Tutorial Solutions – Week 3

Example problem 1
The truss supports the loading shown. Use method of joints to analyse the truss. What are
the worst case compression and tension members? Let P1 = 60 kN, P2 = 40 kN.

As there is a joint that has only 2 unknown members, we can start there and not solve for the
reaction forces.
Joint A

∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 0 ∑ 𝐹𝑥 = 0
P1
−𝑃1 − 𝐹𝐴𝐷 sin 60 = 0 𝐹𝐴𝐵 + 𝐹𝐴𝐷 cos 60 = 0
FAB −60 𝐹𝐴𝐵 − 69.28 cos 60 = 0
𝐹𝐴𝐷 =
60° sin 60 𝐹𝐴𝐵 = 34.64𝑘𝑁 (𝑇)
𝐹𝐴𝐷 = −69.28𝑘𝑁
FAD
𝐹𝐴𝐷 = 69.28𝑘𝑁 (𝐶)

Joint B

∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 0 ∑ 𝐹𝑥 = 0
P2
−𝑃2 − 𝐹𝐵𝐷 = 0 −𝐹𝐴𝐵 + 𝐹𝐵𝐶 = 0
FAB FBC 𝐹𝐵𝐷 = −40𝑘𝑁 𝐹𝐵𝐶 = 34.64𝑘𝑁 (𝑇)
𝐹𝐵𝐷 = 40𝑘𝑁 (𝐶)

FBD
Joint D

FBD
∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 0
30° 30° FCD
FAD 𝐹𝐴𝐷 cos 30 + 𝐹𝐵𝐷 + 𝐹𝐶𝐷 cos 30 = 0
FDE −69.28 cos 30 − 40 + 𝐹𝐶𝐷 cos 30 = 0
100
𝐹𝐶𝐷 =
cos 30
𝐹𝐶𝐷 = 115.47𝑘𝑁 (𝑇)

∑ 𝐹𝑥 = 0
−𝐹𝐴𝐷 sin 30 + 𝐹𝐶𝐷 sin 30 + 𝐹𝐷𝐸 = 0
69.28 sin 30 + 115.47 sin 30 + 𝐹𝐷𝐸 = 0
𝐹𝐷𝐸 = −92.37𝑘𝑁
𝐹𝐷𝐸 = 92.37𝑘𝑁 (𝐶)
Example problem 2
Determine the force in members AN, AB, NB, NM and BC. State if the members are in tension
or compression.

Ax

Ay Gy

As there is no joint that has only 2 unknown members, we will have to solve for the reaction
forces. There will be an x and y reaction force at A (pin support) and a y reaction force at G
(roller support). We assume up, right and counterclockwise is positive.

∑ 𝑀𝐴 = 0 ∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 0 ∑ 𝐹𝑥 = 0
−50 ∗ 3 − 50 ∗ 6 − 50 ∗ 9 + 𝐺𝑦 ∗ 18 = 0 −50 − 50 − 50 + 𝐴𝑦 + 𝐺𝑦 = 0 0 = 𝐴𝑥
𝐺𝑦 = 50𝑘𝑁 𝐴𝑦 = 100𝑘𝑁 𝐴𝑥 = 0𝑘𝑁

Joint A
∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 0 ∑ 𝐹𝑥 = 0
FAN
𝐴𝑦 + 𝐹𝐴𝑁 = 0 𝐴𝑥 + 𝐹𝐴𝐵 = 0
𝐹𝐴𝑁 = −100𝑘𝑁 𝐹𝐴𝐵 = 0𝑘𝑁
Ax FAB
𝐹𝐴𝑁 = 100𝑘𝑁 (𝐶)

Ay
Joint N

FNM 4
∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 0 ∑ 𝐹𝑥 = 0 𝜃 = tan−1 ( )
θ° 3
FBN −𝐹𝐴𝑁 − 𝐹𝐵𝑁 sin 𝜃 = 0 𝐹𝑁𝑀 + 𝐹𝐵𝑁 cos 𝜃 = 0 𝜃 = 53.1°
FAN 100 − 𝐹𝐵𝑁 sin 53.1 = 0 𝐹𝑁𝑀 + 125.05 cos 53.1 = 0
100 𝐹𝑁𝑀 = −75.08𝑘𝑁
𝐹𝐵𝑁 =
sin 53.1 𝐹𝑁𝑀 = 75.08𝑘𝑁 (𝐶)
𝐹𝐵𝑁 = 125.05𝑘𝑁 (𝑇)
Joint B

∑ 𝐹𝑥 = 0
FBM
FBN 36.9° −𝐹𝐴𝐵 − 𝐹𝐵𝑁 sin 36.9 + 𝐹𝐵𝐶 = 0
0 − 125.05 ∗ sin(36.9) + 𝐹𝐵𝐶 = 0
FAB FBC
𝐹𝐵𝐶 = 75.08𝑘𝑁 (𝑇)

As we are only looking for FBC at this joint, we can leave FBM unsolved.
Practice problem 1
Determine the force in each member of the truss. State if the member is in tension or
compression.

Ax

Ay Cy

Due to the structure of this truss first we will examine it to see if there are any zero force
members. Member DB will be a zero-force member as at joint D, there are only three
members and ED and DC are colinear and no external force is applying to this joint. When this
member is removed then member BE will become a zero-force member for the same reason.
As there is a joint that has only 2 unknown members, we could start there. In this instance,
we will start with the reaction forces. There will be an x and y reaction force at A and a y
reaction force at C. We assume up, right and counterclockwise is positive.

∑ 𝑀𝐴 = 0 ∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 0 ∑ 𝐹𝑥 = 0 𝐴𝐸
tan 30 =
−450 ∗ 3.46 + 𝐶𝑦 ∗ 6 = 0 −600 + 𝐴𝑦 + 𝐶𝑦 = 0 0 = 𝐴𝑥 + 450 6
𝐶𝑦 = 259.5𝑘𝑁 𝐴𝑦 = 340.5𝑘𝑁 𝐴𝑥 = −450𝑘𝑁 𝐴𝐸 = 3.46𝑚
Joint A

∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 0 ∑ 𝐹𝑥 = 0
FAE 𝐴𝑦 + 𝐹𝐴𝐸 = 0 𝐴𝑥 + 𝐹𝐴𝐵 = 0
𝐹𝐴𝐸 = −340.5𝑘𝑁 𝐹𝐴𝐵 = 450𝑘𝑁 (𝑇)
Ax FAB
𝐹𝐴𝐸 = 340.5𝑘𝑁 (𝐶)

Ay

Joint E

∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 0 − 600 − 𝐹𝐴𝐸 − 𝐹𝐷𝐸 cos 60 = 0

600kN
−600 + 340.5 − 𝐹𝐷𝐸 cos 60 = 0
450kN
−259.5
𝐹𝐷𝐸 =
cos 60
FDE
60°
𝐹𝐷𝐸 = −519𝑘𝑁
FAE 𝐹𝐷𝐸 = 519𝑘𝑁 (𝐶)

Joint C

FCD
∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 0 ∑ 𝐹𝑥 = 0
30° 𝐶𝑦 + 𝐹𝐶𝐷 sin 30 = 0 −𝐹𝐶𝐵 − 𝐹𝐶𝐷 cos 30 = 0
FCB 𝐹𝐶𝐷 = −519𝑘𝑁 𝐹𝐶𝐵 = 449.47𝑘𝑁 (𝑇)
𝐹𝐶𝐷 = 519𝑘𝑁 (𝐶)
Cy
Practice problem 2
Determine the force in each member of the truss and state if the member are in tension and
compression. P₁ = 40kN and P₂ = 20kN

Ax

Ay Ey

As there is no joint that has only 2 unknown members, we will start with the reaction forces.
There will be an x and y reaction force at A and a y reaction force at E. We assume up, right
and counterclockwise is positive.

∑ 𝑀𝐴 = 0 ∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 0 ∑ 𝐹𝑥 = 0
−40 ∗ 1.5 − 20 ∗ 4.5 + 𝐸𝑦 ∗ 6 = 0 −40 − 20 + 𝐴𝑦 + 25 = 0 0 = 𝐴𝑥
𝐸𝑦 = 25𝑘𝑁 𝐴𝑦 = 35𝑘𝑁 𝐴𝑥 = 0𝑘𝑁

Joint A
2
∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 0 ∑ 𝐹𝑥 = 0 𝜃 = tan−1 ( )
FAB 1.5
θ
𝐴𝑦 + 𝐹𝐴𝐵 sin 𝜃 = 0 𝐹𝐴𝐺 + 𝐹𝐴𝐵 cos 53.1 = 0 𝜃 = 53.1°
35 + 𝐹𝐴𝐵 sin 53.1 = 0 𝐹𝐴𝐺 = 26.3𝑘𝑁 (𝑇)
FAG
−35
𝐹𝐴𝐵 =
sin 53.1
𝐹𝐴𝐵 = −43.8𝑘𝑁
𝐹𝐴𝐵 = 43.8𝑘𝑁 (𝐶)
 Joint B
∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 0 ∑ 𝐹𝑥 = 0
FAB FBC −𝐹𝐵𝐺 − 𝐹𝐴𝐵 cos 36.9 = 0 𝐹𝐵𝐶 − 𝐹𝐴𝐵 sin 36.9 = 0
36.9° FBG 𝐹𝐵𝐺 = 43.8cos (36.9) 𝐹𝐵𝐶 = −26.3𝑘𝑁
𝐹𝐵𝐺 = 35.02𝑘𝑁 (𝑇) 𝐹𝐵𝐶 = 26.3𝑘𝑁 (𝐶)

Joint G

FBG ∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 0 ∑ 𝐹𝑥 = 0
36.9° −𝑃1 + 𝐹𝐶𝐺 cos(36.9) + 𝐹𝐵𝐺 = 0 −𝐹𝐴𝐺 + 𝐹𝐶𝐺 sin (36.9)+𝐹𝐹𝐺 = 0
FCG 4.98 𝐹𝐹𝐺 = 22.6𝑘𝑁 (𝑇)
FAG 𝐹𝐶𝐺 =
FFG cos (3609)
𝐹𝐶𝐺 = 6.23𝑘𝑁 (𝑇)
P1

Joint C
∑ 𝐹𝑥 = 0
∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 0
−𝐹𝐵𝐶 +𝐹𝐶𝐷 − 𝐹𝐶𝐺 cos 53.1 +𝐹𝐶𝐹 cos 53.1 = 0
FBC FCD −𝐹𝐶𝐺 sin 53.1 − 𝐹𝐶𝐹 sin 53.1 = 0
𝐹𝐶𝐷 = −18.8𝑘𝑁
53.1° 53.1° −6.22 sin 53.1
𝐹𝐶𝐹 = 𝐹𝐶𝐷 = 18.8𝑘𝑁 (𝐶)
sin 53.1
FCG FCF 𝐹𝐶𝐹 = −6.23𝑘𝑁
𝐹𝐶𝐹 = 6.23𝑘𝑁 (𝐶)

Joint D

∑ 𝐹𝑥 = 0 ∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 0
FCD −𝐹𝐶𝐷 + 𝐹𝐷𝐸 sin 36.9 = 0 −𝐹𝐷𝐹 − 𝐹𝐷𝐸 cos 36.9 = 0
FDE
FDF 36.9° −18.8 𝐹𝐷𝐹 = 25𝑘𝑁 (𝑇)
𝐹𝐷𝐸 =
sin 36.9
𝐹𝐷𝐸 = −31.3𝑘𝑁
𝐹𝐷𝐸 = 31.3𝑘𝑁 (𝐶)
Joint E

FDE
∑ 𝐹𝑥 = 0
53.1
°
FEF −𝐹𝐸𝐹 − 𝐹𝐷𝐸 cos 53.1 = 0
𝐹𝐸𝐹 = 18.8𝑘𝑁 (𝑇)
Ey