Tutorial 2

Engineering Mechanics – ME1102

Sunil Kumar Singh, and Rishi Raj

Courtesy: TMH
Question 1: Solved Problem 3.10 in Book

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 Solution

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Question 1: Solution

Practiced in previous tutorial

𝑭𝑩 = 𝐹𝐵 𝝀𝑩𝑬

Other two are easy

to resolve based
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 Resultant
force along Z

Resultant
force along Y

Resultant
force along X

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 Resultant
moment along Z

Resultant
moment along Y

Resultant
moment along X

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Question 2: P 3.158 in book

80 kN

Explain that this problem is

same as earlier, only with the
difference such that the
resultant moment of the
force-couple system should
be 0 when estimated at O.

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Question 2: Solution

2 points for realizing this point!

80 kN
NOTE: Moment due to forces
parallel to y-axis can either have
x-component or z-component only.

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Question 2: Solution

3 points for these steps!

X-component of moment due to

unknown force FB @ B

X-component of moment due to

40 kN force @ C
X-component of moment due to
80 kN @ E
X-component of moment due to
unknown force FF @ F
NOTE: 60 kN force at A and 120 kN force at D
will not have x-component of moment since
these points lie on the x-axis.
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Question 2: Solution

3 points for these steps!

Z-component of moment due to
unknown force FB @ B

Z-component of moment due to 40

kN force @ C
Z-component of moment due to 80
kN @ E
Z-component of moment due to
unknown force FF @ F
Z-component of moment due to
60 kN force @ A

Z-component of moment due to

120 kN force @ D
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Question 2: Solution

2 points for right answer,

which includes magnitude
and direction!

We can solve two equations 80 kN

obtained in the previous slides to
get the value of two unknown
forces at B and F.

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 Related Concepts

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Moment of a Force About a Point
• A force vector is defined by its magnitude and
direction. Its effect on the rigid body also depends
on it point of application.
• The moment of F about O is defined as
MO = r  F
• The moment vector MO is perpendicular to the
plane containing O and the force F.
• Magnitude of MO measures the tendency of the force
to cause rotation of the body about an axis along MO.
M O = rF sin  = Fd
The sense of the moment may be determined by the
right-hand rule.
• Any force F’ that has the same magnitude and
direction as F, is equivalent if it also has the same line
of action and therefore, produces the same moment.
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Moment of a Force About a Point
• Two-dimensional structures have length and breadth but
negligible depth and are subjected to forces contained in
the plane of the structure.

• The plane of the structure contains the point O and the

force F. MO, the moment of the force about O is
perpendicular to the plane.

• If the force tends to rotate the structure counter

clockwise, the sense of the moment vector is out of the
plane of the structure and the magnitude of the moment
is positive.
• If the force tends to rotate the structure clockwise, the
sense of the moment vector is into the plane of the
structure and the magnitude of the moment is negative.

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Moment of a Force About a Given
Axis
• Moment MO of a force F applied at the point A
about a point O,
MO = r  F

• Scalar moment MOL about an axis OL is the

projection of the moment vector MO onto the
axis,
M OL = λ • M O = λ • (r  F )

• Moments of F about the coordinate axes,

M x = yFz − zFy
M y = zFx − xFz
M z = xFy − yFx

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Moment of a Force About a Given
Axis
• Moment of a force about an arbitrary axis,
M BL = λ • M B
(
= λ • rA B  F )
rA B = rA − rB

• The result is independent of the point B

along the given axis. That is, the same
result can be obtained using rA C , for
example.

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Moment of a Force
• About a point
• Measures the tendency of the force F to make
the rigid body rotate about a fixed axis Mo
passing from O.

• About an axis
• Measures the tendency of the force F to impart
to the rigid body a motion of rotation about the
fixed axis OL.

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Moment of a Couple
• Two forces F and -F having the same magnitude,
parallel lines of action, and opposite sense are said
to form a couple.
You can again draw r from any
• Moment of the couple, point on F to any point on -F

M = rA  F + rB  (− F)
= (rA − rB )  F
= r F
M = rF sin  = Fd

• The moment vector of the couple is

independent of the choice of the origin of the
coordinate axes, i.e., it is a free vector that can
be applied at any point with the same effect.

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Moment of a Couple
Two couples will have equal moments if

• F1d1 = F2 d 2

• the two couples lie in parallel planes, and

• the two couples have the same sense or

the tendency to cause rotation in the same
direction.

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Couples Can Be Represented by
Vectors

• A couple can be represented by a vector with magnitude

and direction equal to the moment of the couple.

• Couple vectors obey the law of addition of vectors.

• Couple vectors are free vectors, i.e., there is no point of

application – it simply acts on the body.

• Couple vectors may be resolved into component vectors.

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Resolution of a Force Into a Force at
O and a Couple

• Force vector F cannot 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 three forces may be replaced by an equivalent force vector and

couple vector, i.e., a force-couple system.

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Sample Problem 3.8

For the beam, reduce the system of

forces shown to (a) an equivalent
force-couple system at A, (b) an
equivalent force couple system at B,
and (c) a single force or resultant.
Note: Since the support reactions are
not included, the given system will
not maintain the beam in equilibrium.

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Sample Problem 3.8
SOLUTION:
a) Compute the resultant force and the
resultant couple at A.
R = F
= (150 N )j − (600 N )j + (100 N )j − (250 N )j

R = −(600 N )j

M RA =  (r  F )
= (1.6 i )  (− 600j) + (2.8 i )  (100j)
+ (4.8 i )  (− 250j)

M RA = −(1880 N  m )k

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Sample Problem 3.8
b) Find an equivalent force-couple system at B
based on the force-couple system at A.
The force is unchanged by the movement of the
force-couple system from A to B.
R = −(600 N) j

The couple at B is equal to the moment about B

of the force-couple system found at A.

M RB = M RA + rA B  R
= −(1880 N  m )k + (− 4.8 m )i  (− 600 N )j
= −(1880 N  m )k + (2880 N  m )k

M RB = +(1000 N . m) k

Moment of a couple is a free vector!

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Sample Problem 3.8
c) Determine the point of application for the
resultant force such that its moment about A
is equal to the resultant couple at A.

Resultant of given system of forces is equal

to R, and its point of application must be
such that the moment of R about A is
equal to M RA .
r  R = M RA
x i  (− 600 N )j = −(1800 N . m )k
− x(− 600 N )k = −(1800 N . m )k

R = −(600 N )j x = 3.13 m

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