VECTOR MECHANICS FOR ENGINEERS:

STATICS
Eighth Edition
Ferdinand P. Beer
E. Russell Johnston, Jr.
Lecture Notes:
J. Walt Oler
Texas Tech University
CHAPTER
2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
5
Distributed Forces:
Centroids and Centers
of Gravity
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Contents
Introduction
Center of Gravity of a 2D Body
Centroids and First Moments of Areas and Lines
Centroids of Common Shapes of Areas
Centroids of Common Shapes of Lines
Composite Plates and Areas
Sample Problem 5.1
Determination of Centroids by Integration
Sample Problem 5.4
Theorems of Pappus-Guldinus
Sample Problem 5.7
Distributed Loads on Beams
Sample Problem 5.9
Center of Gravity of a 3D Body:
Centroid of a Volume
Centroids of Common 3D Shapes
Composite 3D Bodies
Sample Problem 5.12
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Introduction

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.

Determination of the area of a surface of revolution and

the volume of a body of revolution are accomplished
with the Theorems of Pappus-Guldinus.
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Center of Gravity of a 2D Body

Center of gravity of a plate

dW y
W y W y M
dW x
W x W x M
y
y

Center of gravity of a wire

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Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics
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Centroids and First Moments of Areas and Lines
( ) ( )
x
Q dA y A y
y
Q dA x A x
dA t x At x
dW x W x
x
y
respect to h moment wit first
respect to h moment wit first

Centroid of an area
( ) ( )

dL y L y
dL x L x
dL a x La x
dW x W x

Centroid of a line
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Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics
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First Moments of Areas and Lines

An area is symmetric with respect to an axis BB

if for every point P there exists a point P such
that PP is perpendicular to BB and is divided
into two equal parts by BB.

The first moment of an area with respect to a

line of symmetry is zero.

If an area possesses a line of symmetry, its

centroid lies on that axis

If an area possesses two lines of symmetry, its

centroid lies at their intersection.

An area is symmetric with respect to a center O

if for every element dA at (x,y) there exists an
area dA of equal area at (-x,-y).

The centroid of the area coincides with the

center of symmetry.
2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Centroids of Common Shapes of Areas
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Centroids of Common Shapes of Lines
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Composite Plates and Areas

Composite plates

W y W Y
W x W X

Composite area

A y A Y
A x A X
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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.

Compute the coordinates of the area

centroid by dividing the first moments by
the total area.

Find the total area and first moments of

the triangle, rectangle, and semicircle.
Subtract the area and first moment of the
circular cutout.

Calculate the first moments of each area

with respect to the axes.
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Sample Problem 5.1
3 3
3 3
mm 10 7 . 757
mm 10 2 . 506
+
+
y
x
Q
Q

Find the total area and first moments of the

triangle, rectangle, and semicircle. Subtract the
area and first moment of the circular cutout.
2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Sample Problem 5.1
2 3
3 3
mm 10 13.828
mm 10 7 . 757

A
A x
X
mm 8 . 54 X
2 3
3 3
mm 10 13.828
mm 10 2 . 506

A
A y
Y
mm 6 . 36 Y

Compute the coordinates of the area

centroid by dividing the first moments by
the total area.
2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Determination of Centroids by Integration
( )
( ) ydx
y
dA y A y
ydx x
dA x A x
el
el

2
( ) [ ]
( ) [ ] dx x a y
dA y A y
dx x a
x a
dA x A x
el
el

,
`

.
|

,
`

.
|

d r
r
dA y A y
d r
r
dA x A x
el
el
2
2
2
1
sin
3
2
2
1
cos
3
2




dA y dy dx y dA y A y
dA x dy dx x dA x A x
el
el

Double integration to find the first moment

may be avoided by defining dA as a thin
rectangle or strip.
2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics
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Sample Problem 5.4
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.

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Sample Problem 5.4
SOLUTION:

Determine the constant k.

2 1
2 1
2
2
2
2
2
y
b
a
x or x
a
b
y
a
b
k a k b
x k y

Evaluate the total area.

3
3
0
3
2
0
2
2
ab
x
a
b
dx x
a
b
dx y
dA A
a
a

]
]
]
]

2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Sample Problem 5.4

Using vertical strips, perform a single integration

to find the first moments.
10 5
2
2
1
2
4 4
2
0
5
4
2
0
2
2
2
2
0
4
2
0
2
2
ab x
a
b
dx x
a
b
dx y
y
dA y Q
b a x
a
b
dx x
a
b
x dx xy dA x Q
a
a
el x
a
a
el y

]
]
]
]

,
`

.
|

]
]
]
]

,
`

.
|



2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics
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Sample Problem 5.4

Or, using horizontal strips, perform a single

integration to find the first moments.
( )
( )
10
4 2
1
2 2
2
0
2 3
2 1
2 1
2 1
2
0
2
2
0
2 2
ab
dy y
b
a
ay
dy y
b
a
a y dy x a y dA y Q
b a
dy y
b
a
a
dy
x a
dy x a
x a
dA x Q
b
el x
b
b
el y

,
`

.
|

,
`

.
|

,
`

.
|

2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics
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Sample Problem 5.4

Evaluate the centroid coordinates.

4 3
2
b a ab
x
Q A x
y

a x
4
3

10 3
2
ab ab
y
Q A y
x

b y
10
3

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Theorems of Pappus-Guldinus

Surface of revolution is generated by rotating a

plane curve about a fixed axis.

Area of a surface of revolution is

equal to the length of the generating
curve times the distance traveled by
the centroid through the rotation.
L y A 2
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Theorems of Pappus-Guldinus

Body of revolution is generated by rotating a plane

area about a fixed axis.

Volume of a body of revolution is

equal to the generating area times
the distance traveled by the centroid
through the rotation.
A y V 2
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Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics
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Sample Problem 5.7
The outside diameter of a pulley is 0.8
m, and the cross section of its rim is as
shown. Knowing that the pulley is
made of steel and that the density of
steel is
determine the mass and weight of the
rim.
3 3
m kg 10 85 . 7
SOLUTION:

Apply the theorem of Pappus-Guldinus

to evaluate the volumes or revolution
for the rectangular rim section and the
inner cutout section.

Multiply by density and acceleration

to get the mass and acceleration.
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Sample Problem 5.7
SOLUTION:

Apply the theorem of Pappus-Guldinus

to evaluate the volumes or revolution for
the rectangular rim section and the inner
cutout section.
( )( )

,
`

.
|


3
3 9 3 6 3 3
mm m 10 mm 10 65 . 7 m kg 10 85 . 7 V m
kg 0 . 60 m
( ) ( )
2
s m 81 . 9 kg 0 . 60 mg W
N 589 W

Multiply by density and acceleration to

get the mass and acceleration.
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Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics
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Distributed Loads on Beams

A distributed load is represented by plotting the

load per unit length, w (N/m) . The total load is
equal to the area under the load curve.

A dA dx w W
L
0
( )
( ) A x dA x A OP
dW x W OP
L

A distributed load can be replace by a concentrated

load with a magnitude equal to the area under the
load curve and a line of action passing through the
area centroid.
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Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics
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Sample Problem 5.9
A beam supports a distributed load as
shown. Determine the equivalent
concentrated load and the reactions at
the supports.
SOLUTION:

The magnitude of the concentrated load

is equal to the total load or the area under
the curve.

The line of action of the concentrated

load passes through the centroid of
the area under the curve.

Determine the support reactions by

summing moments about the beam
ends.
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Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics
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Sample Problem 5.9
SOLUTION:

The magnitude of the concentrated load is equal to

the total load or the area under the curve.
kN 0 . 18 F

The line of action of the concentrated load passes

through the centroid of the area under the curve.
kN 18
m kN 63
X
m 5 . 3 X
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Sample Problem 5.9

Determine the support reactions by summing

moments about the beam ends.
( ) ( ) ( ) 0 m .5 3 kN 18 m 6 : 0

y A
B M
kN 5 . 10
y
B
( ) ( ) ( ) 0 m .5 3 m 6 kN 18 m 6 : 0 +

y B
A M
kN 5 . 7
y
A
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Center of Gravity of a 3D Body: Centroid of a Volume

Center of gravity G
( )

j W j W

( ) ( ) [ ]
( ) ( ) ( ) j W r j W r
j W r j W r
G
G

dW r W r dW W
G

Results are independent of body orientation,

zdW W z ydW W y xdW W x

zdV V z ydV V y xdV V x
dV dW V W and

For homogeneous bodies,

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Centroids of Common 3D Shapes
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Composite 3D Bodies

Moment of the total weight concentrated at the

center of gravity G is equal to the sum of the
moments of the weights of the component parts.

W z W Z W y W Y W x W X

For homogeneous bodies,

V z V Z V y V Y V x V X
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Sample Problem 5.12
Locate the center of gravity of the
steel machine element. The diameter
of each hole is 1 in.
SOLUTION:

Form the machine element from a

rectangular parallelepiped and a
quarter cylinder and then subtracting
two 1-in. diameter cylinders.
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Sample Problem 5.12
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Sample Problem 5.12
( ) ( )
3 4
in .286 5 in 08 . 3

V V x X
( ) ( )
3 4
in .286 5 in 5.047

V V y Y
( ) ( )
3 4
in .286 5 in .618 1

V V z Z
in. 577 . 0 X
in. 577 . 0 Y
in. 577 . 0 Z