DEPARTMENT OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION

TELANGANA STATE

Name : G.NAVEEN
Designation : Lecturer
Branch : Civil Engineering
Institute : GOVT POLTECHNIC
HUSNABAD
Year/Semester : llI Semester
Subject : Engineering Mechanics
Subject Code : CE-302
Topic : Centroid of regular areas
Steps involved in the calculation of centroid:

The following procedure is conveniently adopted in

locating centroids:

1) Choose the origin and co-ordinates axis so as to measure

centroid distance x and y
2) Determine by inspection whether the area
has any axis of symmetry.
• If axis of symmetry is parallel to x-axis then y is
known directly and centroid is at mid height

• If axis of symmetry is parallel to y-axis then x is

known directly and centroid is at middle of the width
3) Divide the area into simple areas of regular
shape whose centroids are known.

4) Compute the areas of each small area into

which the figure is divided, locate the centroids of these
small areas.

5) Take moments about origin ‘O’ of the areas. This is done by

multiplying the areas with the perpendicular distance from
the origin of the line of action of these areas.
6) The co-ordinates of the centroids , can be
obtained by using the formulae,

∑(ai.xi)
= ------------
A
∑(ai.yi)
= ------------
A
Where ∑(ai.xi) is the algebraic sum of the moments about
origin, considering areas acting parallel to the Y-axis.
Where ∑(ai.yi) is the algebraic sum of the moments about
origin, considering areas acting parallel to the X-axis.
 PROBLEM

PROBLEM- 1
• Find the centroid from bottom of web of the T-section with
flange 100 X 30mm and web 120 X 30mm with flange

above the web

6
 Y

100
Solution :
2 30

Centroid

X X
120

94.09 mm 1

A B
30

7
The given section is symmetrical about Y-axis. Hence centroid
lies on Y-axis.

Divide the given section into two rectangles

Rectangle 1 is web = 120 x 30 = A1

Rectangle 2 is flange = 30 x 100 = A2

Let y is the centroidal distance from AB

Centroid distance from bottom of web are
A1y1 + A2y2
y= A1 + A2 y1 = 60 , y2 = 120 +15 = 135

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= (120 x 30)60 + (30 x 100)135
(120 x 30) + (30 x 100)

21600 + 40500
6600

y = 94.09 mm from AB .

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PROBLEM - 2

Determine the position of centroid of a T-section of flange

120 x 20mm and web 160 x 20mm from the top of the

flange.

10
 Y

Solution: A
120 B

2 20

Centroid

X X
160

20

Y
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Step1
Dividing the given section into two rectangles.
1. Flange: 120 x 20
2. Web: 160 x 20
Area of flange, a1 = 120 x 20 =2400 m2.
Area of web, a = 160 x 20 = 3200 m2.
2

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Step2 : Similarly
• y1 from AB = 20 / 2 = 10mm
• y2 from AB =20 + (160 / 2) = 100mm

Step3:
• Then Y = (a y + a y ) / (a + a )
1 1 2 2 1 2

= { (2400 X 10) + (3200 X 100) } / (2400 + 3200)

= 344000 / 5600
= 61.428 mm.

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Find the centre of gravity of a T-section with flange
150mm x 10mm and with web 150mm x 10mm

Y
150

2 10

Centroid

X X 150

1
A B
10

15
Y
Solution

Let AB be the reference axis

The given section is symmetrical about Y-axis

Hence Centroid lies on Y-axis

Divide the given section into two rectangles.

Area of web = A1 = 150 x 10 = 1500 mm2

Area of flange = A2 = 150 x 10 = 1500 mm2

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2. Determine the centre of gravity of an inverted T-
section with flange 100mm x 20 mm and web
200mm x 100mm

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 Solution
20 mm

100 mm

Y Y

A 100 mm B

Let AB be the reference line

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The given section is symmetrical about Y-axis

Hence centroid lies on Y-axis

Divide the given section into two rectangles

Area of flange = A1 = 100 x 20 = 2000 mm2

Area of web = A2 = 20 x 100 = 2000mm2

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 Problem on an I-Section

• Find the position of centroid of an I-Section from the

bottom of the flange ,when
Top flange : 200mm x 40mm
Web : 40mm x 240mm
Bottom flange: 300mm x 70mm

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 SOLUTION
• From the given data, the given section is unsymmetrical about
X-axis since the bottom flange is wider than the top flange.

• But it is symmetrical about Y-axis as shown in Figure.

• The bottom of I-section AB is taken as reference line for

calculating first moment of areas.

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26
• Then y1 = Distance from C.G of top flange to the
bottom AB
y1 = 40/2 + 240 +70 = 330mm

y2 = Distance from C.G of web to the bottom AB

= 240/2 + 70 = 190mm
y3 = Distance from C.G of bottom flange to the

bottom AB

= 70/2 = 35mm

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 PROBLEM

1. Locate the centroid of the following I-section

60
Y

20

180 mm
10

X X

30
A B
100
Y
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Solution

The given section is symmetrical about YY, the centroidal vertical axis
Therefore centroid lies on YY.
Let us take AB as reference line
Let us divide the section into three areas,
A1, A2 and A3

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Areas :

A1 = Area of bottom flange

= 100 x 30 = 3000 mm2

A2 = Area of web

= 180 x 10 = 1800 mm2

A3 = Area of top flange

= 60 x 20 = 1200 mm2

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