Free-Body Diagram Checklist
Review prompts for free-body diagrams — equilibrium, force directions, reaction points and completeness.
Purpose
For checking free-body diagrams used in load and stress analysis.
Equilibrium
- Does the free-body diagram include all applied loads and reactions? — Nothing omitted
- Are force and moment directions correct and consistent? — Arrows in the right direction
- Is equilibrium satisfied — ΣF = 0 and ΣM = 0 in each direction? — Hand check before FEA
- Is the cut section at the correct location? — Where the internal load is required
- Are distributed loads represented correctly — not as a single equivalent force if distribution matters? — For local stress