Introduction to Mechanical Engineering (ME131)

Module 2
Centroid and Moment of Inertia
▪ Determination of center of gravity, Center of mass, and centroid
by direct integration and by the method of composite bodies
▪ Area moment of inertia of composite plane figures and mass
moment of inertia, Radius of gyration, Perpendicular and parallel
axis theorem, Polar moment of inertia.
▪ Pappus theorems.
1. Engineering Mechanics: Statics and Dynamics, R. C. Hibbeler, Pearson Education Inc.,
14th Edition, 2016.
2. Prof. K. Ramesh,” Engineering Mechanics”, NPTEL – IIT Madras
https://archive.nptel.ac.in/courses/112/106/112106286/
CENTRE OF GRAVITY
CENTRE OF GRAVITY

A body is composed of an infinite number of particles, and

if the body is located within a gravitational field, then each
of these particles will have a weight dW.

These weights will form a parallel force

system, and the resultant of this system
is the total weight of the body, which
passes through a single point called the
center of gravity (G)
LOCATION OF CENTRE OF GRAVITY
▪ The location of the center of gravity, measured from the y axis, is
determined by equating the moment of W about the y axis, to the
sum of the moments of the weights of all its particles about this
same axis.
LOCATION OF CENTRE OF GRAVITY CONT.

𝑥,ҧ 𝑦,
ത 𝑧ҧ are the coordinates of the center
of gravity G.
CENTER OF MASS
➢ In order to study the dynamic response or accelerated motion of a
body, it becomes important to locate the body’s center of mass (Cm)
➢ This location can be determined
by substituting dW = g dm
CENTROID
➢ If a body is made from a homogeneous material, then its density ρ
(rho) will be constant. Therefore, a differential element of volume
dV has a mass dm = ρdV.
➢ Substituting this, we obtain formulas
that locate the centroid (C) or
geometric center of the body.
CENTROID OF AN AREA
dV=ldA
CENTROID OF A TRIANGLE
CENTROID OF A TRIANGLE
Let b1 be the width of
elemental strip of thickness
dy at a distance y from the
base.
Since ∆ AEF and ∆ ABC are
similar triangles, we can
write:
 CENTROID OF A TRIANGLE CONTT..

Thus the centroid of a triangle is at a distance h/3 from the base (or)
2h/3 from the apex.
CENTROID OF A SEMICIRCLE
CENTROID OF A SEMICIRCLE
Consider an element at a
distance r from the centre O
of the semicircle, radial
width is dr.
CENTROID OF A SEMICIRCLE CONTT..
Total moment of area about diametral axis
CENTROID OF SOME COMMON FIGURES
CENTROID OF SOME COMMON FIGURES
IMPORTANT POINTS
▪ The centroid represents the geometric center of a body. This
point coincides with the center of mass or the center of gravity
only if the material of the body is uniform or homogeneous.
▪ Formulas used to locate the center of gravity or the centroid
simply represent a balance between the sum of moments of
all the parts of the system and the moment of the
“resultant” for the system.
▪ In some cases the centroid is located at a point that is not on the
object, as in the case of a ring, where the centroid is at its
center. Also, this point will lie on any axis of symmetry for the
body
COMPOSITE BODIES
COMPOSITE BODIES CONT..
➢ We can then eliminate the need for integration to determine the
center of gravity for the entire body
➢ Rather than account for an infinite number of differential weights,
we have instead a finite number of weights

෥, 𝒚
𝒙 ෥, 𝒛෤ represent the coordinates of the center of gravity of each
composite part of the body.
σ𝑊 is the sum of the weights of all the composite parts of the
body, or simply the total weight of the body.
Problem
Determine the location of the centroid C of the beam having the cross-
sectional area shown in figure
Problem
Locate the centroid of the
wire shown in the figure
Problem
Practice Problem
Problem
y

200 mm

100 mm
MOMENT OF INERTIA
MOMENT OF INERTIA
➢ Moment of inertia is the quantitative measure of the rotational
inertia of a body—i.e., the opposition that the body exhibits to
having its speed of rotation about an axis altered by the application
of a torque (turning force).
➢ In calculating angular momentum for a rigid body, the moment of
inertia is analogous to mass in linear momentum.
➢ The Physical significance of moment of inertia is same to the mass
in transitional motion. As the mass increases the inertia becomes
higher. The force needed to produce linear acceleration will also
increases.
MOMENT OF INERTIA
Pascal’s law
p = γy
γ- Specific weight
The force acting on the
differential area dA of
the plate is dF = p dA =
(γy)dA.
The moment of this force
about the x axis is
therefore dM = y dF =
γy2dA
MOMENT OF INERTIA
dM = y dF = γy2dA
2
M = γ‫𝐴𝑑 𝑦 ׬‬.

The integral‫ 𝑦 ׬‬2 𝑑𝐴

referred to as the
“second moment” of the
area / moment of inertia
of the area
MOMENT OF INERTIA

POLAR MOMENT OF INERTIA

dJO = r2 dA
Perpendicular Axis Theorem

𝐼𝑧 = 𝐼𝑥 + 𝐼𝑦

The moment of inertia of an area about

an axis perpendicular to its plane at
any point is equal to the sum of
moments of inertia about any two
mutually perpendicular axis through
the same point and lying in the plane
of the area.
Parallel Axis Theorem

The first integral represents the

moment of inertia of the area about
the centroidal axis
Parallel Axis Theorem

The second integral is zero

The third integral represents the

total area A
Parallel Axis Theorem

The moment of inertia for an area about

an axis is equal to its moment of inertia
about a parallel axis passing through the
area’s centroid plus the product of the
area and the square of the perpendicular
distance between the axes.
Problem
Determine the moment of inertia
for the rectangular area shown in
figure with respect to (a) the
centroidal 𝑥ƴ axis, (b) the axis xb
passing through the base of the
rectangle, and (c) the pole or 𝑧ƴ
axis perpendicular to the 𝑥ƴ − 𝑦ƴ
plane and passing through the
centroid C.
Solution
(a) about the centroidal 𝑥ƴ axis
Solution
(b) the axis xb passing through the
base of the rectangle
Solution
(c) the pole or 𝑧ƴ axis perpendicular
to the 𝑥ƴ − 𝑦ƴ plane
 Moments of Inertia for Composite Areas
Composite Parts
▪ Using a sketch, divide the area into its composite parts and indicate the
perpendicular distance from the centroid of each part to the reference axis.
Parallel-Axis Theorem
▪ If the centroidal axis for each part does not coincide with the reference axis, the
parallel-axis theorem, I = 𝐼 ҧ + Ad2, should be used to determine the moment of
inertia of the part about the reference axis.
Summation
▪ The MOI of the entire area about the reference axis is determined by summing
the results of its composite parts about this axis.
▪ If a composite part has an empty region (hole), its MOI is found by subtracting
the MOI of this region from the MOI of the entire part including the region.
Problem
Determine the moments
of inertia for the cross-
sectional area of the
member about the x and
y centroidal axes.
Solution
 Solution

Rectangles A and D
 Solution

Rectangle B
Solution
Summation
Problem
Determine the moment of
inertia about x and y axis
Problem
Determine the moment of
inertia of the area about the
centroidal axis 𝑦ƴ
Solution
Centroid 𝑥ҧ
Solution
Moment of inertia of the area about axis 𝑦ƴ
MASS MOMENT OF INERTIA
The mass moment of inertia of a body is a
measure of the body’s resistance to angular
acceleration. It is used in dynamics to study
rotational motion.

The mass moment of inertia of the

body about the z axis is
MASS MOMENT OF INERTIA
The mass moment of inertia of the
body about the z axis is

If the body consists of

material having a density
ρ, then dm = ρ dV

Purely a function of geometry

Problem
Determine the mass moment of
inertia of the cylinder about the z
axis. The density of the material, ρ,
is constant.
Problem
Problem
Problem
Parallel-Axis Theorem
If the moment of inertia of the body
about an axis passing through the
body’s mass center is known, then the
moment of inertia about any other
parallel axis can be determined by
using the parallel-axis theorem.
Parallel-Axis Theorem
Parallel-Axis Theorem

The second integral is equal to zero

The third integral is the total mass m of the body

Radius of Gyration
Radius of gyration of a body about the axis of rotation is defined as the
radial distance to a point which would have a moment of inertia the
same as the body's actual distribution of mass, if the total mass of the
body were concentrated there.
Composite Bodies / Problem
If the plate has a density of 8000 kg/m3 and a thickness of 10 mm,
determine its mass moment of inertia about an axis perpendicular to the
page and passing through the pin at O.
Solution
Solution
Solution
Problem
The pendulum consists of a disk having a mass of 6 kg and slender
rods AB and DC which have a mass per unit length of 2 kg/m.
Determine the length L of DC so that the center of mass is at the
bearing O. What is the moment of inertia of the assembly about an axis
perpendicular to the page and passing through point O?
 Theorems of Pappus and Guldinus
The two theorems of Pappus and
Guldinus are used to find the
surface area and volume of any
body of revolution.

dA = 2πr dL
A = 2π‫𝐿𝑑𝑟 ׬‬
ҧ then A = 2π𝑟L
Since ‫𝑟 =𝐿𝑑𝑟 ׬‬L, ҧ
Theorems of Pappus and Guldinus
Theorem 1
ҧ then A = 2π𝑟L
Since ‫𝑟 =𝐿𝑑𝑟 ׬‬L, ҧ
The area of a surface of revolution
If the curve is revolved only equals the product of the length of
through an angle θ (radians), then the generating curve and the
𝐴 = 𝜃𝑟𝐿 ҧ distance travelled by the centroid
of the curve in generating the
surface area.
Theorems of Pappus and Guldinus
Volume
Theorems of Pappus and Guldinus
dV = 2πr dA

V = 2π‫𝐴𝑑𝑟 ׬‬

Science ‫𝐴𝑟 = 𝐴𝑑𝑟 ׬‬,

ҧ
so that V = 2π𝑟𝐴
ҧ

If the area is only revolved

through an angle θ
(radians), then
𝑉 = 𝜃𝑟𝐴ҧ
Theorems of Pappus and Guldinus
𝑉 = 𝜃𝑟𝐴
ҧ

Theorem 2
The volume of a body of revolution equals the product of the
generating area and the distance travelled by the centroid of the
area in generating the volume.
Surface area and Volume of Composite Shapes
If the perpendicular distance from the axis of revolution to the centroid
of each composite part is 𝑟,ǁ then
𝐴 = 𝜃 σ(𝑟𝐿)
ǁ

and
𝑉 = 𝜃 σ(𝑟𝐴)
ǁ
Example
Volume of a sphere
Problem
Determine the surface area and volume of the full solid
Solution
Solution
Problem
A ring is generated by rotating the quarter circular
area about the x axis. Determine its volume and
surface area.
Solution
Volume

Surface area
The 12m boom AB shown in figure (1) weighs 10kN, the distance of
the centre of gravity G being 6m from hinge A. For the position shown,
determine the tension T in the cable BC and the reaction at hinge A.