Chapter 3

Trusses

Germany

Trusses in Building

Trusses Types for Building

Chapter 2

Truss Bridge

Truss Bridge Types

Classification of coplanar Truss

Simple Truss

Compound
p
Truss

Complex
p Truss

Determinacy
For p
plane truss
If b+r = 2jj statically
y determinate
If b+r > 2j statically indeterminate
Where
b = number off bars
r = number of external support reaction
j = number off jjoints

Stability
For pplane truss
If b+r < 2j unstable
The truss can be staticallyy determinate or indeterminate
(b+r >=2j) but unstable in the following cases:
External Stability:
y truss is externallyy unstable iff all off
its reactions are concurrent or parallel

Internal stability:
stabilit

Internally stable

Internally unstable

Internally unstable

Classify
y each of the truss as stable , unstable,,
statically determinate or indeterminate.

b = 19 KK r = 3 KK j = 11
b + r = 22
2 j = 2(11) = 22

b = 15 KK r = 4 KK j = 9

Statically determinate & Stable

Statically indeterminate & Stable

b + r = 19

2 j = 2(9) = 18

b = 9 KK r = 3 KK j = 6
b + r = 12
2 j = 2(6) = 12
Statically determinate & Stable

b = 12 KK r = 3 KK j = 8
b + r = 15
2 j = 2(8) = 16
Unstable

Stability of Compound Truss

The Method of Joints

STEPS FOR ANALYSIS
1. If the support reactions are not given, draw a FBD of the
entire truss and determine all the support reactions using
the equations of equilibrium.
2 Draw the free-body
2.
free body diagram of a joint with one or two
unknowns. Assume that all unknown member forces act in
tension (pu
(pullingg the pin)
p )u
unless you
y u can
a determine
d
by
y
inspection that the forces are compression loads.
3. Apply the scalar equations of equilibrium, FX = 0 and
FY = 0, to determine the unknown(s). If the answer is
positive, then the assumed direction (tension) is correct,
otherwise it is in the opposite direction (compression).
4. Repeat
p steps
p 2 and 3 at each jjoint in succession until all the
required forces are determined.

The Method of Joints

Example 1
Solve the following truss

= 0;

4 + FAG sin 30 = 0 FAG = 8 KN C

= 0;

FAB 8 cos 30 = 0 FAB = 6.93KN T

= 0;

FGB 3 cos 30 = 0 FGB = 2.6 KN C

= 0;

8 3 sin 30 + FGF = 0 FGF = 6.50 KN C

= 0;

FBF sin 60 2.6 sin 60 = 0 FBF = 2.6 KN T

= 0;

FBC + 2.6 cos 60 + 2.6 cos 60 6.93 = 0

FBC = 4.33KN T

Group Work
Determine the force in each member

Zero Force Member

1- If a joint has only two non-colinear members and there is
no external load or support reaction at that joint, then those
two members are zero-force members

Zero Force Member

2- If three members form a truss joint for which two of the
members are collinear and there is no external load or reaction at
that joint, then the third non-collinear member is a zero force
member.
b

Example 2
Find Zero force member of the following truss

Method of Section

The Method of Section

The Method of Section

STEPS FOR ANALYSIS
1. Decide how you need to cut the truss. This is based on:
a)) where you
y need to determine forces,, and,, b)) where the total
number of unknowns does not exceed three (in general).
2. Decide which side of the cut truss will be easier to work
with (minimize the number of reactions you have to find).
3. If required, determine the necessary support reactions by
d
drawing
i th
the FBD off th
the entire
ti ttruss and
d applying
l i th
the E
EofE.
fE

4. Draw the FBD of the selected part of the cut truss. We need
to indicate the unknown forces at the cut members. Initially
y
we assume all the members are in tension, as we did when
using the method of joints. Upon solving, if the answer is
positive,
i i the
h member
b iis iin tension
i as per our assumption.
i
Iff
the answer is negative, the member must be in compression.
(Please note that you can also assume forces to be either tension or
compression by inspection as was done in the previous example
above.))
5. Apply the equations of equilibrium (EofE) to the selected cut
section of the truss to solve for the unknown member forces.
Please note that in most cases it is possible to write one
equation to solve for one unknown directly.

Example 2
Solve the CF & GC members in the truss

= 0;

FCF sin 30(12) + 300(6.93) = 0 FCF = 346.4 Ib C

= 0;

FGC (12) 300(6.93) 346.4 sin 30(12) = 0 FGC = 346.4 Ib T

Example 3
Solve the GF & GD members in the truss

M
M

= 0 FGF cos 26.6(3) + 7(3) = 0 FGF = 7.83kN C

= 0 FGD sin 56.3(6) 7(3) + 2(6) = 0 FGF = 1.8kN C

Example 4
Solve the ED & EB members in the truss

Example 5
Solve the BC & MC members in the K-truss

= 0 2900(15) + FBC (20) = 0 FBC = 2175Ib T

At Joint B

= 0 FMB = 1200 Ib T

F th
For
the total
t t l cutting
tti partt

= 0 2900 1200 + 1200 FML FML = 2900 Ib T

At Joint M

F
F

=0

= 0 2900 1200

3
13

FMC +

FMK = 1532 Ib C
FMC = 1532 Ib T

3
13

FMK = 0
2
13

FMC +

2
13

FMK = 0

Group work 1
Solve All members

Group work 2
Solve All members

Group work 3
Solve members CH , CI

Example 4__Compound
4 Compound Truss
Solve the truss

= 0 5(4) + 4(2) + FHG (4 sin

i 60) = 0 FHG = 3.46kN C

Joint A FAB & FAI

Joint H FHI & FHJ
Joint I FIJ & FIB
Joint B FBC & FBJ
Joint J FJC
Jo

Example 5__Compound
5 Compound Truss

Example 5__Compound
5 Compound Truss
Solve the truss

Joint A FAE & FAB

Joint B FEB

After Solve FAE

Joint A FAF & FAG

Complex Truss

Si = S + xsi
'
i

Force in members

'
S EC = S EC
+ xsEC = 0

x=?

Complex Trusses

r + b = 2j,

3 9

2(6)
(6)

SAD

Determinate
Stable

C
B

sEC
F

FEC

+
A

C
B

X x

SEC + x sEC =
x=

SEC

S i = S i + x s i

sEC

A
= FAD

C
B

'
S EC = S EC
+ xsEC = 0

x=?

Si = Si' + xsi
Member
AB
AC
AF
FE
BE
ED
FC
EC

Si '

si

xsi

Si

Example 5__Complex
5 Complex Truss

Space Truss
Determinacy and Stability

uunstable
stab e truss
t uss

b + r < j

statically determinate-check stability

b + r = 3j

staticallyy indeterminate-check stabilityy b + r > 3j

Space Truss
x,
x, y, z, Force Components
l = x2 + y2 + z 2

x
Fx = F ( )
l

y
Fy = F ( )
l
z
Fz = F ( )
l
F = Fx 2 + F y 2 + Fz 2

Support Reactions
z

z
y

Fy

short link

x
z

z
y

y
x

roller
ll

slotted roller
y constrained
in a cylinder

Fx

Fz

z
y
x

Fz

ball-and -socket

Fy

Fx

Fz

Zero Force Member

1- If all but one of the members connected to a joint lie on the
same plane,
l
and
d provided
id d no externall lload
d act on the
h jjoint,
i
then the member not lying in the plane of the other members
must
subjected to zero force.

Fz = ,

FD =

Zero Force Member

2- If it has been determined that all but two of several
members
b connected
d at a joint
j i support zero fforce, then
h the
h two
remaining members must also support zero force, provided
they dont
don t lie a long the same line and no external load act on
the joint.

Fz = ,

FB =

Fy = ,

FD =

Example 6__Space
6 Space Truss

Example 7__Space
7 Space Truss