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LADDER FRICTION
A ladder is a device used for climbing the roofs or walls. It consists of two long uprights of wood,
steel or iron pipes connected by a number of cross pieces. The friction developed between the
contact surfaces of ladder and floor and also between the ladder and the wall is known as ladder
friction.
Consider a ladder AB resting on ground and leaning against a wall as shown in Figure 8.66.
Figure 8.66 A ladder AB leaning against a wall.
As the upper end of ladder tends to slip downwards, the force of friction between the ladder
and the wall will be Fw upwards. Similarly as the lower end of the ladder tends to slip away from
the wall, the force Fg should be towards the wall.
Since the system is in equilibrium, the algebraic sum of the components of forces must be zero.
Example 8.21 A uniform ladder AB of length 3.25 m and weighing 250 N is placed against a
smooth wall with its lower end 1.25 m from the wall (Figure 8.67). The coefficient of friction
between the ladder and the floor is 0.3. What is the frictional force acting at the point of contact
between the ladder and the floor? Show that the ladder will remain in equilibrium in this position.
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Figure 8.67 Example 8.21.
Solution W = 250 N; mg = 0.3
3.25
AE = = 1.625 m
2
AC 1.25
cos q = = 65.376°
AB 3.25
BC = 3.25 ´ sin 65.376° = 3.0 m
3.25
EF = ´ cos 65.376° = 0.625 m
2
Resolving the forces in the vertical direction (Figure 8.68):
SFy = 0 Figure 8.68 Example 8.21.
Ng = 250 N
Taking moments about B (Figure 8.68):
(Ng ´ 1.25) – (Fg ´ 3) – (250 ´ 0.625) = 0
or Fg = 52.08 N Ans.
Equilibrium of ladder (Figure 8.68):
Maximum frictional force = mg ´ Ng = 0.3 ´ 250 = 75 N
Maximum Fg > Actual Fg
i.e. 75 > 52.08
Therefore the body will remain in equilibrium in this position.
Example 8.22 A ladder 5 m long rests on a horizontal ground
and leans against a smooth wall at an angle of 70° with the
horizontal as shown in Figure 8.69. The weight of the ladder is
900 N and a man weighing 750 N stands on the ladder 1.5 m from
the bottom of the ladder. Calculate the coefficient of friction
between the ladder and the ground.
Solution L = 5 m; W = 900 N; W1 = 750 N; mg = ?
Figure 8.69 Example 8.22.
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1
AE = BE = ´ 5 = 2.5 m
2
AD = 1.5 m and BD = 3.5 m
Let mg be the coefficient friction between the ladder and the
ground.
SFy = 0
Ng = 750 + 900 = 1650 N
Fg = mgNg = 1650 mg
Now taking moments about B (Figure 8.70)
(Ng ´ 5 cos 70°) – (Fg ´ 5 sin 70°)
– (750 ´ BD cos 70°) – (900 ´ BE cos 70°) = 0
or (1650 ´ 1.710) – (mg ´ 1650 ´ 4.698)
– (750 ´ 1.197) – (900 ´ 0.855) = 0 Figure 8.70 Example 8.22.
or m = 0.149
g Ans.
Example 8.23 A uniform ladder of 4 m length rests against a vertical wall with which it makes
an angle of 45°, as shown in Figure 8.71. The coefficient of friction between the ladder and the
wall is 0.4 and that between the ladder and the floor is 0.5. If the man whose weight is one-half of
that of ladder ascends it, how high will he be when the ladder slips? Given: l = 4 m, q = 45°,
m = 0.4, m = 0.5.
w g
Figure 8.71 Example 8.23.
Solution Let x be distance between A and the man when the ladder is at the point of slipping
(Figure 8.72).
W = wt. of ladder
W
= wt. of man
2
From limiting friction, we have
Fg = mgNg = 0.5Ng (i)
Fw = mwNw = 0.4Nw (ii)
Resolving the forces vertically,
Ng + Fw = W + 0.5W = 1.5W
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Figure 8.72 Example 8.23.
Resolving horizontally,
Nw = Fg = 0.5Ng
\ Ng = 2Nw
i.e. 2Nw + 0.4Nw = 1.5W or Nw = 0.625W
Fw = 0.4 ´ 0.625W = 0.25W
Taking moments about A and equating the same,
(W ´ 2 cos 45°) + (0.5W ´ x cos 45°) = (Fw ´ 4 sin 45°) + (Nw ´ 4 ´ sin 45°)
(cos 45° = sin 45°, gets cancelled)
or 2W + 0.5W x = 0.25W ´ 4 + 0.625W ´ 4
\ x = 3.0 m Ans.
Example 8.24 A uniform ladder 4 m long weighs 200 N. It is placed against a wall making an
angle of 60° with the floor as shown in Figure 8.73. The coefficient of friction between the wall
and the ladder is 0.25 and that between the ground and the ladder is 0.35. The ladder in addition to
its own weight, has to support a man of 1000 N at the top at B. Calculate:
Figure 8.73 Example 8.24.
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(i) The horizontal force P to be applied to the ladder at the ground level to prevent slipping.
(ii) If the force P is not applied, what should be the minimum inclination of the ladder with
the horizontal, so that it does not slip with the man at the top?
Solution (i) Horizontal force P applied to ladder at the ground level to prevent slipping
(Figure 8.74):
Resolving forces horizontally,
P + Fg = Nw (i)
Resolving forces vertically,
Ng + Fw = 200 + 1000 (ii)
Taking moments about A,
(1000 ´ 4 cos 60°) + (200 ´ 2 cos 60°)
= (Fw ´ 4 cos 60°) + (Nw ´ 4 sin 60°)
or 2200 = 0.25 ´ Nw ´ 4 cos 60° + Nw ´ 4 sin 60°
or Nw = 554.98 N
Fw = 0.25 ´ 554.98 = 138.75 N
Ng = 1061.25 N
and Fg = 0.35 ´ 1061.25 = 371.44 N
Figure 8.74 Example 8.24.
\ P = 554.98 – 371.44 = 183.54 N Ans.
(ii) Inclination of ladder with the horizontal (Figure 8.75):
Figure 8.75 Example 8.24.
Now consider the ladder inclined at an angle q and without any horizontal force acting at the
ground level.
Resolving horizontally,
Nw = Fg = mgNg = 0.35Ng
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Resolving vertically,
Ng + Fw = 1000 + 200
or Ng + 0.25Nw = 1200
or Ng + 0.35 ´ 0.25Ng = 1200
or Ng = 1103.45 N
\ Nw = 0.35 ´ 1103.45 = 386.21 N
Similarly, Fw = mwNw = 0.25 ´ 386.21 = 96.55 N
Taking moments about A and equating the same, we get
(1000 ´ 4 cos q) + (200 ´ 2 cos q) = (Fw ´ 4 cos q) + (Nw ´ 4 sin q)
or (386.21 ´ 4) tan q = 1000 ´ 4 + 200 ´ 2 – 96.55 ´ 4 (dividing throughout by cos q )
or tan q = 2.598
\ q = 68.95° Ans.
