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Example: Roof Truss Analysis: CE 331, Fall 2010 1
Example: Roof Truss Analysis: CE 331, Fall 2010 1
In this example, a parallel‐chord steel roof truss is analyzed for typical dead and roof live loads. The
photo below shows a truss girder (painted gray) supporting the roof of a gymnasium.
Figure 1. Truss girders (gray) supporting bar joists (white) supporting metal roof deck for a gymnasium
The truss girder in the photo is supported by columns (not seen in Figure 1) and supports bar joists at
the panel points (chord connections) and midway between the panel points. A similar truss girder is
analyzed in this example, except that the bar joists are located at the panel points only. Information
about truss girder members is presented below.
Table 1. Truss girder components.
Type Member Shape Available Strength (φ Pn)
Chords WT 6 x 20 160 k (compression)
Diagonals LL 2.5 x 2.0 x 3/16 73 k (tension)
Verticals LL 2.5 x 2.5 x 3/16 43 k (compression)
The total weight of truss girder (self weight) is 4.05 k, and the bar joists weigh 9 plf. Other roof
components are listed below.
Roof & Ceiling:
20 ga metal deck
Waterproof membrane with gravel
1” thick Perlite insulating roof boards
Heating & cooling ductwork
Steel suspended ceiling
Acoustic Fiber Board
CE 331, Fall 2010 Example: Roof Truss Analysis 2 / 6
8 @ 10’
6’
Side Elevation of Roof Framing
truss girder
3 @ 25’
3 @ 25’
bar joists
column
Plan View
metal decking
8 @ 10’
bar joist
6’ truss girder
Front Elevation View
Example Roof Truss Analysis 3 / 6
Stability & Determinacy
Structural Model of Truss
assume that truss is externally statically determinate for gravity loads
Num_Forces = 33 + 3 = 36
Num_Eqns = 18 x 2 = 36
therefore stable & determinate
Dead Load
Roof & Ceiling Wt: weight, psf
20 ga metal deck 2.5
Waterproof membrane with gravel 5.5
Fiberglass insulation 0.7
Heating & cooling ductwork 4
Steel suspended ceiling 2
Acoustis Fiber Board 1
PDint (dead load at an interior panel point)
= 18.025 psf x 25 ft x10 ft = 4.51 k due roof, ceiling wt & truss girder
= 9 plf x 25 ft = 0.225 k due purlin wt
4.73 k
D
P ext (dead load at an exterior panel point)
= 18.025 psf x 25 ft x 10/2 ft = 2.25 k due roof, ceiling wt & truss girder
= 9 plf x 25 ft = 0.225 k due purlin wt
2.48 k
7 @ 4.73 k
2.48 k 2.48 k
Dead Loads on Truss Girder
Example Roof Truss Analysis 4 / 6
Live Load
Roof live load = Lr = (20 psf) R1 0.6 <= R1 <= 1.0
R1 = 1.2 ‐ 0.001 At
At = 25 ft x 10 ft/panel x 8 panels = 2000 sf
R1 = 1.2 ‐ 0.001 x 2000 sf = 0.60
Lr = 20 psf x 0.6 = 12 psf
7 @ 3 k
1.5 k 1.5 k
Live Loads on Truss Girder
Factored Load
D Lr
Pu = 1.2 P + 1.6 P
7 @ 10.476 k
5.376 k 5.376 k
Factored Loads on Truss Girder
Example Roof Truss Analysis 5 / 6
Maximum Chord Compressive Force
Draw deflected shape of loaded truss. Identify chord with max. compressive force.
The top "fibers" of the beam are in compression, and
the fibers in the middle of the beam have the maximum compression.
Therefore, the top chord in the middle of the truss has the max. compressive force.
Calculate the force in the top chord of Panel #4
4 @ 10.476 k
5 376 k
5.376 k
f_top
5
R = [7 ( 10.476 k) + 2 ( 5.376 k) ] / 2 = 42.042 k R
Σ M about Pt 5 = 0:
(f_top) ( 6 ft ) ‐ (42.042 k ‐ 5.376 k ) ( 4 x 10 ft) + (3 x 10.476 k) (20 ft) = 0
Check the strength of the chords
factored force in member (P u) <? Available strength (φc Pn)
Pu 139.7 k
φC Pn 160 k OK
Example Roof Truss Analysis 6 / 6
Maximum Diagonal Tensile Force
Looking at the parallel‐chord truss as if it were a beam, the max. shear occurs near the supports
analagous beam (assume load is uniformly distributed along beam)
shear
bending
moment
Therefore cut the truss in the first panel to calculate max diagonal force
Therefore, cut the truss in the first panel to calculate max. diagonal force
5.38 k
f_diag 6 ft 11.66 ft
10 ft
42.04 k
Σ FV = 0: 42.042 k ‐ 5.376 k ‐ 6 / 11.66 x f_diag
Check the strength of the diagonals
Tu 71.3 k
φT Pn 73 k OK