- 20 - Ch.

2 Truss Analysis
--------------------------------------------

Chapter 2. Truss Analysis

2.1 Warren Truss I

Steel : E = 210,000,000 kN/m2

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Structural Analysis with SAP2000
 Ch. 2 Truss Analysis - 21 -
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1. Making the analysis model : File//New Model Template

1) To select the unit : click on the kN-m.

2) From the File menu, select New Model Template

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Structural Analysis with SAP2000
- 22 - Ch. 2 Truss Analysis
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3) In the Model Template, choose the shape of Warren Truss.

4) In the Sloped Truss dialog box: Change Number of Bays = 2, Height of Truss = 9.6,

Truss Bay Length = 14.4. Then click on the OK button.

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Structural Analysis with SAP2000
 Ch. 2 Truss Analysis - 23 -
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5) The left window shows a 3-D perspective view, and the right window shows a 2-D

X-Z plane view of the model at Y = 0.

Note: You can change the number of windows from 1 to 4, from the Windows submenu
in the Options menu. Then you can change the view direction, from the Set 3D View...
submenu in the View menu.

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Structural Analysis with SAP2000
- 24 - Ch. 2 Truss Analysis
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6) To identify the joint, in the right window, click right mouse button at right joint of

upper chord. This will open the Joint Information floating window in which the joint

information is displayed, i.e. the name of joint, joint coordinates, restraints, etc.

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Structural Analysis with SAP2000
 Ch. 2 Truss Analysis - 25 -
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2. Assigning the boundary conditions : Assign//Joint//Restraints

1) To assign left support as hinge, click on that joint. From the Assign menu, select
Joint submenu, and choose Restraints option. (Or you can click shortcut icon .) In
the Joint Restraints floating window, in the Restraints in Local Directions area, check
all options except Rotation about 2. Click OK.

2) To assign right support as roller, click on the joint. Then click . In the dialog
box, check all options except Translation 1 and Rotation about 2. Click OK.

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Structural Analysis with SAP2000
- 26 - Ch. 2 Truss Analysis
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3. Arranging the joint and element labels : Edit//Change Labels...

We can display the joint and element labels which have been assigned automatically.

1) From the View menu, select Set Elements... submenu. (Or you can click shortcut icon

on the floating toolbar.) This will open the Set Elements floating window.

2) For right window, in the Joints area, check the Labels and Restraints option. In the
Frames area, check the Labels option only.

3) Click OK.

4) Click on the left window to activate the window. From the View menu, select Set

Elements... submenu. (Or click .)

5) In the Joints area, check the Labels and Restraints option. Leave the Frames area

unchecked.

6) Click OK.

Then you can see the automatically assigned numbers for joints and elements.

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Structural Analysis with SAP2000
 Ch. 2 Truss Analysis - 27 -
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We can arrange the automatically assigned joint labels and element labels.

7) From the Select menu, select Select submenu and choose All option. (Or click .)

This will select all the joints and elements.

8) From the Edit menu, select Change Labels... submenu. This will open the Relabel

Selected Items floating window.

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Structural Analysis with SAP2000
- 28 - Ch. 2 Truss Analysis
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9) In the dialog box, fill the boxes for Joint as J, 1, 1, and for Frame as E, 1, 1.

10) Click OK. You can identify the edited joint and element numbers.

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Structural Analysis with SAP2000
 Ch. 2 Truss Analysis - 29 -
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4. Defining the material property : Define//Materials...

1) From the Define menu, select Materials... submenu. In the Define Materials floating
window, at the Materials area, choose STEEL, and at the Click to: area, click on the

Modify/Show Material button.

2) In the Analysis Property Data area, input as The Modulus of Elasticity = 210,000,000,

Poisson's Ratio = 0.3, and the others = 0. Then click OK.

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Structural Analysis with SAP2000
- 30 - Ch. 2 Truss Analysis
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5. Defining the section property : Define//Frame Sections...

1) From the Define menu, select Frame Sections... submenu. In the Define Frame
Sections floating window, in the Click to: area, choose the Add Box/Tube.

2) In the Box/Tube Section floating window, in the Section Name area, change the name
to e.g. TRUSS01. Be sure that Material is STEEL. In Dimensions area, input: Outside
depth = 0.4, Outside width = 0.3, Flange thickness = 0.005, Web thickness = 0.005.
Click OK.

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Structural Analysis with SAP2000
 Ch. 2 Truss Analysis - 31 -
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6. Assigning the section property : Assign//Frame//Sections...

1) In the left window(3-D view), select all the members.( )

2) From the Assign menu, select Frame submenu. Then choose Sections... option. In the

Define Frame Sections floating window, in the Frame Sections area, select TRUSS01.

3) Click on the OK button.

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Structural Analysis with SAP2000
- 32 - Ch. 2 Truss Analysis
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3) To identify the 3-D shape, from the View menu, select Set Elements.... submenu.( )

In the dialog box, check Show Extrusions box.

4) Click OK.

5) Click . Then remove the check in the Show Extrusions box after identifying.

Note: When the Show Extrusions mode is activated, computation speed will be slow.

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Structural Analysis with SAP2000
 Ch. 2 Truss Analysis - 33 -
--------------------------------------------

7. Defining the load cases : Define//Static Load Cases...

1) From the Define menu, select Static Load Cases... submenu. This will show the
Define Static Load Case Names floating window. Change the Self Weight Multiplier to

0. Then click on the Change Load button. Then click on the OK button.

Note: Self Weight Multiplier is a kind of load magnification factor when you consider the
self weight.

Note: As a default, Load = LOAD1, Type = DEAD, Self Weight Multiplier = 1. If you
want to change anyone of it, you can replace it as you want, and then click on the
Change Load button. If you want to add more load cases, you can edit the contents of

the white boxes, and click on the Add New Load button.

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Structural Analysis with SAP2000
- 34 - Ch. 2 Truss Analysis
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8. Assigning the loads : Assign//Joint Static Load...//Forces...

1) To assign 200kN load to J2, click on the joint J2. From the Assign menu, select

Joint Static Loads... submenu and choose Forces... option. In the dialog box, type

-200 on Force Global Z box.

2) Click OK. It will show the value and direction of the load.

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Structural Analysis with SAP2000
 Ch. 2 Truss Analysis - 35 -
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9. Releasing the moment of joints : Assign//Frame//Releases...

1) In the right window(2-D view), select all : Select//Select//All or

2) From the Assign menu, select Frame submenu. Then choose Releases... option. In the

Frame Releases floating window, check the boxes for releasing the moments.

Note: Releasing the moments make the joint to behave as frictionless pin.

3) Click on the OK button.

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Structural Analysis with SAP2000
- 36 - Ch. 2 Truss Analysis
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10. Structural analysis : Analyze//Run

1) From the Analyze menu, select Run submenu. (Or .) It will show the Save Model

File As floating window. In the file name box, type the name of the file, e.g. truss01.

It will save the input geometry as truss01.SDB.

2) Click on the Save button.

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Structural Analysis with SAP2000
 Ch. 2 Truss Analysis - 37 -
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3) Click OK. It shows the deformed shape on the 3-D window.

4) To see the deformed shape on the 2-D window, click on the 2-D window, and from

the Display menu, select Show Deformed Shape submenu. (Or )

In Deformed Shape floating window, in Options area, check the Wire Shadow box to

see the undeformed shape and deformed shape together. Then click OK.

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Structural Analysis with SAP2000
- 38 - Ch. 2 Truss Analysis
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11. Displaying : Display

1) Undeformed shape : Display//Show Undeformed Shape (Or )

2) Loading Value : Display//Show Loads//Joint...

In Show Joint Loads floating window, check the Show Loading Values box to see the

loading value.

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Structural Analysis with SAP2000
 Ch. 2 Truss Analysis - 39 -
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3) Joint coordinates : Display//Show Input Tables//Geometry Data...

In Display Geometry Option floating window, in Geometry Type area, check Joint Data

option. Then click OK.

4) Support Reaction : Display//Show Element Forces/Stresses//Joints...

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Structural Analysis with SAP2000
- 40 - Ch. 2 Truss Analysis
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5) Axial Forces : Display//Show Element Forces/Stresses//Frames... Click OK.

(Red for compression, green for tension)

6) Axial Forces(by values) : Display//Show Element Forces/Stresses//Frames...

In the Member Force Diagram for Frames floating window, remove check on Fill

Diagram, and check on Show Values on Diagram box.

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Structural Analysis with SAP2000
 Ch. 2 Truss Analysis - 41 -
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7) Axial Forces of element E1: Place mouse on element E1, click right button.

8) Displacement of joint J2: In the deformed shape(left window), place mouse on that

joint, and click the right mouse.

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Structural Analysis with SAP2000
- 42 - Ch. 2 Truss Analysis
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12. Printing out the Results : File//Print …

1) To print with black & white printer: From Option menu, select Colors... submenu. In

Assign Colors floating window, activate Output area. Check Printer option.

2) To print with color printer: From Option menu, select Colors... submenu. In Assign

Colors floating window, activate Output area. Check Color Printer option.

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Structural Analysis with SAP2000
 Ch. 2 Truss Analysis - 43 -
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3) For hard copy of the screen, from the File menu, select the Print Graphics submenu.

4) To print out the input tables, from the File menu, select the Print Input Tables...

submenu. You can print items which you want to print out.

5) To print out the output tables, from the File menu, select the Print Output Tables...

submenu. You can print items which you want to print out. Then you can save it as a

file.

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Structural Analysis with SAP2000
- 44 - Ch. 2 Truss Analysis
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13. Summary of the Procedure

(1) Making the analysis model : File//New Model Template

(2) Assigning the boundary conditions : Assign//Joint//Restraints

(3) Arranging the joint and element labels : Edit//Change Labels...

(4) Defining the material property : Define//Materials...

(5) Defining the section property : Define//Frame Sections..

(6) Assigning the section property : Assign//Frame//Sections...

(7) Defining the load cases : Define//Static Load Cases...

(8) Assigning the loads : Assign//Joint Static Load...//Forces...

(9) Releasing the moment of joints : Assign//Frame//Releases...

(10) Structural analysis : Analyze//Run

(11) Displaying : Display

(12) Printing out the Results : File//Print …

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Structural Analysis with SAP2000