Equilibrium of a Rigid Body
For a rigid body in static equilibrium, the external forces and moments are balanced
and will impart
p no translational or rotational motion to the body.y
The necessary and sufficient condition for the static equilibrium of a body are that
the resultant force and couple from all external forces form a system equivalent to
zero,
Resolving each force and moment into its rectangular components leads to 6
scalar equations which also express the conditions for static equilibrium,
Free Body Diagrams
First step in the static equilibrium analysis of a
rigid body is identification of all forces acting
on the body with a free-body
free body diagram
diagram.
•Select the extent of the free-body and
detach it from the ground and all other
bodies.
•Indicate point of application,
application magnitude
magnitude, and
direction of external forces, including the rigid
body weight.
•Indicate point of application and assumed
direction of unknown applied forces. These
usually consist of reactions through which the
ground and other bodies oppose the possible
motion of the rigid body.
•Include the dimensions necessary to
compute the moments of the forces.
Reactions at Supports and Connections - 2D
Reactions at Supports and Connections - 2D
Equilibrium of a Rigid Body in Two Dimensions
For all forces and moments acting on a
two- dimensional structure
two structure,
Equations of equilibrium become
where A is any point in the plane of the structure
The 3 equations can be solved for no
more than 3 unknowns
Example
A fixed crane has a mass of 1000 kg g and is used to lift a 2400 kg
g crate. It is
held in place by a pin at A and a rocker at B. The center of gravity of the crane
is located at G.
Determine the components of the reactions at A and B.
Example
The frame supports part of the roof of a small building. The tension in the
cable is 150 kN.
Determine the reactions at the fixed end E.
Equilibrium of Two Force Body
Consider a plate subjected to two forces F1 and F2
For static equilibrium, the sum of moments about A
must be zero. The moment of F2 must be zero. It
follows that the line of action of F2 must pass
through A.
Similarly, the line of action of F1 must pass through
B for the sum of moments about B to be zero.
Requiring that the sum of forces in any direction be
zero leads to the conclusion that F1 and F2 must
have equal magnitude but opposite sense
sense.
Equilibrium of Three Force Body
Consider a rigid body subjected to forces acting at only 3
points.
Assuming that their lines of action intersect, the moment of
F1 and F2 about the point of intersection represented by D is
zero.
Since the
Si th rigid
i id body
b d isi in
i equilibrium,
ilib i th
the sum off th
the
moments of F1 , F2 , and F3 about any axis must be zero. It
follows that the moment of F3 about D must be zero as well
and that the line of action of F3 must pass through D D.
The lines of action of the three forces must be concurrent or
parallel.
parallel
Example
A man raises a 10 kg joist, of length 4 m, by pulling on a rope.
Find the tension in the rope and the reaction at A.
A
Equilibrium of a Rigid Body in Three Dimensions
Vector forms of the conditions for equilibrium;
Six scalar equations are required to express the conditions for the equilibrium of a
rigid body in the general three dimensional case.
Reactions at Supports and Connections - 3D
Reactions at Supports and Connections - 3D
Example
A sign of uniform density weighs 270 N and is supported by a ball- and-
socket joint at A and by two cables.
Determine the tension in each cable and the reaction at A.
