Force Measurement

This chapter outlines the methods that can be employed to determine the magnitude of the forces. The determination or measurement of forces must yield to the following considerations: if the forces acting on a body do not produce any acceleration, they must form a system offerees in equilibrium. The system is then considered to be in static equilibrium. The forces experienced by a body can be classified into two categories: internal, where the individual particles of a body act on each other, and external otherwise. If a body is supported by other bodies while subject to the action of forces, deformations and/or displacements will be produced at the points of support or contact. The internal forces will be distributed throughout the body until equilibrium is established, and then the body is said to be in a state of tension, compression, or shear.