BITS Pilani

Dubai Campus

INTRODUCTION TO ENGINEERING
MECHANICS

Contents:
1.Introduction
2.Concept of Force
3.Moment of a Force (torque)
4.Equilibrium conditions
5.Friction
6.Engineering applications
7.Problems

INTRODUCTION
MECHANICS Science of force and
motions and deformations.
APPLIED MECHANICS Science of
applying principles of mechanics to
systems of practical interest in order
to:
Understand their behaviour
Develop rational rules for their design

GENERAL PROCEDURE
1. Select system
2. Characteristics of system to
idealize and simplify to a model
3. Apply principle of mechanics see
consequences.
4. Compare with original system
(experimental)
5. If no, change idealized model.

PRINCIPLES OF MECHANICS
1. Movement :
Overall change in position with time.
Change in shape = deformation.

2. Newtonian mechanics
F proportional to a.
No acceleration no unbalanced force.

ANALYSIS
Mechanics deals with:
1. Forces (push or pull)
2. Motion
3. Deformation
. Analysis of mechanical system involves:
1. Study of forces
2. Study of deformation
3. Applying laws relating the forces to
deformation.

ASSUMPTIONS
Most important perfectly rigid, elastic,
plastic etc.
State of balance
Deformation of individual parts to be
consistent with overall deformation.

Special properties of material to be

considered.

FORCE
When a force acts on a body it may:
1. Bring a change in the motion of the body
not considered.
2. Balance the forces already acting on the
body and bring it to a state of equilibrium
3. Change the size and shape of the body i.e.
the body may be twisted bent Stretched
compressed; distorted

CHARACTERISTICS AND
CLASSIFICATION OF FORCE
Characteristics of forces:
1. Magnitude
2. Direction or line of action
3. Sense of nature (Pull or push)
4. Point of application
5. Scale
. Classification of forces:
1. External force
2. Internal force
3. Active force
4. Passive force

According to Newtons third law, F1

= F2 and act along the same line
of action.
Classification 1:

a) Physically separated
b) Direct contact

Classification 2
a) Alter motion
b) Alter shape

Types
) Electric, Magnetic, Gravitational

UNITS &
CONVERSIONS

VECTOR RESOLUTION

VECTOR ADDITION
SUPERPOSITION OF
FORCES

Resultant of several concurrent

forces (COPLANAR)

Dr. G. Amaranath, BITS Pilani, Dubai Campus

Resultant of several concurrent

forces (NON COPLANAR)

Dr. G. Amaranath, BITS Pilani, Dubai Campus

Resultant of several concurrent

forces (NON COPLANAR)

Dr. G. Amaranath, BITS Pilani, Dubai Campus

Resultant R = F1 + F2 + F3 + F4 +
. + Fn
where R = Rx i + Ry j
F1= F1x i + F1y j
= F1cos 1 i + F1 sin 1 j

Dr. G. Amaranath, BITS Pilani, Dubai Campus

RESULTANT VECTOR
R = F = (F1 x+ F2 x+ F3 x+ F4 x+
. + Fnx) i + (F1 y+ F2 y+ F3 y+
F4 y+. + Fn y)
R = (Fx ) i + (Fy )j
Magnitude of R = [ ( Fx)2+ (
Fy)2 ] 1/2
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INCLINED PLANE

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1. If 5 forces act on a particle as

shown, find the resultant force.

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2. Four forces act on bolt A as shown.

Determine the resultant of the forces on the bolt.

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RESULTANT OF NON COPLANAR

FORCES

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Force Systems:
A force system is a collection of forces acting on a body in
one or more planes.

1. Coplanar concurrent collinear force system

F1

F2

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 2. Coplanar concurrent non parallel

force system
F1
F3

F2

F4

3. Coplanar non - concurrent parallel

force system

 4. Coplanar non - concurrent non

parallel force system
F2

F3

F1
R1

 5. Non Coplanar concurrent force

system

F1

F2

F3

6. Non Coplanar non concurrent

force system

Dr. G. Amaranath, BITS Pilani, Dubai Campus

Dr. G. Amaranath, BITS Pilani, Dubai Campus

Dr. G. Amaranath, BITS Pilani, Dubai Campus

MOMENT
The tendency of a force is not only to move the body but
also to rotate the body.
The rotational tendency of a force is called moment
M = Force x perpendicular distance from the point to
the line of action of force.

Length d is measured perpendicular to line

of action of F.
Thus magnitude of moment about point O

IMI = F d

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MOMENT
Moment = Cross product of displacement vector and
force.

M=rXF

Length

d is measured perpendicular to line of

action of F.
Thus moment about point O

= Fh
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DIRECTION
Clockwise moment: -ve

Anticlockwise moment: +ve

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RIGHT HAND THUMB RULE

RIGHT HAND SCREW RULE

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MOMENT VECTOR
Cross Product:

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Dr. G. Amaranath, BITS Pilani, Dubai Campus

MOMENT ABOUT AN AXIS

M = r X F = k hF about point O.
Moment along axis= Dot product of M and unit
vector along axis
Moment of F along axis OQ = Component of r X F
along axis OQ

cos = Fhcos
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MOMENT ABOUT AN AXIS

Moment along axis =
Moment of F along axis OQ = Component of r X F
along axis OQ

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1. Determine moment of force F about OO axis.

Ans : 200P cos50 sin 45.

Dr. G. Amaranath, BITS Pilani, Dubai Campus

TWO FORCE MEMBER

If system is in equilibrium:
Two forces must be equal and
opposite.
Must have same line of action .
Dr. G. Amaranath, BITS Pilani, Dubai Campus

THREE FORCE MEMBER

If system is in equilibrium:
Forces must be coplanar and
intersect at a common point.
Must lie in the plane ABC if the total
moments about each point is to
vanish.

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COUPLE
Two equal and parallel forces opposite direction :
COUPLE

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COUPLE
Moment of couple =
Moment of couple is independent of location of O.
Same about all points in space.

Dr. G. Amaranath, BITS Pilani, Dubai Campus

Principle of moments:
When a body acted upon by several forces is in
rotational equilibrium :
Sum of clockwise moments of the forces about any point
= sum of anticlockwise moments of the forces about the
same point.

Dr. G. Amaranath, BITS Pilani, Dubai Campus

Equilibrium conditions for bodies under

coplanar forces
A body can be in equilibrium :
If the algebraic sum of all the external forces and their
moments about any point in their plane including any
external applied moment = 0.

Dr. G. Amaranath, BITS Pilani, Dubai Campus

Equilibrium conditions for bodies under

coplanar forces
If coplanar 3 equilibrium conditions
Because - and Moment can only be
perpendicular to the given plane.

Dr. G. Amaranath, BITS Pilani, Dubai Campus

 Statically determinate structure Not

considering deformation
Can determine all forces only using
equilibrium conditions.
FREEBODY DIAGRAM
Isolation for solving
Freebody diagram sketch of isolated
system and all external forces acting on it
Assumptions or idealizations eg:
relatively light column with heavy load
self wt neglected.
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ENGINEERING APPLICATIONS
Frictionless surface
Normal contact force N

Friction Tangential force

Frictionless pinned joint No

moment

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ENGINEERING APPLICATIONS

Ideal clamped support Complete

restraint against :
1. Longitudinal Motion
2. Transverse Motion
3. Rotation
H, V and M - Present
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Find force and moment which must be applied at O to hold

the light bar shown in equilibrium.

Ans :

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