1.

ISOSTATIC STRUCTURES
1.1 Exercise n. 1

Given the following isostatic structure:

I. determine the constraint reactions (in magnitude and orientation);

II. draw the diagrams of: bending moment, shear stress, axial stress.

q = 10 kN/m

L = 4m

Figure 1.1.a.

I.

We decide to release arbitrarily the unknown constraint reactions as reported in Figure 1.1.b. The
Cardinal Equations of Statics, together with a necessary auxiliary equation (given by the hinge in B)
leads to the following system of equations:

∑ Xi = XD – q·L = 0

∑ Yi = YA + YC – YD – q·L = 0

∑ Mi,D = q·L·3/2 L + q·L2 - YC·2L = 0

XD·L - YD·L + q·L·1/2 L = 0 (Aux. B (upper side of the structure))

Notice that the internal hinge in B is not a passing-through hinge for body AC. It means that the
auxiliary equation with respect to B should be an equilibrium to rotation of body AC (all what is
below B) or, equivalently, of the remaining structure (all what above B). Te second choice has been
taken here.
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Figure 1.1.b.

The solution of the system gives the following constraint reactions:

XD = 40 kN, YA = 50 kN, YC = 50 kN, YD = 60 kN

where the positive signs mean that the initial arbitrary orientation was correct.

II.

The diagrams for Bending moment, Shear and Axial force are reported in Figures 1.1.c (a, b, c)
respectively. They are plotted in agreement with the convention on the signs of the internal beam
reactions. Notice that M goes to zero in B for body BDEF, but is different from zero in B for body
AC which is not disconnected by the hinge. This is because it is not a passing-through hinge for
body AC, but rather does not allow the transfer of M between all body AC and the remaining
structure.

M [kNm] T[kN]

Figura 1.1.c (a) Figura 1.1.c (b)

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N [kN]

Figure 1.1.c (c)

1.2 Exercise n. 2

Given the following isostatic structure:

I. determine the constraint reactions (in magnitude and orientation);

II. draw the diagrams of: bending moment, shear stress, axial stress.

F⋅⋅L
q
q = 7 kN/m
B D E F = 10 kN
A
4/3L

F C L=5m
G
F

L L L L

Figura 1.2.a.

I.

We need 2 auxiliary equations to determine all the constraint reactions, so the solving system is the
following:

∑ Xi = 0
XA = 0

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∑ Yi = 0
YA + YG – YD + F – qL = 0

∑ Mi,A = 0
- MA - FL + qL·3/2 L – YG·3L + YD·3L – FL = 0

∑ Mi,C (RIGHT) = 0
YD·L - FL = 0 (Aux. C (right side of the structure))

∑ Mi,C (INFERIOR) = 0
FL – YG·L = 0 (Aux. C (lower side of the structure))

Whose solution is:

YD = F = 10 kN YG = F = 10 kN YA = qL – F = 25 kN

MA = -2FL + 3/2qL2 = 162.5 kNm

The orientation of the constraint reactions is that reported below:

MA YD F⋅⋅L
q

XA
YA
F

YG

Figura 1.2.b.

II.

The diagram of Bending moment is reported in Figure 1.4.d.

Notice, again, that C is not a passing-through hinge for body FG, so that the second auxiliary
equation involves equilibrium of rotation of all what stands below the hinge. One of the two
auxiliary equations above could have been replaced by equilibrium of rotation about C of the left-
hand side of the structure with respect to C, and the results for the constraint reactions would be the
same.

In particular, consider that MB is:

MB -MA + YAL = 0
MB = 162.5 - 25·5 = 37.5 kNm

and the diagram along BC comes from effects superposition principle, by summing the effect of the
end couple MB and the effect of the distributed load (snow load, so-called, because vertical
distributed uniform load on a sloped beam):

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 q MB
MB
MB/2

1/8qL2

1/8qL2 - MB/2

Figure 1.2.c.

M [kNm]

162.5
37.5

50

3.13

50

Figura 1.2.d.

The diagram for Shear and Axial force are reported below. In particular consider that at section B,
in order to determine the transversal and the axial contribution we need to decompose forces
transversally and axially, which is not required in principle to determine the M diagram:

25 kN tg α = 4/3
sen α = 0.8, cos α = 0.6

T
α
N

Equilibrium for both translations yields:

Ncosα + Tsenα = 0

-Nsenα + Tcosα + 25 = 0

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hence: N = 20 kN, T = -15 kN (opposite to what arbitrarily assumed)

Also for beam BC we need to decompose all the forces into the two directions (transversal and
axial) in order to compute T and N.

20 q 20
qL qLsenα
15 15 qLcosα

NBC NBC = 8
TBC TBC = 6

For beam CD, similarly:

YD 8

TCD TCD = 6
NCD NCD = 8

At section C we shall check equilibrium:

8 6 6 8

10 10

T [kN]

25
15
6

6
10
10

Figure 1.2.e.
6
N [kN]

20

Figure 1.2.f.

1.3 Exercise n. 3

Given the following isostatic structure:

I. determine the constraint reactions (in magnitude and orientation);

II. draw the diagrams of: bending moment, shear stress, axial stress.

q = 15 kN/m
A B C
M = 40 kNm

y 2 l=6m

x
M
0 M

D E
2 2 2 2

Figure 1.3.a.

I.

The unknown constraint reactions are released in an arbitrary way as reported in Figure 1.2.b, then
the Cardinal Equations of Statics with the addiction of 3 auxiliary equations lead to solve the
following system (results are in [kN] and, if the result is negative, the orientation of the constraint
reaction is opposite than the one assumed initially):

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1) YA + YE − q ⋅ ℓ = 0 4) YA =
q⋅ℓ
= 45 kN
2
2) X A + X E = 0
q ⋅ℓ 2 q ⋅ℓ 2
6) M A = − + =0
q⋅ℓ 2
ℓ 2 2
3) − M A − + M − M + 2ℓ ⋅ YE + ⋅ X E + M E = 0
2 2 1) YE = q ⋅ ℓ − YA = 90 − 45 = 45 kN
q⋅ℓ
4) YA − =0 5) M E = M − YE ⋅ ℓ = 40 − 45 ⋅ 6= −230
2
5) − M + YE ⋅ ℓ +M E = 0 2 ( − 540+230+270 ) 40
3) X E = =−
6 3
q⋅ℓ2
6) − M A − YA ⋅ ℓ + =0 40
2 2) X A = − X E =
3

q
y
XA
M
A
x
0
YA

M
M
M E
XE

YE

Figure 1.3.b.

II.

The diagrams of Bending moment, Shear and Axial force are reported below:

230 kNm
67,5 kNm

40 kNm

40 kNm

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 40 kN
45 kN 3

45 kN

45 kN

40 kN
3 N

40 kN
3

Figure 1.3.c.

1.4 Exercise n. 4

Given the following isostatic structure:

I. determine the constraint reactions (in magnitude and orientation);

II. draw the diagrams of: bending moment, shear stress, axial stress.

L = 4m

P = 5kN

q = 5kN/m

M = 2kNm

Figure 1.4.a.

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I.

Check from the Cardinal Equations of Statics and the addiction of 1 auxiliary equation, the

magnitude of the constraint reactions and their orientation.

XA = 5 kN

YE = 10 kN

YG = 50 kN

MG = 52 kNm

Figure 1.4.b.

II.

The diagrams for Bending moment, Shear and Axial force are reported in Figures 1.4.c., Figure
1.4.d., Figure 1.4.e, respectively:

M [KN m]

Figure 1.4.c.

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T [KN]

Figure 1.4.d.

N [KN]

Figure 1.4.e.

1.5 Exercise n. 5

Given the following isostatic structure:

I. determine the constraint reactions (in magnitude and orientation);

II. draw the diagrams of: bending moment, shear stress, axial stress.

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 q = 5 kN/m

P = 30 kN

M = 20 kNm

L=6m

Figure 1.5.a.

With respect to the reference system in Figure 1.5.b we can write down the following system of
equations made by the 3 Cardinal Equations of Statics and 1 auxiliary equation:

– XA – q·L/2 = 0

YA + YF – P = 0

∑ MA,A = MA – M + P ·L/2 – q·L/2 ·(5L/4) – YF·L = 0

∑ Mi,D (LEFT) = MA – M + XA ·3L/2 = 0 (Aux. D (left))

Whose solution is (the correct orientation is reported in Figure 1.5.b) :

XA = -15 kN; YA = 11.25 kN; MA= 155 kNm; YF = 18.75 kN

The diagrams of bending moment, shear and axial force are reported in Figure 1.5.c (a), (b), (c),
respectively. Notice that for beam EF the curvature of the parabolic behaviour of diagram M goes in
direction of the distributed load (that is, here, from right to left).

Notice the discontinuity (jump) for diagram T in correspondence of the point force P, which turns to
be in a change of slope for diagram M at the same cross-section.

Notice also the discontinuity (jump) for diagram M in correspondence of the point moment M in B.

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Figure 1.5.b.

M [kNm] T [kN]

Figure 1.5.c (a) Figure 1.5.c (b)

N [kN]

Figure 1.5.c (c)

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