FORCE SYSTEMS Different Support Reactions
Force System is defined as any arrangement where two or
more forces act on a body or on a group of related bodies.
1. Concurrent Force Systems
- Forces whose lines of action pass through a common
point
2. Parallel Force Systems
- Forces whose lines of action are parallel
3. Non-concurrent Force Systems
- Forces whose lines of action neither are parallel nor
intersect on a common point
Principle of Transmissibility - According to this law the state
of rest or motion of the rigid body is unaltered if a force acting
on the body is replaced by another force of the same magnitude
and direction but acting anywhere on the bodyalong the line of
action of the replaced force.
Parallelogram Law - The combined effect of two forces may
be represented by a single resultant force that is equivalent
to the diagonal of a parallelogram which contains the twoforces
in adjacent legs.
Triangle Law - If two forces acting on a body are represented
one after another by the sides of a triangle, their resultant is PROBLEMS:
represented by the closing side of the triangle taken from first
point to the last point. Situation 1: Resolve the 500-N force into:
Components of a Force in Plane:
1. x- and y- components
2. x- and y’-components
3. x’- and y-components
4. x’- and y’-components
Δx
F = Fcosα = Fsinβ = F
x
Δr Situation 2: The three forces acting on the beam can be
Δy replaced with a single equivalent force R. Determine the
Fy = Fcos = Fsin = F
Δr following:
Resultant: F =
1. The x-component of the resultant force.
2. The magnitude of R.
EQUILIBRIUM OF FORCE SYSTEMS
3. The corresponding value of .
Equilibrium is the term to designate the condition where the
resultant force is zero. It can be characterized as,
1. Static or at rest
2. ∑F = 0
3. If dynamic, acceleration is zero.
Situation 3: If the combined moment of the two forces about Situation 2: Knowing that the tension in cable BC is 725N,
point C is zero, determine: determine the resultant of the three forces exerted at point B of
beam AB.
1. the magnitude of the force P Situation 3: If θ = 300 and T = 6 kN, determine the magnitude
2. the magnitude of the resultant of the two forces of the resultant force acting on the eyebolt and its direction
3. the coordinates x and y of the point A on the rim of the measured clockwise from the positive x axis.
wheel about which the combined moment of the two forces
is a maximum
4. the combined moment MA of the two forces about A
Situation 4: A loading car is at rest on a track forming an angle
of 25° with the vertical. The gross weight of the car and its load
is 5500 lb, and it is applied at G. The car is held by a cable.
Situation 4: From the given set of forces shown in the figure,
determine the:
1. Determine the tension in the cable.
2. Determine the reaction at the upper wheel.
3. Determine the reaction at the lower wheel.
PROBLEMS FOR PRACTICE:
1. the magnitude of the resultant force of the system?
2. angle that the resultant force makes with the horizontal
Situation 1: The 300-lb force is to be resolved into components
measured CCW?
along lines a-a’ and b-b’.
3. distance of the line of action of the resultant force from the
origin?
4. the distance from the origin where the resultant intersects
the x-axis?
Situation 5: A barge is pulled by two tugboats. If the resultant
of the forces exerted by the tugboats is a 5000-lb force directed
along the axis of the barge, determine;
1. Determine the angle α knowing that the component
along line a-a’ is 240-lb.
2. What is the corresponding value of the component along
b-b’?
1. the tension in each of the ropes knowing that α = 45°
2. the value of α for which the tension in rope 2 is minimum. Situation 10: In the frame shown, members ACE and BCD are
connected by a pin at C and by the link DE. For the loading
Situation 6: The towline exerts a force P = 4 kN at the end of shown, determine the
the 20-m-long crane boom. If θ = 300,
1. determine the placement x of the hook at A so that this
force creates a maximum moment about point O.
2. What is this maximum moment?
Situation 7: Considering the same figure as above, the 1. reaction at B
towline exerts a force P =4 kN at the end of the 20-m-long 2. force in link DE
crane boom. If x = 25 m, 3. force exerted at C on member BCD
1. determine the position of the boom so that this force
creates a maximum moment about point O. Answer Key for Problems for Practice:
2. What is this moment? 1. α = 76.15º, Fb-b’ = 336.35 lb
2. 225.89 N
Situation 8: From the given set of forces shown in the figure, 3. R = 8.67 N, α = 3.046º
determine the: 4. 77.14 N, 52.22°, 4.79 m, 6.06 m
5. T1 = 3,660.25 lb, T2 = 2,588.19 lb, α = 60º
6. x = 23.96 m, M = 80 kN-m
7. θ = 33.57º, M = 80 kN-m
8. R = 143.85 N, θ = 63.21°, d = 1.60 m, x = 1.79 m
9. RA = 216.48 N, RC = 780 N, RB = 120.27 N
10. RB = 300 N, RDE = 561 N, RC = 823.82 N
1. the magnitude of the resultant force of the system?
2. angle that the resultant force makes with the horizontal
measured CCW?
3. distance of the line of action of the resultant force from the
origin?
4. the distance from the origin where the resultant intersects
the x-axis?
Situation 9: From the figure shown, two spheres having
equal weights of 360 N each is placed on top of the three
identical spheres. The radius of the upper two spheres is 0.80
m while that at the bottom is 1.0 m having equal weights of
420 N. Determine the:
1. reaction at A
2. reaction at C
3. reaction at B
