EGR 231 Engineering Statics:

Lecture 07: Equilibrium in 2-D

Fall 2011

Today:
Homework Questions?
Newtons 2nd Law
2-D equilibrium problems.
500N
Homework Problem Assignment 07:
Problem 2.44
Two cables are tied together at C and are loaded
as shown. Determine the tension
a) in cable AC, b) in cable BC.
y

FB

Problem 2:51
A welded connection is in equilibrium under the action
of the four forces shown. Knowing that FA=8 kN and
FB = 16 kN, determine the magnitudes of the other two
forces.

FC
5

4
FA
FD
Problem 2.67:
A 600 lb crate is supported by several rope
and pulley arrangements as shown.
Determine for each arrangement the
tension in the rope.

T
T

(c
(b
(a
)
)
)
T
T
T
Following Todays Lecture you should be able to:
1) Write Newtons 2nd law for the case of static equilibrium of particles.
2) Set up and find the forces needed to give static equilibrium of a particle.

(d
)
T

(e
)
T

Particle Equilibrium in 2-Dimensions:

A particle is in equilibrium if it is at rest, or if it has a constant
velocity. When in equilibrium, the sum of all forces acting on a
body is zero.

r
F 0

Free Body Diagram:

A diagram of a body which shows all forces that at upon it and
replaces all connections to the outside with other forces.
Step 1: Isolate the body from the surroundings.
Step 2: Show all forces. Include pure forces and all reactive
forces due to cut or removed constraints.
Step 3: Label know forces with values. Label unknown forces
with variables.

r
The equation F 0 is a vector equation. In 2-dimensions this
can be broken down into two scalar equations...
one in the x- and one in the y- directions.

r
F 0
r r r
F1 F2 F3 0
F1x i F1 y j F2 x i F2 y j F3 x i F3 y j 0

( F1x F2 x F3 x )i ( F1 y F2 y F3 y ) j 0

i Fy j 0

or breaking it down into two scalar equations:

Fx 0
x-dir:
and
y-dir:

Example Problem 1:

Find the force F required

to provide static equilibrium
of the green particle.

FA=150 lbf
O

30o

FB=200 lb

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------r
Given: FA 150 i + 0j lb
r
F 200sin 30o i 200 cos 30oj lb
B

100 i 173.2j lb
r
F F cos i F sin j
Find the force, F that makes the system in equilibrium:

r
F
0

r
r
r
FA FB F 0
( 150 i + 0j) (100 i 173.2j) ( F cos i F sin j ) 0
(150 100+ F cos) i ( 0 173.2 F sin ) j 0
i:

0 150 100+ F cos

F cos=50

j:

173.2 F sin 0
F sin 173.2

To solve divide the 2nd equation by the 1st.

tan

F sin
173.2

=3.464
F cos
50

Therefore

F=

50
50

180.3 lb
cos cos 73.9

73.9o

r
so F =180.3 lb at 73.9o

Example Problem 2
C

Find the maximum load value

which does not exceed a cable
tension of 780 lbf in either cable.

60o

3
4

-----------------------------------------------------------------Given:

r 4
3
FC FC i + FC j
5
5
r
FB FB cos 60o i FB sin 60oj
r
W 0 i Wj

For Equilibrium:

r
F
0

Draw FBD

y
FB

FC

60o
A

r
r
r
W
FC FB W 0
4
3
( FC i + FC j ) ( FB cos 60o i FB sin 60oj ) ( W j ) 0
5
5
4
3
o
i: 0 FC FB cos 60
j: 0 FC FB sin 60o W
5
5
3
FC 0.625 FB
W FC FB sin 60o
5
At this point we can see that FC < FB, so let FB = 780 lbf and then
calculate the other forces.
FB 780 lb
FC 0.625 FB 0.625(780) 487.5 lb f
3
3
W FC FB sin 60o (487.5) 780sin 60o 968lb f
5
5
This clearly shows the rope holding the weight exceeds 780 lb, so
redo the calculations letting W = 780 lb.
3
3
780 FC FB sin 60o (0.625 FB ) FB sin 60 o 1.241FB
5
5
780
FB
628.5 lb
and FC 0.625(628.5) 392.8 lb
1.241

Example 3
The 40 N collar A can slide on a frictionless vertical rod and is
attached as shown to a spring. The spring is unstretched when
h = 300 mm. Knowing that the constant of the spring is 560 N/m,
determine the value of h for which the system is in equilibrium.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------B

h
k=560 N/m

300 mm

Example 3 Solution:
The 40 N collar A can slide on a frictionless vertical rod and is
attached as shown to a spring. The spring is unstretched when
h = 300 mm. Knowing that the constant of the spring is 560 N/m,
determine the value of h for which the system is in equilibrium.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------Geometry

FBD

B
Fs

300mm
h

300
mm

L1

k=560 N/m

A
A

h
L2
d

W = 40 N

300 mm

Vector Forces:

r
FS Fs sin i + Fs cos j
r
N N i 0j
r
W 0 i 40j N

Spring Equation:
Equilibrium:

FS k L k ( L2 L1 ) 560( L2 L1 )

r
F 0

r
r r
FS N W 0
Fs sin i + Fs cos j N i 40 j 0
i: Fs sin N 0
j: Fs cos 40 0
N Fs sin
Fs cos 40

300mm

Geometry relationship:

L1 0.3002 0.300 2 0.4243m

L2 0.300 (0.300 d )
2

300
mm

0.3 d
L2
0.3
sin
L2

L1

cos

L2
d

So now start combining the equations:

Fs cos 40
become

Fs

0.3 d
40
L2

FS 562( L2 L1 )
FS 562( L2 0.4243)

and combining these two give

( L 0.4243)(0.3 d )
40
0.4243
2
1
(0.3 d )
562
L2
L

1
Since L2 and d are related by

L2 0.3002 (0.300 d ) 2
we finally get a single equation with a single variable, but it's not fun to solve being
nonlinear in form.

0.4243
(0.3 d )
0.071174 1
2
2

0.300 (0.300 d )

Rewrite as a function equation to zero.

0.4243
(0.3 d ) 0.071174
f (d ) 0 1
2
2

0.300 (0.300 d )

This can be solved by plotting the function and locating the root.

0.4243
(0.3 d ) 0.071174
f (d ) 0 1
2
2

0.300 (0.300 d )

Matlab code used to generate graph:

L1=0.4243
k=562
s=0.3
W=40
d=linspace(0.11,0.12)
x=(1-(L1./sqrt(s.^2+(s+d).^2))).*(s+d)-W/k
h1=plot(d,x,'b')
set(h1,'linewidth',2.0)
xlabel('d')
ylabel('residual')
grid on

Therefore:

d = 0.115

or

h = d + 0.3 = 0.415 m

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------An alternative method is to use Mathematica (available at LANDesk Management

download site) to solve the equation. Using the Mathematica Solve command:

Example 4:
An irregularly shaped machine component
is held in the position shown by three clamps.
Knowing that Fa=940 N, determine the
magnitudes of three forces Fb and Fc exerted
by the other two clamps

FB

50o

FA

70o

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------r
F
Given: FA 940 i + 0j N
r
F F cos 50o i F sin 50oj
C

0.6428 FB i 0.7660 FB j
r
FC FC cos 70o i FC sin 70oj
0.3420 F i 0.9397 F j
C

Find the forces, FB and FC that give the system equilibrium:

r
F 0

r
r
r
FA FB FC 0

( 940 i + 0j ) ( 0.6428 FB i 0.7660 FB j ) ( 0.3420 FC i 0.9397 FC j ) 0

( 940 0.6428 FB 0.3420 FC ) i +( 0 0.7660 FB 0.9397 FC ) j 0

i:

0 940 0.6428 FB 0.3420 FC

940 0.6428 FB
FC
0.3420
FC 2749 1.8795 FB

j: 0 0.7660 FB 0.9397 FC 0
0.7660 FB
0.9397
FC 0.8152 FB
FC

To solve set the two expressions for FC equal:

2749 1.8795 FB 0.8152 FB

then

FB

2749
1020 N
0.8152 1.8795

FC 0.8152 FB 0.8152(1020) 832 N

Workout Problem:
Two cables are tied together at C and are loaded
as shown. Determine the tension
a) in cable AC, b) in cable BC.