Chapter 2……Continues

Lecture 6……..2.7
2.7. Structural Analysis
2.7.1. Truss
A truss is a structure composed of slender members joined together at their
end points. The members commonly used in construction consist of wooden
struts or metal bars. The joint connections are usually formed by bolting or
welding the ends of the members to a common plate, called a gusset plate, as
shown in Fig. 2-45a, or by simply passing a large bolt or pin through each of the
members (Fig. 2-45b), or by pressing a metal plate-connector into wooden
members (Fig. 2-45c).

(c)
Fig.2-45. Joint connections in a truss.
Coplanar trusses lie in a single plane and are often used to support roofs (Fig.
2-46a) and bridges (Fig. 2-47a).

(a) (b)
Fig.2-46. Roof-supporting truss.

The truss ABCD (Fig. 2-46a) is an example of a typical roof-supporting truss. In

this figure, the roof load is transmitted to the truss at the joints by means of a
series of purlins (e.g. D, D’).
Since the imposed loading acts in the same plane as the truss (Fig.2-46b), the
analysis of the forces developed in the truss members is two-dimensional.

(a) (b) Bridge truss

Fig.2-47. Bridge supporting side trusses.

In the case of a bridge (Fig. 2-47a), the load on the deck is first transmitted to
stringers, then to floor beams, and finally to the joints B, C, and D of the two
supporting side trusses. Like the truss, the bridge truss loading is also coplanar
(Fig. 2-47b).
When bridge or roof trusses extend over large distances, a rocker or roller
commonly used for supporting one end, joint E in Figs. 2-46a and 2-47a. This
type of support allows freedom for expansion or contraction of the members
due to temperature or application of loads.
Assumptions for design. To design both the members and the connections of
a truss, it is first necessary to determine the force developed in each member
when the truss is subjected to a given loading. In this regard, two important
assumptions will be made:
(1) All loadings are applied at the joints. The weights of the members can
be neglected since the forces supported by the members are usually
large in comparison with their weights.
(2) The members are joined together by smooth pins. Because of these
two assumptions, each truss member acts as a two-force member, and
therefore the forces at the ends of the member must be directed along
the axis of the member.

Tension Compression
(a) (b)

Fig.2-48. Two-force member.

 If the force tends to elongate the member, it is a tensile force (T in Fig. 2-
48a). If it tends to shorten the member, it is a compressive force (C in
Fig. 2-48b). In the actual design of a truss, it is important to state
whether the nature of the force is tensile or compressive. Most often,
compression members must be made thicker than tension members,
because of the buckling or column effect that occurs when a member is
in compression.

Simple truss. To prevent collapse the framework of a truss must be rigid.

Obviously, the four-bar frame ABCD in Fig. 2-49 will collapse unless a diagonal
(e.g. AC) is added for support. The simplest framework which is rigid or stable
is a triangle. Consequently, a simple truss is constructed by starting with a
basic triangular element (ABC in Fig. 2-50) and connecting two members (AD
and BD) to form an additional element. Thus it is seen that as each additional
element of two members is placed on the truss, the number of joints for a
simple truss is increased by one.

Fig.2-49. Four bar frame Fig. 2-50. Triangular elements

2.7.2. Procedure of analysis
The Method of Joints is based on the following fact, if a truss is in equilibrium,
then each of its joints must also be in equilibrium. Because the truss members
are all straight two-force members lying in the same plane, the force system
acting at each pin is coplanar and concurrent. Consequently, rotational or
moment equilibrium is automatically satisfied at the joint (or pin), and it is only
necessary to satisfy the following equations to ensure translational or force
equilibrium.
∑𝐹𝑥 = 0
∑𝐹𝑦 = 0

When applying these equations, the correct sense of an unknown member

force can be determined using one of two possible methods.
(1) Always assume the unknown member forces acting on the joint’s free-
body diagram to be tension, i.e. “Pulling” on the pin.

(2) The correct sense of direction of an unknown member force can, in many
cases, be determined “by inspection”.
A positive answer indicates that the sense assumed is correct, whereas a
negative answer indicates that the sense shown on the free-body diagram
must be reversed.
The Method of Sections is used to determine the loadings acting within a body.
It is based on the principle that if a body is in equilibrium, then any part of the
body is also in equilibrium.
Example 2-17: Determine the force in each member of the truss shown in Fig.
2.51a. Indicate whether the members are in tension or compression.

Fig.2-51. Method of Joints.

Solution:
Support reactions. No joint can be analysed until the support reactions are
determined. A free-body diagram of the entire truss is given in Fig. 2-51b.
Applying the equations of equilibrium, we have
+
→ ∑𝐹𝑥 = 0 600+Cx=0 Cx=600N
↶ +∑𝑀𝐶 = 0 -Ay(6)+400(3)+600(4)=0 Ay=600N
+↑ ∑𝐹𝑦 = 0 Ay+Cy-400=0 Cy=-200N

The analysis can now start at either joint A or C. The choice is arbitrary, since
there are one known and two unknown member forces acting on the pin at
each of these joints.
Joint A (Fig. 2-51c). As shown on the free-body diagram, there are three forces
that act on the pin at join A. The inclination of FAB is determined from the
geometry of the truss. The forces FAB and FAD are assumed as tensile forces as
shown in Fig. 2-51c. Applying the equations of equilibrium, we have
4
+↑ ∑𝐹𝑦 = 0 600 + 5 𝐹𝐴𝐵 = 0 𝐹𝐴𝐵 = −750𝑁
+ 4
→ ∑𝐹𝑥 = 0 𝐹𝐴𝐷 + (−750) = 0 𝐹𝐴𝐷 = 450𝑁
5

The negative sign indicates that FAB acts in the opposite sense to that assumed
as shown in Fig. 2-51c. Thus it is a compressive force.
Joint D (Fig.2-51d). The pin at this joint is chosen next since, by inspection of
Fig. 2-51a, the force in AD is known and the unknown forces in DB and DC can
be determined. FDB and FDC are assumed as tensile forces. Applying the
equations of equilibrium yields
+ 3
→ ∑𝐹𝑥 = 0 600 + 𝐹𝐷𝐵 = 0 𝐹𝐷𝐵 = 250𝑁
5
4
+↑ ∑𝐹𝑦 = 0 𝐹𝐷𝐶 + 5 (250) = 0 𝐹𝐷𝐶 = −200𝑁

FDC acts in the opposite sense to that shown in Fig. 2-51d and it is a compressive
force.
Joint C (Fig. 2-51e). The only one unknown force FCB can be determined by
applying the equilibrium equations.
+
→ ∑𝐹𝑥 = 0 -600-FCB=0 FCB=-600N
The analysis is summarised in Fig. 2-52, which shows the correct free-body
diagram for each pin and member.

Fig.2-52. Correct free-body diagram for each member and joint.

Example 2-18: Determine the force in member GE, GC and BC of the truss
shown in Fig. 2-53a. Indicate whether the members are in tension or
compression.

Fig.2-53. Example by the Method of Sections.

Solution
Support Reactions. A free-body diagram of the entire truss is shown in Fig. 2-
53b. Applying the equations of equilibrium yields
+
→ ∑𝐹𝑥 = 0 400-Ax=0 Ax=400N
↶ +∑𝑀𝐴 = 0 -1200(8)-400(3)+Dy(12)=0 Dy=900N
+↑ ∑𝐹𝑦 = 0 Ay-1200+900=0 Ay=300N

Section Free-body Diagram. The free-body diagram of the sectioned truss are
shown in Figs. 2-53c and 2-53d. For the analysis the free-body diagram in Fig. 2-
53c will be used since it involves the least number of forces.

Equations of Equilibrium. Summing moments about point G eliminates FGE and

FGC, and yields a direct solution for FBC.
↶ +∑𝑀𝐺 = 0 FBC(3)-300(4)-400(3)=0 FBC=800N
In the same manner, by summing moments about point C we obtain a direct
solution for FGE.
↶ +∑𝑀𝐶 = 0 FGE(3)-300(8)=0 FGE=800N
Since FBC and FGE have no vertical components, summing forces in the y
direction directly yields FGC, i.e.,
3
+↑ −𝐹𝑦 = 0 300 − 5 𝐹𝐺𝐶 = 0 𝐹𝐺𝐶 = 500𝑁

Since the signs for FBC, FGE, and FGC are positive, the assumed senses for these
forces shown in Fig. 2-53c are correct. FBC is a tensile force, FGE a compressive
force, and FGC a tensile force.