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CALEDONIAN COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

MUSCAT - SULTANATE OF OMAN


Module: Mechanical Principles (Code: M1H321458)

Moments and Couples


Moment
A force will cause motion along its direction.
A force may also cause rotation about a fixed point some distance away. This rotation or turning effect of a force is
called MOMENT.
Moment of a force about a point or axis a measure of the tendency of the force to cause a body to rotate about
the point or axis

Prepared by
Dr. P. Venkata Reddy
M. Tech, Ph. D (IISc Bangalore)

Verified by
Dr. Dinesh Keloth Kaithari
Module Leader

Approved by
Head of the Department
Mechanical and Industrial Engineering

Moment of a Force
The moment M of a force F about a fixed point A is defined as the product of the magnitude of force F and the
perpendicular distance d from point A to the line of action of force F.
MA = F x d
Where force F is in Newtons, N and distance d is in meters, m
Thus moment MA is in Newton-meter, N-m.
Moment Sign Convention
Direction using right hand rule
Anti-clock

wise:

+ VE

(Counter-clockwise)

Clockwise: -

VE

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Moments and Couples

Resultant Moment

Resultant moment, MRo = moments of all the forces = F x d = F1xd1F2xd2+F3xd3


Example 1:
Calculate the moment of the 500 N force about the point A as shown in the diagram.

Solution:
Since the perpendicular distance from the force to the axis point A is 1.5 m, from
MA = F x d = - 500 x 1.5 = - 750 Nm = 750 Nm
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Example 2:
Calculate the moment about point A caused by the 500 N force as shown in the diagram.

Solution:

MA = F x d = -500 x AB = -500 x 1.5 sin 60 = -649.5 N-m = 649.5 N-m

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Example 3:
Determine the resulting moment about point A of the system of forces on bar ABC as shown in the diagram.

Solution:

AD = (1.5 + 0.5) sin 60 = 2.0 sin 60 = 1.732 m


MA = (-500 x 1.5) + (-800 x 1.732) = - 750 1385.6 = - 2135.6 Nm = 2135.6 Nm

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Example 4:
For each case, determine the moment of the force about point O.

Solution:
Line of action is extended as a dashed line to establish moment arm d. Tendency to rotate is indicated and the orbit
is shown as a colored curl.
(a ) M o (100 N )(2m) 200 N .m(CW )
(c) M o (40 N )(4m 2 cos 30 m) 229 N .m(CW )

(e) M o (7 kN )(4m 1m) 21.0kN .m(CCW )

CW clock wise direction

(b) M o (50 N )(0.75m) 37.5 N .m(CW )


(d ) M o (60 N )(1sin 45 m) 42.4 N .m(CCW )

CCW counter clock wise direction


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Academic Year 2014-15 - semester A

Moments and Couples

Varignons Theorem:
Varignons Theorem states that the moment of a force about any point is equal to the sum of the moments of its
components about the same point.
To calculate the moment of any force with a slope or at an angle to the x or y-axis, resolve the force into the Fx and
the Fy components, and calculate the sum of the moment of these two force components about the same point.
Example 5:
Re-Calculate Example 3 Above Employing Varignons Theorem.

Solution:

MA = (-500 x 1.5) + (- 800 sin 60 x 2) =-750 -1385.6 =-2135.6 Nm = 2135.6 Nm


* Same answer as in example 3
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Couple
A couple consists of a pair of two forces which has the
following properties:
-Equal magnitude and opposite in direction
-Act along parallel lines of action
-Separated by a perpendicular distance d.

A couple causes a body to rotate only without translational motion since the two forces cancels out each other
giving zero resultant. A couple acting in a system of forces will only contribute to the resulting moment but not to
the resulting force.
Magnitude of a Couple:
Consider a light bar acted upon by a couple as shown:
The moment of the couple about A is
MA = F x d2 - F x d1 = F x (d2 - d1) = F x d
What is the total moment of the couple about point B?
MB = F x d/2 + F x d/2 = F x (d/2 + d/2) = F x d

The couples moment about any pivot point is equal to F x d


A couple has the same moment about all points on a body.

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Procedure for Analysis


1. Establish the coordinate axes with the origin located at a given reference point and the axes having a selected
orientation
2. Force Summation
3. Moment Summation
Example 6:
A light bracket ABC is subjected to two forces and two couples as shown. Determine the moment at (a) point A
and (b) point B.

Solution:
(a) MA = (2000 sin 30 x 2.5) (2000 cos 30 x 1.5) + ( 3000 x 0) + 120 80
= 2500 2598 + 0 +120 80 = - 58 Nm = 58 Nm
(b) MB = (2000 sin 30 x 0) (2000 cos 30 x 1.5) + (3000 x 0) + 120 80 = -2558 Nm = 2558 Nm
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Moments and Couples

Force Couple Equivalent


The Force-Couple Equivalent concept will enable us to transfer a force to another location outside its line of
action.
Consider a force F acting at a point B on a rigid body as shown in diagram (a) below. How do we transfer the force
F from point B to point A?

The above shows how a force can be replaced by a force-couple equivalent.

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Example 7:
Determine the force-couple equivalent at point A for the single force of 20 kN acting at point C on the bracket
ABC.

Solution:

MA = (20 sin 40 x 2.3) (20 cos 40 x 1.2) = 11.18 kNm

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Example 8:
Determine the force-couple equivalent at point A for Multiple force system of 20 kN acting at point C and another
30 kN horizontal force is acting at point B on the bracket ABC.

Solution:
Rx = Fx = 20 cos 40 + 30 = 45.32 kN
Therefore R = (45.322 + 12.862) = 47.11 kN

Ry
tan 1
Rx

Ry = Fy = 20 sin 40 = 12.86 kN

12.86
o
tan 1
15.84

45.32

MA = (20 sin 40 x 2.3) (20 cos 40 x 1.2) + (30 x 0) = 11.18 kNm

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Moments and Couples

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