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In this example, a parallel‐chord steel roof truss girder is analyzed for typical roof dead and live loads.
The photo below shows two types of trusses: a truss girder (painted gray) and bar joists (painted white).
As seen in the photo above, the corrugated steel deck is supported by the white bar joists, which in turn
are supported by the gray truss girder. The truss girder is supported on columns (not shown).
Figure 1. Truss girders (gray), bar joists (white) and roof deck (white and corrugated) for a gymnasium roof
The goal of this example problem (and the goal of the HW and exam problems you will work), is to check
the strength of the truss. We will assume that the truss members support primarily axial loads‐‐note in
the drawings below that the bar joists rest on the truss girders at the panel points (intersections of
verticals and chords) so that no bending is induced in the top chord of the truss girder.
The information required to check the strength of the roof truss girder includes:
‐ Roof Loads (see Table 1)
‐ Structural drawings (see Figure 2)
‐ Computer model (see Figure 3)
‐ Possible influence lines (see Figure 4 and Table 2)
Table 1. Specified loads on truss girder.
Dead Loads: Live Loads:
Roof & Ceiling*: Roof live load specified in the building code (see “IBC
20 ga metal deck (International Building Code) Live Loads”)
Waterproof membrane with gravel
2” thick Perlite insulating roof boards 10k air conditioning unit
Heating & cooling ductwork
Steel suspended ceiling
Acoustic Fiber Board Load Combinations
Weight of truss girders = 4.05 k LC 3: 1.2 D + 1.6 Lr
Weight of bar joists = 9 plf (see “Load Combinations” posted on class web site)
CE 331, Summer 2016 Roof Truss Analysis Example 2 / 3
*See “Typical Dead Loads” (posted on the
class web site) for the weights of building
components.
17’
6’
5 @ 8’
Side Elevation View
3 @ 20’
3 @ 20’
Bar Joist
Plan View End‐view of
Truss Girder
5 @ 8’ End‐view of
Bar Joist Available Axial
Type of
Shape Strength,
6’ Truss Girder Member
Pn
Chords WT 3x8 41.4 k C
17’
Diagonals LL 2.5 x 2.0 x 2/16 43.2 k T
Front Elevation View
Figure 2. Structural drawings of steel framing
Figure 3. Member and Node Numbers of Truss Girder
CE 331, Summer 2016 Roof Truss Analysis Example 3 / 3
Figure 4. Possible Influence Lines for Truss Girder
Table 2. Possible Influence Values for above influence lines:
Node A B C D
7 0 0 0 0
8 ‐0.417 0.333 ‐0.417 0.667
9 ‐0.833 0.667 ‐0.833 1.334
10 ‐1.25 1 0.417 0.667
11 0 0 0 0
12 ‐0.417 ‐1 ‐0.417 ‐0.667
Solution Procedure.
1. Identify the critical truss girder, and calculate the concentrated loads on it.
1.1. Calculate the concentrated loads due to dead loads at the exterior and interior panel PDext
points of the truss girder. PDint
1.2. Calculate the concentrated loads due to roof live loads at the exterior and interior panel PLrext
points of the truss girder. PLrint
PAC
2. Calculate the critical bar forces due to dead loads for each type of member fDi
Calculate the magnitude and location (i.e. member number) of the maximum
compressive bar force due to dead loads in the chords. (Assume compression controls,
since failure by rupture (in tension) occurs at a similar magnitude force as crushing in
compression, but compressive forces can also cause buckling.)
3. Calculate the bar forces due to live loads in the same members from Step 2 to give maximum fLri
total force (due to dead and live loads).
Calculate the maximum compression force due to live loads in the chord from Step 2.1.
Use Influence Line “D”.
4. Check the strengths of the chords and diagonals