Lecture 4: 3-D TRUSS

 Introduction
o 3-D trusses or space trusses have 3 DOF’s per free joint, displacements in the
global X, Y and Z directions.
o The local stiffness matrix is still the same as for 2-D trusses

[k] = (AE/L) [−11 −11 ]

 .Transformation Matrix
x
Local x and
Global X, Y End 2
Y
and Z axes
Angles and are angles from the
global X, Y and Z axes to the local x
 axis, respectively.


End 1 X

Z coscos cosdirection cosines

Global Forces – Local Forces Relationships

Fx1 = f1 cos  = f1 l Fx2 = f2 cos  = f2 l

Fy1 = f1 cos  = f1 m Fy2 = f2 cos  = f2 m

Fz1 = f1 cos  = f1 n Fz2 = f2 cos  = f2 n

The above 6 simultaneous equations in matrix form is

{F} = [T] {f} where: {F} is force at global axis

{f} is force at global axis

Fx 1 l 0

[ ][ ]
Fy 1 m 0
Fz1 f
=n 0 1
Fx 2 0 l f2
0 m
[]
Fy 2
Fz 2 0 n
From Principle of Contragredience,

{d} = [T]T {D} where: {D}, {d} = displacement vectors

l 0

[T] =

[]
m
n
0
0
0
0
0
l
m
n
 [T ] =
T
[ 0l m n 0 0 0
0 0 l m n ]

u1

[]
v1
d1 w
= l m n 0 0 0
[ ][
d2 0 0 0 l m n u2
1
]
v2
w2

 Member Global Stiffness Matrix [K] = [T][k][T]T

l 0

[k] = (AE/L)
m
n
0
0
0
[] 0
0 1 −1 l m n 0 0 0
[ ][
l −1 1 0 0 0 l m n
m
n
]

l2 lm ln -l2 -lm -ln

m2 mn -lm -m2 -mn

n2 -ln -mn -n2

[K] = (AE/L)
symm l2 lm ln

m2 mn

n2

 Modifications in the 7-Step Computer Procedure:

1. Input
a) Joint Data
1) The number of rows is still equal to the number of joints, NOJ.
 2) The JDAT Array now has 7 columns.
3) The first 3 columns are for the joint X, Y and Z global coordinates.
4) The 4th column is for the joint type.
5) The last 3 columns are for the global external loads Fx. Fy and Fz
Y
There are 8 Joint Types, namely

Hinge  0 DOF
X
Roller X  1 DOF Z
Roller Y  1 DOF cylindrical rollers
Roller Z  1 DOF
Roller XY  2 DOF’s
Roller YZ  2 DOF’s spherical rollers on 2-D planes
Roller XZ  2 DOF’s
Free Joint  3 DOF’s  u, v, w Y X
Y
Z
X
a. Joint Data Z

Coordinates Joint Loads

Jt. X Y Z Type Fx Fy Fz

NOJ

b. Member Data

Member Incidences  End 1 and End 2

Member Cross-sectional Areas, Moduli of Elasticities

Incidences
Members End 1 End 2 Area E
1
:

NOM

2. NDF Array
o Number of Rows = NOJ, Number of Columns = 3 for u, v and w the global displacements
in X. Y and Z, respectively.

Joint x y z

1
 :

NOJ Max. value = TDOF

3. System Load Vector Qsys

Joint Loads & NDF Array  Qsys (TDOF)

Joint loads and NDF array have the same size, (NOJ,3). Q’s are determined from one-to-one
correspondence of JDAT Rows 5, 6 and 7 with the 3 rows of the NDF array.

4. MCODE

NDF Array & Member Incidences

Members End1 End 2

x y z x y z
1

NOJ

The difference between the maximum and minimum non-zero values are computed for each
row. The maximum difference + 1 = Half Bandwidth.

5. System Stiffness Matrix Ksys

For each member, do the following:

1) Coordinates of End 1 (x1, y1, z1) and End 2 (x2, y2, z2)

2) Length L = (x 2 – x 1)2 +( y 2 – y 1 )2+( z 2 – z1 )2

√
3) l = cos  = (x2 – x1) / L , m = cos  = (y2 – y1) / L , n = cos  = (z2 – z1) / L

4) AE/L (Note: store direction cosines l, m & n and AE/L for future use)

5) Solve for member [K] based on the direction cosines l, m and n and the stiffness AE/L.

6) Transfer the values of [K] to [K]sys using the MCODE.

6. Cholesky Procedure to Solve for the System Displacement Vector Dsys

 Decomposition, [K]sys  [U]

 Forward Elimination, [L]{y} = {Q}sys  {y}
 Backward Substitution, [U]{D}sys = {y}  {D}sys

7. Member Forces and Reactions

a) Member Forces

{f} = [k] [T]T {D}

2x1 = 2x2 2x6 6x1

Get l, m, n and AE/L from Step 5.

Use MCODE and {D}sys to get the Member {D} where {D} T = [ u1 v1 w1 u2 v2 w2 ]

f2 = (AE/L) [ (u2 –u1) l + (v2 – v1) m + (w2 – w1) n ] and f1 = -f2

b) Support Reactions: {F}’s, Member Incidences & NDF Array  Reactions

 For each member, get {F} = [T]{f} where {F} T = [ Fx1 Fy1 Fz1 Fx2 Fy2 Fz2 ]
 Create a Reactions array (NOJ,3) and transfer the values of {F} into this
array using the joint numbers of End 1 and End 2 from the Member
Incidences to the corresponding row number in the Reactions array.
 Repeat the process for all members.
 Compare directly one-to-one the Reaction and NDF arrays. Remove in
the Reaction array all values where there are non-zero values in the NDF
array for the same row and column numbers. Note that zeroes in the
NDF array denote a support or restraint and therefore a reaction.

Example: Determine the member forces of the 3-D truss with the given data below.
EXERCISE:

Determine the member forces of the 3-D truss with the given data below.