MENG 1010 : STATICS AND STRENGTH OF MATERIALS

0. INTRODUCTION

0.1. MECHANICS: The body of knowledge which deals with the study and
prediction of the state or rest or motion of particles and bodies under the action of forces.

MECHANICS

Mechanics of Rigid Mechanics of Deformable Engineering Fluid Mechanics

bodies bodies

Statics Dynamics Studied in Mechanics of Incompressible Compressible

Materials or Strength of Fluids Fluids (gases)
Materials (Hydraulics)

Further Courses

1. Strength of Materials 1
2. Strength of Materials 2
3. Advanced Mechanics of Solids

0.2 STATICS: Statics deals with the equilibrium of bodies, that is those that are either
at rest or move with a constant velocity. Dynamics is concerned with the accelerated
motion of bodies and will be dealt in the next semester.

1. STATICS OF PARTICLES:

1.1 PARTICLE: A particle has a mass but a size that can be neglected. When a

body is idealised as a particle, the principles of mechanics reduce to a simplified form,

since the geometry of the body will not be concerned in the analysis of the problem. All

the forces acting on a body will be assumed to be applied at the same point, that is the

forces are assumed concurrent.

1.2 FORCE ON A PARTICLE

A force is a vector quantity and must have magnitude, direction and point of

action. F

α
P
Note: Point P is the point of action of force and α and are directions. To
notify that F is a vector, it is printed in bold as in the text book. Its magnitude is denoted
as |F| or simply F.
 2

There can be many forces acting on a particle. The resultant of a system of

forces on a particle is the single force which has the same effect as the system of forces.
The resultant of two forces can be found using the paralleolegram law.

1.3 VECTOR OPERATIONS

1.3.1 Equal Vectors: Two vectors are equal if they are equal in magnitude and

act in the same direction.

P
Q

Forces equal in magnitude can act in opposite directions.

R

1.3.2 Vector Addition: Using the paralleologram law, construct a parm with the two
forces as parts. The resultant of the forces is the diagonal.
P

R
Q

Triangle Rule: This rule can be used. Draw the first vector. Join the tail of the second
to the head of the first and then join the head of the third to the tail of the first force to get
the resultant, R.

R P Also: P Q
R
Q

Q + P = P + Q. This is the cumutative law of vector addition.

Polygon Rule: Can be used for the addition of more than two vectors. Two
vectors are actually summed and added to the third.
 3

1.3.3. Vector Subtraction

P - Q = P + (-
( Q)

P P -Q
P-Q P
Q -Q P-Q
Using Parm. rule Using Triangle rule

2.5 RECTANGULAR COMPONENTS OF FORCE

 4

∑ F x = 350 cos 25o + 800 cos 70o - 600 cos 60o

= 317.2 + 273.6 - 300 = 290.8 N y

∑ F y = 350 sin 25o + 800 sin 70o + 600 sin 60o

= 147.9 + 751 + 519.6 = 1419.3 N Fy = 1419.3N F

i.e. F = 290.8 N i + 1419.3 N j x

Resultant, F Fx = 290.8 N

F = 290.82 + 1419.32 = 1449 N

1419.3
θ = tan −1 = 78.4 0
290.8

F = 1449 N 78.4o
 5

Example: Problem 2.32. A hoist trolley is subjected to the three forces shown.
Knowing that α = 40o , determine (a) the magnitude of force, P for which the resultant
of the three forces is vertical (b) the corresponding magnitude of the resultant.

P
α α
2000 N 1000 N

Solution (a) The resultant being vertical means that the horizontal component is zero.
∑ F x = 1000 sin 40o + P - 2000 cos 40o = 0
P = 2000 cos 40o - 1000 sin 40o = 1532.1 - 642.8 = 889.3 = 889 kN

(b) ∑ F x = - 2000 sin 40o - 1000 cos 40o = - 1285.6 - 766 = - 2052 N

2.6 EQUILIBRIUM OF A PARTICLE

A particle is said to be at equilibrium when the resultant of all the forces acting on
it is zero. It two forces are involved on a body in equilibrium, then the forces are equal
and opposite.

If there are three forces, when resolving, the triangle of forces will close, if they are in
equilibrium.
F2 F2
F1 F3
F1
F3

If there are more than three forces, the polygon of forces will be closed if the
particle is in equilibrium. F3

F2 F4 F2
F3 F1
F1
F4

The closed polygon provides a graphical expression of the equilibrium of forces.

Mathematically: For equilibrium:
R = ∑F = 0
i.e. ∑ ( Fx i + Fy j) = 0 or ∑ (Fx) i + ∑ (Fy) j
For equilibrium: ∑ Fx = 0 and ∑ F y = 0.
Note: Considering Newton’s first law of motion, equilibrium can mean that the particle
is either at rest or moving in a straight line at constant speed.
 6

Example: Problem 2.36: Two cables are tied at C and loaded as shown. Determine
the tension in AC and BC.

FAC sin 75o

FBC = = 3.73FAC .............((1)
cos 75o
∑ Fy = 0 i.e. FBC sin 75o - FAC cos 75o - 1962 = 0
1962 + 0.26 FAC
FBC = = 2031.2 + 0.27 FAC ......( 2)
0.966
From Equations (1) and (2), 3.73 FAC = 2031.2 + 0.27 FAC
FAC = 587 N

From (1), FBC = 3.73 x 587 = 2190 N

 7

i.e. F = F ( cos θx i + cos θy j + cos θz k) = F λ

F can therefore be expressed as the product of scalar, F and the unit vector λ where:

λ = cos θx i + cos θy j + cos θz k.

λ is a unit vector of magnitude 1 and of the same direction as F. λ is a unit vector

along the line of action of F. Also:

λx = cos θx, λy = cos θy and λz = cos θz - Scalar vectors i.e. magnitudes.

λx2 + λy2 + λz2 = 1 = λ2

i.e. cos2 θx, + cos2 θy + cos2 θz = 1

 8

Note: If components, Fx, Fy, and Fz of a Force, F are known, the magnitude of F,,

F = Fx2 + Fy2 + Fz2

Direction cosines are: cos θx = Fx/F , cos θy = Fy/F and cos2 θz = Fz/F

1.8.2 Force Defined by Magnitude and Two Points on its Line of Action

Consider two points along the direction of force, F with co-ordinates M (x1, y1 ,z1)

and N (x2, y2 ,z2). Consider the vector MN which is of same sense as F.. The position

vector: MN = dx i + dy j + dz k

Where: dx, dy and dz are scalar components of MN.

Unit vector, λ along the line of action of F = MN/

MN/MN

MN is the distance, d from M to N.

λ = MN/MN
MN/ = 1/d ( dx i + dy j + dz k )

Recall that:: F = F λ

F = F λ = F/d ( dx i + dy j + dz k )

Fd x Fd y Fd z
Fx = , Fy = , Fz =
d d d
d x = x2 − x1 , d y = y2 − y1 , d z = z2 − z1

d = d x2 + d y2 + dz2
dx dy d
cosθ x = , cosθ y = , cosθ z = z
d d d

1.8.3 Addition of Concurrent Forces in Space

The resultant,
resultant R of two or more forces in space is obtained by summing their

rectangular components i.e.

R = ∑F

i.e. Rx i + Ry j + Rz k = ∑ ( Fx i + Fy j + Fz k ) = ((∑ Fx) i + (∑ Fy)j + (∑ Fz )k

R x = ∑ Fx, Ry = ∑ Fy , Rz = ∑ Fz

R = Rx2 + Ry2 + Rz2

cos θx = Rx/R cos θy = Ry/R cos θz = Rz/R

 9

Magnitude, BH = 0.62 + 1.22 + 1.22 = 1.8 m

BH 1
λ BG = = (0.6 m i + 1.2 m j − 1.2 m k )
BH 1.8
BH 750 N
TBH = TBH . λ BG = TBG = 0.6 m i + 1.2 m j − 1.2 m k
BH 18
. m
TBG = (250 N ) i + (500 N ) j − (500 N ) k
Fx = 250 N , Fy = 500 N , Fz = −500 N

2.9 EQUILIBRIUM OF A PARTICLE IN SPACE

For equilibrium: ∑Fx = 0, ∑Fy = 0 and ∑Fz = 0.

∑

The equations may be used to solve problems dealing with the equilibrium of a particle

involving no more than three unknowns.

10