12/3/2013

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Mass Moment of Inertia
Engineering Mechanics- Distributed Forces
Encounter in the engineering problems involving rotational motion of rigid bodies
in dynamics
Moment of Inertia of a Mass
Angular acceleration about the axis AA of the
small mass Dm due to the application of a
couple is related to r
2
Dm.
r
2
Dm = moment of inertia of the
mass Dm with respect to the
axis AA
For a body of mass m the resistance to rotation
about the axis AA is
inertia of moment mass dm r
m r m r m r I
= =
+ A + A + A =
}
2
2
3
2
2
2
1

The radius of gyration for a concentrated mass
with equivalent mass moment of inertia is
m
I
k m k I = =
2
Engineering Mechanics- Distributed Forces
12/3/2013
2
Moment of Inertia of a Mass
Moment of inertia with respect to the y
coordinate axis is
( )
} }
+ = = dm x z dm r I
y
2 2 2
Similarly, for the moment of inertia with
respect to the x and z axes,
( )
( )
}
}
+ =
+ =
dm y x I
dm z y I
z
x
2 2
2 2
Engineering Mechanics- Distributed Forces
Parallel Axis Theorem
For the rectangular axes with origin at O and parallel
centroidal axes,
( ) ( ) ( ) | |
( ) ( )
} } } }
} }
+ + ' + ' + ' + ' =
+ ' + + ' = + =
dm z y dm z z dm y y dm z y
dm z z y y dm z y I
x
2 2 2 2
2 2 2 2
2 2
( )
2 2
z y m I I
x x
+ + =
'
( )
( )
2 2
2 2
y x m I I
x z m I I
z z
y y
+ + =
+ + =
'
'
Generalizing for any axis AA and a parallel centroidal
axis,
2
md I I + =
Engineering Mechanics- Distributed Forces
12/3/2013
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Moments of Inertia of Thin Plates
For a thin plate of uniform thickness t and homogeneous
material of density r, the mass moment of inertia with
respect to axis AA contained in the plate is
I
A ' A
= r
2
dm } = t r
2
} dA
= t I
A ' A ,area
Similarly, for perpendicular axis BB which is also
contained in the plate,
I
B ' B
= t I
B ' B ,area
For the axis CC which is perpendicular to the plate,
I
C ' C
= t J
C,area
= t I
A ' A ,area
+ I
B ' B ,area
( )
= I
A ' A
+ I
B ' B
Engineering Mechanics- Distributed Forces
Moments of Inertia of Thin Plates
For the principal centroidal axes on a rectangular plate,
( )
2
12
1 3
12
1
ma b a t I t I
area , A A A A
= = =
' '

( )
2
12
1 3
12
1
mb ab t I t I
area , B B B B
= = =
' '

( )
2 2
12
1
b a m I I I
mass , B B mass , A A C C
+ = + =
' ' '
For centroidal axes on a circular plate,
( )
2
4
1 4
4
1
mr r t I t I I
area , A A B B A A
= = = =
' ' '

2
2
1
mr I I I
B B A A C C
= + =
' ' '
Engineering Mechanics- Distributed Forces
12/3/2013
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Mass Moment of Inertia of a Slendor Rod
2
z
I r dm =
}
2
0
3 2 2
( )
/
( )
3 3 3
L
z
I x mdx
m
m mass unit length
L
mL mL L mL
=
= =
= = =
}
( )
2
2
2 12
z z
cg
L mL
I I m
| |
= =
|
\ .
Engineering Mechanics- Distributed Forces
Moments of Inertia of a 3D Body by Integration
Moment of inertia of a
homogeneous body is obtained
from double or triple
integrations of the form
}
= dV r I
2

For bodies with two planes of

symmetry, the moment of
inertia may be obtained from a
single integration by choosing
thin slabs perpendicular to the
planes of symmetry for dm.
Engineering Mechanics- Distributed Forces
12/3/2013
5
Mass Moment of Inertia of a Rectangular Prism
Engineering Mechanics- Distributed Forces
Find mass moment of
inertia about Z axis
Engineering Mechanics- Distributed Forces
Mass Moment of Inertia of a Sphere
12/3/2013
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Moments of Inertia of Common Geometric Shapes
Engineering Mechanics- Distributed Forces
Sample Problem: Composite Section
Determine the moments of inertia
of the steel forging with respect to
the xyz coordinate axes, knowing
that the specific weight of steel is
7896 kg/m
3
.
SOLUTION:
With the forging divided into a prism and
two cylinders, compute the mass and
moments of inertia of each component
with respect to the xyz axes using the
parallel axis theorem.
Add the moments of inertia from the
components to determine the total moments
of inertia for the forging.
Engineering Mechanics- Distributed Forces
12/3/2013
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Sample Problem: Composite Section
( )
( )
kg 0744 . 0
10 3 1
kg/m 7896
: cylinder each
3 6 2
3
=

= =
m
m
V m

| |
( ) ( ) ( ) | | ( )( )
2
2 2 2
12
1
2 2 2
12
1
kgm 5394 . 0
5 . 2 0744 . 0 3 1 3 0744 . 0
3
=
+ + =
+ + = x m L a m I
y
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
2 2 2 2 1
12
2 2 2 2
1
12
3
00744 3 1 3 00744 25 2
0837
2
kgm
z
I m a L m x y
. . .
.
( (
= + + +

( (
= + + +

=
( )( ) ( )( )
2
2 2
2
1
2 2
2
1
kgm 5394 . 0
2 0744 . 0 1 0744 . 0
=
+ =
+ = y m ma I
x
cylinders( ) : cm 2 cm, 5 . 2 , cm 3 , cm 1 = = = = y x L a
SOLUTION:
Compute the moments of inertia
of each component with respect
to the xyz axes.
Engineering Mechanics- Distributed Forces
Sample Problem: Composite Section
( )( )
kg 1895 . 0
m 10 6 2 2 kg/m 7896
: prism
3 6 3
=
= =
m
V m
prism (a =2 cm, b =6 cm, c =2 cm):
| | ( ) ( ) ( ) | |
2
2 2
12
1 2 2
12
1
gm k 632 0
2 6 1895 0
.
. c b m I I
z x
=
+ = + = =
| | ( ) ( ) ( ) | |
2
2 2
12
1
2 2
12
1
gm k 126 0
2 2 1895 0
.
. a c m I
y
=
+ = + =
Add the moments of inertia from the components
to determine the total moments of inertia.
( ) 372 . 0 2 632 . 0 + =
x
I
2
kgm 376 . 1 =
x
I
( ) 5394 . 0 2 126 . 0 + =
y
I
2
kgm 2048 . 1 =
y
I
( ) 837 . 0 2 632 . 0 + =
z
I
2
kgm 306 . 2 =
z
I
Engineering Mechanics- Distributed Forces