COUPLE
The moment produced by two equal, opposite, and
noncollinear forces is called a couple.
F
d M=Fxd
=
F
• The force resultant of a couple is zero.
• Its only effect is to produce a tendency of rotation.
Eg: Forces that two hands apply to turn a steering, paddling cycle
FORCE-COUPLE SYSTEMS
The effect of a force acting on a body is
Tendency to push or pull the body in the direction of the force,
and to rotate the body about any fixed axis which does not
intersect the line of the force.
We can represent this dual effect more easily by replacing the
given force by an equal parallel force and a couple to
compensate for the change in the moment of the force.
FORCE-COUPLE SYSTEMS
The replacement of a force by a force and a couple is shown in Fig
Given force F acting at point A is replaced by an equal force F at some
point B and the counterclockwise couple M = Fd.
• The transfer is seen in fig (b), where forces F and - F are added at
point B without introducing any net external effects on the body.
• Original force at A and the equal and opposite one at B constitute the
couple M = Fd, which is counter clockwise
(a) (b) (c)
FORCE-COUPLE SYSTEMS
• Thus, original force at A is replaced by the same force acting at a
different point B and a couple, without altering the external effects of
the original force on the body.
• The combination of the force and couple is referred to as a force-
couple system .
(a) (b) (c)
FORCE-COUPLE SYSTEMS
Replace the force F acting at the point A to the point B
F
B A
Apply two equal and opposite forces of same magnitude &
direction as Force F at point B, so that external effect is
unchanged
F F
B A
d
F
F F F
B A B
= A
d M=Fxd
F
Of these three forces, two forces i.e., one at A and the other
oppositely directed at B form a couple.
Moment of this couple, M = F × d.
Third force at B is acting in the same direction as that at A.
Thus, the force F acting at a point such as A in a rigid body can be
moved to any other given point B, by adding a couple M. The
moment of the couple is equal to moment of the force in its
original position about B.
Example 01
An equilateral triangle of sides 200mm is acted upon by 4
forces as shown in the figure. Determine magnitude and
direction of the resultant and its position from point ‘D’.
50kN
60kN
30º 60º 30kN
D
200mm
80kN
Resultant & its inclination:
50 sin 60
50kN
Resolving forces
+ ΣFx = Rx = +30 + 60 cos30º – 50 cos60º
50 cos 60 60 sin30
60kN
= +56.96kN.
+ ΣFy = Ry = -80 + 60 sin30º + 50 sin60º 60 cos30
= -6.69kN. 30º 60º 30kN
R=
200mm
Inclination [Link] horizontal = θR
80kN
= tan-1(Ry/Rx)
= tan-1(6.69/56.96) = 6.7º
b) Position [Link] D:
Moment of the component forces about D:
+ MD = - 60 × 100 + 80 × 100 = 2000kNmm.
=R× d
where ‘d’ = perpendicular distance from point D to the line
of action of R.
or, 2000= Rxd. 50kN
∴ d =2000/57.35 = 34.87mm
60kN
30º 60º 30kN
200mm
D
80kN
(Example 02)
Find the resultant and its position [Link] ‘O’ of the non-
concurrent system of forces shown in the figure.
F1=2500N
F5=2000N F2=500N
1 Ө4 Ө2
1 1m
Ө5 F3=1000N
O
1m
F4=1500N
A) To find the resultant – F1=2500N
F5=2000N F2=500N
Ө2 = tan-1(1/2) = 26.56° 1 Ө4 Ө2
Ө4 = tan-1(3/2) = 56.31° 1
Ө5
1m
F3=1000N
Ө5 = tan (1/1) = 45°
-1
O
+ ΣFx = Rx = F2 cosӨ2 +F3 1m
-F4 cosӨ4-F5 cos Ө5
F4=1500N
= 500 × cos26.56 + 1000 –
1500 × cos56.31-2000 × cos45
= -799.03N = 799.03N←
+↑ΣFy = Ry= F1+F2 sin Ө2-F4 sin Ө4+F5 sin Ө5
= 2500+500 sin26.56-1500 sin56.31+2000 sin45
=2889.70N ↑
∴ Resultant R = R
Ry
= 2998.14N
R
ӨR = tan R = tan-1(2889.7/799.03) = 74.54°
-1 ӨR
y
Rx
B) Position of Resultant [Link] ‘O’:
By Varignon’s theorem, Moment of the resultant about ‘O’
= Algebraic sum of the moments of its components
about ‘O’.
+ Mo =R×d = +2500×2 + 500×sin26.56×5 – 500×
cos26.56×3 - 1000×1- 1500× cos56.31×0
–1500×sin56.3×1+2000× cos45×1+2000×sin45×0
= 2998.14 × d
d = 1.43 m from O.
(Example 03)
Determine the resultant of three forces acting on a dam
section shown in the figure and locate its intersection with
the base. Check whether the resultant passes through the
middle one-third of the base.
120 kN
50 kN 30 kN
2m
3m 1m
60º
A B
6m
120 kN
50 kN 30 kN
2m 30º
3m
60º 1m
A B
6m
+ ∑Fx = Rx = 50 – 30 × cos30 = 24.02 kN
+ ∑Fy = Ry = -120 – 30 × sin 30= -135 kN
Resultant, R=
R x R y 24 . 02 2 135 2 137 . 12 k N
2 2
θR= tan-1(Ry/Rx) = tan-1(135/24.12) = 79. 91º
Location of the resultant w.r.t. B:
MB= 30×1 + 120 × (6-2) - 50 × 3 = Ry × X
360 = 135× X
Therefore, X = 360/135 = 2.67m from B.
From A, X = 6 –2.67= 3. 33 m.
Middle 1/3rd distance is between 2m and 4m.
2m<3. 33<4m
Hence, the resultant passes through the middle 1/3rd
of the base.
Example 04
A 50 N force is applied to the corner of a plate as Shown in the
fig. Determine an equivalent force-couple system at A.
Also determine an equivalent system consisting of a 150 N force
at B and another force at A.
B
30 mm
A
50 mm
100 mm 30º
50 N
Force – Couple System at A: B
Fx = 50 ×sin 30= 25 N. 30 mm
A
Fy = 50 × cos 30= 43.3 N 50 mm 50 sin 30
50 N
60º
100 mm 30º
50N
50 cos 30
a) Force – Couple System at A:
B
Fx = 50 ×sin 30 = 25 N. 30 mm
A
Fy = 50 × cos 30 = 43.3 N 50 mm Fx=50 sin 30
These forces can be moved to
A by adding the couple.
30º
Moment of the couple about A 100 mm
50N
+ ∑MA= Fx×50-Fy×100 Fy=50 cos 30
= 25×50 - 43.3×100
= -3080 N-mm. Fx=50 sin 30
A
= 3080 N-mm 50 mm MA=3080N-mm
Fy=50 cos 30
100 mm
150 N
b) Forces at A and B :
The couple MA is because of two θ
B
equal and opposite forces at A 30 mm
A
and B.
i.e., MA = 150 × cosθ × 30 50 mm
= 3080
Therefore, θ = 46.8º. 100 mm
Resultant force at A: θ=46.8º Fx=50 sin 30
A
FX=50×sin30-150×cos46.8 50 mm
= -77.68N 150N
FY=-50×cos30-150×sin46.8
100 mm
= -152.65N Fy=50 cos 30