DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

DJJ3053: ENGINEERING MECHANICS

LABORATORY

TITLE:
STRUCTURE
(LAB REPORT 4)

PREPARED FOR:
CHEN WONG KEONG

PREPARED BY:
GROUP 4

SESSION:
DECEMBER 2019
OBJECTIVE
To reinforce the student’s skills in finding the forces in truss members using the method of
section.

THEORY :
Trusses are used extensively in structural engineering application. Their main advantage is
that they can span large distances using a minimum amount of material. The truss that will be
investigated in this experiment is a statically determine planar truss. A planar determine truss
can have only three uknown reaction forces. The forces in the truss members can obtained by
by using method of section. In this method, each joint of truss is isolated in a free body
diagram and the uknown memberforces are determined from equilibrum :
APPARATUS
1. Craft sticks ( at least 50 sticks)
2. Hot glue
3. Cable ties
4. Hook
5. 3-foot length of nylon cord
6. Load

PROCEDURES

Bridge construction

1) Begin by constructing two sides and one bottom of the bridge by using craft sticks and
hot glue.
2) All 3 parts are assembled by using cable tie to create primee shape.
 Weight test

i. The truss dimensions are measured.

ii. Two desk are used to support the two eend of the bridge.
iii. Take nylon cord and put it on to both end of the bridge to make a loop.
iv. Hook are used to hang the load on the nylon rope.
v. The load were start hanging on the hook until the bridge brake.
vi. The maximum load were writen down when the bridge begin to break.
vii. Next, the force are caalculated in one of the member theoretically.
viii. The experiment are repeated by constructing another design of bridge.

RESULTS

DISCUSSION
Calculate the maximum load ffrom theory for both bridges.

Answer

CONCLUSION
In your opinion, how does the design of the bridge affect the values of the maximum loads?
Explain yoour answer using data from your experiment. Be specific.

Answer

REFERENCES
 EM Lab Apps
 EM reference book
 Internet
 Lecturer