BS CIVIL ENGINEERING CAGAYAN STATE UNIVERSITY – CARIG

MODULE 2
Equilibrium of Force System
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
● Construct a free body diagram including all external and reaction forces and moments

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● Demonstrate an understanding of equilibrium conditions
● Apply equilibrium equations to analyze rigid bodies/structures and solve for unknown
forces and couples acting on those rigid bodies/structures

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● Identify statically indeterminate structures

The body is said to be in equilibrium if the resultant of all forces acting on it is zero.

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There are two major types of static equilibrium, namely, translational equilibrium and
rotational equilibrium.

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Formulas
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ΣFx=0Σ
ΣFy=0Σ
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Parallel Force System
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ΣF=0
ΣMO=0
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Non-Concurrent Non-Parallel Force System

ΣFx=0Σ
ΣFy=0Σ
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ΣMO=0
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Equilibrium of Concurrent Force System

In static, a body is said to be in equilibrium when the force system acting upon it has a
zero resultant.
 
 BS CIVIL ENGINEERING CAGAYAN STATE UNIVERSITY – CARIG

Conditions of Static Equilibrium of Concurrent Forces

The sum of all forces in the x-direction or horizontal is zero.
ΣFx=0ΣFx=0   or   ΣFH=0ΣFH=0
 
The sum of all forces in the y-direction or vertical is zero.
ΣFy=0ΣFy=0   or   ΣFV=0ΣFV=0

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Important Points for Equilibrium Forces
● Two forces are in equilibrium if they are equal and oppositely directed.
● Three coplanar forces in equilibrium are concurrent.
● Three or more concurrent forces in equilibrium form a close polygon when connected in

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head-to-tail manner.

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PLEASE WATCH VIDEO AT https://youtu.be/_F9pEwG2R7w
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<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_F9pEwG2R7w"
frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture"
allowfullscreen></iframe>
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BS CIVIL ENGINEERING CAGAYAN STATE UNIVERSITY – CARIG

SAMPLE PROBLEM NO. 1. EQUILIBRIUM OF CONCURRENT FORCE SYSTEM

The cable and boom shown in Fig. P-308 support a load of 600 lb. Determine the tensile
force T in the cable and the compressive for C in the boom.
 

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BS CIVIL ENGINEERING CAGAYAN STATE UNIVERSITY – CARIG

SAMPLE PROBLEM NO. 2.

Determine the magnitude of P and F necessary to keep the concurrent force system in
Fig. P-312 in equilibrium.
 

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SAMPLE PROBLEM NO. 3.

Three bars, hinged at A and D and pinned at B and C as shown in Fig. P-318, form a
four-link mechanism. Determine the value of P that will prevent motion.
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BS CIVIL ENGINEERING CAGAYAN STATE UNIVERSITY – CARIG

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SAMPLE PROBLEM NO. 4. EQUILIBRIUM OF FORCE SYSTEM
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The Fink truss shown in Fig. P-322 is supported by a roller at A and a hinge at B. The
given loads are normal to the inclined member. Determine the reactions at A and B.
Hint: Replace the loads by their resultant.
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BS CIVIL ENGINEERING CAGAYAN STATE UNIVERSITY – CARIG

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BS CIVIL ENGINEERING CAGAYAN STATE UNIVERSITY – CARIG

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PLEASE WATCH VIDEO AT https://youtu.be/zH1MqqdCG6M

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zH1MqqdCG6M"

frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture"

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allowfullscreen></iframe>

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SAMPLE PROBLEM NO. 5. EQUILIBRIUM OF FORCE SYSTEM
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The truss shown in Fig. P-323 is supported by a hinge at A and a roller at B. A load of 20
kN is applied at C. Determine the reactions at A and B.
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BS CIVIL ENGINEERING CAGAYAN STATE UNIVERSITY – CARIG

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BS CIVIL ENGINEERING CAGAYAN STATE UNIVERSITY – CARIG

SAMPLE PROBLEM NO. 6. EQUILIBRIUM OF THREE FORCE SYSTEM

Determine the amount and direction of the smallest force P required to start the wheel
in Fig. P-325 over the block. What is the reaction at the block?
 

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BS CIVIL ENGINEERING CAGAYAN STATE UNIVERSITY – CARIG

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SAMPLE PROBLEM NO.. 7. EQUILIBRIUM OF THREE FORCE SYSTEM

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Two weightless bars pinned together as shown in Fig. P-328 support a load of 35 kN.

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Determine the forces P and F acting respectively along bars AB and AC that maintain
equilibrium of pin A.
 
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BS CIVIL ENGINEERING CAGAYAN STATE UNIVERSITY – CARIG

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BS CIVIL ENGINEERING CAGAYAN STATE UNIVERSITY – CARIG

Equilibrium of Parallel Force System

Conditions for Equilibrium of Parallel Forces
The sum of all the forces is zero.
ΣF=0
 
The sum of moment at any point O is zero.
ΣMO=0

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SAMPLE PROBLEM NO. 1 - EQUILIBRIUM OF FORCE SYSTEM

Two cylinders A and B, weighing 100 lb and 200 lb respectively, are connected by a rigid
rod curved parallel to the smooth cylindrical surface shown in Fig. P-329. Determine the

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angles α and β that define the position of equilibrium.

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SAMPLE NO. 2 – EQUILIBRIUM OF PARALLEL FORCE SYSTEM

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Determine the reactions for the beam shown in Fig. P-332.
 
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BS CIVIL ENGINEERING CAGAYAN STATE UNIVERSITY – CARIG

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SAMPLE PROBLEM NO. 3. – EQUILIBRIUM OF PARALLEL FORCE SYSTEM

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Determine the reactions for the beam loaded as shown in Fig. P-334.
 
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BS CIVIL ENGINEERING CAGAYAN STATE UNIVERSITY – CARIG

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BS CIVIL ENGINEERING CAGAYAN STATE UNIVERSITY – CARIG

SAMPLE PROBLEM NO. 4 - EQULIBRIUM OF PARALLEL FORCE SYSTEM

For the system of pulleys shown in Fig. P-340, determine the ratio of W to P to maintain
equilibrium. Neglect axle friction and the weights of the pulleys.
 

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BS CIVIL ENGINEERING CAGAYAN STATE UNIVERSITY – CARIG

From the lowermost pulley

ΣFV=0
W=9P
W/P=9         answer

SAMPLE PROBLEM NO. 5 – EQUILIBRIUM OF PARALLEL FORCE SYSTEM

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The weight W of a traveling crane is 20 tons acting as shown in Fig. P-343. To prevent
the crane from tipping to the right when carrying a load P of 20 tons, a counterweight Q

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is used. Determine the value and position of Q so that the crane will remain in
equilibrium both when the maximum load P is applied and when the load P is removed.
 

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 BS CIVIL ENGINEERING CAGAYAN STATE UNIVERSITY – CARIG

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SAMPLE PROBLEM NO. 6. – REACTION OF A TRIPOD MADE FROM WOOD PLANKS…

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In the figure shown, each plank carries a uniform load of 100 N/m throughout its
length. The supports are on the same plane.
 
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1. Find the reaction at A.

A. 900 N
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B. 800 N
C. 1400 N
D. 2400 N
 
2. Find the reaction at B.
A. 900 N
B. 800 N
C. 1400 N
 BS CIVIL ENGINEERING CAGAYAN STATE UNIVERSITY – CARIG

D. 2400 N
 
3. Find the reaction at C.
A. 900 N
B. 800 N
C. 1400 N
D. 2400 N

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BS CIVIL ENGINEERING CAGAYAN STATE UNIVERSITY – CARIG

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BS CIVIL ENGINEERING CAGAYAN STATE UNIVERSITY – CARIG

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BS CIVIL ENGINEERING CAGAYAN STATE UNIVERSITY – CARIG

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BS CIVIL ENGINEERING CAGAYAN STATE UNIVERSITY – CARIG

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BS CIVIL ENGINEERING CAGAYAN STATE UNIVERSITY – CARIG

Equilibrium of Non-Concurrent Force System

There are three equilibrium conditions that can be used for non-concurrent,
non-parallel force system.
 
The sum of all forces in the x-direction or horizontal is zero.
ΣFx=0   or   ΣFH=0
 

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The sum of all forces in the y-direction or vertical is zero.
ΣFy=0   or   ΣFV=0

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The sum of moment at any point O is zero.

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ΣMO=0

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The three equilibrium conditions can solved up to three unknowns in the system. If the
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system involves more than three unknowns, it is called indeterminate. Indeterminate
structures are beyond the scope of Engineering Mechanics, it is one of the topics
in Strength of Materials and Theory of Structures.
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BS CIVIL ENGINEERING CAGAYAN STATE UNIVERSITY – CARIG

SAMPLE PROBLEM NO. 1. – EQUILIBRIUM OF A NON-CURRENT FORCE SYSTEM

A boom AB is supported in a horizontal position by a hinge A and a cable which runs

from C over a small pulley at D as shown in Fig. P-346. Compute the tension T in the
cable and the horizontal and vertical components of the reaction at A. Neglect the size of
the pulley at D.
 

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BS CIVIL ENGINEERING CAGAYAN STATE UNIVERSITY – CARIG

SAMPLE PROBLEM NO. 2.

The frame shown in Fig. P-348 is supported in pivots at A and B. Each member weighs 5
kN/m. Compute the horizontal reaction at A and the horizontal and vertical components
of the reaction at B.
 

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SAMPLE PROBLEM NO. 3

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The truss shown in Fig. P-349 is supported on roller at A and hinge at B. Solve for the
components of the reactions.
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SAMPLE PROBLEM NO. 4. .

The beam shown in Fig. P-351 is supported by a hinge at A and a roller on a 1 to 2 slope
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at B. Determine the resultant reactions at A and B.

 
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SAMPLE PROBLEM NO. 5
A pulley 4 ft in diameter and supporting a load 200 lb is mounted at B on a horizontal
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beam as shown in Fig. P-352. The beam is supported by a hinge at A and rollers at C.
Neglecting the weight of the beam, determine the reactions at A and C.
 
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BS CIVIL ENGINEERING CAGAYAN STATE UNIVERSITY – CARIG

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SAMPLE PROBLEM NO. 6.

The cantilever truss shown in Fig. P-356 is supported by a hinge at A and a strut BC.
Determine the reactions at A and B.
 
BS CIVIL ENGINEERING CAGAYAN STATE UNIVERSITY – CARIG

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SAMPLE PROBLEM NO. 7 EQUILIBRIUM OF NON-CONCURRENT FORCE
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A bar AE is in equilibrium under the action of the five forces shown in Fig. P-358.
Determine P, R, and T.
 
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Reference:
BS CIVIL ENGINEERING CAGAYAN STATE UNIVERSITY – CARIG

https://mathalino.com/reviewer/engineering-mechanics/engineering-mechanics

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