LECTURE 4

Theorem of the Translation of a Force to a Parallel Position.

Many problems of statics, including the one of reduction of a force system to the
simplest possible form, can be solved with the following theorem. A force acting on a rigid
body can be moved parallel to its line of action to any point of the body, provided a couple is
added of moment equal to the moment of the force about the point to which it is translated.

m = mB (F)
Reduction of a Force System in Space to a Given Centre
Consider now a rigid body on which an arbitrary system of forces F1, F2, , Fn is
acting. Take any point O as the centre of reduction and transfer all the forces of the system to
it, adding the corresponding couples. We have then acting on the body a system of forces
F'1 = F1, F'2 = F2, , F'n = Fn
applied at O and a system of couples whose moments are:
m1 = mO (F1), m2 = mO (F2), ..., mn = mO(Fn).

The forces applied at O can be replaced by a single force R applied at the same point.
R = Fk.
The system of couples will be replaced by a couple of moment MO = mk or
MO = mO (Fk)

We have thus proved the following theorem: Any system of forces acting on a rigid
body can be reduced to an arbitrary centre O and replaced by a single force R, equal to the
principal vector of the system applied at the centre of reduction, and a moment MO , equal to
the principal moment of the system with respect to O

Reduction of a Force System in Space to the Simplest Possible Form.

The following cases are possible:
1) If R = 0 and MO = 0, the system is in equilibrium.
2) If R = 0 and MO 0, the system can be reduced to a couple
3) If R 0 and MO = 0, the system can be reduced to a resultant R passing through
point O.
4) If R 0 and MO 0, and MO R, the system can be reduced to a single resultant
R not passing through point O.

5) If R 0 and MO 0, and vector MO is parallel to R, the system can be reduced to a

resultant force R and a couple (P, P') in a plane normal to the resultant force.

6) If R 0 and MO 0 and MO and R are neither perpendicular

nor parallel, the system can be reduced to a wrench whose axis does not pass through point
O.
Condition of Equilibrium of an Arbitrary Force System
in Space.

Thus, the necessary and sufficient conditions for the equilibrium of any force system
in space are that the sums of the projections of all the forces on each of three coordinate
axes and the sums of the moments of all the forces about those axes must separately vanish
The Case of Parallel Forces
If all the forces acting on a body are parallel, the coordinate axes can be chosen so that
the z axis is parallel to the forces.