Conditions of

Equilibrium
Recall that the external forces acting on a rigid body
can be grouped into applied forces and support
reactions. Also the entire system of forces acting on
a rigid body can be reduced to a single force and a
couple (the force-couple system) at some arbitrary
point.
A rigid body in which the external forces acting
reduce to zero force and zero couple at an arbitrary
point 0 is said to be in equilibrium. Hence a body is
in equilibrium if and only if:
Fi = FR = 0 and Moi = MOR = 0
Fx=0, Fy=0 and Fz=0
Mx=0, My=0 and Mz=0
 Fi = FR = 0 and Moi = MOR = 0
Fx=0, Fy=0 and Fz=0
Mx=0, My=0 and Mz=0

Sum of the rectangular components of the forces and

moments along the three orthogonal axis must be equal to
zero.
The equations above imply that a body in equilibrium must
be at rest since there is no translation or rotation of the body.
In considering the equilibrium of rigid bodies, it is
important to draw a free-body diagram showing
the entire rigid-body or part of it that is being
analyzed and all the external forces acting on the
free-body.

The external forces acting on a free-body

diagram will consist of all the forces applied to it,
the weight of the free-body (which is the force the
earth applies to the free-body), reactions exerted
on the free-body by the supports and the action
exerted on the free-body by any portion of the
rigid body that has been detached.
 Classification of Supports
Supports can be classified into three groups based on the type
of reaction associated with the support.

1 - Supports whose reactions consist of a single force with

known line of action.
These kinds of supports are generally called roller
supports and they prevent translation along the known
direction of the reaction while allowing translation
along other directions as well as rotation. Supports that
fall into this group are:
- rollers
- rockers
- frictionless surfaces
- cable support
- link support
2 - Supports whose reactions consist of a single
force with unknown line of action.
The general name for these supports is
pinned or hinged supports and they prevent
translation in all directions but permit
rotation. For convenience, the single force
with unknown line of action is normally
resolved into it's rectangular components
resulting in two unknown reactions.
3 - Supports whose reactions consist of a force with
unknown line of action and a couple.
These kinds of supports are generally called fixed
supports and they prevent any kind of motion
(translation and rotation) at the support. Fixed
supports have three unknown reactions in 2-D, the
x- and y- components of the force with unknown line
of action, as well as the moment of the couple.
Always keep in mind that the direction of a moment
vector (couple vector) is always perpendicular to a
plane containing the moment/couple and it's sense
is given by the right hand rule.
Equilibrium of a Rigid Body in
2-Dimensions
When considering the equilibrium of a rigid body
in 2-D, say the x-y plane, the six equations of
equilibrium reduce to three which are Fx=0;
Fy=0 and MA=0 where A is any point in the
plane of the body.
Note that the three equations can be solved for
a maximum of three unknowns. Although
different forms of the equilibrium equations can
be written, e.g.
Fx=0; MA=0 and MB=0
For a plane for a plane structure , only three
independent equilibrium equations exists and
hence only three unknown reactions can be
determined.
If the number of unknown reactions is equal to the
number of independent equilibrium equations available
and the rigid body is properly constrained, then the
reactions can be determined from the equilibrium
equations and the structure is said to be statically
determinate.

Hence a statically determinate structure is one in which

all the unknown reactions can be determined from the
equilibrium equations.
Conversely, if the number of unknown reactions in a
structure is greater than the number of independent
equilibrium equations available or the rigid body is not
properly constrained, then all the unknown reactions
cannot be determined by using the equilibrium
equations alone and the structure is said to be
statically indeterminate.

Statically indeterminate structures contain more

reactions (called redundant reactions) than are
necessary to completely restrain the structure.
Analysis of statically indeterminate structures can be
carried out by using additional equations that are
derived from compatibility (deformation) of the
structure.
If there are fewer unknown reactions than the number
of equilibrium equations available, then all the
equilibrium equations will not be satisfied and the
structure will not be at rest. Such a structure is said to
be unstable or partially restrained.
Statically Determinate Structures - Sufficient number of
reactions provided to ensure full restraint. Structure is also
properly constrained.

Statically Indeterminate Structures - These have at least

one redundant reaction in each case.
Unstable or Partially Restrained Structures - Fewer
number of reactions than are necessary to ensure full
restraint.

Improperly Constrained Structures - (Both Unstable &

Statically Indeterminate)
Note that a rigid-body is improperly constrained whenever
its supports are arranged in such a way that the reactions are
either concurrent or parallel.

Note: Given a structure you have to be able to identify if it is

statically determinate, statically indeterminate or unstable.
 Definitions

A structure is statically determinate if all the support

reactions can be determined using only equilibrium
equations. For such a structure, the number of unknown
reactions must be equal to the number of independent
equations of equilibrium available.

Conversely, a structure is statically indeterminate if all the

support reactions cannot be determined by using only the
equilibrium equations because the number of unknown
reactions is more than the number of available independent
equations of equilibrium or the structure is improperly
constrained.
 Definitions continued

If a structure has less number of reactions than the

available equations of equilibrium, the structure is said to
be unstable or partially constrained.

A structure is that has sufficient number of unknown

reactions to ensure that the structure is completely
restrained but these reactions are improperly arranged
such that they are either parallel or concurrent, such a
structure is geometrically unstable and is said to be
improperly constrained
Equilibrium of a Two-Force or
Three-Force Body
A two-force is a rigid body that is subjected to forces acting
at only two points. The system of forces acting at each point
may be reduced to their respective resultants, FR1 and FR2 .
For equilibrium of a two force body, the resultant forces FR1
and FR2 acting at two points on a rigid body must have the
same magnitude, the same line of action and opposite
sense. (This is a necessary and sufficient condition for
equilibrium).
Equilibrium of a Two-Force or
Three-Force Body cont’d
A three-force body is a rigid body that is subjected to forces
acting at only three points. The system of forces acting on
each of the three points may be reduced to their respective
resultants, FR1, FR2, and FR3. For a three-force body to be in
equilibrium, the lines of action of the three forces must be
either concurrent or parallel. (Necessary but insufficient
condition for equilibrium.)
Two Force Bodies

Three Force Bodies

Equilibrium of a Body in
Three Dimensions

The reactions at the supports of a 3 - Dimensional

structure may consist of a single force of known direction
(single reaction), a single force of unknown direction
(three reactions) or a force-couple system at fixed
supports (six reactions). The reactions present at a
particular support will correspond to the directions in
which translations and/or rotations are prevented at the
support.
 A rigid body is in equilibrium if it satisfies the following
equations:
Always keep in
mind that there are
Fx=0, Fy=0 and Fz=0
six equilibrium
Mx=0, My=0 and Mz=0 equations for a
body in 3-D.

These equations may be more conveniently expressed in

vector form:
FR=0, Fi=0
MOR=0, My=0
Note that these equations imply that only a maximum of six
unknown reactions can be determined. A 3-D structure with
six unknown reactions that can be determined using the
equations above is said to be statically determinate.
•If it has more than six reactions then all the reactions
cannot be determined using the equilibrium equations
and the structure is statically indeterminate.

•If it has fewer than six subjected to a general load.

•If the reactions are sufficient to provide equilibrium

but the supports are improperly arranged, the structure
is improperly constrained.