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PROBLEM (13.13) A planar truss containing 7 members of axial rigidity AE is supported at joints 1
and 5 as shown in Fig. P13.13. Determine:
(a) The stiffness matrix for each element.
(b) The system stiffness matrix.
(c) The force-displacement equations.

SOLUTION

Table 13.13 Data for the truss of Fig. P13.13.

Element θ Length c s c2 s2 c2
1, 4 60o L 12 3 4 14 34 3 4
2,5 −60 o
L −1 2 − 3 4 1 4 3 4 − 3 4
3, 6, 7 0o L 1 0 1 0 0

(a) For elements 1 and 4:

⎡ 1 3 −1 − 3 ⎤
⎢ ⎥
EA ⎢ 3 3 − 3 −3 ⎥
[k ]1,4 =
4 L ⎢⎢ −1 − 3 1 3⎥
⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎣− 3 −3 3 3⎦

For elements 2 and 5:

⎡ 1 − 3 −1 3⎤
⎢ ⎥
EA ⎢ − 3 3 3 −3⎥
[k ]2,5 =
4 L ⎢⎢ −1 3
⎥
1 − 3⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎣ 3 −3 − 3 3⎦

For elements 3, 6 and 7:

⎡ 4 0 −4 0⎤
⎢ 0 ⎥⎥
EA ⎢ 0 0 0
[k ]3,6,7 =
4 L ⎢ −4 0 4 0⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎣ 0 0 0 0⎦

Continued on next slide

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 (b, c) We assemble a set of seven of stiffness equation to obtain [K].
Because v1 = u2 = v5 = 0 , { F } = [ K ]{δ } become then
⎡1 + 4 −1 − 3 0 0 0 0 ⎤
⎧ F1x ⎫ ⎢ ⎥ ⎧ u1 ⎫
⎪F ⎪ ⎢ −1 1+1+ 4 3− 3 3 −4 0 0 ⎥ ⎪u ⎪
⎪ 3x ⎪ ⎢ ⎥⎪ 2⎪
⎪ F2 y ⎪ ⎢− 3 3− 3 3+ 3 −3 0 0 0 ⎥ ⎪ v2 ⎪
⎪ ⎪ EA ⎢ ⎥⎪ ⎪
⎨ W⎬= ⎢ 0 3 −3 3+3 − 3 −3 0 ⎥ ⎨ v3 ⎬
⎪ F ⎪ 4L ⎢ ⎪ ⎪
⎪ 4x ⎪ 0 −4 0 − 3 1+1+ 4 3 − 3 −1 ⎥ ⎪u4 ⎪
⎢ ⎥
⎪ F4 y ⎪ ⎢ 0 ⎪v ⎪
⎪F ⎪ 0 0 −3 3− 3 3+3 3 ⎥⎪ 4⎪
⎩ 5x ⎭ ⎢ ⎥ ⎩u5 ⎭
⎣⎢ 0 0 0 0 −1 3 1 + 4 ⎦⎥

The total 7x7 stiffness matrix can be reduced to a 7x4 matrix by using the
following antisymmetrical conditions:
u1 = −u5 , u2 = −u4 , and v2 = v4 .

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