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Truss Analysis

D.Nuha Moawia Akasha


Objectives:

After reading this chapter the student will be able to:


1. Derive member stiffness matrix of a truss member.
2. Define local and global co-ordinate system.
3. Transform displacements from local co-ordinate system to global co-ordinate
system.
4. Transform forces from local to global co-ordinate system.
5. Transform member stiffness matrix from local to global co-ordinate system.
6. Assemble member stiffness matrices to obtain the global stiffness matrix.
7. Analyse plane truss by the direct stiffness matrix.
Plane Trusses
Introduction
Trusses are assemblies of members whose actions can be
linked directly to that of the simple spring studied already:

There is one main difference, however: truss members may be


oriented at any angle in the xy coordinate system (Cartesian)
plane:
Thus we must account for the coordinate transformations
from the local member axis system to the global axis system.
• Displacement Transformation Matrix
• A truss member is shown in local and global coordinate system
in Fig (2) Let x' y' z' be in local co ordinate system and xyz be
the global co ordinate system.

Fig(2):
Fig(3) Generalized displacement along local and global co-ordinate system
x2,y2
2

θ X1,y1
1

fig(4) Atypical truss member


Where
Example:

Analyse the following truss using the stiffness matrix method.


STEP 1: Determine the member stiffness matrices:

Member 12
The angle this member makes to the global axis system and the relevant values are:
Therefore:

Thus:

Notice that the matrix is symmetrical as it should be.

Member 23
The angle this member makes to the global axis system and the relevant values are:
Therefore:

Thus:

Again the matrix is symmetrical.


STEP 2: Assemble the global stiffness matrix

For 3 nodes, the unrestricted global stiffness


matrix will look as follows:

Note that each of the sub-matrices is a 2×2


matrix, e.g.:

The member stiffness nodal sub-matrices contribute to the global


stiffness nodal sub-matrices as follows:
STEP 3: Write the solution equation in full

Thus, keeping the nodal sub-matrices identifiable for clarity:


In which we have noted:
STEP 4:

impose the boundary conditions on the problem. We know:

Since both DOFs are restricted for nodes 1 and 3, we can thus write the remaining
equations for node 2:
STEP 5: Solve the system

The y-direction is thus the only active equation:

Thus:

STEP 6: Determine the member forces


For truss member’s we outlined a simple method encompassed in equation
(4.3.21). In applying this to Member 12 we note:
Thus:

And so Member 12 is in compression, as may be expected. For


Member 23 we similarly have:
And again Member 23 is in compression. Further, since the
structure is symmetrical and is symmetrically loaded, it makes
sense that Member’s 12 and 23 have the same force.

STEP 7: Determine the reactions :


To determine the remaining unknown forces we can use the basic
equation now that all displacements are known:
Thus we have:

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