11/26/2013

Engineers Mechanics- Equivalent Force-Couple System

Equivalent Systems: Significance

Mathematically, two systems of forces are equivalent if they can be reduced to
the same force-couple system.

Each system must produce same push or pull in the rigid body , i.e, should
have the same resultant vector R

Each system must produce same turning action about any point in the rigid
body, i.e., should have the same resultant couple vector MR

Engineers Mechanics- Equivalent Force-Couple System

Translation of a force at A to a parallel position at O

Force vector F can not be simply moved to O without modifying its

action on the body.
Attaching equal and opposite force vectors at O produces no net
effect on the body.
The force may be replaced by an equivalent force vector and
couple moment vector, i.e, a force-couple system.

MO r F

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Engineers Mechanics- Equivalent Force-Couple System

System of Forces: Reduction to a Force and Couple

A system of forces may be replaced by a collection of force-couple systems

acting at a given point O
The force and couple vectors may be combined into a
resultant force vector and a resultant couple vector,

R F

M OR r F C

add applied couple moment , if any, present in the rigid body

The force-couple system at O may be moved to O

with the addition of the moment of R about O ,

M OR' M OR s R

Engineers Mechanics- Equivalent Force-Couple System

Further Reduction of a Force System to a wrench

The pushing-turning action associated with

The tightening of a screw illustrates
collinear lines of action of the force and
couple vector that constitute a wrench

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Engineers Mechanics- Equivalent Force-Couple System

Further Reduction of a System of Forces

The resultant force-couple system for a system of forces
will be mutually perpendicular if:
1) the forces are coplanar, or
2) the forces are parallel.
coplanar
If the resultant force and couple at O are mutually
perpendicular, they can be replaced by a single force acting
along a new line of action.

parallel

Engineers Mechanics- Equivalent Force-Couple System

Reduction of a Coplanar Force System to a Single Force
System of coplanar forces
isreduced to a

force-couple system R and M OR that is

mutually perpendicular.

R F

M OR r F

System can be reduced to a single

force
by moving the line of action of R until
its moment about O becomes M OR
In terms of rectangular coordinates,
xR y yRx M OR

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Engineers Mechanics- Equivalent Force-Couple System

Example of a Coplanar Force System
3 tugboats moving USS John F. Kennedy

Engineers Mechanics- Equivalent Force-Couple System

Example of a Coplanar Force System

Solution Key:
Find the resultant force
and moment about O

Find the line of action

of resultant force

Four tugboats are used to bring a ship to its pier.

Each tugboat exerts 100kN push in the direction
shown. Determine the point on hull (body) where a
single, more powerful tugboat should push to
produce the same effect as the original four
tugboats. Also determine the total push and its
direction to be exerted by the single tugboat.

Find its intersection

with the (hull) body of
the ship

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Engineers Mechanics- Equivalent Force-Couple System

Example of a Coplanar Force System

Y

SOLUTION

R = ( -100j ) + ( 0.8i - 0.6 j ) 100 + ( -100j ) + ( 0.6i + 0.8j ) 100

= T1 + T2 + T3 + T4
= 100 ( 1.4i 1.8j ) kN
MoR = ri x Fi
= [ ( -100 x 24 ) + ( -100 x 0.6 x 144 - 100 x 0.8 x 24 ) + ( -100 x 224 )
+ ( 100 x 0.8 x184 + 100 x 0.6 x 24 ) ]
= - 19200k kNm

Engineers Mechanics- Equivalent Force-Couple System

Example
Prob.1 of a Coplanar Force System
Y

x-intercept
Equation of hull:
y = (24/64)x & y = 24.

y-intercept

Y
o

(64, 24)

Try with y = (24/64)x

x = 19200/(180+140*24/64)
= 82.58 m > 64 m

o (0, 137.14)
y = 24
o

(106.67, 0)

88

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Engineers Mechanics- Equivalent Force-Couple System

Reduction of a Parallel Force System to a Single Force
Y

Y
X

X
G

In other words:

Use
appropriate
signs

Equivalent Force Systems

Example of a Coplanar Force System
A concrete foundation mat in the shape
of a regular hexagon with 3-m sides
supports four column loads as shown.
Determine the magnitude and the point
of application of the resultant four
loads.
SOLUTION KEY
o Determine the magnitude of the
equivalent force by just adding the
loads.
o Equate the moment about the x axis
for the individual forces with that of
the equivalent force, get z co-ordinate.
o Do the same for z axis, get x
co-ordinate.

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Engineers Mechanics- Equivalent Force-Couple System

Example of a Coplanar Force System

FA z A FC zC FD z D FE zE R zG

M x :

F :

80 kN 0 40 kN 3 m sin 60 60 kN 0
60 kN 3 msin 60 280 kN Z G

FA FC FD FE R

R 80 kN j 40 kN j 100 kN j 60 kN j

280 kN
j
280 kN
M z :

Z G 0.185577 m

FA x A FC xC FD xD FE xE R xG
80 kN 3 m cos 60 1.5 m 40 kN 1.5 m 60 kN 1.5 m
100 kN 3 m cos 60 1.5 m 280 kN xG

Engineers Mechanics- Equivalent Force-Couple System

Example of a 3D Force System

A machine component is subjected to
the forces shown, each of which is
parallel to one of the coordinate axes.
Replace these forces with an equivalent
force-couple system at A.
SOLUTION KEY
o Approach 1Use Vector Mechanics to take
moment of each force about point
A
o Approach 2
Since each force is parallel to one
of
the coordinate axes, take
moment contribution of each force
about three axes that are parallel to
z,y,z but passing through A

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Engineers Mechanics- Equivalent Force-Couple System

Example of a 3D Force System

F : FB FC FD R A
R A 240 N j 125 N k 300 N i 150 N k

R A 300 N i 240 N j 25 N k

: rB/ A FB rC/ A FC rD/A FD M A

i

M A 0 0.12 m

k
0

0 240 N 125 N

0.06 m 0.03 m 0.075 m 0.06 m 0.08 m 0.75 m

300 N

150 N

15 N m i 22.5 N m j 9 N m k 12 N m i 9 N m j

M A 3 N m i 13.5 N m j 9 N m k