Procedure to Analyze the Example Problem Using GRASP/MPR2009

GRASP (Graphical Rapid Analysis of Structures Program) is a Special Purpose Finite

Element Package for the analysis of plane trusses and frames. It has been developed at
the Asian Centre for Engineering Computations and Software (ACECOMS) at the Asian
Institute of Technology (AIT), Thailand. For more details refer to the GRASP User’s Manual.
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Step 1 : Define units, material properties and grid spacing

• Go to menu bar and click on Option > Units. Select SI (System International) unit system.
• Click again on Options > Grids. Set grid spacing X step = 0.5 and Y step = 0.5.
• Click on Structure > Materials. Select Add Material button and name the new material as
Mat1 and set Modulus of Elasticity to 12000 N/mm2 and
Unit Weight to 10 kN/m3.

Step 2 : Draw the structure

• Click on Structure > Add Member. Draw the elements of the structure by clicking and
dragging from one grid point to another.
• To see the numbering order, go to View > Member Numbers/Labels & Node
numbers/Labels.
• If the view is too small, go to View > Utility > Zoom Window, Zoom In or Zoom All to
enlarge the view.
• Assign member properties to members; Click on Structure > Member Properties. Select one
member (say top/bottom chord member). Then Member Cross Section and Material window
will appear. Select Rectangular cross section and set material as Mat1, vertical dimension 100
mm and horizontal dimension 50 mm. Similarly set dimensions (100x25 mm) to internal
members,

Step 3 : Define restraints and loads

• Click on Structure > Nodal Restraints. Select Node A and the Nodal Restraints window will
appear. Choose Pin Support icon from the set of supports. Apply Roller conditions to Node B
also.
• Click on Loading > Nodal Loads. Select Node E and the Nodal Loads window will be
displayed. Insert 10 kN for Fy (shown downwards). Similarly set Fx = 20 kN.

Step 4 : Analysis

• Save the file as E05XXX ( XXX is your registration number )

• To specify the structure type go to Structure > Truss.
• Click on Perform > Analysis. The program will analyze the structure as a truss.

Step 5 : Results and Report

• To view results, go to View > Deflected Shape, Axial Force, Reactions & etc.
• Go to View > Results Values to get results in numbers.
• Results can be viewed in tabular form by clicking Tables > Member Forces, Nodal Reaction
& etc.
• To prepare the report go to File > Report Setup. Select the information to be included in the
report.
• Go to File > Print Preview Report to preview the report.
• Print the report.

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