Engineering Mechanics Notes
### Introduction to Engineering Mechanics
- Engineering Mechanics: Branch of science dealing with forces
acting on bodies at rest or in motion.
- Force Systems: A group of forces acting on a body. Types include:
- Coplanar: Forces in the same plane.
- Concurrent: Forces meeting at a single point.
- Non-concurrent: Forces not meeting at a single point.
- Parallel: Forces in parallel lines.
### Particle Equilibrium in 2-D and 3-D
- Equilibrium: A particle is in equilibrium if the resultant force acting
on it is zero.
- Conditions:
- Sum of Forces in X-direction = 0
- Sum of Forces in Y-direction = 0 (2-D)
- Sum of Forces in Z-direction = 0 (3-D)
Example:
A particle is acted on by three forces F1 = 20 N at 30 degrees, F2 = 30
N at 120 degrees, and F3. Find F3.
Solution:
Resolve forces along x and y axes and set Sum of Forces in X and Y =
0.
### Rigid Body Equilibrium
- A rigid body remains in equilibrium if it satisfies:
- Sum of Forces in X = 0, Sum of Forces in Y = 0, Sum of Moments = 0
(2-D)
- Sum of Forces in X = 0, Sum of Forces in Y = 0, Sum of Forces in Z =
0, Sum of Moments in X = 0, Sum of Moments in Y = 0, Sum of
Moments in Z = 0 (3-D)
### Moments and Couples
- Moment: M = F * d, where F is the force and d is the perpendicular
distance.
- Couple: A pair of equal and opposite forces whose effect is rotation.
Moment of couple M = F * d.
Example:
A force of 50 N acts at a distance of 2 m from the pivot. Find the
moment.
Solution:
M = F * d = 50 * 2 = 100 N·m.
### Free Body Diagrams (FBD)
- FBD: Diagram showing all forces acting on a body.
- Include applied forces, reactions, and weights.
- Essential for solving equilibrium problems.
### Static Indeterminacy
- Static Indeterminacy: When the number of unknown forces exceeds
the number of equilibrium equations.
### Friction
- Friction: Resistance to motion when two surfaces are in contact.
- Types:
- Static Friction: Prevents motion.
- Dynamic Friction: Opposes motion in progress.
- Limiting Friction: Maximum static friction before motion starts.
- Laws of Friction:
- Frictional Force (Fr) <= Coefficient of Friction (mu) * Normal
Reaction (N).
Example:
Find the force required to move a block of mass 10 kg on a surface
with mu = 0.2.
Solution:
Fr = mu * N = 0.2 * 10 * 9.8 = 19.6 N.
### Applications of Friction
- Wedge Friction: Used in lifting objects by wedges. Calculate normal
and friction forces for equilibrium.
- Screw Jack: Device to lift loads using rotational force.
- Mechanical Advantage: MA = 2*pi*r/l, where r is the handle radius, l
is lead.
- Efficiency: efficiency = MA/VR.
Example:
A screw jack with a handle of 0.5 m radius and lead of 0.005 m is used
to lift a 5000 N load. Find the effort required.
Solution:
MA = 2*pi*r/l = 2*pi*0.5/0.005 = 628.
Effort = Load/MA = 5000/628 = 7.96 N.
### Numerical Examples
1. Force System Resultant: Find the resultant of two forces F1 = 10 N
at 0 degrees and F2 = 15 N at 90 degrees.
Solution:
R = sqrt(F1^2 + F2^2) = sqrt(10^2 + 15^2) = 18.03 N.
2. Equilibrium of Coplanar Forces: Three forces F1, F2, F3 act on a
body at 0 degrees, 120 degrees, 240 degrees. Find equilibrium.
Solution:
Resolve forces, set Sum of Forces in X and Y = 0, and solve.
