A Vierendeel truss, named after its Belgian inventor, is one without diagonals.

Strictly
speaking, therefore, it is not a truss at all, but a kind of rigid frame. As in other trusses, the
bending moment is resisted by a couple, consisting of a compressive force in the top chord
and a tensile force in the bottom chord. However, since there are no diagonal members, the
chords must also resist shear, which is perpendicular to the axis of the chords. This produces
local moments in the chord members, in addition to the axial tension or compression. The
vertical members are also subject to bending moment caused by shear. Vierendeel trusses also
tend to have high deflection. Therefore, to provide members adequate to resist both bending
moment and direct stress, and to keep the deflection within acceptable limits, a Vierendeel
truss requires much more material than a triangulated truss. Vierendeel trusses made of
reinforced concrete or structural steel are used where diagonal members would conflict with
door or windows, or where the Vierendeel configuration might be more desirable
aesthetically than that of a truss with diagonals. Typical applications include bridges and deep
transfer members supporting discontinuous columns above.