Equilibrium - A structure is considered to be in equilibrium if, initially

at rest, it remains at rest when subjected to a system of forces and Plane and Space Trusses
couples.
Truss - A truss is a structure composed of slender members joined
External Forces together at their end points. The joint connections are usually
• External forces are the actions of other bodies on the formed by bolting or welding the ends of the members to a
structure under consideration. common plate, called a gusset plate.
 Applied forces - usually referred to as loads (e.g.,
live loads and wind loads), have a tendency to move Common Types of Trusses
the structure and are usually known in the analysis.
• Reaction forces - or reactions, are the forces Plane Trusses -If all the members of a truss and the
exerted by supports on the structure and have a applied loads lie in a single plane, the truss is called
tendency to prevent its motion and keep it in a plane truss. Plane trusses are commonly used for
equilibrium. The reactions are usually among the supporting decks of bridges and roofs of buildings.
unknowns to be determined by the analysis. The
state of equilibrium or motion of the structure as a Coplanar Trusses
whole is governed solely by the external forces
acting on it. Simple Trusses - The simplest
Internal Forces framework that is rigid or stable is a
• Internal forces - are the forces and couples exerted on a triangle. Consequently, a simple
member or portion of the structure by the rest of the truss is constructed by starting with
structure. a basic triangular element.
Principle of superposition - The principle of superposition
forms the basis for much of the Compound Trusses - A compound
theory of structural analysis. It may be stated as follows: truss is formed by connecting two
The total displacement or internal loadings (stress) at a or more simple trusses together.
point in a structure subjected to several external loadings Quite often this type of truss is used
can be determined by adding together the displacements or to support loads acting over a large
internal loadings (stress) caused by each of the external span, since it is cheaper to
loads acting separately. construct a somewhat lighter
compound truss than to use a
Two requirements must be imposed for the principle of heavier single simple truss.
superposition to apply:
Complex Trusses - A complex truss
1. The material must behave in a linear-elastic manner, so is one that cannot be classified as
that Hooke’s law is valid, and therefore the load will be being either simple or compound.
proportional to displacement.
2. The geometry of the structure must not undergo Space Trusses - are analyzed as three-dimensional
significant change when the loads are applied. bodies subjected to three-dimensional force
systems.
Determinacy and Stability

Determinacy Truss
statically determinate - When all the forces in a
Plane Truss
structure can be determined strictly from these equations.

statically indeterminate - Structures The approach that can be used for determining the static
having more unknown forces than available equilibrium instability, determinacy, and indeterminacy of internally
equations. unstable
structures are as follows
compatibility equations – the additional equations 𝒓 + 𝒃 < 𝟐𝒋 Statically unstable
needed to solve for the unknown reactions are obtained by
relating the applied loads and reactions to the displacement 𝒓 + 𝒃 = 𝟐𝒋 Statically determinate
or slope at different points on the structure. 𝒓 + 𝒃 > 𝟐𝒋 Statically indeterminate
where: 𝒓 = Support reactions
𝒃 = Truss members
Beams and Frames
𝒋 = Joints
The approach that can be used for determining the static
Space Truss
instability, determinacy, and indeterminacy of internally
unstable
Realizing that in three dimensions there are three equations of
structures is as follows
equilibrium available for each joint then for a space truss
𝒓 + 𝒇 < 𝟑𝒏 Statically unstable
𝒓 + 𝒃 < 𝟑𝒋 Statically unstable
𝒓 + 𝒇 = 𝟑𝒏 Statically determinate
𝒓 + 𝒃 = 𝟑𝒋 Statically determinate
𝒓 + 𝒇 > 𝟑𝒏 Statically indeterminate
𝒓 + 𝒃 > 𝟑𝒋 Statically indeterminate
For indeterminate structures
where: 𝒓 = Support reactions
𝒊 = 𝒓 + 𝒇 − 𝟑𝒏 𝒃 = Truss members
where: 𝒓 = Support reactions 𝒋 = Joints
𝒇 = Internal forces
𝒏 = Members or portions
𝒊 = Degree of external indeterminacy
Stability

Partial Constraints - In some cases a structure or one of its

members may have fewer reactive forces than equations of
equilibrium that must be satisfied.

Improper Constraints - In some cases there may be as many

unknown forces as there are equations of equilibrium;
however, instability or movement of a structure or its
members can develop because of improper constraining by
the supports.

** Another way in which improper constraining leads to

instability occurs when the reactive forces are all parallel.

Internal loadings

Method of sections - Internal load at a specified point in a

member can be determined

Sign Convention - An easy way to remember sign convention is

to isolate a small segment of the member and note that
positive normal force tends to elongate the segment, positive
shear tends to rotate the segment clockwise, and positive
bending moment tends to bend the segment concave upward,