SEAA 3243 / SKAB 3243 / SKAA 3243 1

School of
Civil Engineering

FINAL EXAMINATION
SEMESTER II, SESSION 2021/2022
COURSE CODE : SEAA 3243 / SKAB 3243 / SKAA 3243

COURSE : THEORY OF STRUCTURES

PROGRAMME : SEAW / SKAW

DURATION : 2 HOURS 30 MINUTES

DATE : JULY 2022

INSTRUCTION TO CANDIDATES:
1. ANSWER QUESTION Q1 AND QUESTION Q2 FOR PART A.
2. ANSWER 2 QUESTIONS ONLY FOR PART B.

WARNING!
Students caught copying/cheating during the examination will be liable for disciplinary
actions and the faculty may recommend the student to be expelled from the study.

This examination question consists of (8) printed pages only.

 SEAA 3243 / SKAB 3243 / SKAA 3243 4

PART B (Answer any TWO (2) questions)

Q3. Figure Q3 shows a plane truss subjected to a load of 2000 kg by weight at point F.
The truss is supported by a roller support at E and a pin support at A.

(a) Prove that the truss is a statically indeterminate internally and determine its
degree of indeterminacy.
(2 marks)
(b) By using member CE as the redundant member, determine the axial forces in
all member of the truss. The cross sectional area, A, and the Young Modulus,
E, of all members are constant. Use acceleration of gravity, g = 10 m/s2.
(20 marks)
(22 marks)

FIGURE Q3
 SEAA 3243 / SKAB 3243 / SKAA 3243 5

Q4. Figure Q4(a) shows a beam with a pin support at A and roller supports at B and E.
The beam has an internal hinge at D.

(a) Draw the influence line diagrams for the following functions. All the
important values must be stated in the diagrams.
(i) Support reaction at A
(3 marks)
(ii) Support reaction at B
(3 marks)
(iii) Shear force at C
(3 marks)
(iv) Bending moment at C
(3 marks)

(b) Determine the maximum reaction at A and maximum bending moment at C, if

the beam has a self-weight of 4 kN/m and is subjected to the live loads as
shown in Figure Q4(b).
(10 marks)
(22 marks)

FIGURE Q4(a)

FIGURE Q4(b)
 SEAA 3243 / SKAB 3243 / SKAA 3243 6

Q5. A statically indeterminate beam ABCD has a pin support at B and roller supports at A
and C as shown in Figure Q5. The beam carries a uniform load of 10 kN/m at span
BC and a point load of 20 kN at point D. Take the value of EI as constant.

(a) Analyse the beam to determine the reaction forces at all supports by using
virtual work method. Take support at A as redundant.
(14 marks)
(b) Draw the shear force and bending moment diagrams for the beam and show all
important values.
(8 marks)
(22 marks)

FIGURE Q5
 SEAA 3243 / SKAB 3243 / SKAA 3243 7

FORMULAE

Stiffness of beams:
A B C D E

KAB = 4EI/L KBC = 4EI/L KCD = 3EI/L KDE = 0

Slope Deflection Equations:

2 EI  3  3𝐸𝐼 𝛥
M AB =  2 A +  B −  + FEM AB 𝑀𝐴𝐵 =
𝐿
(𝜃𝐴 − ) + 𝐹𝐸𝑀𝐴𝐵
𝐿
L  L 
2 EI  3 
M BA =  2 B +  A −  + FEM BA
L  L 

Table of Fixed End Moment:

𝒘𝒂𝟐 𝟐
(𝒂 + 𝟒𝑳𝟐 − 𝟒𝒂𝑳)
𝟖𝑳𝟐
 SEAA 3243 / SKAB 3243 / SKAA 3243 8

Deflection:
F uL
Determinate truss deflection by unit load method: 1. = 
AE
L
Mm
Determinate beam and frame deflection by unit load method: 1. =  dx
0
EI
Where:
F’ is axial force in truss members due to real load
u is axial force in truss members due to virtual unit load
L, A, I and E are length, cross sectional area, moment of inertia and Young’s
modulus of truss, beam and frame members
M is bending moment in beam and frame members due to real load
m is bending moment in the beam and frame members due to virtual unit load