Course Code & Title: ENSC 10 104 (ENGINEERING

ENGINEERING MECHANICS)
MECHANICS
Class
ss Schedule: Online Class
Sem. / School Year: 2nd Semester / SY 2019 – 2020
Prepared By: Engr. Gladys Ann S. Plaza

Force System and Resultant

Forces are physical quantities that cause an object to respond in motion, or deform. The subject of
statics deals only with rigid bodies and that no motion or no acceleration exists. Although deformation
deformations
and stresses are related, and stress with external forces
forces, we roughly can say that in statics, the statically
effect of force is what is considered. That is to determine the magnitude and direction of the forces
forces.
Force is a vector quantity hence
ence it is described by magnitude and direction. In addition, the force has
point of application.

When we say the direction of a force, it implies the line of ac

action
tion along which the force acts and the
sense indicated by the arrow.

Fig. 2.2 Force components in specified directions. Fig. 2.3 Parallelogram of forces.

By constructing a triangle using the directions along which components are required, may be obtained as
shown in Fig. 2.4
 Fig. 2.4 Triangle of forces.

In this method, the line of action of F2 is not preserved as shown in Fig. 2.4. (a) as well as F1 which can
be seen in Fig. 2.4 (b).

Resolution of forces is the inverse operation of composition of forces. Resolution and composition of
forces are two essential concepts which find frequent applications for the solution of mechanics
problems.

Resultant of a force system is a force or a couple that will have the same effect to the body, both in
translation and rotation, if all the forces are removed and replaced by the resultant.

The equation involving the resultant of force system are the following
1. Rx=ΣFx=Fx1+Fx2+Fx3+...Rx=ΣFx=Fx1+Fx2+Fx3+...
The x-component of the resultant is equal to the summation of forces in the x-direction.

2. Ry=ΣFy=Fx1+Fx2+Fx3+...Ry=ΣFy=Fx1+Fx2+Fx3+...
The y-component of the resultant is equal to the summation of forces in the y-direction.

3. Rz=ΣFz=Fx1+Fx2+Fx3+...Rz=ΣFz=Fx1+Fx2+Fx3+...
The z-component of the resultant is equal to the summation of forces in the z-direction.

Note that according to the type of force system, one or two or three of the equations above will be used
in finding the resultant.

1.0 Resultant of Coplanar Concurrent Force System

Resultant of forces with be obtained by adding the vectors graphically and the closing side of the
polygon will be the resultant R.
 Fig. 2.5 Coplanar concurrent forces. Fig. 2.6 Polygon forces.

The line of action of each forces in coplanar concurrent force system are on the same plane. All of these
forces meet at a common point, thus concurrent. In xx-yy plane, the resultant can be found by the
following formulas:

2.0 Resultant of Spatial Concurrent Force System

Spatial concurrent forces (forces in 33-dimensional

dimensional space) meet at a common point but do not lie in a
single plane. The resultant can be found as follows
follows:
Direction Cosines

Vector Notation of the Resultant

R=ΣFR=ΣF
R=(ΣFx)i+(ΣFy)j+(ΣFz)k

R=Rxi+Ryj+Rzk
Where
Rx=ΣFxRx=ΣFx
Ry=ΣFyRy=ΣFy
Rz=ΣFzRz=ΣFz
_________
R= √ Rx2+Ry2+Rz2

Example 1

Three ropes are tied to a small metal ring. At the end of each rope three students are pulling, each trying
to move the ring in their direction. If we look down from above, the forces and directions they are
applying are shown in Figure
Figure. Find
nd the net force on the ring due to the three applied forces.
forces
 Solution 1

Example 2

Forces F, P, and T are concurrent and acting in the direction as shown in Figure.

a. Find the value of F and α if T = 450 N, P = 250 N, β = 30°, and the resultant is 300 N acting up along
the y-axis.
b. Find the value of F and α if T = 450 N, P = 250 N, β = 30° and the resultant is zero.
c. Find the value of α and β if T = 450 N, P = 250 N, F = 350 N, and the resultant is zero.
Solution 2
3.0 Resultant of Non-Concurrent
Concurrent Coplanar Force System
In general a system of forces acting in a plane on a body may be non
non-concurrent. The system of forces
acting on the body must be reduced to a simple force system which does not alter the external effect of
the original force system on the body. The equivalent of the forces acting on the body is the resultant
force F acting at an arbitrary point aand
nd a couple. The choice of this arbitrary point will depend upon the
convenience for the particular problem under consideration.

Fig. 2.7 Forces System

Let F1, F2, F3, F4 are the forces acting on the body. The system of forces are moved to an arbitrary
point o so that it can be reduced to a resultant force F and corresponding resultant couple M.

The resultant of non-concurrent

concurrent force system is defined acc
according
ording to magnitude, inclination, and
position.

The magnitude of the resultant can be found as follows

The inclination from the horizontal is defined bby

The position of the resultant can be determined according to the principle of moments
moments.
Where,
Fx = component of forces in the x-direction
Fy = component of forces in the y-direction
Rx = component of thew resultant in x-direction
Ry = component of thew resultant in y-direction
R = magnitude of the resultant
θx = angle made by a force from the x-axis
MO = moment of forces about any point O
d = moment arm
MR = moment at a point due to resultant force
ix = x-intercept of the resultant R
iy = y-intercept of the resultant R

Example 3

The effect of a certain non-concurrent force system is defined by the following data: ΣFx = +90
kN, ΣFy = -60 kN, and ΣMO = 360 kN·m counterclockwise. Determine the point at which the resultant
intersects the x-axis.

Solution 3

Example 4

In a certain non-concurrent force system it is found that ΣFx = -80 lb, ΣFy = +160 lb, and ΣMO =
480 lb·ft in a counterclockwise sense. Determine the point at which the resultant intersects the y-axis.

Solution 4
Example 5

Compute the resultant of the three forces shown in Figure. Locate its intersection with X and Y axes.

Solution 5
4.0 Equivalent Force System and Coplanar Parallel Force System

In the study of mechanics, we are concerned many a time with equivalent force systems acting on a rigid
body. The following considerations will form the basis for force equivalences for rigid bodies.

(i) The sum of a system of concurrent forces is a single force that is equivalent to the original
system.

(ii) A force may be moved along its line of action, i.e., forces are transmissible vectors.

(iii) The effect of a couple on a rigid body is to create a moment which is described by a free
vector. Translation of a force to a parallel position: Let us consider a force acting in a plane
and try to move it to a parallel position at point A as shown in Fig. 2.19 without changing the
effect of force F on the rigid body. This can be achieved by applying parallel forces F and −F
passing through A. The net effect of the above operation leads to a force F and a moment M
caused by couple whose magnitude is Fd and sense is counter-clockwise. The moment vector
M is perpendicular to the plane of the couple.

Fig. 2.8 Translation of force. Fig. 2.9 Force and couple.

It can also be inferred that a force F and couple moment M (Fig. 2.9) can be replaced by a single force F
(Fig. 2.8).

4.1 COUPLE
A couple is formed by two equal and opposite forces acting along two non-coincident parallel straight
lines in a body produces a moment. A couple has no resultant force. Couple is characterized by the
following qualities:

1. Forces F.
2. Arm of the couple which is the perpendicular distance between their lines of action.
3. Plane of the couple which is the plane containing the lines action of force.
4. Moment of the couple M is represented by a vector directed normal to the plane of the couple and
sense of M is determined with respect to the notation used with right hand coordinate system.

Moment vector is the cross product of the relative position vector R and the force vector F.

Fig. 2.10 Couple.

The following observations emphasize important characteristics of couple.
(i) The magnitude of moment is independent of the choice of the centre about which moments
are taken.
(ii) The moment vector M is independent of any particular origin and is thus considered a free
vector.
(iii) The forces of a couple may be rotated within their plane provided their magnitudes and
distance between their lines of action are kept constant.

It can be shown that the relative positive vector R can be chosen connecting any two points on the line
of action.

Resolving R into two components, R1 perpendicular to the line of action of the forces and R2 parallel to
the line of action of F.

Fig. 2.11 Position vector and

forces forming couple.

4.2 COPLANAR PARALLEL FORCE SYSTEM

Parallel forces can be in the same or in opposite directions. The sign of the direction can be
chosen arbitrarily, meaning, taking one direction as positive makes the opposite direction negative. The
complete definition of the resultant is according to its magnitude, direction, and line of action.
4.3 RESULTANT OF DISTRIBUTED LOADS
The resultant of a distributed load is equal to the area of the load diagram. It is acting at the
centroid of that area as indicated. The figure below shows the three common distributed loads namely;
rectangular load, triangular load, and trapezoidal load
load.
4.4 SPATIAL PARALLEL FORCE SYSTEM
The resultant of parallel forces in space will act at the point where it will create equivalent translational
and rotational (moment) effects in the system
system.

In vector notation, the resultants of forces are as follows...

Two parallel forces that are equal in magnitude, opposite in direction, and not colinear will create a
rotation effect. This type of pair is called a Couple.. The placement of a couple in the plane is
immaterial, meaning, its rotational effect to the body iiss not a function of its placement. The magnitude

of the couple is given by C

C=Fd.

4.5 DISTRIBUTED FORCES

Distributed forces occur in the study of mechanics in three forms, namely, acting along lines, over areas
and over volumes. Examples of these forces are distributed force acting on a beam, surface forces due to
wind loads on the wall of a building and gravitational forces acting over the volume. Intensity of
distributed are
re specified as force per unit length (N/m
(N/m),
), force per unit area (N/m2 (pascal)), force per
unit volume (N/m3 ).
Fig. 2.12 Linearly varying force..
Let us consider a linearly varying distributed force acting on a beam, the intensity is p N/m. Instead of
dealing with the distributed force directly, we can find the resultant force which is an equivalent
distributed force and its location. The equivalent force F is obtained by using the integral.

Eq. 4.5.1

Eq. 4.5.2

Substituting Eq. (4.5.1) into Eq. (4.5.2)

The location of the equivalent concentrated force F is

Determination of the resultant force and its location involves the use of integral. Similar calculations are
carried out in the case of distributed forces over areas and volumes.

Fig. 2.13 Resultant force.

Example 6
A parallel force system acts on the lever shown in Figure. Determine the magnitude and
position of the resultant.

Solution 6
Example 7
The beam AB in Figure supports a load which varies an intensity of 220 N/m to 890 N/m.
Calculate the magnitude and position of the resultant load.

Solution 7
Example 7
Determine the resultant moment about point A of the system of forces shown in Figure. Each square is 1
ft on a side.

Solution 8