Statics of Non-Concurrent Force Systems

Supporting a Rigid Body:A rigid body is usually supported at one or more locations. These supports help keep the body in a stationary position. At a support location, the body exerts a load (action) on to the support and the support exerts an equal and opposite load (reaction) on the body.

In order to identify the type of reaction exerted by the support, we consider the movement that the support helps to restrain. For example, if a support prevents the translation of the body along a particular direction, then there is a reaction force in the same direction at the point of support. Similarly, if the support prevents the rotation of the body, then the reaction load is in the form of a moment.

As a general rule, we must remeber the following fact: Movement Prevented = Reaction Created

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