FRICTION

by Dr. Abhijit Chaudhuri

Dept. of Applied Mechanics
IIT Madras, Chennai, India

Weight, W
Block

Force, P

Roughness of the contact surface is

quantified as frictional coefficient ()

Rough surface
Weight, W

Force, P

F
s N
k N

Frictional force, F
Normal reaction,N

Dry friction occurs when the dry or unlubricated contact surfaces of two solids
are under the condition of sliding or tending to slide.

Fluid friction occurs when adjacent layers of fluid moves at different velocities.
Internal friction occurs within a solid when subjected to cyclic loading (Damping).

1. Friction angle ( ) :

by Dr. Abhijit Chaudhuri

Dept. of Applied Mechanics
IIT Madras, Chennai, India

N = mg cos ( )
F f = mg sin ( )

The block will not slide when F f s N mg sin ( )

s mg cos ( )

tan 1 ( s ) =

of
repose
of a sand (or gravel) is the steepest angle of the slope rela@ve
2. Angle
to the horizontal plane when material on the slope face is on the verge of sliding
3. Rolling friction

P = r L, r =

a
r

a depends on the depression

of the wheel on the surface
which in turn depends on the
hardness of the surface.

Example # 1

Find out the moment (M ) required to start rotating the

FBD of the drum

M
W

N1

Ff 1

SOLUTION

At impending of motion the frictional resistive forces are

F f 1 = s N1 and F f 2 = s N2

Ff 2

N2

drum of mass m = 20 kg, radius r = 0.2 m , s = 0.3

and = 45o .

Equilibrium conditions:

Fx = 0
Fy = 0

()
()
--------- N 2 + N1 cos ( ) + s N1 sin ( ) = 0
mg + F f 2 + N1 sin ( ) F f 1 cos ( ) = 0
--------- mg + s N 2 + N1 sin ( ) s N1 cos ( ) = 0
N 2 + N1 cos + F f 1 sin = 0

Solving Eqs. (1a) and (1b) we get N1 = 254.59 N and N 2 = 234 N

At the motion impending:

(
)
M = s ( N1 + N 2 ) r = 29.31 N-m

Mz = 0

M + F f 1 + F f 2 r = 0

(1a)

(1b)

Example # 2

O r

r2

When is small the wheel rolls to the left and when

it is large rolls to the right. Find out the value of ,
when the wheel doesn't move in either direction. Find
the upper limit of (P ) when the wheel doesnt slip.

SOLUTION
The direction of rolling depends on the direction of

moment of force P about A.

A
Moment M = 0 if the line of action of P passes through A.
r1
1 r1
sin ( ) = = sin
r2
FBD of the drum
r2
P
Equilibrium conditions:

Fy = 0 N W + P cos ( ) = 0
Fx = 0 F f + P sin ( ) = 0

Ff

---------- (1b)

= N
P
Solving Eqs. (1a) and (1b) we get sin ( ) W + P cos ( ) = 0

Wr2
At impending of motion F f

A
N

---------- (1a)

P=

r1 + r22 r12

Example # 3

Wedges

by Dr. Abhijit Chaudhuri

Dept. of Applied Mechanics
IIT Madras, Chennai, India

For = 18 and = 0.35 between all wooden surfaces

determine the magnitude of the clamping force P for
which the upward motion of the dock is impending.

SOLUTION
When the upward motion of the wooden dock is impending, the top wedge is
impending rightward.
Let us consider rightward motion top wedge.
FBD of top wedge

8 kN

Ff 2

F f 1 = N1 , F f 2 = 8 kN

Fy = 0 N1 cos ( ) N1 sin ( ) 8 = 0

Fx = 0 P N1 cos ( ) N1 sin ( ) 8 = 0

Ff 1
N1

cos ( ) + sin ( )

P = 8
= 8.89 kN
cos ( ) sin ( )

Example # 4
For = 0.35 between all wooden surfaces determine the
maximum wedge angle for which the system remains
in equilibrium even the clamping force is removed..

SOLUTION
When there is no clamping force, the wooden dock has tendency to move downward.
So for equilibrium with maximum either leftward motion top wedge is impending.
Let us consider lefttward motion top wedge.

F f 1 = N1 , F f 2 = 8 kN

FBD of top wedge

8 kN

Ff 2
Ff 1
N1

Fy = 0 N1 cos ( ) + N1 sin ( ) 8 = 0

Fx = 0 N1 cos ( ) + N1 sin ( ) 8 = 0

sin ( ) cos ( )

cos ( ) + sin ( )

= tan

2
= 38.58o

2
1

Screws: The fric@on developed in the threads largely determines

the required moment to raise the weight by screw.

( ) (

M = r R sin +

by Dr. Abhijit Chaudhuri

Dept. of Applied Mechanics
IIT Madras, Chennai, India

and W = ( R ) cos ( + )

So to raise W, the required moment: M = Wr tan ( + )

To lower, M
= Wr tan ( )

Unwind by itself. To prevent

unwinding, M = Wr tan ( )

Flexible belt/cable/rope over sheaves/drum/wheel

by Dr. Abhijit Chaudhuri

Dept. of Applied Mechanics
IIT Madras, Chennai, India

T =?

W
For static equilibrium mmin m A mmax

T2

Lets assume T2 > T1 .

M
R

T1

Here R and M are respectively reaction force and moment

offered by the axel to the wheel. Moment, M is due the friction
between wheel and axel.
In this case the wheel rotate anticlockwise and/or the belt slips
towards left. For stationary case and constant angular speed

R = T12 + T22 + 2T1T2 cos and M = T2 T1 r

Relation between T1 & T2 when the belt impedes to slip on the wheel.
A small segment of the belt:

by Dr. Abhijit Chaudhuri

Dept. of Applied Mechanics
IIT Madras, Chennai, India

FBD of the small segment

T + dT

T + dT

d / 2

T
Distributed normal and
fric@on force on the belt.
d

2
T
+
d
T
sin
(
)

= dN
Fn = 0
2
d
F
=
0

d
T
cos
t

= dF f = dN
2
At impending of slip

dN

d / 2

dF f

T
Resultant normal and
fric@on force on the belt.
From these equations we get:
d
( 2T + dT ) tan = dT
2

d
2

As d is very small, dT is also very small. So 2 T

d =

T dT
dT
= ln 2
d = 2
0
T1 T
T
T1

= dT

T2 = T1 exp ( )

Example # 4

A cable passes around three 30-mm-radius pulleys

and supports two blocks. Pulleys C and E are locked
to prevent rotation, and the coefficients of friction
between the cable and the pulleys are s = 0.20 and
k = 0.15. Determine the range of values of the mass
of block A for which equilibrium is maintained (a) if
pulley D is locked, (b) if pulley D is free to rotate.

SOLUTION

mmin m A mmax
30 mm

sin ( ) = 0.5 = / 6

60 mm

(a) Case 1: When weight at A is impeding to move downward

Pulley E (locked)

Pulley D (locked)

Pulley C (locked)

T1

E =
T1

WB

T1 = WB exp ( sE )

T2

T2

D = 2 / 3
T2 = T1 exp ( sD )

C = 2 / 3
WA

WA = T2 exp ( sC )

WA = WB exp ( s (C + D + E )) = WB exp ( s (7 / 3)) mA = 4.33mB = 34.66 kg

by Dr. Abhijit Chaudhuri

Dept. of Applied Mechanics
IIT Madras, Chennai, India

(a) Case 2: When weight at A is impeding to move upward

T1 = WB exp ( sE ) ;

T2 = T1 exp ( sD ) ;

WA = T2 exp ( sC ) ;

WA = WB exp ( s (C + D + E )) = WB exp ( s ( 7 / 3))

mA =

mB
= 1.85 kg
4.33

The range of values of the mass of block A for the system being at equilibrium:

1.85 kg mA 34.66

(b)

Pulley D (free to rotate)

T2

T1
MD = 0

T1 = T2

mB exp ( s (C + E )) mA mB exp ( s (C + E ))
2.81 kg mA 22.80

Example # 5
(2)

(1)

Two rectangular blocks of weight W are connected

by a flexible cord. They rest upon a horizontal and
an inclined plane, respectively. The cord is passing
over a small pulley as shown in figure. Consider the
static friction coefficient is same for all surfaces.
Find the angle of inclination of the inclined plane
at which motion of the system will impend. Assume
the pulley is locked.

SOLUTION
Due to weight of block (1), W, acting downward, block (1) is impeding a downward
motion along the inclined plane and the block (2) is impending a leftward motion along
the horizontal plane. The flexible cord is also impending a slip over the locked pulley.
FBD of block (1)

At impending of sliding,
T1

y'

x'

Ff 1
N1

F f 1 = N1

---------- (1a)

Fx = 0 T1 + N1 W sin ( ) = 0 --------- Fy = 0 N1 W cos ( ) = 0

(1b)

---------- (1c)

By solving Eqs. (1a) (1c),

T1 = W (sin ( ) cos ( ))

---------- (1d)

FBD of pulley

T1

At impending of slip,

T2

T1 = T2 exp ( )

---------- (2)

R
FBD of block (2)

T2

y'

Ff 2

x'

N2

---------- (3a)

Fx = 0

N2

T2 + N2 = 0

---------- (3b)

Fy = 0

N2 W = 0

---------- (3c)

By solving Eqs. (3a) (3c), T

2 = W

---------- (3d)

At impending of sliding, F f 2 =

From Eqs. (1d), (2) and (3d), we get, sin ( ) cos ( ) = exp ( )

0.1

11.54o

0.2

23.61o

0.3

37.13o

0.4

54.79o

0.45

69.18o

0.47454

90o