VECTOR STRUCTURAL SYSTEM

TRUSSES
 INTRODUCTION TO THE
SYSTEM
The system of straight linear
members in which the
redirection of forces is
effected by multi-
directional splitting of forces
into vectors along
compressive and tensile
elements.

•VECTOR :value describing

magnitude of load and
direction of its application.
•The main unit is a triangle.
THE DISTRIBUTION OF LOAD BY SPLITTING IT UP
AT JUNCTIONS THAT ARE MUCH MORE CAPABLE
OF BEARING LOAD THAN STRAIGHT CROSS
SECTIONS OF MATERIALS.
THIS IS THE PRINCIPAL THAT VECTORS USE
THOROUGHLY.
 TRUSS
A truss is composed of triangles
because of the structural stability
of that shape and design.
A triangle is the simplest
geometric figure that will not
change shape when the lengths
of the sides are fixed. In
comparison, both the angles and
the lengths of a four-sided figure
must be fixed for it to retain its
shape.
 Evolution of the Vector Structural
System
Trussing, that is triangulating of a framework, was invented expediently by various
people in the process of producing frameworks that were stable at the very dawn of
prehistoric architecture. The idea of truss as a stabilizing device preceded the idea
of the truss as a spanning structure. For buildings natural frame patterns involved
use of vertical members or posts and horizontal members like lintels. This produces
rectilinear frames which were inherently unstable to planar distortions, that’s is,
non resistive to lateral effects. Thus arose the need for some kind of bracing i.e. use
of diagonal members.
 Subdivision of truss as
span increased.

Concrete lintel to truss

Arches to well defined and

stronger trusses
 THE NEXT TRUSSED STRUCTURES,
BRIDGES & TIMBER BRACED HOUSES
The same forms of spanning structures utilized for building roofs were applied to other
spanning situations also like bridges. A new era of guaranteed high-tech stability was
started through successive transport of load in a built up form. Splitting at various
branches into different compositional forces, load is transferred to earth through various
truss units.
 THE INVENTION OF VARIOUS TRUSSES

Burr truss 1804 Town truss

1820

Howe truss 1841 Pratt truss 1844

Warren truss 1848

Whipple truss 1846
 FAMOUS HISTORICAL EXAMPLES
St. Catherine
at Mt. Sinai
567 AD

Pantheon portico ( Rome) 126 AD-

2nd century
Truss bridge
by Villard de
Honnecourt
13th century

San Clemente, Rome 1100 AD

 1758 AD Truss
bridge by the
Grubenmann
brothers.

Andrea Palladio Bridges 1540-

1580 AD

Eiffel tower 1887-1889 AD . Both by Gustave Eiffel

Statue of Liberty
1865-1884 AD
 TRUSSES
A truss in architectural and
structural aspects can be defined as
a systematic combination of
interconnected tension and
compression members that are
freely and smoothly connected to
each other by pins.

All the members in a

truss are considered and
practically connected in
triangular or tetrahedral
(in case of double grid
space frames) geometry.
TOP CHORD:
It is that member of the truss
that undergoes compression
TERMINOLOGY
and takes the thrust directly
from the load above it. It may
be flat or inclined depending
upon the type of structure we
want and also on the fact that
how we want to utilize the
truss.

BOTTOM CHORD:
It is that member of a truss
that undergoes tension due to
the load above it and it ties
the compression members
above it.

WEB TIES:
These are the diagonal
members that share the
load between the top
chords and the bottom
chord and ties the whole
system together.
PANEL POINT:
It is the point at which the webs are joined.
These joints are considered to be smooth
and are mostly free to move.

WEDGE:
It is that triangular member that is fit
onto the joint between the top chord and
the bottom chord so as to avoid the
breaking of the joint.

TRUSS PLATE: BEARING:

It is that steel plate that is joined at the It is that wooden member that is situated on
joint between the top chord and the web the inferior of the heel, simply to support the
or between the web or bottom chord. heel joint.

PANEL LENGTH:
It is the span between two consecutive panel
HEEL: points.
It happens only in the case of trusses
made out of wood and it is the point at
which the top chord and the bottom PEAK:
chord are joined. It is the highest point of the truss and where two
top chords confine to meet.

TENSION AND COMPRESSION
•All members in a truss are
considered to be straight, stiff and
upstretched within the elastic limit of
the material of which it is made.
•The total load acting on a truss is
taken to be concentrated upon the
joints that it possesses.
•All the members are axial load
elements which may either exist in
tension or compression.
THEORY OF TRUSSES,
&
APPLICATION IN TRUSSES
Trusses can be further classified
according to an equation between
the no. of members the truss
possesses and the no. of joints it is
bound by.
The equation is as follows:
Let m be the no. of members the
truss has and j be the no. of joints
the truss has , then ,
If
1.2j-3<m then the truss is termed as
redundant and,
2.If 2j-3> or =m, then the truss is
stable.
 APPLICATION IN TRUSSES
As a result of the members
undergoing tension and
compression , the load gets
distributed evenly on all the
members of the truss and
eventually finds the shortest
possible way to transfer the
load to ground.

In addition to this, materials

which are less bulky and
highly tensile in comparison
to the ethnic materials that
have been used in the past
are a lot cheap ,easy to install
and highly mobile to use.

Challenging the strength of

materials and making use out
of it is what vector structural
system roams about.

We first basically need to know
what drives us to mention Lami’s
theorem in the context of truss.
As mentioned earlier in the
definition of truss, a truss is a
combination of interconnected
compression and tension
members.
But it is highly noticeable a fact ,
that what exactly must be the
geometry of such members that it
may actually take that much of
compression and tension.
Why actually we do not take any
form or shape to construct a truss.
THE ANSWER RESTS WITHIN THIS
LAMI’S THEOREM.
RELEVANCE OF LAMI’S THEOREM
Consider this square
framework for example,
it would slacken if a
force is applied in the
direction of the
pointer.
This is because force
applied on the top bar
doesn’t get distributed
equally on the side
posts and eventually
the weight of the
system and the that of
the load is not
GROUNDED or
EARTHED and
eventually the shear This happened due to the fact
force of the load will
slacken the structure.
that the forces as per lami’s
theorem did not resolve at a
point and a disbalance made
the structure to collapse.
Now in this case we have simply added
another member that undergoes diagonal
compression that takes the load from one
corner of the square directly to the
ground.

THIS SHOWS THAT WE NEED THE

SHORTEST POSSIBLE WAY TO
GROUND THE LOAD , WHICH IS This is the smallest unit that we use
INDEED PROVIDED BY THE BODY in case of flat trusses.
DIAGONAL.

THIS PHENOMENON OF LOAD

TRANSFER BY ADDING A DIAGONAL
MEMBER ON EITHER CORNERS IS AN
EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE KNOW AS
BRACING.
TRIANGLE according to lami’s NEED OF TRIANGULATION
theorem is the most rigid and
stable of forms due to the fact
that being a combination of
AND
three coplanar elements i.e. its
arms.
POINT CONNECTION
Any 3 force that are applied at NOW HERE WE EXPLAIN THE MECHANISM OF TRIANGULATION.
the three corners of the
triangle be it a force of 1. When we apply a force at the junction of the two arms, they tend
to slacken due to shear action.
compression or tension, nullify
at the centroid of the triangle. 2.Now if I just add a tie chord to tie these ends together it just hold
onto the structure. This tie would take all the tension to overcome the
shear.

1 2
Joints in a truss are
the most requisite
aspect of balance.
The stability of a
truss depends upon
the no. of joints it
possesses.

More the no. of

joints mean more
are the shortcuts to
load grounding and
henceforth the
structure becomes
stable.

PURLINS i.e. the

connecting plates of
these joints spread
the load evenly
above all the points.
KING POST
A king post is a central vertical supporting post used in
architectural, bridge, or aircraft designs.

QUEEN POST
A Queen post is a supporting post designed to span longer
openings than a king post.Qqueen post uses two central
supporting post.
 HOWE TRUSS
Includes vertical members and diagonals that slope up
towards the centere .The diagonal we web

PRATT TRUSS
The flat truss is used in roofs or floors.
In pratt truss diagonal members on the bridge angled toward
the bottom center of the bridge identify the Pratt configuration
 ATTIC TRUSS
The attic truss provides useable area within the roof space.
Bottom Chord in centre designed as a floor.

SCISSOR TRUSS
The scissor truss is used to create a vaulted ceiling along the
entire span. The slope of the bottom chord is usually equal to
1/2 of the slope of the top chord. Scissor Truss.
WARREN TRUSS

The warren configuration is composed of diagonals that

alternate their angle, forming a repeating v-shaped pattern. A
Warren truss has no vertical members.
DUAL SLOPE
This truss provides an asymmetric roof slope.

DUAL SLOPING CHORD FLAT

This shape is used to provide positive drainage to both sides of the
building and is also referred to as a High Heel Common Truss.
CURVED SYSTEMS
 load
Vectors system
:merits
• All elements of the space gride
contribute to the load caring capacity.

• Loads are distributed more evenly to the

supports.This can reduce the cost of
supporting structure.

• The open nature of the structure

between the two grids allow installation
of services.

• Failure of one or limited number

elements does not lead to overall
collapse of the structure.
•Trusses on a bridge may look aesthetic in some locations.

• It is economically good in comparison to the beam structure.

 Vector system:demerits
• Number of complexity of joints can
lead to longer erection time on
site.

• Failure of trusses occurs due to fire

in the structure rising the
temperature to an extent due to
which trusses melt down.

•Steel truss bridges may require

repeated painting to keep them
from rusting.
 •The geometry is fixed regular to
make trusses so it is difficult to make
trusses for regularized shaped
building.

•The conventional truss design leaves

a large volume of attic space