Chapter 5 (Centroids and centre of gravity)

Question 1
The plate has a thickness of 0.25 ft and a specific weight of v = 180 lb/ft3.
Determine the location of its centre of gravity. Also, find the tension in each of the
cords used to support it.

Solution:1

y=x8 x 2 +16 . The area of the differential element

Area and Moment Arm: Here,

1
2

dA= ydx=(x8 x +16) dx

is

and its centroid is

Evaluating the integrals, we have

16 ft

1
2

A= dA= (x 8 x +16) dx
0

1
16
x 2 x 2 + 16 x
2
3

16 ft

)|

=42.67 ft 2

16 ft

x dA= x (x8 x 2 +16) dx

0

1
16
x 3 x 2 +8 x 2
3
5

16 ft

)|

=136.53 ft 2

x =x

and

1
y = ( x8 x 2 +16) .
2

16 ft

y dA=
0

1
(x8 x 2 +16)(x8 x 2 +16) dx
2

1 1 3 32 2
512 2

x x + 48 x2
x +256 x
2 3
5
3

16 ft

)|

=136.53 ft 2

Centroid:

x =

x dA = 136.53 =3.20 ft (ANS )

dA 42.67

y =

y dA = 136.53 =3.20 ft ( ANS )

dA 42.67

Equation of Equilibrium: The weight of the plate is

W = 42.67(0.25)(180) = 1920 lb

M x =0 ; 1920 ( 3.2 ) T A ( 16 )=0 T A =384 lb( ANS)

M y =0; T C (16 )1920(3.2)=0 T C=384 lb ( ANS)

M z=0 ; T B +384+ 3841920=0 T B =1152lb( ANS)

Question 2
The steel plate is

0.3 m

thick and has a density of

7850 kg/m

. Determine the

location of its center of mass. Also compute the reactions at the pin and the roller.

Solution:

y 1=x1

y 22=2 x2

dA=( y 2 y 1) dx =( 2 x + x ) dx

x =x

y =

y 2+ y 1 2 x x
=
2
2

x dA x ( 2 x + x ) dx

x = A

dA

= 02

( 2 x+ x ) dx

[
[

2 2 3 /2 1 2 2
x + x
3
2 0

( 2 x + x ) dx
y dA 2 xx
2

y = A

]
]

2 2 5 /2 1 3 2
x + x
5
3
0

dA
A

A=4.667 m2

( 2 x+ x ) dx
0

[
[

=1.2571=1.26 m( ANS)

x2 1 3 2
x
2 6
0

2 2 3 /2 1 2 2
x + x
3
2 0

=0.143 m(ANS )

W =7850 ( 9.81 ) ( 4.667 )( 0.3 )=107.81 kN

+ M A =0
1.2571 ( 107.81 )+ N B ( 2 2 ) =0
N B =47.92=47.9 kN ( ANS )

+ F x =0

A x +47.92 sin 45 =0
A x =33.9 kN ( ANS)

+ F y =0

A y +47.92 cos 45 107.81=0

A y =73.9 kN ( ANS)
Question 3
Locate the centroid

z of the elliptical cone.

Solution:-

Volume and Moment Arm: From the geometry,

x
4
= , x =0.4(10z)
10z 10

and

y
3
= , y=0.3(10z) . The volume of the thin disk differential element is
10z 10

dV =xydz = [ 0.4 ( 10z ) ][ 0.3 ( 10z ) ] dz=0.12 ( z2 20 z +100 ) dz

and its centroid

z =z .
Centroid:
10 ft

z =

z dV
dV

z [0.12 ( z 220 z+100 ) dz ]

=

0
10 ft

0.12 ( z 220 z +100 ) dz

0

10 ft

(
)
|

z
0.12 ( 10 z +100 z )|
3
z 4 20 z 3
0.12

+50 z 2
4
3
3

10 ft

=2.50 ft ( ANS )

Question 4

The gravity wall is made of concrete. Determine the location of

center of the gravity G for the wall.
Solution:

( x , y )

of the

 x A=1.8 ( 3.6 ) ( 0.4 )+ 2.1 ( 3 ) ( 3 )3.4 ( 12 ) ( 3 )( 0.6 )1.2 ( 12 ) ( 1.8 ) (3 )

15.192m3

y A=0.2 ( 3.6 )( 0.4 ) +1.9 ( 3 )( 3 ) 1.4 ( 12 ) ( 3 ) ( 0.6 )2.4 ( 12 ) ( 1.8 )( 3 )

9.648 m3

A=( 3.6 ) ( 0.4 ) +( 3 )( 3 ) ( 12 ) ( 3 ) ( 0.6 )( 12 )( 1.8 )( 3 )

6.84 m

x =

x A = 15.192 =2.22 m( ANS )

A 6.84

y =

y A = 9.648 =1.41 m( ANS)

A 6.84

Question 5
The sheet metal part has the dimension shown. Determine the location ( x , y , z ) of
its centroid.

Solution:-

A=4 (3 )+ 2 (3 )( 6 )=21 2
x A=2 ( 4 )( 3 ) +0 ( 12 )( 3 )( 6 )=24 3
2

y A=1.5 ( 4 ) ( 3 ) + 3 ( 3 ) ( 2 ) ( 3 ) (6)=36 3
z A=0 ( 4 ) ( 3 ) 13 ( 6 ) ( 12 )( 3 ) (6)=18 3
x =

x A = 24 =1.14( ANS )
A 21

y =

z =

y A = 36 =1.71( ANS )
A 21

z A = 18 =0.857( ANS)
A 21

Question 6
Using integration, determine both the area and the centroidal distance

of the

shaded area. Then, using the second theorem of Pappus-Guldinus, determine the
volume of the solid generated by revolving the area about the y axis.

Solution:-

x =

x
2

y = y

dA=xdy
2

A= dA=
0

x dA=
0

[ ]

y2
y3
dy=
=1.333=1.33 m2 ( ANS)
2
6 0
2

[ ]

y4
y5
dy=
=0.8 m3
8
40 0

x =

x dA = 0.8 =0.6 m( ANS )

dA 1.333

Thus,
3

V = r A=2 ( 0.6 ) ( 1.333 )=5.03 m ( ANS)

Question 7

Determine the height of

to which liquid should be poured into the conical cup

so that it contains half the surface area on the inside of the cup.

Solution:

Surface Area: This problem requires that

Pappus

and

1
A = A2 . Applying the theorem of
2 1
Guldinus,

h 2 10
=2 , L1 = 50 +150 =158.11 mm , L2= h +
=
h , r 1=25 mm
3
3
2

()

have

1
( r 1 L1 )= r 2 L2
2

( )( 103 h)

1
h
2 ( 25 ) (158.11 ) ]=2
[
2
6

h=106 mm( ANS)

with
and

r 2=

h
6 , we