Engineering Mechanics: Centriod – Lecture notes1

Unit 3
Lecture notes on Centroid
Introduction
When we plan to purchase a piece of land say for building a House, we certainly want to consider the
following points;

 Size of the Site.

 Location and Orientation of the site with reference to some standard references like main
road or a predominant structure.
 The shape.

The first property i.e., the size is a familiar concept. Orientation and the shape are two
important properties that are subject matters of this chapter. There are formulations that are
available in mechanics which convey information about these two characteristics of plane
surfaces [of course not for estate agency people !]. Centroid conveys some clue about the
orientation of a surface [lamina] and Moment of Inertia gives information about the shape and
disposition of area of a plane surface.

Importance
In what way the plane surfaces are connected with engineering mechanics?. It is easy to find an
answer to this question. The first step in design of any component or a structure is to device
appropriate area of cross section. The designer will usually be unmindful of the length of the
component as the same area of cross section repeats over the length. Finally, the design ends
up with verification for adequacy of the devised area of cross section of the component [figures
3.1 (a) - 3.1(d)]. In doing so, analysis is performed on the behavior of the component against the
loads. While analyzing a structure or a component, it is again the cross-section that matters.
This is because the cross section participates in structural action. Let us go through examples to
clear the concept;

A beam when loaded goes for structural action called bending. When Beam bends, it’s cross–
section rotates with reference to an axis passing through Centroid.

When a component is subjected to torque as shown , the cross-section gets twisted with
respect to longitudinal axis passing through the centroid.

It is designer’s task to minimize this rotation and twisting of areas of cross-section. And it is
here, that, the properties of the surfaces like Centroid and Moment of Inertia that comes into
play. It will be seen in strength of materials that, for a beam, an I – shaped section is

Unit -2, L ecture notes, Departm ent of Civil Engineering, SIT 1

 Engineering Mechanics: Centriod – Lecture notes1

preferable over rectangular section of same area in resisting bending. In the same token, a
hollow circular section is preferable over solid circular section of same area in resisting twisting
action.

Span Length of shaft

3.1 (a) A Beam and its cross section 3.1 (b) A shaft and its cross section

3.1 c. A Dam and its cross

section

3.1 d. An I section
For a beam

Centroid
Centroid may be defined as a point at which entire area of the plane figure is assumed to be
concentrated. In contrast to center of gravity ( it is a point at which the weight of the body acts), the
term used with bodies that posses weight, centroid is a term that is always coined with plane surfaces.
We can locate centroid of a lamina from first principles. Consider a lamina as shown in figure 3.2 , let X-X
and Y-Y be the reference axis with respect to which the centroid is to be located. The lamina is divided in
to innumerable elementary figures whose centroid can be located by inspection. Let the areas of these
elementary figures be a1, a2, a3 …. an . Let x1, x2, x3 ……. xn be the centroidal distances of these areas
from Y-Y axis and y1,y2,y3 …… yn be the centroidal distances of these areas from X-X axis. If we consider
these elementary areas as forces then the figure 5.2 constitutes a special case of parallel force system
[special case because the areas are considered as forces]. The resultant of these area forces is nothing
but the total area of the figure acting at the centroid.

Unit -2, L ecture notes, Departm ent of Civil Engineering, SIT 2

 Engineering Mechanics: Centriod – Lecture notes1

It is pertinent to note that, for a given material and area, it is possible to construct stiffer
components with proper shapes for cross-sections. In this context, it is property of the plane
surface, which does the magic, and not the property of the material .

Elementary areas
whose centroid location Y
Total area (Resultant force)
is established

an
a1
a2

X1

X2

Xn

Yn
Y1
X Y2
X
Reference axes
Y
Figure 3.2 Elementary areas as distributed forces: Location of centroid from first principles

Considering X-X axis as reference and applying theorem of moments ( Varignon’s;)

A X = a1x1 + a2 x2 + a3 x3 + ………….. a n x n

X=
 ax
A
Again, considering Y-Y axis as reference and applying theorem of moments

A Y = a1y1 + a2 y2 + a3 y3 + ………….. a n yn

Y=
 ay
A

Thus and forms the co-ordinates of the centroid.

Unit -2, L ecture notes, Departm ent of Civil Engineering, SIT 3

 Engineering Mechanics: Centriod – Lecture notes1

Diffrences between centroid and center of gravity

Centroid Center of gravity
An imaginary point at which entire area is assumed An imaginary point at which entire weight of the body is
to be concentrated assumed to be concentrated.
Centriod is to plane areas/ laminas Center of gravity is to bodies/ objects
About centroidal axis moment of areas will get About centre of gravity axes moment of weights will get
balanced balanced

Unit -2, L ecture notes, Departm ent of Civil Engineering, SIT 4