
into a single 100N
equivalent force FR
30o

20o

F2 =
80N

Add the
forces:
F1 = F2 =
100N 80N

Complete the
triangle: 30o

20o
130o
F1 = F2 =
100N 30o- 80N
 FR
1
0
Also could use graphical method here (scale ie
1cm =1N)
Apply rule:

Cosine rule will work here

a 2   b 2   c  2 
2b2 ccos A
FR  F 1   F 1  2 F
2 2
2

F cos130 2

FR  80  100
2 2 2

280100cos130
FR  163.4N
Now find the angle, , at which FR acts relative
to the horizontal:

Apply rule:
Sine rule will work here since we now know FR
FR F2
 F2
sin30    
sin130 sin30   FR
 sin130
 80sin130 
30     1
 
sin  163.4 

 1
1

8 o
 Another Worked example
Determine the magnitude and angle 
of P so that the particle is in equilibrium
y P

4.5 
kN 60o x

2.25
30o kN

7.5 kN

Graphical solution:
Use actual angles and appropriate scale
(i.e. 1 cm = 1 kN)

30o
length in cm = P
7.5
cm

4.5
60 o cm
2.25 cm  (measure 1
2
angle)
Analytical solution:
The particle is in equilibrium i.e. all the forces
add up to
zero therefore the sum of all the
components equal zero:
i.e Fx = 0
.
Fy = 0
Fx = 0 = Pcos + 2.25cos60 - 4.5 –
7.5sin30

Pcos = 7.125
Fy = 0 = Psin – 2.25sin60 – 7.5
cos30

Psin = 8.44
P sin 8.44 
P  tan  7.125  49.8o
1.18
cos
Pcos = 7.125

So, Pcos49.8o =

7.125 P =

11.03 kN

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