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Ishik University / Sulaimani

Civil Engineering Department

Engineering Mechanics II
Chapter -8-

Centroid
Ishik University Sulaimani Assistant Lecturer: Asmaa Abdulmaged 1

Chapter Objectives
• To discuss the concept of the center of gravity, center of mass, and
the centroid.

• To show how to determine the location of the center of gravity and

centroid for a system of discrete particles and a body of arbitrary
shape

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Chapter Outline

 Center of Gravity and Center of Mass for a System of

Particles.

 Center of Gravity and Center of Mass and Centroid for a

Body.

 Composite Bodies

Ishik University Sulaimani Assistant Lecturer: Asmaa Abdulmaged 3

Center of Gravity and Center of Mass for a System of Particles.

CENTRE OF GRAVITY

Centre of gravity : of a body is the point at which

the whole weight of the body may be assumed to be
concentrated.
A body is having only one center of gravity for all
positions of the body.

It is represented by CG. or simply G or C.

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CONCEPT OF CENTER OF GRAVITY (CG)

A body is composed of an infinite number of

particles, and so if the body is located within a
gravitational field, then each of these particles
will have a weight dW.

The center of gravity (CG) is a point, often

shown as G, which locates the resultant weight
of a system of particles or a solid body.
From the definition of a resultant force, the sum
of moments due to individual particle weighst
about any point is the same as the moment due
to the resultant weight located at G.
Also, note that the sum of moments due to the individual particle’s
weights about point G is equal to zero.

Ishik University Sulaimani Assistant Lecturer: Asmaa Abdulmaged 5

Center of Gravity and Center of Mass and Centroid for a Body

The location of the center of gravity, measured

from the y axis, is determined by equating the
moment of W about the y axis to the sum of the
moments of the weights of the particles about this
same axis.
~ ~~
If dW is located at point (x, y, z), then
_
x W = ~
x dW
_ _
Similarly, y W = ~
y dW zW=~
z dW

Therefore, the location of the center of gravity G with respect to the x,

y,z axes becomes

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CONCEPT OF CENTROID
The centroid, C, is a point which defines the geometric center of an object.
The centroid coincides with the center of mass or the center of gravity only if
the material of the body is homogenous (density or specific weight is constant
throughout the body).
If an object has an axis of symmetry, then the centroid of object lies on that
axis.

In some cases, the centroid is not located on the object (u-shape).

Equations:

x = ( A ~x dA ) / ( A dA )

y = ( A ~y dA ) / ( A dA )

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Example -1-
Locate the centroid of the area.

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Solution
Method 1
Differential element
• Differential element of thickness dx
• Element intersects curve at point (x, y), height y
Area and Moment Arms
• For area of the element

dA  ydx
• For centroid
xx
~ y  y/2
~

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Solution;
Integrations
 ~x dA 1 xy dx 1 x3 dx
xA  01  01
 dA 0 y dx 0 x 2 dx
A
0.250
  0.75m
0.333
 ~ydA 1( y / 2) y dx 1
0 ( x / 2) x
2 2
dx
yA  0 1 

1 2
dA
A
 y dx
0 0 x dx
0.100
  0.3m
0.333
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Solution;

Method 2

Differential element
• Differential element of
thickness dy
• Element intersects
curve at point (x, y)
• Length = (1 – x)

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Solution;

Area and Moment Arms

• For area of the element

dA  1  x  dy
• Centroid is located y distance from the x axis
~x  x   1  x   1  x
 2  2
~y  y

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Solution;
Integrations
 ~x dA 11  x  / 21  x  dx 1 11  y  dy
xA  0  21 0
 dA 0 1  y dy
1

A
0 1  x  dx
0.250
  0.75m
0.333
 ~ydA 1 y1  x  dx 1 y  y3 / 2 dy
 
yA  01  01
 dA  1  x  dx  1  y dy
0 0
A
0.100
  0.3m
0.333
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Example -2-
Determine the area and the centroid ( x , y) of the area.

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Composite Bodies
• Consists of a series of connected “simpler” shaped
bodies, which may be rectangular, triangular or
semicircular.
• A body can be sectioned or divided into its
composite parts.
• Provided the weight and location of the center of
gravity of each of these parts are known, the need
for integration to determine the center of gravity for
the entire body can be neglected.

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Ishik University Sulaimani Assistant Lecturer: Asmaa Abdulmaged 19

COMPOSITE BODIES

The I-beam or tee-beam shown are

commonly used in building various
types of structures.

When doing a stress or deflection

analysis for a beam, the location of
the centroid is very important.

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Here x and y represent the algebraic distances or x, y coordinates for

the centroid of each composite part, and ∑A represents the sum of
the areas of the composite parts or simply the total area.

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STEPS FOR ANALYSIS

1. Divide the body into pieces that are known shapes.

Holes are considered as pieces with negative weight or size.

2. Make a table with the first column for segment number, the second
column for weight, mass, or size (depending on the problem), the
next set of columns for the moment arms, and, finally, several
columns for recording results of simple intermediate calculations.

3. Fix the coordinate axes, determine the coordinates of the center of

gravity of centroid of each piece, and then fill in the table.

4. Sum the columns to get x, y, and z. Use formulas like

 
x = (  xi Ai ) / (  Ai ) or x = (  xi Wi ) / (  Wi )
This approach will become clear by doing examples!

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Example -3-

Given: The part shown.

Find: The centroid of
the part.
Plan: Follow the steps
for analysis.

Solution:
1. This body can be divided into the following pieces: rectangle
(a) + triangle (b) + quarter circular (c) – semicircular area (d).
Note the negative sign on the hole!

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EXAMPLE (continued)

Steps 2 & 3: Make up and fill the

table using parts a, b,
c, and d.

Segment Area A x y x A 
yA
(in2) (in) (in) ( in3) ( in3)
Rectangle 18 3 1.5 54 27
Triangle 4.5 7 1 31.5 4.5
Q. Circle 9/4 – 4(3) / (3 ) 4(3) / (3 ) –9 9
Semi-Circle –/2 0 4(1) / (3 ) 0 - 2/3

 28.0 76.5 39.83

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EXAMPLE (continued)

4. Now use the table data results and the formulas to find the
coordinates of the centroid.

Area A x A 
yA
28.0 76.5 39.83

x = ( x A) / (  A ) = 76.5 in3/ 28.0 in2 = 2.73 in

y = (  y A) / ( A ) = 39.83 in3 / 28.0 in2 = 1.42 in

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Example -4-
Locate the centroid y of the cross-sectional area of the concrete beam.

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Example -5-
Locate the centroid y of the cross-sectional area of the built-up beam.

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Example -6-
Locate the centroid ( x , y) of the composite area.

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Example -7-
Locate the centroid ( x , y) of the composite area.

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Exercise -1-;
Locate the centroid ( x , y) of the composite area.

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Exercise -2-;
Locate the centroid ( x , y) of the composite area.

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Exercise -3-;
Locate the centroid ( x , y) of the composite area.

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Homework -1-;
Locate the centroid ( x , y) of the shaded area

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Homework -2-;
Locate the centroid ( x , y) of the composite area.

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Homework -3-;
Locate the centroid ( x , y) of the composite area.

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