What Forces Affect a Swingset During Use?

[appogee]

I need help in determining the forces acting on the supports for a swingset. Do the uprights only act in tension and compression or is there also some bending forces as a person swings as high as they can? Are there any formulas that I can use to determine the forces involved during a swinging event?
Any help would be appreciated.

Appogee

 

[rcgldr]

I need help in determining the forces acting on the supports for a swingset. Do the uprights only act in tension and compression or is there also some bending forces as a person swings as high as they can?

There's some torque on the support bar, since the chains are mounted onto eye bolts that extend from the bottom of the bar, and the chains produce a horizontal component of force on the eyebolts. This torque force would create some bending of the bars.

Also since the upright supports aren't hinge mounted to the support bar, the slight movement of the bar due to the forces from the swing would create some bending force, as the bar would tend to rotate in the direction of horizontal movement due to the way the uprights are connected, unless the uprights could be connected horizontally.

Here's a short video of a guy doing a quadruple back flip off a set of swinging rings, and view from the bar of the same guy doing a double twisting double layout. It might help you visualize the forces.

quad.wmv

 

[sir-pinski]

,

The physics of a swing involves multiple forces acting on the supports for a swingset. The main forces involved are tension, compression, and bending forces.

The uprights of a swingset primarily experience tension and compression forces. The top of the uprights experience a compressive force as they support the weight of the swing and the person sitting on it. The bottom of the uprights experience a tensile force as they resist the pulling force of the swing and the person's weight.

However, as a person swings higher, there are also bending forces acting on the uprights. This is due to the change in direction of the swing's motion and the force of gravity pulling down on the swing and the person. These bending forces can be significant, especially when swinging at high speeds.

To determine the forces involved during a swinging event, you can use the laws of motion and equations of motion. The force acting on the swing and the person can be calculated using Newton's second law, which states that force is equal to mass multiplied by acceleration (F=ma). The acceleration of the swing can be calculated using the equation of motion, which takes into account the length of the swing, the angle at which it is released, and the gravitational force acting on the swing.

In addition, you can also use the principle of conservation of energy to determine the forces involved. As the swing moves, it converts potential energy into kinetic energy and vice versa. By calculating the changes in potential and kinetic energy, you can determine the forces acting on the swing and the person at any given point during the swinging event.

Overall, understanding the physics of a swing involves considering various forces, including tension, compression, and bending forces. By using the laws of motion and principles of energy, you can calculate and determine these forces during a swinging event. I hope this helps in your understanding.