DEN102

Stress Analysis

Truss Structures
Dr P.H. Wen

E118
p.h.wen@qmul.ac.uk
 1.0. Truss Element

F
Imaginary cut

T
F T–F=0

Internal force T

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 1.1. Simple plane trusses

• Two dimensional structures

Page 3
• Two dimensional structures (more examples)

Page 4
• Three dimensional structure

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 1.2. Support and reactive forces

Simply support
(1) XOY coordinate system
(2) Pin support y

(3) Roller support F

e d

Pin support Roller support

a
o
c x
Rxa
b

Rya Ryc

Page 6
 1.3. Classification of truss structures

m: number of truss; r: number of reactive force; j: number of joint

(a) Unstable structure (mechanism): if m+r<2j

(b) Redundant structure: if m+r>2j
(c) Statically determinate structures: if m+r=2j

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 1.4. Determine Reactive Forces

(1.4.1) Reactive Forces (1.4.3) Evaluation of Reactive forces

F
y
∑ x + Rxa = 0
F i
(1)
e d
∑ y + Rya + Ryc = 0
F i
(2)

∑ A ) + Ryc × lac = 0 (3)

M ( F i

a c x
Rxa
b

Rya Ryc

(1.4.2) Direction of reactive forces - Force along x-axis

- Force along y-axis
- Moment along anticlockwise about point A
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Example 1. Classify following truss structures and determine
the reactive forces for these statically determinate structures
100kN
b 100kN b

c c
a 300 300 a 300 300
450
d d
1m 1m 1m 1m

(1) (2)

200kN
a a
b b

200kN

e e
d 450 c 450 d 450
450
c

2m 2m 2m 2m

(3) (4) Page 9

 200kN
a a
b b

200kN

e e
d 450 c 450 d 450
450
c

2m 2m 2m 2m

(5) (6)

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 1.5. Characteristics of Truss System
• Simplest framework that can be formed develop
from a minimum number of trusses is a
triangle;
• Internal force is axial force, zero body
force, zero bending moment;
• External forces are applied at joints;
• Internal force
Positive: tensile
Negative: compressive

T2
2
B

4
1
3
T1
T3

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 1.6. Method of Joint
• Number of unknown forces at node ≤ 2

Example 2. Find the axial forces in each truss.

T1
y
450
1

B B x

100kN T2
300 2 100kN

C
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Example 3. Find axial forces in each truss.

2 5
E
4
300 3 D 6 300 C

a a

100kN

1 2 3 4 5 6
200 0 -100√3 0 200 -100√3

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 1.7. Method of section
• Number of unknown forces in section ≤ 3

Example 4. Find the axial forces in trusses AB, BE and DE.

A CUT

T1
1
B
B

2 5 T2
4 D C
E
300 3 D 6 300 C E
T3
a a 100kN

100kN Page 14
 1.8. Final Remarks
• If number of unknown forces at node > 2, reaction forces should
be determined firstly.

Example 5. Find the axial forces for all each trusses.

B 100kN

1 2
3
A C
300 D 300

4 5
5m 5m

Rxa= -100, Rya= -50/√3, Ryc=50/√3

1 2 3 4 5
100/√3 -100/√3 0 50 50
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Example 6. Find the axial forces in each truss.

100kN

b 2 c 15kN

1 3 6
4m
5
a 4 7 e

d
6m 6m

Rxa= -15, Rya=120, Rye=80

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
-150 -105 25 105 100 -100 60
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 Home work 1. Find the axial forces in each truss.
20kN

f 4 g 8 h 12 j 16 k
a 3
b

6 10kN 3 7 9 13

4m
4 1 5 11 15
2 17
e
450 d 450 2 6 10
a c d e 14 b
1 5 c
2m 2m
20kN 60kN
(a)
3m 3m 3m 3m

1 2 3 4 5 6 (b)
-20 10√2 10 -10 -10 10√2

Rxa=0, Rya=40, Ryb=60

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
-40 0 50 -30 -20 30 25 -45 -20 45 0 45 0 0 75 -45 -60
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