Programme Bachelor of Technology in Civil Semester - V

Name Engineering
Course Code SE3001S
Course Title Structural Analysis Date -
Tutorial 1

Sr.No. Problems
1-3 Determine the static and kinematic indeterminacy of the following frame
(2marks structures shown in fig(a), (b) and (c). (Note - Neglect axial deformation for Kinematic Indeterminacy)
each)

Also comment on stability of the structure.

4-6 Determine the static and kinematic indeterminacy of the following truss structures
(2marks shown in fig(d), (e) and (f). Also comment on stability of the structure.
each)

(d) (e) (f)

7-9 Determine the static and kinematic indeterminacy of the following frame
(3marks) structures shown in fig(g), (h) and (i). Also comment on stability of the structure.

(g) (h)

(i)

10 Determine the degree of static

(3marks) indeterminacy of a compound
structure shown in fig.j

(j)
11 What are the different ways to identify that structure is unstable? Draw diagrams
5marks of the structures which are unstable but their degree of static indeterminancy is
zero or positive. Also state reason why these structures are unstable.
What is externally indeterminate structure and internally indeterminate structure?
Solutions:

1 to 3

4 to 6

6
7

10
11

An unstable structure generally cannot be analysed. Therefore, it is useful to know if a

structure is stable or unstable before a structural analysis is conducted. There are four main
ways that a structure may be geometrically unstable. These apply only to linear geometric
stability and not to instability caused by buckling, member yielding or nonlinear geometry.

1. There are not enough reactions]: This will generally be clear from an application of
the determinacy equations.
2. The reactions are parallel: All of the reaction components point in the same
direction. An example of such a situation is shown in Figure 5. In this example, the
horizontal equilibrium Fx=0 cannot be solved and there will be a net horizontal
force on the system with no resistance.
3. The reactions are concurrent: All of the reaction components meet at a point. An
example of such a situation is shown in Figure 6. Effectively, the system is free to
rotate as a rigid body around the point that the reaction components meet at.
4. There is an internal collapse mechanism: This is any situation in which there is an
internal mechanism in the system that will cause it to deform between the supports. In
some such situations, this will be clear from the use of the determinacy equations, but
in others, it may not. In all such cases, though, the instability will become clear
during the structural analysis because it will be impossible to solve for all of the
internal forces. An example internal collapse mechanism is shown in Figure 7.
Externally indeterminate

If the total number of external reactions in a structure exceeds the number of equations of
statics applicable to the structures as a whole, it is said to be externally indeterminate.

Internally indeterminate

Which are externally determinate but in which the internal reactions cannot be determined by
statics alone, are called internally indeterminate.