‫ﺑﺴﻢ ﷲ اﻟﺮﺣﻤﻦ اﻟﺮﺣﯿﻢ‬

STATICS
(ENGINEERING MECHANICS-I)

LECTURE #16
Method of sections and Zero force members

By

GE 201: Dr. Nadeem A. Siddiqui May 25, 2017

 Contents
2

 Objectives of the present lecture

 Method of Sections
 An important note
 Problem
 Zero force members
 Problems
 A real life application
 Further reading

GE 201: Dr. Nadeem A. Siddiqui May 25, 2017

 Objectives of the Present lecture
3

 To illustrate through an example the method of sections

for the analysis of trusses.

GE 201: Dr. Nadeem A. Siddiqui May 25, 2017

 Method of Sections
4

 It is based on the principle that if the truss is in equilibrium

then any segment of the truss is also in equilibrium.
 In this method, a section is passed through the truss to cut it
into two parts so that internal forces are exposed at the cut
members.
 Equations of equilibrium are then applied to the free body
diagram of either of the two parts to determine the desired
forces.
 In choosing a section of the truss, in general, not more than
three members whose forces are unknown may be cut, since
there are only three available equilibrium equations which are
independent.
 The method of sections has the basic advantage that the force
in almost any desired member may be found directly.

GE 201: Dr. Nadeem A. Siddiqui May 25, 2017

 An Important Note
5

If a body is in equilibrium under the

action of external forces (including
support reactions) then its each and
every part is also in equilibrium under
the action of external and internal
forces.

GE 201: Dr. N. A. Siddiqui 5/25/2017

 Problem -1
6

Compute the forces in the members DC, DB and AB of the

truss, shown here, using method of sections.

2.4 m
D 2 kN
C

1.8 m

A B

CE 461: Dr. N. A. Siddiqui 5/25/2017

 Support Reactions
7
2.4 m
D 2 kN
C Support Reactions

1.8 m
()  Fx  0   Ax  2  0  Ax  2 kN
A  CCW ( )M B  0  2 1.8  Ay  2.4  0
B
Ax  Ay  1.5 kN
()  Fy  0  Ay  B y  0  B y  1.5 kN
Ay By

BD  1.82  2.4 2  3 m
cos   2.4 / 3  0.8;
sin   1.8 / 3  0.6

CE 461: Dr. N. A. Siddiqui 5/25/2017

 Calculation of the member forces
8

D FDC
2.4 m
D 2 kN
C

1.8 m A B
2 kN  FDB cos
FAB
A  B FDB sin  FDB
Ax
BD  1.82  2.4 2  3 m 1.5 kN
cos   2.4 / 3  0.8;
1.5 kN 1.5 kN
sin   1.8 / 3  0.6 For
convenience,
assume tension
()  Fy  0   FDB sin   1.5  0  FDB  1.5 / sin 
in all the cut
 FDB  1.5 / 0.6  2.5 kN(C) members.

CE 461: Dr. N. A. Siddiqui 5/25/2017

 Calculation of the member forces
9
2.4 m D FDC
D 2 kN
C

1.8 m
A B
A  2 kN  FDB cos
Ax B FAB
FDB sin  FDB
1.5 kN
1.5 kN 1.5 kN
CCW ()M A  0   FDB sin   2.4  FDC  1.8  0 BD  1.82  2.4 2  3 m
 (2.5)  0.6  2.4  FDC  1.8  0  FDC  2 kN(T) cos   2.4 / 3  0.8;
sin   1.8 / 3  0.6
()  Fx  0  2  FAB  FDB cos  FDC  0
 FAB  2  (2.5)  0.8  (2)  2  FAB  2 kN (T)
CE 461: Dr. N. A. Siddiqui 5/25/2017
 Member forces
10

Member Forces Forces Nature

(kN) (kN)
Method of Method of
Joint section

AB 2.0 2.0 Tension

DC 2.0 2.0 Tension

DB -2.5 -2.5 Compression

CE 461: Dr. N. A. Siddiqui 5/25/2017

 Zero Force Members
11

Case 1: Ifonly two non-collinear members form a truss joint

and no external load or support reaction is acting at the
joint, the members must be zero force members.

D C

BC and CD are zero

force members.
A B
WHY ?????

CE 461: Dr. N. A. Siddiqui 5/25/2017

 Zero Force Members (Contd.)
12

Case 2: If
three members form a truss joint for which two of
the members are collinear, the third member is a zero force
member provided no external force or support reaction is
acting at the joint.
C

EF is a zero force
G F member.

A B
D E WHY ?????

CE 461: Dr. N. A. Siddiqui 5/25/2017

 Zero Force Members (Contd.)
13

Case 3: If
there is an external load at the joint, where two
members are meeting, and it is acting in the direction of
one of the members, another member will be a zero force
member.

D 2 kN
C

BC is a zero force
members.
A
B
Ax
WHY ?????

Ay By

CE 461: Dr. N. A. Siddiqui 5/25/2017

 Problem-2
14

Identify zero
force members in
a truss shown.

Answer: BH and DF are zero force members.

CE 461: Dr. N. A. Siddiqui 5/25/2017

 Problem-3
15

For the truss shown in the

Figure, identify all correct
zero-force members.

GE 201: Dr. N. A. Siddiqui 5/25/2017

 Solution
16

AB and AJ are zero-force members.

JB, JI and IH are also zero-force members.
CH is a zero-force member
GD is a zero-force member
ED is a zero-force member

GE 201: Dr. N. A. Siddiqui 5/25/2017

 An animated video: Real Life Application
17

This video shows how

tension and compression
forces induce into the
members of a bridge truss

GE 201: Dr. Nadeem A. Siddiqui May 25, 2017

 Further Reading
18

Read more about the method of sections and zero force members from:

R.C. Hibbeler, Engineering Mechanics: Statics, Twelfth Edition in SI

Units, Chapter 6, Structural Analysis, Section 6.3 and 6.4, pp. 272-285.

GE 201: Dr. Nadeem A. Siddiqui May 25, 2017

 Thank You
19

GE 201: Dr. Nadeem A. Siddiqui May 25, 2017