Introduction to Engineering

Mechanics: Statics
Overview
• Engineering Mechanics
• Force
• Force Systems
• Component of a Force
• Moment of a Force
What is Engineering Mechanics?
• Mechanics - branch of physics
that considers the action of
forces on bodies or fluids that are
at rest or in motion
• Engineering Mechanics – science
which considers the effects of
forces on rigid bodies.
• Rigid bodies - an idealization of a
body that does not deform or
Steel Frames and Trusses
change shape. Source: https://eastlandtruss.com.au/products/steel-
frames-trusses/
What is Engineering Mechanics?
Mechanics is consist of:

1. Mechanics of rigid bodies – “engineering mechanics: statics and

dynamics”
2. Mechanics of deformable bodies – “study of strength of materials”
3. Mechanics of Fluids - study of fluid behavior at rest and in motion
and the forces on them.
What is Engineering Mechanics?
Subdivided into:

• Statics – considers the effects and

distribution of forces on rigid bodies
which remain at rest.

• Dynamics – consider the motion of rigid

bodies caused by the forces acting upon
them .
Fundamental Concepts and Principles
Newton’s Law of Motion

First Law: If the resultant force acting on a particle is zero, the particle
remains at rest (if originally at rest) or moves with constant speed in a
straight line
Second Law: If the resultant force acting on a particle is not zero, the
particle has an acceleration proportional to the magnitude of the
resultant and in the direction of this resultant force.

𝑭 = 𝑚𝒂
F = net force; m = mass of the object; a = acceleration (rate of change in velocity)
Fundamental Concepts and Principles
Newton’s Law of Motion

Third Law: The forces of action and reaction between bodies in contact
have the same magnitude, same line of action, and opposite sense.

Newton’s Law of Gravitation: Two particles of mass M and m are

mutually attracted with equal and opposite forces F and -F of
magnitude F, given by
𝑀𝑚
𝐹=𝐺 2
𝑟
F = attracting force; M = mass of the larger object; m = mass of the smaller object; G = constant of gravitation;
r = distance between the objects
Fundamental Concepts and Principles
Basic Quantities:

• Length – use to locate the position in space.

• Time – a succession of events
• Mass – measure of a quantity of matter that is used to compare the
action of one body with that of another.
• Force – considered as a “push” or “pull” exerted by one body to
another; action of one body on another.
Units of Measurement
U.S. Customary or British System International System of Units or
of Units (FPS) Metric Units (SI)

Mass in Slug Mass in kilogram (kg)

Length in feet (ft) Length in metre (m)
Time in Seconds (s) Time in Seconds (s)
Force in Pounds (lb) Force in Newton (N)
Units of Measurement
U.S. Customary or British System of International System of Units or
Units (FPS) Metric Units (SI)

𝐹 = 𝑚𝑎 𝐹 = 𝑚𝑎
𝐹 – force, lb 𝐹 – force, N
𝑚 – mass, slug (𝑙𝑏 ∙ 𝑠 2 Τ𝑓𝑡) 𝑚 – mass, kg
𝑎 – acceleration, ft/s2 𝑎 – acceleration, m/s2

1 slug is the mass which is given an 1 Newton is the force required to

acceleration of 1 ft/sec2 when acted give a mass of 1 kg an acceleration of
upon by a force of 1 lb. 1 m/s2
Units of Measurement
U.S. Customary or British System of International System of Units or
Units (FPS) Metric Units (SI)

Weight Weight

W = mg W = mg
𝑊 – weight, lb 𝑊 – weight, N
𝑚 – mass, slug (𝑙𝑏 ∙ 𝑠 2 Τ𝑓𝑡) 𝑚 – mass, kg
𝑔 – gravitational acceleration, 𝑔 – gravitational acceleration, 9.81
32.17ft/s2 m/s2
What is a Force?
• Force – an action that changes or tends
to change the state of motion of a body
(i.e., external effect of a force).
• Internal effects perspective, a force that
produces stress and deformation in the
body at which the force is exerted
(mechanics of deformable bodies).
• Force is characterized by a) point of
application, b) magnitude, c) its
direction.
What is a Force?
• Magnitude - is the amount, quantity or intensity of a force which is
represented in terms of vectors.
• Direction - is the direction of the line along which it acts and may be
expressed as vertical, horizontal, or at some angle with the vertical or
horizontal.
• Point of application - is the point of contact between two bodies or
the point where the force acts in the body.
• Sense - is the way its acts along its line of action upward, downward
to the right or left and its generally denoted by an arrowhead.
What is a Force?
Principle of Transmissibility of a force

states that the external effect of a force

on a body is the same for all points of
application along its line of action.

e.g., when you want to move a block

forward, you can either push it or pull it
forward.
Source: http://mechanicsmap.psu.edu/websites/2_equilibrium_concurrent/2-
3_principle_of_transmissibility/principleoftransmissibility.html
Force Systems
• Force systems – any arrangement where two or more forces act on a
body or on a group of related bodies.
• Types of force systems:

1. Coplanar – line of action of all the

forces in a force system lie in one
plane.
2. Non-coplanar – line of action of the
forces in a force system lie in more
than one plane.
 Force Systems
Coplanar Force System None-Coplanar Force System

Angle bars bolted in plate System of forces acting on the

corner of the prism

Source: https://www.hkdivedi.com/2019/11/classification-of-force-system-in.html
Collinear Force System
Collinear Force System

• when the lines of action of all the

forces of a system act along the
same line.

• when a set of forces will have a

common line of action. Source:
https://www.hkdivedi.com/2019/11/classificatio
n-of-force-system-in.html
Concurrent Force System
Concurrent Force System
“If all the forces lie in a single
plane and meet at one point,
• Forces when extended will pass coplanar and concurrent
through a single point called point of force system”
concurrency.
𝐹3
• Lines of actions of all forces meet at 𝐹2
the point of concurrency. 𝐹4

• Concurrent forces can be coplanar or 𝐹1

non-coplanar.
𝐶 𝐹5

Angle bars bolted on a plate

Concurrent Force System
Concurrent Force System “If all the forces lie in a
different planes but pass
through a single point, non-
• Forces when extended will pass coplanar and concurrent
force system”
through a single point called point of
concurrency.
• Lines of actions of all forces meet at
the point of concurrency.
• Concurrent forces can be coplanar or
non-coplanar.

A tower supported by three cables.

Parallel Force System
Parallel Force System
• the line of action of a set of forces
are parallel.
• These forces can also be a coplanar
of non-coplanar.

Your arm at 90° when holding a load

“If all the forces lie in a single
plane and their line of action source:
are parallel, coplanar and https://www.hkdivedi.com/2019/11/classifi
parallel force system” cation-of-force-system-in.html
Parallel Force System
Parallel Force System
• the line of action of a set of forces
are parallel.
• These forces can also be a coplanar
of non-coplanar.

“If all the forces do not lie in

a single plane but their line of Table with its support
action are parallel, non-
coplanar and parallel force
system”
Non-Concurrent Force System
Non-Concurrent Force System
“If the line of action of the forces lie on a single plane and
neither parallel nor intersect a common point , coplanar
• The line of action of the and non-concurrent force system otherwise non-coplanar
forces neither parallel nor and non-concurrent force system”
intersect a common point.
• When the forces of a system
do not meet at a common
point of concurrency
Non-Concurrent Force System
Non-Concurrent Force System
“If the line of action of
the forces lie on a single
• The line of action of the plane and neither
forces neither parallel nor parallel nor intersect a
intersect a common point. common point ,
coplanar and non-
• When the forces of a system concurrent force system
do not meet at a common otherwise non-coplanar
point of concurrency. and non-concurrent
force system”

A tower with various cables connected

Non coplanar and non-concurrent force system
Components of a Force
• Force is a vector, it has magnitude
and direction.
• Force vector can be resolve into
two perpendicular forces called
components (i.e., 𝐹𝑥 , x-component
and 𝐹𝑦 , y-component).
• Vector notation of force F is,

𝑭 = 𝐹𝑥 𝒊 + 𝐹𝑦 𝒋
Note:
Positive (force to the right; upward force)
Negative (force to the left; downward force)
Components of a Force
Take the force F in the figure,

𝐹𝑥 = 𝐹 cos 𝜃𝑥 = 𝐹 sin 𝜃𝑦
𝐹𝑦 = 𝐹 sin 𝜃𝑥 = 𝐹 cos 𝜃𝑦

If components are known (𝐹𝑥 , 𝐹𝑦 ), we

can solve the magnitude as

2 2
𝐹= 𝐹𝑥 + 𝐹𝑦
Components of a Force
The angle 𝜃𝑥 or the direction of the
force F can be determine from its
components using,

𝐹𝑦
𝜃𝑥 = tan−1
𝐹𝑥
Components of a Force
What if, given is the slope of the
force’s line of action instead of angle?

𝑟= ℎ2 + 𝑣 2

ℎ
𝐹𝑥 = 𝐹
𝑟

𝑣
𝐹𝑦 = 𝐹
𝑟
Components of a Force
In quadrant II,

𝐹𝑥 = −𝐹 cos 𝜃𝑥 = −𝐹 sin 𝜃𝑦
𝐹𝑦 = 𝐹 sin 𝜃𝑥 = 𝐹 cos 𝜃𝑦

2
𝐹= 𝐹𝑥 2 + 𝐹𝑦

−1
𝐹𝑦
𝜃𝑥 = tan
𝐹𝑥
Components of a Force
In quadrant III,

𝐹𝑥 = −𝐹 cos 𝜃𝑥 = −𝐹 sin 𝜃𝑦
𝐹𝑦 = −𝐹 sin 𝜃𝑥 = −𝐹 cos 𝜃𝑦

2
𝐹= 𝐹𝑥 2 + 𝐹𝑦

−1
𝐹𝑦
𝜃𝑥 = tan
𝐹𝑥
Components of a Force
In quadrant IV,

𝐹𝑥 = 𝐹 cos 𝜃𝑥 = 𝐹 sin 𝜃𝑦
𝐹𝑦 = −𝐹 sin 𝜃𝑥 = −𝐹 cos 𝜃𝑦

2
𝐹= 𝐹𝑥 2 + 𝐹𝑦

−1
𝐹𝑦
𝜃𝑥 = tan
𝐹𝑥
 Components of a Force
Components Angles/Direction
𝐹𝑥 = 𝐹 cos 𝜃𝑥 −1
𝐹𝑥
𝜃𝑥 = cos
𝐹𝑦 = 𝐹 cos 𝜃𝑦 𝐹
𝐹𝑧 = 𝐹 cos 𝜃𝑧
𝐹𝑦
𝜃𝑦 = cos −1
𝐹
Resultant
2 −1
𝐹𝑧
𝐹= 𝐹𝑥 2 + 𝐹𝑦 + 𝐹𝑧 2 𝜃𝑧 = cos
𝐹
A 3D force (i.e., force in space)
Components of a Force
Determine the x and y components of the forces with respect to the x
and y axes.
Forces 𝐹𝑥 𝐹𝑦
𝐹1 58 cos 30 = 𝟓𝟎. 𝟐𝟑 58 sin 30 = 𝟐𝟗
𝐹2 −50 cos 45 = −𝟑𝟓. 𝟑𝟔 50 sin 45 = 𝟑𝟓. 𝟑𝟔
𝐹3 5 12
−45 = −𝟏𝟕. 𝟑𝟏 −45 = −𝟒𝟏. 𝟓𝟒
13 13
𝐹4 𝟒𝟎 𝟎
Components of a Force in a rotated axis
Find the components in the x, y, u and v directions of the force P.
Find the x and y components (i.e., with respect to x, y axes).

𝐹𝑥 = 10 cos 60 = 𝟓 𝒌𝑵
𝐹𝑦 = 10 sin 60 = 𝟖. 𝟔𝟔 𝒌𝑵
Find the u and u components (i.e., with respect to u, v axes).

𝐹𝑢 = 10 cos 40 = 𝟕. 𝟔𝟔 𝒌𝑵
𝐹𝑣 = 10 sin 40 = 𝟔. 𝟒𝟑 𝒌𝑵
Moment of a Force
• Moment - measures of the capacity or ability
of the force to produce twisting or turning
effect about an axis.

• Magnitude of the moment is the product of

the force and the perpendicular distance
from the axis to the line of action of the
force.

𝑀 =𝐹∙𝑑 𝐹 – force perpendicular to the axis

d – moment arm (perpendicular distance)
Moment of a Force
Calculate the moment at point A,
5N
𝑀𝐴 = 5 30 = 150 𝑁 ∙ 𝑐𝑚
A
Note the moment with respect to an
axis or point is calculated using the
perpendicular force and perpendicular
30cm
distance.
Note:
Positive moment: clockwise direction
Negative moment: counterclockwise direction
Moment of a Force
We calculate the moment at A,

𝑀𝐴 = 𝑃𝑥 0 − 𝑃𝑦 5

𝑀𝐴 = −50 sin 30 5

𝑀𝐴 = −𝟏𝟐𝟓 𝒌𝑵 ∙ 𝒎

Moment is zero about a point if the force’s

line of action passes through that point.
Moment of a Force
Why is it that moment is zero about
a point if the force’s line of action
passes through that point?

In the figure, take the moment of the

force F about A.

𝑀𝐴 = 𝐹𝑥 3 − 𝐹𝑦 4

𝑀𝐴 = 8 3 − 6 4 = 𝟎𝒌𝑵 ∙ 𝒎
End of Topic