MOMENT AND COUPLES

Chapter 3
MOMENT OF FORCE
 Moment is merely another term meaning torque (produce
rotation or torsion).
 Examples: tightening a nut with a wrench and turning steering
wheel
 if a force is acting some distance away from the point,
such as the fulcrum of a lever, it causes of twisting action
about the point (moment)
 (Cont…)
 It is the product of the force multiplied by the perpendicular
distance from the line of action of the force to the pivot or
point where the object will turn.

Moment = Force x the perpendicular distance between the axis

and the line of action of the force

M=Fxd
 (Cont…)

 The units of moment are pound-feet (lb), pound-inches (lb-

in), kip-feet (kip-fit) or Newton-meter (Nm).
 Moments taken are about a point are indicate as being
clockwise( ) or counterclockwise ( )
 For the sake of uniformity in calculation, assume clockwise to
be +ve and counterclockwise to be -ve.
 Moment can be exspressed as 10 lb-ft ( ), + 10 lb-ft or 10
lb.ft.
Example 3.1
Calculate the moment about point A in Figure 3.2.
Notice that the perpendicular distance can be measured
to the line of action of the force.

M=(F) (d)
50
= + (50) (3)
M= 150 lb-ft ( ) 3’
A

Figure 3.2
Example 3.2

MO = (100 N) (2 m) = 200 Nm

MO = (50 N) (0.75 m) = 37.5 Nm

MO = (40 lb) (4 ft + 2 cos 30 ft)

= 229 lb.ft
Example 3.2

MO = (-60 lb) (1 sin 45 ft)

= -42.4 lb.ft

MO = (-7 kN) (4 m – 1 m)
= -21.0 kNm
Principle of moment
 Sometimes refer as Varignon’s theorem
 The moment of a force about a point is equal to the sum of the
moments of the force’s components about the point

F Fy
F
Fx
= dy
dx
d
A A

MA=Fd = MA=-Fy(dy)+Fx(dx)
 Example 3.1.1
 Calculate the moment at A, B, C, D and E for the grid that
has the force as shown in Fig.

Fy
100 N 100 N
3
A A Fx
2 1m 1m
1m 1m
E E
B B
D D

C C
 Example 3.3
A 200 N force acts on the bracket shown in Figure. Determine
the moment of the force about point A.

Can be solved by 2 ways

1. Find the d
2. Resolve the force in x and y direction
Exercise 1
 Determine the magnitude and directional sense of the
moment of the force A about point O
Exercise 2
 Determine the magnitude and directional sense of the
moment of the force at A about point O
COUPLES
 A couple consists of two equal, acting in opposite directions and
separated by a perpendicular distance.
 Example:

20’’
5 lb Total moment
= -50 + (-50)
= -100lb.in
5 lb
 These force could have been treated as a couple, which consists
of two forces that are:
1. Equal
2. Acting in opposite direction
3. Separated by some perpendicular distance d
 These three requirement of couple, from the example, we
have;

Couple moment = (F) (d)

= -5 (20)
= -100 lb.in
 M M

d
d
-F
F

F -F

-F
d

F
 This is the same answer that we obtained when we multiplied
the individual forces by their distance from the pivot.
 Notice that when calculate moment, specified the points or
moment about which the moments were calculated.
 It does not matter where the moment center is located when
deal with couples.
 A couples has the same moment about all points on a body
MA=-(10N)(4m)-(10N)(2m) Mb=-(10N)(11m)+(10N)(5m)
=-40-20 =-110+50
=-60 N.m =-60 N.m
=60N.m =60N.m
Example 3.4
 Determine the moment of the couple acting on the member
shown in Figure
 Moment in 3-Dimensional
Vector analysis
 Moments in 3-D can be calculated using scalar (2-D) approach
but it can be difficult and time consuming. Thus, it is often
easier to use a mathematical approach called the vector cross
product.
 Using the vector cross product,

MO = r  F .
 Here r is the position vector from point O to any point on the
line of action of F.
 In general, the cross product of two vectors A and B results in
another vector C , i.e., C = A  B. The magnitude and direction
of the resulting vector can be written as
C = A  B = A B sin  UC
 Here UC is the unit vector perpendicular to both A and B vectors as
shown (or to the plane containing the A and B vectors).
Cartesian Vector Formulation
As shown in, the resultant vector points in the +k direction.
Thus, i x j = k. In similar manner,
ixj=k i x k = -j ixi=0

jxk=i j x i = -k jxj=0

kxi=j k x j = -I kxk=
0
 For establishing x,y,z corrdinate axes, the position vector r and
force F can be expressed as cartesian vectors

i j k
MO= r x F = Ax Ay Az
Bx Bx Bx

 This resultant can be written symbolically as

M RO   (r  F )
 The right hand rule is a useful tool for determining the direction of the
vector resulting from a cross product.
 For example: i  j = k

 Note that a vector crossed into itself is zero, e.g., i  i = 0

 Of even more utility, the cross product can be written as

 Each component can be determined using 2  2 determinants

 So, using the cross product, a moment can be expressed as

 By expanding the above equation using 2  2 determinants, we get

(sample units are N - m)
MO = (r y FZ - rZ Fy) i - (r x Fz - rz Fx ) j + (rx Fy - ry
Fx ) k
 The physical meaning of the above equation becomes evident by
considering the force components separately and using a 2-D
formulation.
Example
 The pole in Fig. Below is subjected to a 60N force that is
directed from C to B. Determine the magnitude of the
moment created by this force about the support at A.
since MA = rB x F or MA = rc x F
rB = {1i + 3j + 2k} m and rC = {3i + 4j} m
The force has a magnitude of 60 N and a direction specified by the
unit vector uF, directed from C to B. Thus,
 (1  3)i  (3  4) j  (2  0)k 
F = (60 N) uF = (60 N) 
 2
( 2)  ( 1)  (2)
2 2


i j k
= {-40i – 20j + 40k} N
MA =rB x F = 1 3 2
-40 -20 40

= [3(40) – 2 (-20)]i – [1(40) – 2(-40)]j + [1(-20) – 3(-40)]k

MA = [160i -120j + 100k] Nm
Magnitude MA = (160)2  ( 120)2  (100)2

= 224 N.m
 Scalar analysis
 Recall that the moment of a force about any point A is MA= F dA where
dA is the perpendicular (or shortest) distance from the point to the
force’s line of action. This concept can be extended to find the moment
of a force about an axis

 In the figure above, the moment about the y-axis would be My= 20 (0.3)
= 6 N·m. However this calculation is not always trivial and vector
analysis may be preferable
Example
 Determine the couple moment acting on the pipe shown in
Fig. 3.24a. Segment AB is directed 30 below the x-y plan
Solution I (vector analysis)
The moment of the two couple forces can be found about any
point. If point O is considered, Fig 3.24b, we have
M = rA x (-25k) + rB x (25k)
= (8j) x (-25k) + (6 cos 30i + 8j – 6 sin 30k) x (25k)
= -200i -129.9j + 200i
= {-130j} lb.in
It is easier to take moments of the couple forces about a point
lying on the line of action of one of the forces, e.g., point A, Fig.
3.24c. In this case the moment of the force A is zero, so that
M = rAB x (25k)
= (6 cos 30i – 6 sin 30k) x (25k)
= {-130j} lb.in
Solution II(scalar analysis)
Although this problem is shown in three
dimensions, the geometry is simple enough to use
the scalar equation M = Fd. The perpendicular
distance between the lines of action of the forces is
d = 6 cos 30° = 5.20 in., Fig. 3.24d. Hence,
taking moments of the forces about either point A
or B yields

M = Fd. = 25 lb (5.20 in) = 129.9 lb.in

Applying the right-hand rule, M acts in the –j

direction. Thus,
M = {130j} lb.in
 Resultant A force and couple
system
 When a rigid body is subjected to a system of forces and couple
moments
 The external effects on the body by replacing the system by an equivalent single
resultant force acting at a specified point O and a resultant couple moment

 Point O is not on the line of action of the forces, an equivalent effect is produced if
the forces are moved to point O and the corresponding couple moments M1=r1xF1
and M2=r2xF2 are applied to body
 AN EQUIVALENT SYSTEM (Section 4.7)

•When a number of forces and couple moments are acting on a body, it

is easier to understand their overall effect on the body if they are
combined into a single force and couple moment having the same
external effect
•The two force and couple systems are called equivalent systems since
they have the same external effect on the body.
 MOVING A FORCE ON ITS LINE OF ACTION

Moving a force from A to O, when both points are on the

vectors’ line of action, does not change the external
effect. Hence, a force vector is called a sliding vector.
(But the internal effect of the force on the body does
depend on where the force is applied).
 MOVING A FORCE OFF OF ITS LINE OF ACTION

Moving a force from point A to O (as shown above) requires

creating an additional couple moment. Since this new
couple moment is a “free” vector, it can be applied at any
point P on the body.
FINDING THE RESULTANT OF A
FORCE AND COUPLE SYSTEM

•When several forces and couple

moments act on a body, you can
move each force and its associated
couple moment to a common point O.
•Now you can add all the forces and
couple moments together and find
one resultant force-couple moment
pair.
Example 3.5
 Replace the forces acting on the brace shown in Figure by an
equivalent resultant and couple moment acting at point A.
+ FRx = Fx; FRx = -100 N - 400 cos 45 = - 382.8 N = 382.8 N
+ FRy = Fy; FRy = -600 N - 400 sin 45 = - 882.8 N = 882.8 N
FR has a magnitude of
FR  (FR x )2  (FRy )2  (382.8)2  (882.8)2  962 N

and a direction of
 FRy  882.8 
θ  tan 1    tan 1    66.6
F
 Rx   382.8 
 The resultant couple moment MRA is determined by
summing the moments of the forces about point A. Assuming
that positive moments act clockwise, we have
+ MRA = MA
MRA = 100 N (0) + 600 N (0.4m) + (400 sin 45) (0.8 m) +
(400 cos 45) (0.3 m)
= 551 Nm
 Example (Equivalent resultant force
and couple moment)
A structural member is subjected to a couple moment M
and forces F1 and F2 as shown in Fig. below. Replace this
system by an equivalent resultant force and couple moment
acting at its base, point O.
 The three-dimensional aspects of the problem can be simplified by
using a Cartesian vector analysis. Expressing the forces and couple
moment as Cartesian vectors, we have
F1 = {-800k)N
F2 = (300 N)uCB = (300 N) (rcb/rcb)
= 300 [-0.15i+0.1j/ (0.15)2 + (0.1)2] = {-249.6i +
166.4j}N
M = -500 (4/5)j + 500 (3/5)k = {-400j + 300k) Nm
Force Summation
FR = F; FR = F1 + F2 = -800k – 249.6i + 166.4j
= {-249.6i + 166.4j – 800k} N
Moment Summation

MRO = MC + MO

MRO = M + rC x F1 + rB x F2

i j k
MRO = (-400j + 300k) + (1k) x (-800k) + -0.15 0.1 1
- 249.6 166.4 0

= (-400j + 300k) + (0) + (-166.4i – 249.6j)

= {-166i -650j + 300k} Nm
Exercise 3:
Replace the three forces shown with an equivalent force-couple system at A.

F1

F2

F3
To find the equivalent set of forces
at A.

3
  tan    36.87o
1

4
Rx   Fx
 400 N cos 180o   750 N cos  36.87 o   100 N cos  90o 
 200 N

Ry   Fy
 400 N sin 180o   750 N sin  36.87 o   100 N sin  90 o 
 550 N
Find the moments about point A.

Using the line of action for the force at B. The force can be moved along the
line of action until it reaches perpendicular distance from A

M 1  FB d
 100 N  360 mm 
 36000 N-mm
Find the moments about point A.

The force at O can be broken up into its two components in the x and y direction

Fx  750 N cos  36.87 o 

 600 N
Fy  750 N sin  36.87 o 
 450 N

Using the line of action for each component, their moment contribution can
be determined.
Find the moments about point A.
Using the line of action for Fx component d is 160 mm.

M 2  FOx d
 600 N 160 mm 
 96000 N-mm
Fy component is 0 since in line with A.

MB   Mi
 M1  M 2  M 3
 36000 N-mm k  96000 N-mm k  0 N-mm k
 132000 N-mm k
The final result is

R = 585 N at 70.0o
M = 132 Nm 

M = 132 Nm