Friction

Lecture 9
Chapter 8

Engineering Mechanics - ME102

Anirban Bhattacharya

Courtesy: TMH
Application
Friction is both problematic and
useful in many engineering
applications, such as in tires
and brakes.

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Introduction
• In preceding chapters, it was assumed that surfaces in contact
were either frictionless (surfaces could move freely with respect
to each other) or rough (tangential forces prevent relative motion
between surfaces).

• Actually, no perfectly frictionless surface exists. For two surfaces

in contact, tangential forces, called friction forces, will develop if
one attempts to move one relative to the other.

• However, the friction forces are limited in magnitude and will not
prevent motion if sufficiently large forces are applied.

• The distinction between frictionless and rough is, therefore, a matter

of degree.

• There are two types of friction: dry or Coulomb friction and fluid
friction. Fluid friction applies to lubricated mechanisms. The
present discussion is limited to dry friction between nonlubricated
surfaces.
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The Laws of Dry Friction. Coefficients
of Friction
• Block of weight W is placed on a horizontal
surface. Forces acting on the block are its
weight and reaction of surface N.

• Small horizontal force P is applied. For the

block to remain stationary, in equilibrium, a
horizontal component F of the surface reaction
is required. F is a static-friction force.

• As P increases, the static-friction force F

increases as well until it reaches a maximum
value Fm. S is coefficient of static friction.
Fm   s N

• Further increase in P causes the block to begin

to move as F drops to a smaller kinetic-friction
force Fk. K is coefficient of kinetic friction.
Fk   k N
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The Laws of Dry Friction. Coefficients
of Friction
• Maximum static-friction force:
Fm   s N

• Kinetic-friction force:
Fk   k N
 k  0.75 s

• Maximum static-friction force and kinetic-

friction force are:
- proportional to normal force
- dependent on type and condition of
contact surfaces
- independent of contact area

COF can be greater than 1, however, not encountered much in usual applications. Silicone
rubber usually has a coefficient of friction greater than 1.
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The Laws of Dry Friction. Coefficients
of Friction
• Four situations can occur when a rigid body is in contact with a
horizontal surface:

• No friction, • No motion, • Motion impending, • Motion,

(Px = 0) (Px < F) (Px = Fm) (Px > Fm)

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Angles of Friction
• It is sometimes convenient to replace normal force N and friction
force F by their resultant R:

• No friction • No motion • Motion impending • Motion

F  N Fk  k N
tan  s  m  s tan  k  
N N N N
tan  s   s tan  k   k

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Angles of Friction
• Consider block of weight W resting on board with variable inclination
angle q.

• No friction • No motion • Motion • Motion

impending

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Sample Problem 8.1

A 100-N force acts as shown on a 300-N

block placed on an inclined plane. The
coefficients of friction between the block
and plane are s = 0.25 and k = 0.20.
Determine whether the block is in
equilibrium and find the value of the
friction force.

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Sample Problem 8.1
SOLUTION:
• Determine values of friction force and normal
reaction force from plane required to maintain
equilibrium.
 Fx  0 : 100 N - 53 300 N   F  0
F  80 N

 Fy  0 : N  45 300 N   0
What does the sign
N  240 N
tell you about the
assumed direction of • Calculate maximum friction force and compare
impending motion? with friction force required for equilibrium.
Think about this. Fm   s N  0.25240 N   60 N
What does this solution imply about the block?
Think and type your answer.
The block will slide down the plane.
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Sample Problem 8.1
• If maximum friction force is less than friction
force required for equilibrium, block will slide.
Calculate kinetic-friction force.

Factual  Fk  k N
 0.20240 N 
Factual  48 N

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Sample Problem 8.3

The moveable bracket shown may be

placed at any height on the 75-mm
diameter pipe. If the coefficient of
friction between the pipe and bracket is
0.25, determine the minimum distance
x at which the load can be supported.
Neglect the weight of the bracket.
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Sample Problem 8.3
SOLUTION:
• When W is placed at minimum x, the bracket is about to
slip and friction forces in upper and lower collars are at
maximum value.
FA   s N A  0.25 N A
FB   s N B  0.25 N B
• Apply conditions for static equilibrium to find minimum x.
 Fx  0 : N B  N A  0 NB  N A
 Fy  0 : FA  FB  W  0
0.25 N A  0.25 N B  W  0
0.5 N A  W N A  N B  2W
MB  0:
N A 0.15 m   FA 0.075 m   W  x  0.0375 m   0
0.15 N A  0.075 0.25 N A   W  x  0.0375   0
0.152W   0.01875 2W   W  x  0.0375   0
x  0.3 m  300 mm
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Wedges

• Wedges - simple • Block as free body • Wedge as free body

machines used to raise  Fx  0 :  Fx  0 :
heavy loads.
 N1   s N 2  0  sN 2  N 3  s cos6 sin 6
• Force required to lift  Fy  0 : P0
block is significantly
less than block weight.  W   s N1  N 2  0  Fy  0 :

• Friction prevents wedge N 2  N 3 cos6  s sin 6  0

from sliding out.
• Want to find minimum
force P to raise block. 

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Wedges

• Wedge as free body

• Block as free body  Fx  0 :
 Fx  0 :  sN 2  N 3  s cos6 sin 6
 N1   s N 2  0 P0
 Fy  0 :  Fy  0 :
 W   s N1  N 2  0 N 2  N 3 cos6  s sin 6  0

𝑊 2𝜇𝑠 cos6° − 𝜇𝑠2 sin6° + sin6°

𝑃= If 𝜇𝑠
=0.25, 𝜃 = 6°, P = 0.656W
1 − 𝜇𝑠2 cos6° − 𝜇𝑠 sin6°

If 𝜇𝑠 =0.25,𝜃 = 60°, P = 3.99W

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Belt Friction
• Relate T1 and T2 when belt is about to slide to right.
• Draw free-body diagram for element of belt
Flat belt
q q
 x
F  0 : T  T  cos  T cos   s N  0
2 2
q q
 y
F  0 :  N  T   T  sin  T sin 0
2 2
• Combine to eliminate N, divide through by q,
T q  T  sin q 2
cos  s T   0
q 2  2  q 2
• In the limit as q goes to zero,
dT dT
  sT  0   s dq
dq T
• Separate variables and integrate from q  0 to q  

 e s 
T T2
ln 2   s  or
T1 T1
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Belt Friction – v belt

α Δθ
α Δ

Δθ Δθ
α α
Δ Δ Δ
Δθ Δθ Δ α
Δ

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Sample Problem 8.8
SOLUTION:
• Since angle of contact is smaller,
slippage will occur on pulley B first.
Determine belt tensions based on
pulley B.
• Taking pulley A as a free-body, sum
moments about pulley center to
A flat belt connects pulley A to pulley B. determine torque.
The coefficients of friction are s = 0.25
and k = 0.20 between both pulleys and
the belt.
Knowing that the maximum allowable
tension in the belt is 3000 N, determine
the largest torque which can be exerted
by the belt on pulley A.

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Sample Problem 8.8
SOLUTION:
• Since angle of contact is smaller, slippage will
occur on pulley B first. Determine belt tensions
based on pulley B.
T 2 / T1  e  s  3000 N / T1  e0.252 3  1.688
T1  3000 N / 1.688  1777 .3 N
• Taking pulley A as free-body, sum moments about
pulley center to determine torque.
MA  0 : M A  0.2 m1777.3 N  3000 N   0
M A  244.5 N  m

• Check that belt does not slip at A.  = 240o = 4/3 rad

T 3000 N
 s   ln 2  ln  0.524
T1 1777.3 N
4
 s  0.524  s  0.125  0.25
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Sample Problem

A hawser thrown from a ship to a pier is wrapped two full turns around a bollard. The
tension in the hawser is 7500-N; by exerting a force of 150-N on its free end, a
dockworker can just keep the hawser from slipping. (a) Determine the coefficient of
friction between the hawser and the bollard. (b) Determine the tension in the hawser
that could be resisted by the 150-N force if the hawser were wrapped three full turns
around the bollard.

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Sample Problem

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