Statics

This chapter reviews the subject of Statics, which forms the foundation for the mechanics of materials. Statics concerns bodies/structures in equilibrium (i.e., at rest or in uniform motion). However, it does not take deformations of the components into account (i.e., it assumes that the components are rigid ), even though mechanics of materials considers deformation as well. The basic equations in Statics are the equilibrium conditions ; that is, force balance and moment (or torque) balance at any location and in any direction. Solution of equilibrium equations can determine reaction loads (forces or moments) at support locations under known external loads (forces or moments), and internal loads (forces/moments) at any location and section of the body. The main contents of the chapter are the following: Relevance of Statics as a prerequisite for the subject, How to write Equations of Equilibrium, Importance of the types of supports in a structure, Determination of external reactions (forces and moments), Determination of internal loads, Properties of two-force members and analysis of trusses/frames, How to sketch and use proper Free-Body Diagrams in effective problem solution Solution of problems with distributed forces, and Illustration that Statics alone cannot solve statically indeterminate systems.