Solid Mechanics

Introductory Material
 Mechanics

That branch of Physics that deals with the rest

or motion of bodies and the phenomena of the
action of forces on bodies.
 Mechanics

Solids Fluids

Relatively firm or
compact body; Usually classified as a gas or a
neither liquid or liquid, the chief distinction
gaseous. being density & compressibility.
 Mechanics

Solids Fluids

Rigid Deformable

Static Dynamic Static Dynamic

 Mechanics

Solids Fluids

Incompressible Compressible

Static Dynamic Static Dynamic

 Solid Mechanics

Structural Analysis

Structural Design

Soil Mechanics
 Review of Statics
• Statics is concerned with the equilibrium of
rigid bodies that are not accelerating.
• Equilibrium equations:
In two-dimensions:

∑ Fx 0,=
= ∑ Fy 0,=
∑Mz 0
In three-dimensions:

∑ Fx 0,=
= ∑ Fy 0,=
∑ Fz 0,
∑ M x 0,=
= ∑ M y 0,=
∑Mz 0
Review of Statics
Review of Statics
Review of Statics
Review of Statics
Review of Statics
 Types of Bodies

• Two-Force Bodies
Forces applied at only two points along a body.

• Three-Force Bodies
Forces applied at only three points along a body.

• General Bodies
 Two-Force Bodies

• Forces applied at only two points along a body.

• Forces must lie along a line connecting the two points of

application.
 Three-Force Bodies

• Forces applied at only three points along a body.

Forces must either be concurrent.

Or parallel
 Types of Forces
• External Forces and Moments
• Applied surface loads
• Body forces (e.g., self-weight)
• Reactions (unknown) at supports

• Internal Forces and Moments

 External Forces and Moments

Applied Surface Loads

• Caused by the direct contact of one body
with the surface of another body.
• Concentrated forces and moment

• Distributed forces and moment

 External Forces and Moments

Body Forces
• Developed when one body exerts a force on
another body without direct physical contact. For
example,

• Force due to the earth’s gravitational

field (i.e., weight)
W = mg

• Electromagnetic forces
 External Forces and Moments

Reactions at Supports

• Support reactions are surface forces or

moments, typically unknown, that develop
at supports or points of contact between
bodies.
 External Forces and Moments

• The best way in which to determine the

number of unknown reactions at a support
is to answer the following question:

“In which direction(s) is motion (i.e., translation or

rotation) being prevented at the support?

• If motion is indeed prevented in a particular

direction(s), then an unknown reaction,
acting parallel to this direction, must be
present at the support.
 Internal Forces and Moments

Shear Force

Axial Force
Bending Moment

Remember Newton’s Third

Law!
 Free-Body Diagrams
• Before the equilibrium equations can be
applied, it is essential that

1. The particular body or group of bodies be defined

unambiguously and isolated from all other bodies.
2. All forces acting on the body be represented
clearly & completely.

• This is accomplished by means of the free-

body diagram (FBD).
 Steps for Constructing a FBD
1. Decide which body is to be isolated.

2. Detach the chosen body from its supports and

separate it from any other body. Sketch the
complete external boundary of the isolated
body.

3. Indicate all external forces acting on the isolated

body at their proper positions on the diagram.
These include known applied forces & unknown
support reactions.
 Free-Body Diagrams
• Remark: when the sense of an unknown force
or moment is not clearly apparent, no
attempt should be made to determine it.

Instead, the sense of the force or moment

should be arbitrarily assumed; the sign of
the answer will indicate whether the
assumption is correct.
 Statical Determinancy

• If the number of unknown reactions is equal to

the number of equilibrium equations, the
problem is statically determinate.
• If the number of unknowns is greater than the
number of equations, the problem is statically
indeterminate.
• If the number of unknowns is less than the
number of equations, the problem is partially
constrained.
Now let’s do some examples
to review Statics
The figure shows a typical hydraulic digger for making trenches. The
bucket is exerting a force of 20 kN horizontally to the right at J on the
ground.
(a) Neglecting the weight of the members and the bucket, determine,
choosing a suitable free-body diagram in each case:
(i) The force in ram GF.
(ii) The force in ram CD.
(ii) The force in ram AC.
(b) If the total volume of metal in the
members is 0.1 m3, and they are
made of steel of density 7800 kg m-3,
is the weight of the members
likely to be negligible? Which of the
above answers for the forces in the
rams is likely to be most in error due
to this simplification?