Centroids

Chapter Objectives
• To discuss the concept of the centroid.

• To show how to determine the location of the center of a

body of arbitrary shape (the centroid).
Chapter Outline
• Centroid of Simple Bodies
3D shape (Volume)
2D shape (Area)
1D shape (Line)

• Areal (2D) centroids of composite bodies.

Centroid for a Body

Centroid

• Defines the geometric center of an object.

• Its location can be determined from equations used

to determine the body’s center of gravity.
Centroid for a Body
Volume
• Consider an object subdivided into volume elements
dV, for the location of the centroid, obtain the
moment by integration along that axis and divide it to
the volume which is determined by the integration.

~ ~
 x dV  ydV  ~z dV
x V ;y V ;z  V
 dV  dV  dV
V V V
Centroid for a Body
Area
• For centroid for surface area of an object, such as
plate and shell, subdivide the area into differential
elements dA, obtain the moment by intergation
along that axis and divide it to the area which is
determined by the integration.
~x dA ~y dA ~z dA
  
x A
;y A
;z  A

 dA
A
 dA
A
 dA
A
Centroid for a Body

Line
• If the geometry of the object such as a thin rod or
wire, takes the form of a line; using differential
element dL, obtain the moment by integration along
that axis and divide it to the length which is
determined by the integration.

~ ~ ~
 x dL  ydL  z dL
x L
; y L
; z L

 dL
L
 dL
L
 dL
L
Centroid for a Body
Symmetry
• The centroids of some shapes may be partially or
completely specified by using conditions of symmetry
• In cases where the shape has an axis of symmetry,
the centroid of the shape must lie along the line

Example
• Centroid C must lie along the
y axis since for every element
length dL, it lies in the middle
Centroid for a Body

• For total moment of all the elements about the axis of

symmetry will therefore be cancelled

~x dL  0 x  0

• The centroid ‘C’ lies along the axis of symmetry (y-axis).
Centroid for a Body

Symmetry
• In cases where a shape has 2 or 3 axes of
symmetry, the centroid lies at the intersection of
these axes.
Centroid for a Body
EXAMPLE:
Determine the centroid of the triangular area.

Solution:

Let dA be the vertical strip. The

height of the strip is (h/b)x, so dA =
(h/b)x dx. To integrate over the entire
area, we must integrate with respect
to x from x = 0 to x = b. The x
coordinate of the centroid is:
~
 x dA
using x  A
;
 dA 3 b
 h
A

 b h x
 x dA 0  b
x x dx   
b  3 0 2
x A  b   b
h b
A dA
0 b x dx h  x2 
 
3
b  2 0
Centroid for a Body
To determine y ,

~y dA

using y A

 dA
A

2 3 b
b1  h  h  1 h x
   
A
y dA 0 2  b  b  2  b   3  0 1
 x  x dx 
y  bh
 b
 h
AdA
0 b x dx h  x
 
2 3
b  2 0
Centroid for a Body
Therefore the centroid is :
Centroid for a Body
EXAMPLE (T):
Determine the (x) centroid of the given irregular area?
LINE

LINE

AREA
At point C
in the
middle
At point C
in the
middle
COMPOSITE BODIES AND FIGURES
The centroid of a composite area can be
determined without integration if the
centroids of its parts are known.

~
x1 A1  ~
x2 A2  ~
x3 A3
x
A1  A2  A3
~
y1 A1  ~
y2 A2  y3 A3
y
A1  A2  A3
The coordinates of the centroid of a
composite area with an arbitrary
~
x1 number of parts are:
~

~
x2
~
x3 xi Ai
x i
 Ai
i
COMPOSITE BODIES AND FIGURES

The centroid of a composite area can be

determined without integration if the
centroids of its parts are known.
~
x1 A1  ~
x2 A2  ~
x3 A3
x
A1  A2  A3
~
y1 A1  ~
y2 A2  ~
y3 A3
y
A1  A2  A3
The coordinates of the centroid of a
composite area with an arbitrary
number of parts are:

~
xi Ai ~
yi Ai
x i
, y i
 Ai  Ai
i i
COMPOSITE BODIES AND FIGURES

Procedure for Analysis

1. Establish a reference coordinate axes on the sketch if
NOT GIVEN and determine the coordinates of the
centroid of each part with respect to this COMMON
axes.
2. If an object is symmetrical about an axis, the centroid
of the objects lies on that axis.
3. Using a sketch, divide the body or object into a finite
number of composite parts that have simpler shapes
with known centroids.
4. If a composite part has a hole, (or a geometric region
having no material), consider it without the hole and
treat the hole as an additional composite part having
negative size (AREA)
COMPOSITE BODIES AND FIGURES
Procedure for Analysis

5. Determine the coordinates of the centroid by applying

the centroid equations depending on the given body;
For a line:  x i Li  y i Li  z i Li
x i , y i , z i
 Li  Li  Li
i i i

For an area:  x i Ai  y i Ai  z i Ai
x i , y i , z i
 Ai  Ai  Ai
i i i

For a volume:  x i Vi  y i Vi  z i Vi
x i , y i , z i
 Vi  Vi  Vi
i i i
COMPOSITE BODIES AND FIGURES
Example
Locate the centroid of the composite area
COMPOSITE BODIES AND FIGURES
y Axis of symmetry ~
yi Ai
x  0, y i

 Ai
i

Reference axis
x
COMPOSITE BODIES AND FIGURES

~y  10  90  9  109mm
3

~y  10  45  55mm
2

~
y1  5mm
COMPOSITE BODIES AND FIGURES

SHAPE AREA Ai (mm2) Yi (mm) Yi.Ai (mm3)

Rectangle 1 90 x 10 = 900 5 4 500

Rectangle 2 6 x 90 = 540 45+10=55 29 700

Rectangle 3 30 x 18 = 540 10+90+9=109 58 860

TOTAL 1980   93060

~
yi Ai Y = 93060/1980=47.0 mm
y i
 Ai
i
COMPOSITE BODIES AND FIGURES
y

x
COMPOSITE BODIES AND FIGURES
Example
Locate the centroid of the composite area.
Note that there is a circular hole of radius 60 mm!
COMPOSITE BODIES AND FIGURES

2
COMPOSITE BODIES AND FIGURES
SHAPE AREA Ai (mm2) Xi (mm) Xi.Ai (mm3)
Rectangle 250x400 = 100 000 200 20 000 000
Triangle 150x250/2 = 18 750 400+(150/3) = 450 8 437 500
Circle (πx602) = - 11 309.734 200 - 2 261 946. 711
TOTAL 107 440.266   26 175 553. 289

X = 26 175 553. 289 / 107 440 . 266=243.629 mm

SHAPE AREA Ai (mm2) Yi (mm) Yi.Ai (mm3)

Rectangle 250x400 = 100 000 125 12 500 000

Triangle 150x250/2 = 18 750 (250/3) = 83.333 1 562 500

Circle (πx602) = - 11 309.734 125 -1 413 716.625

TOTAL 107 440 . 266   12 648 800

Y = 12 648 800 / 107 440 . 266=117.728 mm
COMPOSITE BODIES AND FIGURES

243.629 mm

117.728 mm
COMPOSITE BODIES AND FIGURES

Example

a = 6 mm
COMPOSITE BODIES AND FIGURES

1 6
2

6 3
6
5

6
COMPOSITE BODIES AND FIGURES

1 6
2

(π62)/4 [6-(4r/3π)]
4


6 3
6
5
comp ai mm 2 x i mm a ix i mm 3
6
1 36. 3. 108.
- 25.646
25.645
2 18. 2. 36. x c  0.262429
97.7257
97.726
3 36. 3. 108.

4 36. 3. 108.

5 28.2743 3.454
3.45352 -97.645
97.646
------------------ ------------------
 97.726 - 25.645
COMPOSITE BODIES AND FIGURES

1 6
2
-[6-(4r/3π)]
4

 
6 3
6
5
comp ai mm 2 y i mm a iy i mm 3
6
1 36. 3. 108.
25.646
25.645
2 18. 2. 36.
y c  0.262429
3 36. 3. 108. 97.7257
97.726

4 36. 3. 108.

5 28.2743 -3.454
3.45352 97.645
+ 97.646

------------------ -------------
 97.726 25.645
Example
Locate the centroid ( X, Y ) of the of the
shaded composite area
8
Y 6

22 22 8 Note that dimensions are all in cm.

8

26

24

16

O
X
A

X=20.317 cm
Y=29.405 cm
Example
Locate the centroid ( X and Y ) of the shaded composite area
COMPOSITE BODIES AND FIGURES

Example
Locate the centroid of the line.
COMPOSITE BODIES AND FIGURES

2
COMPOSITE BODIES AND FIGURES


Arc length
1

2
comp L i mm y i mm L iy i mm 2

1 3.1416
3.142 1.27324 4.

2 2.0000 0.
3.000 0.
6.

3 2.0000 30 6.0000
0.

10
x c  1.40025
m
7.1416
COMPOSITE BODIES AND FIGURES


Arc length
1

2
comp L i mm y i mm L iy i mm 2

1 3.1416
3.142 1.27324 4.

2 2.0000 0. 0.

3 2.0000 3 6.0000

10
y c  1.40025
m
7.1416