UNIVERSITY OF THE CORDILLERAS COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE

MECH 1 STATICS OF RIGID BODIES

MODULE 5: CENTROIDS AND CENTER OF GRAVITY

UNIT 3: CENTROIDS OF COMPOSITE FIGURES

 UNIT LEARNING OUTCOMES
In this unit, here are the following desired learning outcomes:
✘ Differentiate centroid and center of gravity.
✘ Identify the formulas for the centroid and area of common
geometric shapes as derived from integral calculus.

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 CENTROIDS
Σ 𝑎𝑖 𝑥𝑖 Σ 𝑎𝑖 𝑦𝑖
𝑥ҧ = 𝑦ത =
𝐴𝑇 𝐴𝑇

Where:
𝑥ҧ = 𝑎𝑏𝑠𝑐𝑖𝑠𝑠𝑎 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑖𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎
𝑦ത = 𝑜𝑟𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑖𝑑𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎
𝑥𝑖 = 𝑎𝑏𝑠𝑐𝑖𝑠𝑠𝑎 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑖𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑎𝑛 𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎
𝑦𝑖 = 𝑜𝑟𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑖𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑎𝑛 𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎
𝑎𝑖 = 𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎
𝐴 = 𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎

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CENTROIDS OF COMMON GEOMETRIC SHAPES

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CENTROIDS OF COMMON GEOMETRIC SHAPES
CENTROIDS OF COMPOSITE FIGURES
The location of the centroid of a plane figure can be thought of as the average distance of the
area to an axis. Usually, the axes involved will be the x and y axes. In determining the location of
the centroid, the following steps are suggested:
1. If there is no given location for the reference axes, it will be advantageous to place the x-axis
through the lowest point and the y-axis through the left edge of the figure. This places the
plane area entirely within the first quadrant where x and y distances are positive. 𝐹𝑖𝑔. 10 − 6
2. Divide the area into simple areas (common geometric shapes). 𝐹𝑖𝑔. 10 − 7
3. Take the moment of each simple area about the x-axis. Since the centroid of the composite
figure is the point at which the entire area is assumed to be concentrated, the moment of
the entire area about the x-axis must be equal to the sum of the moments of its component
Σ 𝑎𝑖 𝑦𝑖
parts about the x-axis. That is, 𝑦ത =
𝐴𝑇

4. Following the same procedure for moments about the y-axis, 𝑥ҧ = Σ 𝑎𝐴𝑖𝑥𝑖
𝑇

*If a hole/cut exist in the composite figure, treat it as a negative area. The moment of a
negative area will be negative, provided that the entire figure lies in the first quadrant.
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EXAMPLE 1. 𝑥ҧ =
Σ 𝑎𝑖 𝑥𝑖
𝑦ത =
Σ 𝑎𝑖 𝑦𝑖
𝐴𝑇 𝐴𝑇
Locate the centroid of the inverted T-
section shown.

𝑆𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛:
Divide the figure into two
rectangles
𝑎1 = 2 8 = 16 𝑖𝑛2
𝑎2 = 8 2 = 16 𝑖𝑛2
𝐴 𝑇 = 32 𝑖𝑛2

Σ 𝑎𝑖 𝑥𝑖 16 4 + 16(4)
𝑥ҧ = =
𝐴𝑇 32
𝑥ҧ = 4 𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑠

Σ 𝑎𝑖 𝑦𝑖 16 6 + 16(1)
𝑦ത = =
𝐴𝑇 32
𝑦ത = 3.5 𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑠
𝑅𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑑:
𝑥ҧ 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑦ത

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EXAMPLE 1. 𝑥ҧ =
Σ 𝑎𝑖 𝑥𝑖
𝑦ത =
Σ 𝑎𝑖 𝑦𝑖
𝐴𝑇 𝐴𝑇
Locate the centroid of the inverted T-
section shown.

𝑆𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛: Tabulation of values may be done for better

presentaition of the solution
SHAPE 𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝑖𝑛2 𝑥𝑖 𝑖𝑛 𝑦𝑖 𝑖𝑛
8
1. 2 8 = 16 4 +2=6
2
2
2. 8 2 = 16 4 =1
2
𝐴 𝑇 = 32 𝑖𝑛2

Σ 𝑎𝑖 𝑥𝑖 16 4 + 16(4)
𝑥ҧ = =
𝐴𝑇 32
𝑥ҧ = 4 𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑠

Σ 𝑎𝑖 𝑦𝑖 16 6 + 16(1)
𝑦ത = =
𝑅𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑑: 𝐴𝑇 32

𝑥ҧ 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑦ത 𝑦ത = 3.5 𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑠

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EXAMPLE 2. 𝑥ҧ =
Σ 𝑎𝑖 𝑥𝑖
𝑦ത =
Σ 𝑎𝑖 𝑦𝑖
𝐴𝑇 𝐴𝑇
Locate the centroid of the composite 𝑅𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑑:
figure shown.
𝑥ҧ 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑦ത

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EXAMPLE 2. 𝑥ҧ =
Σ 𝑎𝑖 𝑥𝑖
𝑦ത =
Σ 𝑎𝑖 𝑦𝑖
𝐴𝑇 𝐴𝑇
Locate the centroid of the composite 𝑅𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑑:
figure shown.
𝑥ҧ 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑦ത
𝑆𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛:
SHAPE 𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝑖𝑛2 𝑥𝑖 𝑖𝑛 𝑦𝑖 𝑖𝑛
1
1. 6 1 =6 6 1 + 12 + = 13.5
2
12
2. 1 12 = 12 6 1+ =7
2
1
3. 12 1 = 12 6 = 0.5
2
𝐴 𝑇 = 30 𝑖𝑛2
Σ 𝑎𝑖 𝑥𝑖 6 6 + 12 6 + 12(6)
𝑥ҧ = =
𝐴𝑇 30
𝑥ҧ = 6 𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑠

Σ 𝑎𝑖 𝑦𝑖 6 13.5 + 12 7 + 12(0.5)
𝑦ത = =
𝐴𝑇 30
𝑦ത = 5.7 𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑠

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EXAMPLE 3. 𝑥ҧ =
Σ 𝑎𝑖 𝑥𝑖
𝑦ത =
Σ 𝑎𝑖 𝑦𝑖
𝐴𝑇 𝐴𝑇
Locate the centroid of the composite 𝑅𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑑:
figure shown.
𝑥ҧ 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑦ത

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EXAMPLE 3. 𝑥ҧ =
Σ 𝑎𝑖 𝑥𝑖
𝑦ത =
Σ 𝑎𝑖 𝑦𝑖
𝐴𝑇 𝐴𝑇
Locate the centroid of the composite 𝑅𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑑:
figure shown.
𝑥ҧ 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑦ത
𝑆𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛:

SHAPE 𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝑖𝑛2 𝑥𝑖 𝑖𝑛 𝑦𝑖 𝑖𝑛

10
1. 8 10 = 80 4 =5
2
𝜋 42 4 4
2. − = −8𝜋 4 10 − = 8.302
2 3𝜋
𝐴 𝑇 = 54.867 𝑖𝑛2

Σ 𝑎𝑖 𝑥𝑖 80 4 + (−8𝜋) 4
𝑥ҧ = =
𝐴𝑇 54.867
𝑥ҧ = 4 𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑠

Σ 𝑎𝑖 𝑦𝑖 80 5 + (−8𝜋) 8.302
𝑦ത = =
𝐴𝑇 54.867
𝑦ത = 3.487 𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑠

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EXAMPLE 4. 𝑥ҧ =
Σ 𝑎𝑖 𝑥𝑖
𝑦ത =
Σ 𝑎𝑖 𝑦𝑖
𝐴𝑇 𝐴𝑇
Locate the centroid of the composite 𝑅𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑑:
figure shown.
𝑥ҧ 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑦ത

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EXAMPLE 4. 𝑥ҧ =
Σ 𝑎𝑖 𝑥𝑖
𝑦ത =
Σ 𝑎𝑖 𝑦𝑖
𝐴𝑇 𝐴𝑇
Locate the centroid of the composite 𝑅𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑑:
figure shown.
𝑥ҧ 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑦ത
𝑆𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛:
SHAPE 𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝑖𝑛2 𝑥𝑖 𝑖𝑛 𝑦𝑖 𝑖𝑛
1 1
1. 9 6 = 54 9 = 4.5 6 =3
2 2
𝜋 32 9𝜋 4 3 4 3
2. − =− = 1.273 6− = 4.727
4 4 3𝜋 3𝜋

1 1 1
3. − 4.5 6 = −13.5 9− 4.5 = 7.5 6 =2
2 3 3

𝐴 𝑇 = 33.431 𝑖𝑛2

9𝜋
Σ 𝑎𝑖 𝑥𝑖 54 4.5 + − 4 1.273 + −13.5 7.5
𝑥ҧ = =
𝐴𝑇 33.431
𝑥ҧ = 3.971 𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑠
9𝜋
Σ 𝑎𝑖 𝑦𝑖 54 3 + − 4 4.727 + −13.5 2
𝑦ത = =
𝐴𝑇 33.431
𝑦ത = 3.039 𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑠