Chapter 3

Trusses

Germany
Trusses in Building
Trusses Types for Building

Dr. Mohammed Arafa Structural Analysis I

٦ Chapter 2 Dr. Mohammed Arafa
Truss Bridge
Truss Bridge Types
 Classification of coplanar Truss
Simple Truss
Compound Truss
Complex Truss
 Determinacy
For plane truss

If b+r = 2j statically determinate

If b+r > 2j statically indeterminate

Where
b = number of bars
r = number of external support reaction
j = number of joints
 Stability
For plane truss
If b+r < 2j unstable
The truss can be statically determinate or indeterminate (b+r >=2j)
but unstable in the following cases:
External Stability: truss is externally unstable if all of its
reactions are concurrent or parallel
Internal stability:

Internally stable Internally unstable

Internally unstable
 Classify each of the truss as stable , unstable,
statically determinate or indeterminate.

b  19  r  3  j  11 b  15  r  4  j  9
b  r  22 b  r  19
2 j  2(11)  22 2 j  2(9)  18
Statically determinate & Stable Statically indeterminate & Stable

Dr. Mohammed Arafa Structural Analysis I

b  9  r  3  j  6 b  12  r  3  j  8
b  r  12 b  r  15
2 j  2(6)  12 2 j  2(8)  16
Statically determinate & Stable Unstable
Stability of Compound Truss
 The Method of Joints
STEPS FOR ANALYSIS
1. If the support reactions are not given, draw a FBD of the entire
truss and determine all the support reactions using the
equations of equilibrium.
2. Draw the free-body diagram of a joint with one or two unknowns.
Assume that all unknown member forces act in tension (pulling
the pin) unless you can determine by inspection that the forces
are compression loads.
3. Apply the scalar equations of equilibrium,  FX = 0 and
FY = 0, to determine the unknown(s). If the answer is
positive, then the assumed direction (tension) is correct, otherwise
it is in the opposite direction (compression).
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 at each joint in succession until all the
required forces are determined.
The Method of Joints

Dr. Mohammed Arafa Structural Analysis I

 Example 1
Solve the following truss
F y  0;
4  FAG sin 30  0  FAG  8 KN C
F x  0;
FAB  8 cos 30  0  FAB  6.93KN T
 F y  0;
 FGB  3 cos 30  0  FGB  2.6 KN C
F x  0;
8  3 sin 30  FGF  0  FGF  6.50 KN C

F y  0;
FBF sin 60  2.6 sin 60  0  FBF  2.6 KN T
F x  0;
FBC  2.6 cos 60  2.6 cos 60  6.93  0
 FBC  4.33KN T
 Problem
Determine the force in each member
 Zero Force Member
1- If a joint has only two non-colinear members and there is no
external load or support reaction at that joint, then those two
members are zero-force members
 Zero Force Member
2- If three members form a truss joint for which two of the
members are collinear and there is no external load or reaction at
that joint, then the third non-collinear member is a zero force
member.
 Example 2
Find Zero force member of the following truss
Method of Section
The Method of Section
 The Method of Section
STEPS FOR ANALYSIS

1. Decide how you need to “cut” the truss. This is based on:
a) where you need to determine forces, and, b) where the total
number of unknowns does not exceed three (in general).

2. Decide which side of the cut truss will be easier to work with
(minimize the number of reactions you have to find).

3. If required, determine the necessary support reactions by

drawing the FBD of the entire truss and applying the EofE.
4. Draw the FBD of the selected part of the cut truss. We need to
indicate the unknown forces at the cut members. Initially we
assume all the members are in tension, as we did when using the
method of joints. Upon solving, if the answer is positive, the
member is in tension as per our assumption. If the answer is
negative, the member must be in compression. (Please note that you
can also assume forces to be either tension or compression by inspection as was
done in the previous example above.)

5. Apply the equations of equilibrium (EofE) to the selected cut

section of the truss to solve for the unknown member forces.
Please note that in most cases it is possible to write one equation
to solve for one unknown directly.
 Example 2
Solve the CF & GC members in the truss
M E  0;
FCF sin 30(12)  300(6.93)  0  FCF  346.4 Ib C
M A  0;
FGC (12)  300(6.93)  346.4 sin 30(12)  0  FGC  346.4 Ib T
 Example 3
Solve the GF & GD members in the truss
M D  0  FGF cos 26.6(3)  7(3)  0  FGF  7.83kN C
M o  0   FGD sin 56.3(6)  7(3)  2(6)  0  FGF  1.8kN C
 Example 4
Solve the ED & EB members in the truss
 Example 5
Solve the BC & MC members in the K-truss
 M L  0  2900(15)  FBC (20)  0  FBC  2175Ib T

At Joint B F y  0  FMB  1200 Ib T

For the total cutting part

F y  0  2900  1200  1200  FML  FML  2900 Ib T
At Joint M
F x 0 3
13
FMC  3
13
FMK  0

F y  0  2900  1200  2
13
FMC  2
13
FMK  0
FMK  1532 Ib C
FMC  1532 Ib T
 Problem 2
Solve All members
 Problem 3
Solve All members
 Problem 4
Solve members CH , CI
 Example 4 Compound Truss
Solve the truss
M C  0  5(4)  4(2)  FHG (4 sin 60)  0  FHG  3.46kN C
Joint A  FAB & FAI
Joint H  FHI & FHJ
Joint I  FIJ & FIB
Joint B  FBC & FBJ
Joint J  FJC
Example 5 Compound Truss
 Example 5__Compound Truss
Solve the truss
 Joint A  FAE & FAB
Joint B  FEB

After Solve FAE

Joint A  FAF & FAG
 Complex Truss

Si  S  xsi ' S EC  S EC
'
 xsEC  0
i
x?
Force in members
Complex Trusses E
P r + b = 2j,
F D
SAD 3 9 2(6)

Determinate•
A C Stable•

B
E E
P sEC P

=
F´EC
F D F D

๑
+ X x
A A ๑
C C
S´EC + x sEC = ๐
S´EC
B x= = FAD B
sEC
S i = S ´i + x s i
 S EC  S EC
'
 xsEC  0
x?

Si  Si'  xsi

Member
Si ' si xsi Si
AB
AC
AF
FE
BE
ED
FC
EC
Example 5 Complex Truss
 Space Truss
• Determinacy and Stability P

unstable truss b + r < ๓j

statically determinate-check stability b + r = 3j
statically indeterminate-check stability b + r > 3j
 Space Truss
•x, y, z, Force Components

l  x2  y2  z 2
x
Fx  F ( )
l
y
Fy  F ( )
l
z
Fz  F ( )
l

F  Fx 2  F y 2  Fz 2
Support Reactions
z z

y Fy y
x short link x
z
z

y
y
roller x Fz
x
z
z

slotted roller y
y constrained Fx

x in a cylinder x Fz
z z

y y
Fx Fy
x ball-and -socket x Fz
 Zero Force Member
1- If all but one of the members connected to a joint lie on the
same plane, and provided no external load act on the joint, then
the member not lying in the plane of the other members must
subjected to zero force.

 Fz = ๐ , FD = ๐
 Zero Force Member
2- If it has been determined that all but two of several members
connected at a joint support zero force, then the two remaining
members must also support zero force, provided they don’t lie a
long the same line and no external load act on the joint.

 Fz = ๐ , FB = ๐

 Fy = ๐ , FD = ๐
Example 6__Space Truss

Dr. Mohammed Arafa Structural Analysis I

Example 7__Space Truss
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