Chapter 4

Force System Resultants

1/31

Chapter 4
Force System Resultants
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4
4.5
4.6
4.7
4.8
4.9

Moment of a Force--Scalar Formulation

Cross Product
Moment of a Force--Vector Formulation
Principle of Moments
Moment of a Force about a Specified Axis
Moment of a Couple
Simplification of a Force and Couple System
Further Simplification
Reduction of a Simple Distributed Loading
2/31

Chapter Objectives
To discuss the concept of the moment of a force and
show how to calculate it in two and three dimensions.
To provide a method for finding the moment of a force
about a specified axis.
To define the moment of a couple.
To present methods for determining the resultants of
nonconcurrent force systems.
To indicate how to reduce a simple distributed loading
to a resultant force having a specified location.

Ch4. Force System Resultants

3/31

4.1 Moment of a ForceScalar Formulation

What

is Moment?

Moment (torque): a tendency for a body to rotate about a

point that is not on the line of action of a force, when this
force is applied to the body
Moment
Arm

Ch4. Force System Resultants

4/31

4.1 Moment of a ForceScalar Formulation

Scalar

Formulation

Moment axis

Magnitude : M O ( F ) F d
d : Moment Arm
Direction :

Sense of rotation
(a) 3D

SI unit : Nm

(b) 2D

Ch4. Force System Resultants

5/31

4.1 Moment of a ForceScalar Formulation

Resultant

Moment2D

( M R ) O F d F1 d 1 F2 d 2 F3 d 3

Ch4. Force System Resultants

6/31

4.1 Moment of a ForceScalar Formulation

Resultant

Moment2D

The Moment of a force, only a tendency for a body to

rotate, may not always cause a rotation. A bodys rotation
depends on the resultant moment for all forces acted on it.

Ch4. Force System Resultants

7/31

Example 4.1
For each case illustrated in Fig.4.1, determine the
moment of the force about point O.

(a)

(c)

(b)

Fig. 4.1

Ch4. Force System Resultants

8/31

Example 4.1

Solution
Using M O ( F ) F d

(a)

1) For Fig.4.1a
M O 100 N 2 m 200 N m

Ans.

(b)

2) For Fig.4.1b
M O 50 N 0.75 m 37.5 N m Ans.
(c)

3) For Fig.4.1c
M O 7 N 3 m 21.0 kN m

Ans.

Ch4. Force System Resultants

9/31

Example 4.2
Determine the resultant moment of the four forces
acting on the rod shown in Fig. 4.5 about point O.

Fig. 4.2

Ch4. Force System Resultants

10/31

Example 4.2

Solution

Assuming that counterclockwise moment is positive

M RO Fd

50 N 2 m 60 N 0 m 20 N (3sin 30 m)
cos
40 N (4 m 3sin
1 30 m)

M RO 334 N m 334 N m
Ans.

Ch4. Force System Resultants

11/31

4.2 Cross Product

C AB
Magnitude: C AB sin

(0 180 )

Direction: Right-hand rule

C ( AB sin )uC

Ch4. Force System Resultants

12/31

4.2 Cross Product

C A B ( AB sin )uC (0 180 )
Laws of Operation
1) Commutative law is not valid:
AB B A

Rather:
A B B A
2) Multiplication by a Scalar
a(A B) (aA) B A (aB) (A B)a

3) Distributive law:
A (B D) (A B) (A D)

Ch4. Force System Resultants

13/31

4.2 Cross Product

C A B ( AB sin )uC (0 180 )
Cartesian Vector Formulation
ii 0

ijk

i k j

j i k

j j 0

jk i

ki j

k j i

k k 0

Ch4. Force System Resultants

14/31

4.2 Cross Product

C A B ( AB sin )uC (0 180 )
Cartesian Vector Formulation
A B ( Ax i Ay j Az k ) ( Bx i By j Bz k )
Ax Bx ( i i ) Ax By ( i j ) Ax Bz ( i k )
Ay Bx ( j i ) Ay By ( j j ) Ay Bz ( j k )
Az Bx (k i ) Az By (k j ) Az Bz (k k )

( Ay Bz Az By ) i ( Ax Bz Az Bx ) j
( Ax By Ay Bx )k
C

Ch4. Force System Resultants

15/31

4.2 Cross Product

C A B ( AB sin )uC (0 180 )
Cartesian Vector Formulation
i

A B Ax

Ay

Az

Bx

By

Bz

( Ay Bz Az By ) i ( Ax Bz Az Bx ) j
( Ax By Ay Bx )k

Ch4. Force System Resultants

16/31

4.3 Moment of a ForceVector Formulation

MO r F
Here r represents a position vector directed
from O to any point on the line of action of F
Magnitude

M O rF sin F (r sin ) Fd
Direction

Right-hand Rule
Transmissibility

MO r1 F r3 F r3 F
Force is a sliding vector. This property is called
the principle of transmissibility of a force.

Ch4. Force System Resultants

MO r1 F r3 F r3 F

Line of action

17/31

4.3 Moment of a ForceVector Formulation

Cartesian

Vector Formulation

MO r F
i

rx

ry

rz

Fx

Fy

Fz

( ry Fz rz Fy ) i ( rx Fz rz Fx ) j
( rx Fy ry Fx )k

Ch4. Force System Resultants

18/31

4.3 Moment of a ForceVector Formulation

Resultant

Moment of a System of Forces

MRO M1O M2O M3O r F

Ch4. Force System Resultants

19/31

Example 4.3
Determine the moment produced by the force F in Fig.
4.3a about point O. Express the result as a Cartesian
vector.

Fig. 4.3a

Ch4. Force System Resultants

20/31

Example 4.3

Solution
Position Vectors rA and rB are:

rA 12k m

rB (4 i 12 j) m

Force F expressed as a Cartesian vector is:

F Fu AB

4 i 12 j 12k
2 kN

2
2
2
4 12 ( 12)

(0.4588 i 1.376 j 1.376k) kN

Moment MO produced by the Force F is:

MO rA F

12

0.4588 1.376 1.376

(16.5 i 5.51 j) kN m

Ans.

Ch4. Force System Resultants

Fig. 4.3b
21/31

Example 4.3

Solution
rB (4 i 12 j) m

F Fu AB (0.4588 i 1.376 j 1.376k) kN

Moment MO produced by the Force F is:

MO rB F

12

0.4588 1.376 1.376

(16.5 i 5.51 j) kN m

Ans.

Fig. 4.3b

Ch4. Force System Resultants

22/31

Example 4.4
Two forces act on the rod shown in Fig.4.4a. Determine
the resultant moment they create about the flange at O.
Express the result as a Cartesian vector.

Fig. 4.4a

Ch4. Force System Resultants

23/31

Example 4.4

Solution
Position Vectors rA and rB to each force are:

rA 5 j m

rB (4 i 5 j 2k) m

The known forces F1 and F2 are:

F1 (60 i 40 j 20k) N
F2 (80 i 40 j 30k ) N
The resultant Moment about O is:
Fig. 4.4b

MO r F rA F1 rB F2

0 4

60 40 20

80 40 30

(30 i 40 j 60k ) N m

Ans.

Ch4. Force System Resultants

Fig. 4.4c
24/31

4.4 Principle of Moments

Principle

of Moments

The moment of a force about a point is equal to

the sum of the moments of the components of the
force about the point.
It is also called Varignons (1654-1722) theorem

MO r F r (F1 F2 ) r F1 r F2
Application

Ch4. Force System Resultants

25/31

Example 4.5
Determine the moment of the force in Fig.4.5a about
point O.

Fig. 4.5a

Ch4. Force System Resultants

26/31

Example 4.5
Solution I
The moment arm d can be found:

d 3 m sin75 2.898 m
The moment about O is:

M O Fd 5 kN 2.898 m
=14.5 kN m

Ans.

Fig. 4.5a

Solution II
Applying the principle of moments:

M O Fx d y Fy d x
(5cos 45 3sin 30 ) kN m
(5sin 45 3cos30 ) kN m
= 14.5 kN m=14.5 kN m Ans.

Ch4. Force System Resultants

Fig. 4.5b
27/31

Example 4.5
Solution III
Applying the principle of moments:

M O Fy d x (5sin 75 3) kN m = 14.5 kN m=14.5 kN m Ans.

Fig. 4.5c

Ch4. Force System Resultants

28/31

Example 4.6
Force F acts at the end of the angle bracket shown in
Fig.4.6a. Determine the moment of the force about
point O.

Fig. 4.6a

Ch4. Force System Resultants

29/31

Example 4.6

Solution I
Scalar Analysis
Applying the principle of moments:

M O (4sin 30 2) N m (400cos30 0.4) N m

= 98.6 N m=98.6 N m

Ans.

Fig. 4.6b

Ch4. Force System Resultants

30/31

Example 4.6

Solution II
Vector Analysis

r (0.4 i 0.2 j) m
F (400sin 30 i 400cos30 j) (200.0 i 346.4 j) N
MO r F
i

0.4

0.2

200.0 346.4 0

(98.6k) N m

Ans.

Fig. 4.6c

Ch4. Force System Resultants

31/31