CHAPTER FIVE

CENTROIDS

 Center of
gravity
 Center of mass
 Centroid
line
area
Volume
 Examples
 Center of Gravity
 The line of action of the resultant and the point where it is
assumed to be acting or concentrated is defined as
Centroid, center of mass and center of gravity
 The earth exerts a gravitational force on each of the
particles forming a body. These forces can be replace by a
single equivalent force equal to the weight of the body and
applied at the center of gravity for the body.
 The centroid of an area is analogous to the center of
gravity of a body. The concept of the first moment of an
area is used to locate the centroid.
 Center of Gravity
 Mathematic determination of center of gravity - application of the
principle of moments
 Moment of resultant gravitational force W about any axis equals
sum of forces dW acting on particles (infinitesimal elements)
e.g.: principle of moments about y-axis:

moment of the sum of moments

sum (resultant) of all elements
 Center of Mass
By substitution of:
Expression of coordinates of center of mass becomes:
 Center of Mass
Density ρ of a body mass equals to its mass per unit volume.
dm
For a constant density the = ρ x
coordinate expressions become:
dV

Equations are independent of gravitational effect.

As field of gravity is considered uniform and parallel
center of mass = center of gravity.
 Centroids
center of mass:

 As the mass (or density ρ) of a body is uniformly distributed it can be

cancelled in numerator and denominator.
 The remaining equation becomes a purely geometric expression – the
centroid of a body.
Center of mass and centroid then are identical.

Centroid:
 Centroid of a Line
Slender member (wire) – approximating
a line segment
L = length L
A = cross sectional area (constant)
ρ = density (constant)
center of mass:

dm = ρ dV = ρ A dL
m=ρV=ρAL • Centroid of a line

Centroid
 Centroid of an Area
Thin body – approximating a surface area
t = thickness (constant)
ρ = density (constant)
dm = ρ dV = ρ t dA
m= ρ V= ρ tA

x W   x dW
x At    x t dA
x A   x dA  Q y
 first moment with respect to y
yA   y dA  Q x
Centroid of a Volume
dm = ρ dV
 first moment with respect to x m=ρV
Centroids of Common Shapes of Areas
Composite Plates and Areas
• Composite plates
X W   x W
Y W   y W

• Composite area
X  A   xA
Y  A   yA
 Composite Plates and Areas
 The first moment of area, may be positive or negative.
 Negative: an area whose centroid located to the left of
the Y-axis or the area of a hole

 When calculating the centroid of a composite area, note that if

the centroid of a component area has a negative coordinate
distance relative to the origin, or if the area represents a hole,
then the first moment is negative.
 The center of gravity and centroids of a composite wire can
be determined by the similar way.
Determination of Centroids by Integration
 Three common types of elements are general used to evaluate the integration

x A   xdA   x dxdy   xel dA • Double integration to find the first moment

may be avoided by defining dA as a thin
yA   y dA   y dxdy   yel dA
rectangle or strip.

x A   xel dA
x A   xel dA x A   xel dA
2r 1 
  x  ydx ax  cos  r 2 d 
  a  x dy  3 2 
2
yA   yel dA yA   yel dA
yA   yel dA
y
  ydx   y a  x dy 

2r 1 
sin  r 2 d 
2 3 2 
 Sample Problem 5.1
For the plane area shown, determine
the first moments with respect to the x
and y axes and the location of the
centroid.
SOLUTION:
• Divide the area into a triangle, rectangle,
and semicircle with a circular cutout.
• Calculate the first moments of each area
with respect to the axes.
• Find the total area and first moments of
the triangle, rectangle, and semicircle.
Subtract the area and first moment of the
circular cutout.
• Compute the coordinates of the area
centroid by dividing the first moments by
the total area.
 Sample Problem 5.1

• Find the total area and first moments of the Q x  506.2  103 mm3
triangle, rectangle, and semicircle. Subtract the
Q y  757.7  103 mm3
area and first moment of the circular cutout.
 Sample Problem 5.1
• Compute the coordinates of the area
centroid by dividing the first moments by
the total area.

 x A  757.7  103 mm3

X  
 A 13.828103 mm 2
X  54.8 mm

 y A  506.2  103 mm3

Y  
 A 13.828103 mm 2
Y  36.6 mm
 Sample Problem 5.2
Locate the centroid of the triangular area.
 Sample Problem 5.3
Determine by direct integration the
location of the centroid of a parabolic
spandrel.
SOLUTION:
• Determine the constant k.
• Evaluate the total area.
• Using either vertical or horizontal
strips, perform a single integration to
find the first moments.
• Evaluate the centroid coordinates.
Sample Problem 5.3
SOLUTION:
• Determine the constant k.
y  k x2
b
b  k a2  k 
a2
b a
y x2 or x y1 2
a2 b1 2

• Evaluate the total area.

A   dA
a
a
b 2  b x3 
  y dx   2 x dx   2 
0a  a 3  0
ab

3
Sample Problem 5.3
• Using vertical strips, perform a single integration
to find the first moments.
a
 b 
Q y   xel dA   xydx   x 2 x 2 dx
0 a 
a
 b x4  a 2b
 2  
 a 4  0 4
a 2
y 1 b 
Qx   yel dA   ydx    2 x 2  dx
2 02a 
a
 b 2 x5  ab 2
 4  
 2a 5  0 10
Sample Problem 5.3
• Or, using horizontal strips, perform a single
integration to find the first moments.
b 2
ax a  x2
Q y   xel dA   a  x dy   dy
2 0 2

1 b  2 a 2  a 2
b
  a  y dy 
2 0  b 
 4
 a 
Qx   yel dA   y a  x dy   y a  1 2 y1 2 dy
 b 
b
 a 3 2 ab 2
   ay  1 2 y dy 
0 b  10
Centroid of a Line

• Evaluate the centroid coordinates.

xA  Q y
ab a 2 b 3
x  x a
3 4 4

yA  Q x
ab ab 2 3
y  y b
3 10 10
THANK YOU