Contents

Chapter 1: Center of Gravity and Centroid

Chapter 2: Distributed Forces
Chapter 3: Trusses
Chapter 4: Friction
Chapter 5: Dynamics
Grades

15 Midterm exam 100

Semester work
15 (quizzes, reports, etc..)

70 Final Exam
Chapter 6
Centers of Gravity and
Centroids
CHAPTER 6
Centers of Gravity and Centroids
 Center of gravity as an equivalent system
problem.
 Center of mass,
volume, area,
and length elements.
 Composite Bodies
 Area and volume by
revolution.
W
Center of Gravity; Equivalent Systems
We illustrate how to determine center of gravity, that
is, the point of application of the resu1tant W for
bodies of various shapes.

x
0

x1
W1
x2 W2

x3
W3
x
0

x1
W1
x2 W2

x3
W3

x
0

xW
W
Applying the equivalence conditions
For the translation effect, we have
W = W1 + W2 + W3 = W i
i
Now for the rotational effect, we have
M = M1 + M2 + M3
W x W  W 1 x 1  W 2 x 2  W 3x 3

x
0

x1
W1
x2 W2

x3
W3
W xW  W 1 x 1  W 2 x 2  W 3 x 3

From this relation we can write

W1 x 1  W 2 x 2  W 3 x 3
xW 
W
W x i i
xW  i

W i
i

in a similar way for 3D problems

  x W
i i
yW   y W i i
zW   z W
i i

W
xW
W i W i i
The Concept of Symmetry
In cases where the shape has an axis (plane) of
symmetry, the centroid of the shape will lie along
that axis (plane).

A body is said to be symmetric with

respect to an axis BB' if for every
point p of the body there exists a
point p' on the body such that the
line pp' is perpendicular to the
symmetry axis BB' and is divided
into two equal parts by that axis.
Examples of symmetry about a line

xA = 0

xV = 0
xL = y L zV = 0
Examples of bodies that are symmetric about a plane

zV = 0

xL = yL
Composite Bodies
A composite body consists of a finite number of
connected simpler shaped bodies. Such a body can
often be divided into its parts provided that the weight
and location of the center of gravity of each of these
parts are known, as we did in Figure.

x
0

x1
W1
x2 W2

x3
W3
x
0

x1
W
xW 1
x2 W2 W

x3
W3

Centers of Gravity

xW   x W
i i
yW   y W i i
zW   z W
i i

W i W i W i
Centers of Mass W=gm

xm   x m
i i
ym   y m
i i
zm   z m
i i

m i m i m i

Centroids of Volume m V

xV   x V i i
yV   y V
i i
zV   z V
i i

V i V i V i
Centroids of Area V=hA

xA   x A i i
yA   y A
i i
  z A
i i

A A
zA
i i A i

Centroids of Lines A = w L,

xL   x L
i i
yL   y L
i i
zL   z L
i i

L i L i L i
Centoids of line, area, and volume elements

Circular arc segment Quarter and semicircular arcs

Semicircular area
Quarter circular area
Centoids of line, area, and volume elements

Rectangular area
y
Circular area
1
A bh
2
h
C
h
3 x
O
b
3
b
Circular sector area Triangular area
Centoids of line, area, and volume elements

xV =3a/8
xV =h/4
V = (2/3)  a3
V = (1/3)  a2 h

Hemisphere Cone
Centoids of line, area, and volume elements

xV =h/4
V = (1/3) a b h

Pyramid
Some important notes:
 First of all, you are dealing with coordinates of points.
This implies the following important remarks:
1. A coordinate system with a reference point should be
included in the problem.
2. The second remark is that xi, yi, and zi are coordinates
which means they are signed numbers.
3. Also the result you obtain for the center of gravity or
centroids are referenced to the same coordinate system
and reference point.
 The second step for you should be checking the symmetry
of the body. This can save you a lot of work and hence a
lot of time.
A body is said to be symmetric
with respect to a point O if for
every point A their exists a point
A' that lies at the same distance
from O as A on the line connecting
OA and in the opposite side of A.
If a body is symmetric with respect
to a point, it is the centroid of that
body.
When dividing a body into parts you may encounter holes.
These holes are added in computations as negative element;
i.e. negative weight, mass, volume etc.
Yet the coordinates of these holes are substituted with their
original signs.
It should be noted that a figure possessing a symmetry point
does not necessarily possess an axis of symmetry. Also, a
figure possessing two axes of symmetry does not necessarily
possess a symmetry point. However, a figure with two
perpendicular symmetry axes has a symmetry point at their
intersection.
When dividing a body into parts you may encounter holes.
These holes are added in computations as negative element;
i.e. negative weight, mass, volume etc.
Yet the coordinates of these holes are substituted with their
original signs.

Hole
Negative Area
Example 6.1
Locate the centroid of the wire shown in Figure.
,

Part (1): The semicircular arc.

L1   r   (60)  188.5 mm x1  60 mm
2r 2(60) z1  0
y1     38.2 mm
 
Part (2): The line segment.

L2  40 mm

x2  0
y 2  20 mm
z2  0
,

Part (3): The line segment.

L3  20 mm x3  0

y3  40 mm z 3  10 mm
segment Li xi yi zi Li xi Li yi Li z i
(1) 188.5 60 -38.2 0 11310 -7200 0
(2) 40 0 20 0 0 800 0
(3) 20 0 40 -10 0 800 -200
 248.5 11310 -5600 -200

x
 xi Li 11310
  45.5 mm  yi Li  5600
y   22.5 mm
 i
L 248.5
 Li 248.5
z
 zi Li  200
  0.805 mm
 Li 248.5
So, the centroid has the coordinates
C (45.5,  22.5,  0.805) mm
‫خطوات حل مسألة مركز الثقل‬
‫(الهندسي)‬
‫• تحديد نوع المركز المطلوب ( مركز وزن‪-‬كتلة أم مركز‬
‫هندسي ‪ :‬أطوال ‪ -‬مساحات ‪ -‬حجوم)‬
‫• إذا لم يذكر إختالف في كثافة الشكل فإن مركز الوزن هو‬
‫المركز الهندسي للشكل‬
‫• يقع المركز الهندسي لشكل متماثل على مستوى ‪ ,‬محور أو‬
‫نقطة التماثل‬
‫• ‪ x, y, or z‬في المسألة هي إحداثيات منسوبة لنقطة األصل و‬
‫إحداثيات المركز كناتج المسألة أيضا منسوبة لنقطة األصل‬
‫• الفجوات في المسألة تضاف بالسالب‬
Example 6.2
Locate the centroid of the plate area shown in Figure.
Part (1): The triangular area.
1
A1  (3)(3)  4.5 ft 2
2
1
x1  (3)  1 ft
3
1
y1  (3)  1 ft
3
Part (2): The rectangular area.
A2  (3)(3)  9 ft 2

x2  1.5 ft

y 2  1.5 ft
Part (3): The rectangular area hole is added with
negative sign

A3  (1)(2)  2 ft 2

x3  2.5 ft
y 3  2 ft
,
segment Ai xi yi xi Ai yi Ai
(1) 4.5 1 1 4.5 4.5

(2) 9 -1.5 1.5 -13.5 13.5

(3) -2 -2.5 2 5 -4
 11.5 -4 14
Thus, the coordinates of the centroid are

 xi Ai  4 y
 yi Ai

14
 1.22 ft
x   0.348 ft
 Ai 11.5  Ai 11.5
So, the centroid has the coordinates C (  0.348, 1.22) ft