Chapter 3 - Equilibrium of Coplanar Force Systems

Reading: Chapter 3 - Pages 103 - 123

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Introduction

Statics deals primarily with the equilibrium of structures or machines.

Loads
During the design process, it’s essential to consider the anticipated structural load of a project. Loads
are commonly understood as forces that cause stresses, deformations, or accelerations. These loads are
applied to a structure or its components that cause stress or displacement. All structures must withstand
loads or they will fail and/or fall apart. In order to build a structure to the correct tolerences, you need to
know what kinds of external forces will affect it.

Permanent Structures
The design of structures, such as buildings and bridges, is typically performed by a structural engineer or
an architect. The majority of structures designed and constructed for the bulit environment are permanent
and intended to last for decades.

Temporary Structures
During the construction phase temporary structures, such as concrete formwork, falsework/shoring, and
scaffolding, are typically erected to temporarily support loads or to provide access areas to parts of the
building that are too high for workers to reach.

Concepts of Equilibrium and Free Body Diagrams

Whether a structure is designed and built to be permanent or used temporarily, the concepts of static
equilibrium and the importance of free-body diagrams are fundamental to understanding how they are
designed for reliable and safe performance.

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Equilibrium Equations

Key Concept:
Equilibrium – the forces acting on a rigid body impart no translational or rotational motion

Conditions of Equilibrium:
∑ Fx = 0
∑ Fy = 0
∑ MA = 0 (about any point)

These equations can be used to determine unknown forces applied to the rigid body or unknown reactions
exerted on it by its supports.

The three equations can be used to solve for no more than three unknowns.

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3-3
The Free-Body Diagram

Free-Body Diagram
In solving rigid body equilibrium problems, we must:
„ Consider all forces acting on the body.
„ Exclude any force that is not directly applied to the body.

Constructing an appropriate free-body diagram is the single most important step for the solution of
mechanics problems. Correct solution of a statics problem always depends on the successful completion of
the free-body diagram.
Constructing a Free-Body Diagram
Choose the free body to be used. This body is then detached from the ground and separated from all
other bodies. The contour of the isolated free body is sketched.

Weight
The weight of the body represents the gravitational attraction of the earth. The weight of a body always
acts vertically downward through the center of gravity.

Applied Forces
The applied forces include the loads that are applied to the free body. When these forces are shown on
the free-body diagram, their magnitudes, directions, and locations must be indicated clearly.

Reactions
The reactions represent the constraining forces exerted in the free body by the supports or by the
connected bodies. Reactions due to the supports depend on the type of support. The three most
common types of supports are rollers, rockers, cables, and links; hinge and pin; and fixed supports.

Dimensions and Angles

A free-body diagram must include all significant dimensions and angles necessary for specifying the
direction and location of the forces. Internal forces within the body must never be drawn on the free-
body diagram.

C
35° TBC

Cable FAB 35°

B B
A
Strut
W = 125 lb
W = 125 lb

Force System FBD

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Types of Supports

Roller Supports with One Unknown Reaction Element

Reactions equivalent to a force with a known line of action.

Examples:
Rollers, rockers, frictionless surfaces, short links and cables, collars on frictionless rods, frictionless pins in
slots.
„ Each can prevent motion in one direction only.
„ Each involves one unknown (the magnitude of the reaction).
„ The line of action is known and should be indicated on the free body diagram

Hinge Support with Two Unknown Reaction Elements

Reactions equivalent to a force of unknown direction and magnitude.

Examples:
Frictionless pins fitted in holes, hinges, rough surfaces.
„ Each can prevent translation of the free body in all directions.
„ They can not prevent rotation about the connection.
„ Reactions of this type have two unknowns and are represented by their x & y components.

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Fixed Support with Three Unknown Reaction Elements
Reactions equivalent to a force and a moment.

Examples:
Fixed support’s which oppose any motion of the free body and thus constrain it completely.
„ Fixed supports produce forces over the entire surface of contact that can be reduced to a force and a
moment.
„ Reactions of this type have three unknowns, represented by the 2 components of the force and the
moment.

Note:
When the sense (direction) of an unknown force or moment is not readily apparent, no attempt should
be made to determine it. The sense should be arbitrarily assigned and the sign of the answer used to
confirm whether or not the original assumption was correct.

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Sketching the Free Body Diagram (FBD)
Examples

8 ft 4 ft

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 1 3m
2
60°

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 20 ft

10 ft
15 ft

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Support Reactions – Pulley

Equilibrium Equation ∑ MO = 0, is

∑ MO = T1 (r) – T2 (r) = 0

From which we get

T1 = T 2

If the axle of a pulley is frictionless and the pulley is in equilibrium, the magnitudes of the tensile forces of
the rope on the two sides of the pulley are the same.

Support Reactions - Linear Spring

Spring:
„ Elastic element capable of developing elastic restoring forces when deformed.
„ Linear spring develops a tensile or compressive force proportional to the amount of elongation or
contraction of the spring.
„ Free or undeformed length is the length of the spring in its undeformed state.
„ Deformation (elongation of contraction) of a spring is the change in the length of the spring from its
free length.

Equation of Tensile Force:

F = kx

Where, K is the spring constant or stiffness (units: N/m and lb/ft or lb/in)
x is the elongation from a free length L in the linear spring (units: m and ft)
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