MecMovies 4.0 : M2.4: Normal Strain in Rotating Mechanism

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The figure shows a rigid triangular plate B C D which is pinned at C, supported at B by a horizontal rod of length 1200 millimeters and supported at D by a vertical post of height 600 millimeters. The clearance between the post and the plate is 1.5 millimeters. The post is fixed to the ground at E and the rod is fixed to a wall at A. The plate has dimensions 600 millimeters along C D and 480 millimeters along B C. A load P directed vertically downwards acts on the plate and this causes the plate to rotate about C and makes contact with the post at D.

At $D$ , the rigid plate moves down $1.5 mm$ before contacting the post...

...and then an additional $1.08 mm$ before reaching the equilibrium position.

Altogether, point $D$ on the rigid plate moves downward $2.58 mm$ .