TRUSS, ARCHES &PORTAL

FRAME STRUCTURE
THEORY OF STRUCTURE

NAME – Ria Gurbani

Roll No- 16031
Dr.D.Y.Patil College of Architecture
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THEORY OF STRUCTURE
ASSINGMENT-2
TRUSS, ARCHES & PORTAL FRAME
Q 1) (a) Explain the type of arches based on its geometric shape and
based on its support type? Give one example to each type.
Ans.
Types of arches
- By support
- By geometry
Types of arches based on geometric shape:-
1. Semicircular Arch or One-Centred –
Definition-
 The shape of arch curve looks like semi-circle.
 The thrust transferred to the abutments is perfectly vertical direction since
skewback is horizontal.
 In this type of arch, the Centre lies exactly on the springing line.
Application-
 It is use of semi-cicular arches roman arches enabled the ancient romans,
to build bridges, aqueducts, sewers, amphitheatres, and , as well as
temples and palaces.
 It is an essential element in the magnificent gothic cathedrals of the
middle ages. It was applied extensively to doorways and windows, and is
an ornament as well as a utility.

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2. Gothic Arch or Two-Centred –

Definition-
 In this type of arch two arcs of circles are met at the apex hence triangle is
formed.
 This may be either isosceles or equilateral.
Application.
 It is one of the defining characteristics of gothic architecture is the
pointed.
 Arches of a similar type were used in the near east in pre-islamic as well as
islamic architecture before they were structurally employed in medieval
architecture.

3. Segmental Arch-
Definition
 This is the basic type of arch used for buildings in which Centre of arch lies
below the springing line.
 In segmental arch, the thrust Transferred in inclined direction to the
abutment.

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Application
 A bridge could be built which was based not on the trditional semicircle
arch but on what is known as segmental arch.
 The great stone bridge spanning the river chiao shui is the world’s first
segmental arch bridge

4. Three Centred Arch or Basket Handle Arch-

Definition -
 An arch whose width is much greater than its height and which resembles
an ellipse.
 It is usually drawn from three or more centred and also called multicentre
arch.
Application
 It was largely used by the assyrians and by the egyptians as well, at a very
early date: but for some reason they did not introduce it into their
greatest works, the practical introduction and use of the arch was due to
the romans.

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5. Four Centred or Tudor Arch-

Definition -
 It has four centres.
 Venetian arch and Tudor arch comes under this category.
Application
 Four centred arch four-centred arches are most often found in Victorian
architecture for a simple reason: victorian architecture is a blend of neo-
classical styles and gothic designs. And there is no better example of
gothic revival architecture than a four-centred arch.

6. Flat Arch –
 In this the intrados is apparently flat and it acts as a base of equilateral
triangle which was formed by the horizontal angle of 60 degree by
skewbacks.
 Extrados is also horizontal and flat.

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Type of arches by Support-

1) Two hinged support arch:
 A two-hinged arch has hinges only at the supports . Such an arch is
statically indeterminate.
 Determination of the horizontal and vertical components of each
reaction requires four equations, whereas the laws of equilibrium
supply only three

2) Three hinged support arch:

In the case of three-hinged arch, we have three hinges: two at the support and
one at the crown thus making it statically determinate structure.

3) Fixed Arch
A stiff arch having rotation prevented at its supports.

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Q 1(b) Explain the parts of an arch with a neat diagram.
Ans.
Arch- an Arch is a structure constructed of wedge-shaped unit. Its
spans an opening to support the weight of the wall and other
superimpose load.
• The mechanical principle of the arch is precisely the same as that of the
portal frame. The straight pieces of material joined by sharp bends are
smoothened into a continuous curve. This increases the cost of construction but
greatly reduces the stresses. Arch The geometry of the curve further affects the
cost and stresses
• An arch is a pure compression form. It can span a large area by resolving
forces into compressive stresses, and thereby eliminating tensile stresses. This is
sometimes denominated "arch action". As the forces in the arch are transferred
to its base, the arch pushes outward at its base, denominated "thrust".

The basic difference between an arch and a beam is that the beam resists load
by beam action where as arch resists load by arch action. Because of this an
arch can span more than a beam. Beams resist the load by shear force and
bending moment.
Arches transfer that load through its stiffness and curvature to the end supports
and resist it by horizontal or vertical forces at end supports. They don't have any
shear force or bending moment

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Different part of the Arch:-

1. Intrados - This is an inner curve of an arch.
2. Extrados - Outer Curve of an arch.
3. Soffit - Inner Surface of an arch.
4. Spandril - Curved triangular space form between extrados and
horizontal line.
5. Voussoirs – The wedge shape unit forming the arch known as a
voussior or arch block.
6. Keystone- It is the highest shape wedge shape block of an arch
7. Skew back- It is inclined or splayed surface on the abutment
8. Springing points- These are the points from which the curve of the
9. Arch spring.
10. Springing line - It is an imaginary line joining the springing
point of either ends.
11. Rise – It is the vertical distance between the springing line
and the highest point of intrados.
12. Abutment –It’s an end point of an Arch.

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Q2) Explain any three types of long span truss which is suitable for a
span of 30m. Draw neat sketches of it.
Ans.
North Light Roof Truss-
 When the floor span exceeds 15m, it is generally more economical to
change from a simple truss arrangement to one employing wide span
lattice girders which support trusses at right angles.
 In order to light up the space satisfactorily, roof lighting has to replace or
supplement, side lighting provision must also be made for ventilation form
the roof.
 One of the oldest and economical methods of covering large areas is the
North Light and Lattice girder.
 This roof consists of a series of trusses fixed to girders. The short vertical
side of the truss is glazed so that when the roof is used in the Northern
Hemisphere, the glazed portion faces North for the best light.
 It can be used for spans from 20-30m.
 Used for industrial buildings, drawing rooms etc.

North light truss section North light truss example

Howe truss -
 A Howe truss is a truss bridge consisting of chords, verticals, and diagonals
whose vertical members are in tension and whose diagonal members are
in compression.
 It used mostly wood in construction and was suitable for longer spans than
the Pratt truss.
 The vertical members or tension members are made of steel.
 It can be used for spans from 6-30m.
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 This is very useful for a wide range of project type.

Howe truss section Howe truss example

Quadrangular Roof Trusses -

 Type of truss having parallel chords and an arrangement of web
members of tension diagonals and compression verticals.
 It is mostly encountered in auditoriums or railway sheds.
 This truss may be considered as two trussed rafters, held in place
by the tie T at the centre.
 A famous building with this design is the Madison Square Garden,
the biggest arena in New York.

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Q 2(b) Case study of an arch roof truss and give details of it.
Ans.
TURBHE RAILWAY STATION-
 Turbhe Railway Station Navi Mumbai Turbhe Railway Station, designed by
Hafeez Contractor and conceptualised with a gigantic arch roof.
 Turbhe is the fifth railway station with Rail Corridor, a 23-km-long corridor
connecting Thane with Navi Mumbai.
 The station occupies a total length of 65.4 m x 27 m, across the five
platforms and the tracks. The station spread over an area of 15,000 sq.m

PLAN OF TURBHE STATION

SECTION OF TURBHE STATION

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PICTURE OF STRUCTURAL ELEMENT

ROOF STRUCTURE:
 The station stands apart because of its massive 84-m roof with a
semicircular shape.
 An innovative ribbed arch roof design spans across all platforms and its
sheer size and magnitude makes an imposing assertion.
 Large strip skylights, integrated with the structural system, establish light-
filled platform spaces.
 Resilient galvalume sheets made of aluminum and zinc are used for the
roof.
 The roof is distinctive because of the clips that have been used for fixing
joints instead of drilling.
(c) Case study of a bridge steel truss and give details of it.
Howrah Bridge is a cantilever bridge with a suspended span over the Hooghly
River in West Bengal, India.
• Address : West Bengal
• Total length : 705 m
• Opened : February 3,
1943
• Construction started:
1935
• Architect : James
Meadows

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 It is suspention type balance cantilever bridge with central 457.5m span &
suspended 172m span.
 Main towers are 85m high & anchor arms are 99.1m each.
 Bridge deck hangs from 39 pairs of hangers.
 The deck system includes cross girders suspended between the pairs of
hangers by a pinned connection.
 Two main expansion joints, one at each interface between the suspended
span and the cantilever arms
 Total 8 articulation joints, 3 at each of the cantilever arms and 2 each in
the suspended portion.
 deck has longitudinal ruling gradient of 1 in 40 from either end , bridge is
joined by a vertical curve of radius 4,000 feet.

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 It consumed 26,000 tons of steel , the two anchorage caisson were each
16.4 x 8.2m with two wells 4.9m square.
 The caisson set at 31.41m at kolkata side and howrah side at 26.5m below
the ground level.
 The bridge was erected by commencing at the two anchor span and
advancing towards the center with the use of creeper cranes moving along
the upper chords.
 All members meeting at intersection points had to be set up on a horizontal
bed with the members accurately laid out and securely fixed at the correct
intersection angles, with all the connection-plates and covers in position.
 The design had to be such as to obviate direct sunlight from falling on a part
of a member being marked out or machined, in order to ensure that the
temperature of such members should be uniform throughout.
 A simple cantilever span is formed by two cantilever arms extending from
opposite sides of an obstacle to be crossed, meeting at the center.
 In a common variant, the suspended span, the cantilever arms do not meet
in the centre instead, they support a central truss bridge which rests on the
ends of the cantilever arms.
 The suspended span may be built off-site and lifted into place, or
constructed in place using special travelling supports. Cantilever Bridges
Function

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Q3 Explain difference between Truss Analysis and Portal frame
analysis?
ANS.
A truss is composed of links or
straight bars assumed to be
connected by frictionless pins at
the joints
Forces are applied only at the
joints.
Members are subjected to axial
forces only
The members of truss experiences
deformation in the for of axial
compression or tension in nature
The members sub divide the
structure into geometrical figures.
Which are usually triangles.
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A frame is a structure composed of
links or straight bars connected at
their ends by rigid joints.
Forces may act any where on the
member.
Members are subjected to axial
forces, shear & moment
The members of frame have
significant deformations in the
form of flexural & axial
deformations.
The members sub divide the
structure into geometrical figures.
Which are usually rectangles.
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Q-4-Draw Sketching for any portal frame structure (plan size 40x60
Meter).

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Q5) Explain Vector active systems.
Ans.
These are systems of short, solid, straight lineal members, in which the
redirection of forces is effected by vector partition, i.e. by multidirectional
splitting of single force simply to tension or compressive elements. Examples
are:
1. Flat Trusses
2. Curved Trusses
3. Prismatic (3D) Trusses
4. Space Trusses
1. Flat Trusses-
Flat truss or Parallel chord truss are constructed with two chords running
parallel to each other and supported by reinforcing trusses in between the top
and bottom chords.
The biggest advantage of this type of design is that it provides space for easy
installation of generous amounts of insulation.
Among the disadvantages of using this type of design are increased costs due to
the additional steel braces and the difficulty of insulating the space between
chords.

Flat roof truss example Flat roof section

2. Curved Trusses –
 The principal advantage of curved structural steel is its aesthetic appeal. It
provides architects and designers with the opportunity to express a
greater variety of forms than with straight members and makes exposed
steelwork an attractive solution.

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 Curved steel structures are often designed to provide the users of the
structure with natural light and a sense of spaciousness and grandeur in
public facilities such as airports, stations, shopping malls and leisure
centres.
 The steel trusses offer quite a lot of durability for any roof. It’s a lot easier
to use such a truss, because it offers you with the ultimate amount of
convenience while also keeping the pricing low.

Curved roof section Curved roof example

3. Space Trusses
 Space trusses are three-dimensional structures with longitudinal members
connected at their ends by hinges assumed to be frictionless. The loads on
space trusses are applied only at the nodes or joints, thus the self-weight
is allocated for each element at its two ends joining other elements of the
truss.
 The conditions imposed on space trusses are certainly the same as those
on plane trusses.
 Essentially, the only difference in the analysis of space trusses compared
with plane trusses is that an element of a space truss has three nodal
coordinates at each node while an element of a plane truss has only two.

TRUSS, ARCHES & PORTAL FRAME STRUCTURE