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2 Force Systems
KL21 03, CLASS 02
SEMESTER I 201 2/ 201 3
Force
Force is a vector quantity. Its effect on a body or a
structure will depend on the magnitude and structure will depend on the magnitude and
direction of the force.
Generally, a complete description of a force must
include its magnitude, direction, and point of
application.
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External and Internal Effects
The effects of a force on a body (or structure) can be
separated into external and internal effects. separated into external and internal effects.
External effects: reaction forces at the supports so
that the whole structure is in equilibrium (more on
this in Chapter 3).
Internal effects: internal forces (will be discussed in
Chapter 4 and 5), stress and deformation in the p 4 5),
structure (will be discussed in Mechanics of
Materials).
Principle of Transmissibility
A force may be applied at any point on
its line of action without altering the
resultant effects of the force external to
the body on which it acts.
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Components of a Force
Example 1
The forces F
1
, F
2
, and F
3
act on point A of the
b k h bracket as shown.
Determine the x and y
components of each of
the three forces.
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o
1
o
1
600cos35 491 N
600sin35 344 N
x
y
F
F
= =
= =
4
500 400N F
| |
= =
| 2
2
500 400 N
5
3
500 300 N
5
x
y
F
F
= =
|
\ .
| |
= =
|
\ .
3
0.2
800 358 N F
| |
= =
| 3
2 2
3
2 2
0.2 0.4
0.4
800 716 N
0.2 0.4
x
y
F
|
+
\ .
| |
= =
|
+
\ .
Resultant of Forces
= + R F F = +
1 2
R F F
1 2
1 2
x x x x
y y y y
R F F F
R F F F
= + =
= + =

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Example 2
Combine the two
forces P and T into a
single equivalent force
R.
o
o
o
6sin60
tan 0.866 40.9
3 6cos60
BD
AD
o o = = = =
+
o
o
800 600cos40.9 346 lb
600sin40.9 393 lb
x x
x y
R F
R F
= = =
= = =

x y
2 2
1 o
524 lb
tan 48.6
x y
y
x
R R R
R
R
u

= + =
= =
Graphical solution:
o
525 lb
49
R
u
=
=
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Moment about a Point
Definition: tendency of the force to
rotate the body about the point.
The magnitude of the moment is
proportional to the magnitude of
the force and to the moment
arm d:
M F d M F d =
= M r F
Varignons Theorem
The moment of a force about any point is equal to
the sum of the moments of the components of the the sum of the moments of the components of the
force about the same point.
O
M Rd Pp Qq = = +
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Example 3
Calculate the
magnitude of the
moment about the
base point O of the
600-N force in
different ways.
(i)
Moment arm:
o o
4cos40 2sin40
4.35 m
d = +
=
( ) ( ) 600 4.35 2610 N-m CW
O
M = =
o
1
o
2
600cos40 460 N
600sin40 386 N
F
F
= =
= =
(ii)
Components of F:
( ) ( ) ( ) 460 4 386 2 2610 N-m CW
O
M = + =
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(iii)
By principle of transmissibility, F can be moved to point B or C
to eliminate the moment of component F
2
or F
1
, respectively.
o
1
4 2tan40 5.68 m d = + =
( ) 460 568 2610N m M = =
( ) 386 6.77 2610 N-m
O
M = =
(iv)
o
2
2 4cot40 6.77 m d = + =
( ) 460 5.68 2610 N-m
O
M = =
( ) ( )
o o
2 4 600 cos40 sin40
2610 N-m
O
= = +
=
M r F i j i j
k
(v)
Using vector formulation:
Couple
Definition: the moment
produced by two equal,
M F d =
produced by two equal,
opposite, and
noncollinear forces.
The moment of a couple
has the same value at
all points.
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Equivalent Couples
Changing the value of F and d does not change a
couple as long as the product Fd remains the same. couple as long as the product Fd remains the same.
Likewise, a couple is not affected if the forces act in a
different but parallel plane.
In these four cases, the couples are equivalent:
Example 4
The rigid structural
member is subjected to
a couple consisting of 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 .
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The original couple is counterclockwise with magnitude of:
( ) 100 0.1 10 N-m M = =
( ) 400 400 004cos M d u = =
The forces P and P produce a counterclockwise couple of:
( ) 400 400 0.04cos M d u = =
10 16cosu =
Solving for u:
1 o
10
cos 51.3
16
u

| |
= =
|
\ .
Force Couple System
Effect of a force acting on a body:
Translation in the direction of the force.
Rotation about any axis which does not intersect the line of the
force.
Both effects can be represented by replacing a force
by a force and a couple.
Reversing the process, we can combine a force
couple system into a single, equivalent force.
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Equivalent Force Systems
A group or a system of forces can be replaced by the
resultant. resultant.
The resultant usually represents the simplest force
couple combination without altering the external
effect on the body.
x x
R F =

R = F

x x
y y
R F
M M Fd
=
= =

Equivalent Force Systems
Two force systems are equivalent if the force
resultant Rand the moment resultant Min both resultant Rand the moment resultant Min both
systems are the same.
1 2 1 2
1 2
x x
R R
R R
=
=
R = R
1 2
1 2

y y
R R
M M =

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Equivalent Force Systems
These four systems
are equivalent: are equivalent:
Example 5
Replace the horizontal 80-lb
force acting on the lever by an force acting on the lever by an
equivalent system consisting of
a force at O and a couple.
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Apply two equal and opposite 80-lb forces at O and
identify the counterclockwise couple:
( )
o
80 9sin60 624 lb-in. M = =
Example 6
Determine the
resultant of the resultant of the
four forces and one
couple which act
on the plate shown.
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(i) Equivalent force-couple at O:
o o
o o
: 40 80cos30 60cos45 66.9 N
: 50 80sin30 60sin45 132.4 N
x x x
y y y
R F R
R F R
= = + =
= = + + =

( ) ( )
2 2
66.9 132.4 148.3 N R = + = ( ) ( )
1 o
132.4
tan 63.2
66.9
u

| |
= =
|
\ .
( ) ( )( ) ( )( )
( )
o o
: 140 50 5 60cos45 4 60sin45 7
237 N-m CW
O O
M Fd M = = +
=

(ii) Single equivalent force

148.3 237
1.60 m
O
Rd M d
d
= =
=
237
1.792 m
132.4
y O
R b M b = = =
In other form: