Torques and Moments of Force

Torques

Slide 1

ESS 3093 Biomechanics

Class Objectives
Introduce Levers and Mechanical Advantage
Define Torque and moment arm
Moment arm as a radius vector
Torque as a vector cross product

Static Equilibrium Including Torque

Define Center of Mass
Estimate the Location of the Center of Mass
Torques

Slide 2

ESS 3093 Biomechanics

Levers and Leverage

Torques

Slide 3

ESS 3093 Biomechanics

Mechanical Advantage
MA =

effort arm
reistance arm

Torques

Slide 4

ESS 3093 Biomechanics

Levers Trade Force for Distance

If Mechanical Advantage is > 1,
Effort force < Resistance force
Effort movement > Resistance movement

If Mechanical Advantage is < 1,

Effort force > Resistance force
Effort movement < Resistance movement

What does that tell you about range of

motion? Speed?

Torques

Slide 5

ESS 3093 Biomechanics

Classes of Levers

Resistance

Effort

1st Class:
Direction reversed

2nd Class

Effort

Resistance

Direction maintained
MA > 1

3rd Class:

Resistance

Effort

Direction maintained
MA < 1
Torques

Slide 6

ESS 3093 Biomechanics

Torque

The turning effect caused by a force

Moment of force

Torques

Slide 7

ESS 3093 Biomechanics

Mathematical Definition of Torque

T = r F

Axis of
rotation

Moment arm

T = torque (Nm)
r = moment arm (m)

Force

Distance from the axis of rotation to the line of

action of the force
Perpendicular to the line of action of the force
Moment arm
F = force (N)
Units: Newton x meters (Nm)

90

x
Torques

Slide 8

ESS 3093 Biomechanics

Torque Direction
Direction
+ Torque = counter clockwise
- Torque = clockwise
Right hand rule

Torques

Slide 9

ESS 3093 Biomechanics

Internal and External Torque

External Torque

Internal Torque

Torques

Slide 10

ESS 3093 Biomechanics

Moment Arm
Definition: Distance from the axis of
rotation to the line of action or the force
AND Perpendicular to the line of action
of the force
Moment arm

Force

Axis
Torques

Slide 11

ESS 3093 Biomechanics

Moment Arm: General Case

1. What is the moment arm to the muscle
force, OR
2. What is the component of muscle force
to the bone?

Muscle
Force

Moment arm?

Axis
Torques

Bone
Slide 12

ESS 3093 Biomechanics

Moment Arm: General Case

Method 1
Use trig to find the length of the moment arm from
the axis to the line of action of the force
Moment arm = d sin

Torque = Fm d sin

Muscle
Force (Fm)

Moment arm?

Axis, Joint
center
Torques

d
Slide 13

Bone
ESS 3093 Biomechanics

Moment Arm: General Case

Method 2
Use trig to find the component of muscle force which acts
to the bone
F = Fm sin

T = d Fm sin
Muscle
Force

Component of
Muscle Force
to the bone

Torques

Axis

Slide 14

Bone

ESS 3093 Biomechanics

Example 1
A force of 200 N is exerted 0.25 m from
the axis of rotation. What is the
resulting torque?

r
F
Torques

Slide 15

ESS 3093 Biomechanics

Example 2
What is the torque about the elbow
produced by the following conditions:
a 900 N force pulling on the forearm
at an angle of 110 deg from the horizon
at a point 3 cm to the right of the elbows
axis of rotation
with the forearm horizontal

Torques

Slide 16

ESS 3093 Biomechanics

T = rm Fm
rm = d sin 110

Fm = 900 N

T = Fm d sin 110
T = 900 N x 0.03 x sin 110
T = 25.4 Nm
rm = ?

110 deg
d = 0.03 m
Torques

Slide 17

ESS 3093 Biomechanics

The muscle tendon moment arms vary with joint angle.

Arthur Jones
Torques

Slide 18

ESS 3093 Biomechanics

Moment arm as a vector

Torque as a vector cross product

Torques

Slide 19

ESS 3093 Biomechanics

Simple Torque Calculation

T = r F
+rx +Fy = +T (CCW)
T = rx Fy
+rx
Convention
+Y

+ rotation

+Fy
+X
Torques

Slide 20

ESS 3093 Biomechanics

Simple Torque calculations

T = r F
+ry +Fx = -T (CW)
T = -(ry Fx)
+Fx

Convention
+Y

+ rotation

+ry

+X
Torques

Slide 21

ESS 3093 Biomechanics

Torque as a Vector Cross Product

Tz = (rx Fy) (ry Fx)
Tz= (xpa-xar) Fy (ypa-yar) Fx
rx = xpa xar

Axis of rotation (ar), x,y

ry = ypa - yar
Point of application (pa) x,y
F y, F x
Torques

Slide 22

ESS 3093 Biomechanics

Torque as a Vector Cross Product

Tz = (rx Fy) (ry Fx)
Tz= (xpa-xar) Fy (ypa-yar) Fx
Axis of rotation (ar), x,y

rx

ry = ypa - yar

ry

Point of application (pa) x,y

Fy

Fx

Torques

rx = xpa xar

Slide 23

ESS 3093 Biomechanics

F = 900 cos 110, 900 sin 110

r = 0.03, 0
Fm = 900 N
T = (rx Fy) (ry Fx)
T = 0.03 x 900 sin 110 - 0
T = 25.4 Nm

rm = ?

FMx = 900N x cos 110 = -307.8

FMy = 900N x sin 110 = 845.7
Rx = 0.03 Ry = 0
Tz = (rx Fy) (ry Fx)
Tz = (0.03 x 845.7) (0 x -307.8)
Tz = 25.4 0
T = 25.4

110 deg
d = 0.03 m
Torques

Slide 24

ESS 3093 Biomechanics

Static Equilibrium
F = 0
T = 0
Combination allows
solutions of indeterminate
problems

Torques

Slide 25

ESS 3093 Biomechanics

A person is holding a 420N (94lb)

dumbbell 0.4m from the elbow in a
static position as shown.
The arm weighs 45N and the center of
mass of the arm is 0.15m from the
elbow.
What is the torque generated by the
elbow flexors if the muscle tendon
moment arm is 0.05m?
What is the force generated by the
elbow flexors to maintain this static
position (assume Fm is vertical)?
Tm = ?
Fm = ?
Fj = ?
Torques

Fj

Slide 26

ESS 3093 Biomechanics

Tdumb = r x F
Tdumb = 0.4 x -420 N
Tdumb= -168 Nm
Tarm = r x F
Tarm = 0.15 x -45
Tarm = -6.75 Nm
Sum of Torques = Tm + -168Nm + -6.75Nm = 0
Tm -174.75 = 0
Tm = 174.75 Nm
Tm = r x F
174.75 Nm = 0.05 m x Fm
Fm = 3495 N
Ftotal=-420 -45+3495 + Fj = 0
Fj = -3030 N

Torques

Fj

Slide 27

ESS 3093 Biomechanics

Food for thought: The torques produced by free weights vary as the
moment arms of these weights change during the movement

T=rxF
Dumbbells dont get heavier,
but the torque gets larger as
the elbow is flexed
Wdb

Torques

Slide 28

Wdb
ESS 3093 Biomechanics

Application: Low Back Pain

Lower back pain (LBP) is
the most costly
musculoskeletal disorder
in industrial nations
80% will suffer LBP
LBP can be completely
debilitating to temporarily
annoying

Torques

Slide 29

ESS 3093 Biomechanics

Biomechanics of Lifting
The disk between L5/S1 incurs the
greatest moment in lifting and is one
of the most vulnerable tissues to
force-induced injuries.

Torques

Slide 30

ESS 3093 Biomechanics

Lifting
Calculate the forward
bending torque about
L5/S1 axis:
Lw = 0.25 m
Lp = 0.4 m

Torques

Slide 31

ESS 3093 Biomechanics

T=0
T = Tb + Tw + Tp = 0
Tb = -Tw - Tp
Tb = -(Fw Lw) - (Fp Lp)
Tb = -(-450*.25) - (-200*.4)
Tb = 192.5 Nm

Lifting

If the moment arm of the erector spinae is .05

m then what is the magnitude of the Fm?
T = F x moment arm
F= T/moment arm
= 192.5Nm/.05m = 3850N
This generally represents the force on the disc
as well as muscle and connective tissue

Torques

Slide 32

ESS 3093 Biomechanics

Center of Mass
Mean position of the mass of a body
A point about which a bodys mass is
evenly distributed
The CoM need not be within body

Torques

Slide 33

ESS 3093 Biomechanics

Example

Torques

Slide 34

ESS 3093 Biomechanics

Center of Mass: Balance Point

Torques

Slide 35

ESS 3093 Biomechanics

CoM by Mass Moments

Mass Moment = Mass Displacement

m1

x1

Torques

Slide 36

ESS 3093 Biomechanics

CoM by Mass Moments

MMs of all components = MMCoM

m1

m2
x1

Torques

x2

Slide 37

ESS 3093 Biomechanics

CoM by Mass Moments

MMs = m1x1 + m2x2 = MtotalxCoM
MtotalxCoM = m1x1 + m2x2 = (m1 + m2)xCoM
xCoM = (m1x1 + m2x2)/(m1 + m2)
Works for any number of masses (not just 2)

Total Mass

m1

m2
x1
Torques

Slide 38

xCoM

x2
ESS 3093 Biomechanics

Segmental Center of Mass

Thigh
CoM: 43% of the length from the hip to the knee
Mass: 14.6% of body mass

Leg
CoM: 43% of the length from the knee to the ankle
Mass: 4.3% of body mass

Foot
CoM: 50% of the length from the ankle to the 2nd metarsal head
Mass: 1.4% of body mass

Torques

Slide 39

ESS 3093 Biomechanics

CoM by Mass Moments

Thigh
CoM: 43% of the length from the hip to the knee
Mass: 14.6% of body mass

Leg
CoM: 43% of the length from the knee to the ankle
Mass: 4.3% of body mass

Foot
CoM: 50% of the length from the ankle to the 2nd metarsal head
Mass: 1.4% of body mass
14.6% BM

43% LThigh
Torques

4.3% BM

43% LLeg
Slide 40

1.4% BM

50% Lfoot
ESS 3093 Biomechanics

2D components of CoM

Torques

Slide 41

ESS 3093 Biomechanics

CoM in Two Dimensions?

The center of mass of the thigh is
located 43% of the segment length
from the hip joint.
What is the location of the CoM of the
thigh segment with the hip located at
(0.5, 1.0) and the knee located at
(0.275, 0.61)?
Torques

Slide 42

ESS 3093 Biomechanics

(0.5, 1.0)

X direction
CoMx = Xprox - 0.43(Xprox-Xdist)
= 0.5 0.43(0.5-0.275)

(0.275, 0.61)

= 0.403
Y direction
CoMy = Yprox - 0.43(Yprox-Ydist)
= 1.0 0.43(1.0-0.61)
= 0.832
CoM will be at (0.403, 0.832)
Torques

Slide 43

ESS 3093 Biomechanics