CENTROID OF AN AREA

 

CENTROID OF AN AREA

Engineering Mechanics EME-102

Geometrical Center of an area (A) is often termed as Centroid or Center of an Area.

Suppose we have an area A in a certain X-Y coordinate system, we divide the area into n parts and named them as A₁, A₂, A₃, .... A_n,. Let the coordinates of those tiny elemental areas are as (X₁,Y₁), (X₂,Y₂), (X₃,Y₃) ..... (X_n,Y_n).

As area can be represented by a vector, hence, Area A can be treated as the resultant of the tiny elemental vectors A₁, A₂, A₃, .... A_n... Let the direction of the resultant vector passes through the point G(X_g,Y_g) on the plane of the area. The point G(X_g,Y_g) is called the CENTROID of the area A. (The direction of any area is along the perpendicular to the area drawn at the centroid of the area).

Like other vectors, an area has a moment about an axis and be represented by the product of the radial distance between the area and the axis and the area itself. So if an elementary area A₁ has a coordinate (X₁,Y₁) it means the area is at a distance X₁ from the Y axis and Y₁ from the X axis. Therefore the moment produced by A1 about Y axis is X₁A₁ and about X axis is Y₁A₁.

 Therefore the summation of all the moments produced by each and every elemental area about Y axis will be ∑A_iX_i and about X axis will be ∑A_iY_i.

Again, the resultant area A passes through the point G(X_g,Y_g). Therefore the moment produced by the area A about Y axis will be AX_g and about X axis will be AY_g.

Like other vectors, it will obey the Moment Theorem which states the total moment produced by individual vectors will be exactly equal to the moment produced by the resultant vector about a certain axis.

Therefore,
AX_g = A₁X₁ + A₂X₂ + A₃X₃ + ...... + A_nX_n

and
AY_g = A₁Y₁ + A₂Y₂ + A₃Y₃ + ...... + A_nY_n

           

                 For an area, a centroid G(X_g,Y_g) can be defined using calculus by the equations,

X_g = (1/A)∫x.dA   ------ (i)

Where dA = elemental area and A= total area.

Y_g = (1/A)∫y.dA   ------ (ii)

HOW TO DERIVE THE VALUES OF X_g and Y_g FOR BASIC GEOMETRIC FIGURE:

STEPS TO FIND X_g


i) Draw the figure in a Coordinate System.

ii) Draw a thin strip of area of thickness (dx) parallel to Y axis and at a distance (x) from Y axis.

iii) Find the height of the strip. Either the height will be constant or the height is a function of (x), that can be calculated from the equation of the figure.

iv) Calculate the elemental area of the strip, and named as dA. Hence, dA = hdx

v) integrate the expression ∫xdA, but dA = hdx. Therefore, we shall integrate  ∫hxdx over the total area.

vi) X_g = (∫ xdA)/A = (∫ hxdx)/A ; where A = total area = ∫dA = ∫hdx


STEPS TO FIND Yg

i) Draw the figure in a Coordinate System.

ii) Draw a thin strip of area of thickness (dy) parallel to X axis and at a distance (y) from X axis.

iii) Find the length (b) of the strip. Either the length will be constant or the length is a function of (y), that can be calculated from the equation of the figure.

iv) Calculate the elemental area of the strip, and named as dA. Hence, dA = bdy

v) integrate the expression ∫ydA, but dA = bdy. Therefore, we shall integrate ∫bydy over the total area.

vi) Y_g = (∫ ydA)/A = (∫bydy)/A





CENTROID OF A COMPOSITE AREA:




HOW TO FIND THE CENTROID OF A COMPOSITE AREA

(a composite area consists of several straight or curved lines.)

(i) Draw the figure in a coordinate system. Draw the dimensions too. Every dimensions will be measured with respect to origin of the coordinate system

(ii) Divide the composite area into several parts of basic geometric areas. Lebel them as part-1, part-2, part-3, .......part-n. Let the corresponding areas are A₁, A₂, A₃, .... A_n. Let the centroids are G₁(X₁,Y₁), G₂(X₂,Y₂), G₃(X₃,Y₃), ...... G_n(X_n,Y_n).

(iii) Let the centroid of the composite area be G(Xg,Yg). Hence,
Xg = (A₁X₁ + A₂X₂ +A₃X₃)/(A₁ + A₂ + A₃)

Yg = (A₁Y₁ + A₂Y₂ +A₃Y₃)/(A₁ + A₂ + A₃)

(a) Suppose we have certain area of magnitude (A) in a coordinate system. The centroid of the area will be at its mid-point. A centroid is denoted by G.
 
                       In the figure we have a complex geometrical area composed of three basic geometrical areas. A rectangle, a semi circle and a isosceles triangle. Let us denote the centroids as G₁, G₂, G₃ for the given areas in the figure.

We shall have to find the Centroid of the entire area composed of  A₁, A₂, A₃. 

At first, the composite line is divided into three parts.

Part -1 : The semi-circle : Let the centroid of the area A₁ be G₁(X₁,Y₁)

Area, A₁ = (π/2)x(25)² mm² = 981.74 mm²                  
          X₁ = { 25 -  (4x25)/(3xπ)} mm = 14.39 mm
          Y₁ = 25 mm

Part -2 : The Rectangle : Let the centroid of the A₂ be G₂(X₂,Y₂)

Area, A₂ = 100 x 50  mm² = 5000 mm²                 
          X₂ = 25 + (100/2) = 75 mm
          Y₂ = 25 mm
Part -3 : The Triangle : Let the centroid of the area Area, A₃ be G₃(X₃,Y₃)

Area, A₃ = (1/2) x 50 x 50 mm² = 1250 mm²                 
          X₃ = 25 + 50 + 25 = 100 mm
          Y₃ = 50 + (50/3) =  66.67 mm



If the centroid of the composite line be G  (X_g,Y_g)

X_g = (∑A_iX_i)/(∑A_i) 

    = (A₁X₁ + A₂X₂ +A₃X₃)/(A₁ + A₂ + A₃)
    = (981.74 x 14.39 + 5000 x 75 + 1250 x 100)/( 981.74 + 5000 + 1250)
    = 71.09
     

Y_g = (∑A_iY_i)/(∑A_i) 

    = (A₁Y₁ + A₂Y₂ +A₃Y₃)/(A₁ + A₂ + A₃)
    = (981.74 x 25 + 5000 x 25 + 1250 x 66.67)/ ( 981.74 + 5000 + 1250)
    = 32.20