For all the types of member sections, it is possible to design either bolted or welded connections.

Generally in
steelwork construction, bolted site splices are preferred to welded splices for economy and speed of erection.
Where bolted connections are used, it is necessary to evaluate the consequences of 'slack' in connections. In order
to reduce these consequences (typically, the increase of the deflections), pre-loaded assemblies to produce non-slip
joints are recommended.
Hollow sections are typically connected by welding whilst open sections are connected by bolting or welding, which
will usually involve the use of gusset plates. Guidance on the design of welded joints for Celsius®355 and
Hybox®355 hollow sections is available from Tata Steel.
Small trusses which can be transported whole from the fabrication factory to the site, can be entirely welded. In the
case of large roof trusses which cannot be transported whole, welded sub-assemblies are delivered to site and are
either bolted or welded together on site.
In light roof trusses, entirely bolted connections are less favoured than welded connections due to the requirement for
gusset plates and their increased fabrication costs.

Types of truss member sections

Bolted angles to form lightweight, long-span trusses

(Image courtesy of Metsec plc)

Many solutions are available. Choice of members depends on the magnitude of the internal forces, ease of
connections between members, aesthetics and any necessity to connect prefabricated truss sections on site. When
selecting members, the out-of-plane buckling resistance will be important, together with resistance under reversed
loading, for example, uplift.

Typical element cross sections for light building trusses

For smaller spans, tee sections are frequently used for chords, with angles used as internal members. The internal
members may be bolted or welded to the tees. Back-to-back angles or channels may be used for longer spans or
heavier loads, with a gusset plate used at nodes to connect the members.
For large trusses and heavy loads, typically found in transfer trusses in buildings, members may be rolled sections;
typically UKC sections. Nodes are usually welded. Any necessary connections are completed with bolted splices
within the length between nodes.
For many exposed trusses, hollow sections are chosen for their structural efficiency and for aesthetic reasons. Nodes
will generally be welded in the workshop. As part of the truss design, it is essential to verify the resistance of the joints
(in accordance with BS EN 1993-1-8[1]) as the joint design may dominate member selection and final truss geometry.
Members should be selected carefully to avoid expensive strengthening of trusses fabricated from hollow sections.
Different types of steel section used in trusses

North light truss

North Light truss

North light trusses are traditionally used for short spans in industrial workshop-type buildings. They allow maximum
benefit to be gained from natural lighting by the use of glazing on the steeper pitch which generally faces north or
north-east to reduce solar gain. On the steeper sloping portion of the truss, it is typical to have a truss running
perpendicular to the plane of the North Light truss, to provide large column-free spaces.
The use of north lights to increase natural daylighting can reduce the operational carbon emissions of buildings
although their impact should be explored using dynamic thermal modelling. Although north lights reduce the
requirement for artificial lighting and can reduce the risk of overheating, by increasing the volume of the building they
can also increase the demand for space heating. Further guidance is given in the Target Zero Warehouse buildings
design guide .
[top]Saw-tooth truss

Saw-tooth (or Butterfly) truss

A variation of the North light truss is the saw-tooth truss which is used in multi-bay buildings. Similar to the North light
truss, it is typical to include a truss of the vertical face running perpendicular to the plane of the saw-tooth truss.

[top]Fink truss

Fink truss

The Fink truss offers economy in terms of steel weight for short-span high-pitched roofs as the members are
subdivided into shorter elements. There are many ways of arranging and subdividing the chords and internal
members.
This type of truss is commonly used to construct roofs in houses.

Use of trusses in buildings

Trusses are used in a broad range of buildings, mainly where there is a requirement for very long spans, such as in
airport terminals, aircraft hangers, sports stadia roofs, auditoriums and other leisure buildings. Trusses are also used
to carry heavy loads and are sometimes used as transfer structures. This article focuses on typical single storey
industrial buildings, where trusses are widely used to serve two main functions:
 To carry the roof load

 To provide horizontal stability.

Two types of general arrangement of the structure of a typical single storey building are shown in the figure below.

Building braced in both directions.

Lateral stability provided by portal trusses.

Lateral stability provided by longitudinal wind girder and vertical

Longitudinal stability provided by transverse wind girder and bracings in the gables (blue)
vertical cross bracings (blue)
Longitudinal stability provided by transverse wind girder and
No longitudinal wind girder. vertical bracings (green)

Typical truss building arrangements

In the first case (left) the lateral stability of the structure is provided by a series of portal trusses; the connections
between the truss and the columns provide resistance to a global bending moment. Loads are applied to the portal
structure by purlins and side rails.
In the second case, (right) each truss and the two columns between which it spans, constitute a simple structure; the
connection between the truss and a column does not resist the global bending moment, and the two column bases
are pinned. Bracing in both directions is necessary at the top level of the simple structure; it is achieved by means of
a longitudinal wind girder which carries the transverse forces due to wind on the side walls to the vertical bracing in
the gable walls. Longitudinal stability is also provided by a wind girder in the roof and vertical bracing in the
elevations.
[top]Types of trusses
Trusses comprise assemblies of tension and compression elements. Under gravity loads, the top and bottom chords
of the truss provide the compression and tension resistance to overall bending, and the bracing resists the shear
forces. A wide range of truss forms can be created. Each can vary in overall geometry and in the choice of the
individual elements. Some of the commonly used types are shown below.

[top]Pratt truss ('N' truss)

Pratt trusses are commonly used in long span buildings ranging from 20 to 100 m in span. In a conventional Pratt
truss, diagonal members are in tension for gravity loads. This type of truss is used where gravity loads are
predominant (see below left). An alternative Pratt truss is shown (below right) where the diagonal members are in
tension for uplift loads. This type of truss is used where uplift loads are predominant, which may be the case in open
buildings such as aircraft hangers.

Pratt truss (gravity loads)

Pratt truss (uplift loads)

It is possible to add secondary members (as illustrated below left) to:

 Create intermediate support points for applied loads

 Limit the buckling length of members in compression (although in a 2D truss, the buckling length is only

modified in one axis).

For the Pratt truss and any of the types of truss mentioned below, it is possible to provide either a single or a double
slope to the upper chord of a roof supporting truss. An example of a double (duo-pitch) Pratt truss is shown below.

Pratt truss with secondary members

Duo-pitch Pratt truss

A Pratt truss – University of Manchester

(Image courtesy of Elland Steel Structures Ltd.)

[top]Warren truss

Modified Warren trusses – National Composites Centre, Bristol

(Image courtesy of Billington Structures Ltd.)

In this type of truss, diagonal members are alternatively in tension and in compression. The Warren truss has equal
length compression and tension web members, and fewer members than a Pratt truss. A modified Warren truss may
be adopted where additional members are introduced to provide a node at (for example) purlin locations.
Warren trusses are commonly used in long span buildings ranging from 20 to 100 m in span.
This type of truss is also used for the horizontal truss of gantry/crane girders.