10/1/2014

Method of Virtual Work

Introduction
Principle of virtual work - if a particle, rigid body, or
system of rigid bodies which is in equilibrium under
various forces is given an arbitrary virtual
displacement, the net work done by the external forces
during that displacement is zero.
The principle of virtual work is particularly useful
when applied to the solution of problems involving the
equilibrium of machines or mechanisms consisting of
several connected members.
If a particle, rigid body, or system of rigid bodies is in
equilibrium, then the derivative of its potential energy
with respect to a variable defining its position is zero.
The stability of an equilibrium position can be determined from the
second derivative of the potential energy with respect to the position
variable.
10 - 2

10/1/2014

Work of a Force
r r
r
dU = F dr = work of the force F corresponding to
r
the displacement dr
dU = F ds cos

= 0, dU = + F ds

= , dU = F ds

= 2 , dU = 0

dU = Wdy

10 - 3

Work of a Force
Forces which do no work:
reaction at a frictionless pin due to rotation of a body
around the pin
reaction at a frictionless surface due to motion of a
body along the surface
weight of a body with cg moving horizontally
friction force on a wheel moving without slipping
Sum of work done by several forces may be zero:
bodies connected by a frictionless pin
bodies connected by an inextensible cord
internal forces holding together parts of a rigid body

10 - 4

10/1/2014

Work of a Couple
Small displacement of a rigid body:
translation to AB
rotation of B about A to B

r r r r
r
W = F dr1 + F (dr1 + dr2 )
r r
= F dr2 = F ds2 = F rd

= M d

10 - 5

Principle of Virtual Work

Imagine the small virtual displacement of particle which
is acted upon by several forces.
The corresponding virtual work,
r r r r r r
r r
r
r
U = F1 r + F2 r + F3 r = (F1 + F2 + F3 ) r
r r
= R r
Principle of Virtual Work:
If a particle is in equilibrium, the total virtual work of forces
acting on the particle is zero for any virtual displacement.
If a rigid body is in equilibrium, the total virtual work
of external forces acting on the body is zero for any
virtual displacement of the body.
If a system of connected rigid bodies remains connected
during the virtual displacement, only the work of the
external forces need be considered.
10 - 6

10/1/2014

Applications of the Principle of Virtual Work

Wish to determine the force of the vice on the
block for a given force P.
Consider the work done by the external forces
for a virtual displacement . Only the forces P
and Q produce nonzero work.

U = 0 = U Q + U P = Q x B P yC
yC = l cos

x B = 2l sin

x B = 2l cos

yC = l sin

0 = 2Ql cos + Pl sin

Q = 12 P tan
If the virtual displacement is consistent with the
constraints imposed by supports and connections,
only the work of loads, applied forces, and
friction forces need be considered.
10 - 7

Real Machines. Mechanical Efficiency

= mechanical efficiency
=

output wor k of actual machine

output wor k of ideal machine

output work
input work
2Ql cos
=
Pl sin
= 1 cot

For an ideal machine without friction, the

output work is equal to the input work.
When the effect of friction is
considered, the output work is reduced.

U = Qx B PyC Fx B = 0
0 = 2Ql cos + Pl sin Pl cos
Q = 12 P(tan )
10 - 8

10/1/2014

Sample Problem 1
Determine the magnitude of the couple M required to
maintain the equilibrium of the mechanism.
SOLUTION:
Apply the principle of virtual work

U = 0 = U M + U P
0 = M + PxD
xD = 3l cos
xD = 3l sin
0 = M + P ( 3l sin )

M = 3Pl sin

10 - 9

Sample Problem 2
Determine the expressions for and for the tension in the
spring which correspond to the equilibrium position of the
spring. The unstretched length of the spring is h and the
constant of the spring is k. Neglect the weight of the
mechanism.
SOLUTION:
Apply the principle of virtual work

U = U B + U F = 0
0 = Py B FyC
y B = l sin

y B = l cos

yC = 2l sin

yC = 2l cos

F = ks
= k ( yC h )
= k (2l sin h )

0 = P(l cos ) k (2l sin h )(2l cos )

P + 2kh
4kl
1
F = 2P

sin =

10 - 10

10/1/2014

Problem-3
The mechanism supports the 50-lb cylinder. Determine the angle for
equilibrium if the spring has an unstretched length of 2 ft when = 00. Neglect
the mass of the members.

2 - 11

2 - 12

10/1/2014

Problem-4
Determine the couple M which
must be applied at O in order to
support the mechanism in the
position =300. the masses of the
disk at C, at bar OA and bar BC
are m0, m and 2m, respectively.

yD =

l
sin ,
2

y A = l sin ,

yC = 2l sin ,
U = 0 :

yD
yA
yC

l
2

y D = cos

y A = l cos

2mg

mg

yC = 2l cos
m0g

M + mgy D + 2mgy A + m0 gyC = 0

M + mg cos + 2mg (l cos ) + m0 g (2l cos ) = 0

2

M = m + 2m0 gl cos
2

= 300 : m + m0 gl 3
4

Problem-5
Each of the uniform identical links has a
length l and a mass m and is subjected to a
couple M, one clockwise and the other
counterclockwise, applied as shown.
Determine the angle which each link
makes with the horizontal when the system
is in its equilibrium configuration.

y1

y2

mg

l
l
y1 = sin 1 ,
y D = cos11
2
2
l
l
y2 = l sin 1 + sin 2 ,
y2 = l cos11 + cos 2 2
2
2
l
l

M1 + mg cos 11 + mg l cos 11 + cos 2 2 M 2 = 0

2
2

mg

3l

1 2 M

M + mg cos1 1 = 0 1 = cos
2

3mgl
l

1 2 M
M + mg cos2 2 = 0 2 = cos

mgl

10/1/2014

Problem-6
The structure shown in Fig is obtained by fixing point B of the mechanism. For 1
=30, determine the pin reactions Bx and By .

10/1/2014

Work of a Force During a Finite Displacement

Work of a weight,

Work of a spring,

dU = Fdx = (kx )dx

dU = Wdy
y2

U12 = 12 ( F1 + F2 )x

x2

U12 = Wdy

U12 = kx dx

y1

x1

= Wy1 Wy 2
= Wy

= 12 kx12 12 kx22
10 - 17

Potential Energy
When the differential work is a force is given by an
exact differential,

dU = dV
U12 = V1 V2
= negative of change in potential energy
Forces for which the work can be calculated from a change
in potential energy are conservative forces.
When the potential energy of a system is known,
the principle of virtual work becomes
dV
U = 0 = V =
d
dV
0=
d
2 - 18

10/1/2014

If a body is located a distance y above a

fixed horizontal reference or datum, the
weight of the body has positive
gravitational potential energy Vg since W
has the capacity of doing positive work
when the body is moved back down to the
datum.
Likewise, if the body is located a distance
y below the datum, Vg is negative since the
weight does negative work when the body
is moved back up to the datum.
At the datum, Vg = 0.
Measuring y as positive upward, the
gravitational potential energy of the bodys
weight W is therefore

When a spring is either elongated or compressed by an amount s from its

unstretched position (the datum), the energy stored in the spring is called
elastic potential energy . It is determined from

This energy is always a positive quantity since the spring force acting on
the attached body does positive work on the body as the force returns the
body to the springs unstretched position.

10

10/1/2014

In the general case, if a body is subjected to both gravitational and elastic

forces, the potential energy or potential function V of the body can be
expressed as the algebraic sum

Stability of Equilibrium

10 - 22

11

10/1/2014

Problem

For the mechanism shown the spring is

uncompressed when for the = 00 equilibrium
position and specify the minimum spring
stiffness k which will limit to 30o. The rod DE
passes freely through the pivoted collar C, and
the cylinder of mass m slides freely on the fixed
vertical shaft.

1
V = mg (2b cos ) + k (2b sin )2
2
dV
= 2mg sin + 4kb2 sin cos
d
= 2b sin ( mg + 2kb cos )
=0

for equilibrium

sin = 0 or

for max = 300 , k min

Problem

mg
2kb
mg
mg
=
=
2b cos 300 b 3

cos =

The uniform link has a mass of 10 kg. If the spring is

unstretched when = 0, determine the angle for
equilibrium and investigate the stability at the
equilibrium position.
SOLUTION
The datum is established at the bottom of
the link,

12

10/1/2014

13