Equilibrium and

Determinacy
Beam, frame and truss in 2D
Learning Objectives
• Understand what equilibrium
• Know the difference between internal and external
forces
• Recognize the different types of supports for plane
structures
• Know about static determinacy, indeterminacy, and
static instability: Beam and frame
• Able to calculate the degree of redundancy

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Static Equations of Equilibrium
• For a space (3D) structure to be in equilibrium:

 Fx = 0  Fy = 0  Fz = 0
 Mx =0  My =0  Mz =0

• That is, there is no resultant force or moment along any of the

axes for the whole or a part of structure
• For plane (2D) structures, only forces in the x and y directions
and moments in the z direction must be considered. That is,
there is no resultant force or moment along any of the axes

 Fx = 0  Fy = 0  Mo = 0

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External and Internal Forces
• Forces which a structure is subjected to are
divided into internal and external forces
• Only external forces appear in the equations of
motion for the structure as a whole
• Internal forces cancel each other (with respect
to the whole structure), and therefore only are
considered for equilibrium of individual
members

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External Forces
• External forces consist of applied forces and
reaction forces
• Applied forces, or loads as it is known in the
analysis, try to move the structure
• Reaction forces have a tendency to prevent
the motion of the structure, and are usually
solved for by the analysis

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Internal Forces
• Internal forces are forces and couples
exerted on individual members by the rest of
the structure in consideration
• Internal forces always occur in equal and
opposite pairs, from Newton’s third law
• Internal forces are determined in analysis
by applying the equilibrium equations to
individual members
• Internal force for beam and frame: Bending
moment and shear force
• Internal force for truss: Axial force
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Determinacy of beam and frame
• For a coplanar (2D) beam and frame structures:

r = 3n, statically determinate

r  3n, statically indeterminate
i = r - 3n, Degree of indeterminacy (redundant)
r < 3n, unstable
where:
r− number of unknown force
n – number of parts

• The additional equations needed to solve for the

unknown equations are obtained as compatibility
equations

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Statically determinate (Externally)
Example

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Example
Classify each of the beams as statically determinate or statically
indeterminate. If statically indeterminate, report the number of
degrees of indeterminacy. The beams are subjected to external
loadings that are assumed to be known and can act anywhere
on the beams.

r = 3,n = 1,3 = 3 (1)

Statically determinate

r = 5,n = 1,5  3 (1) Statically indeterminate

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to the second degree
 r = 6, n = 2, 6 = 3 (2 ) Statically determinate

Statically indeterminate to the

r = 10, n = 3, 10  3 (3 ) first degree

r = 7,n = 2, Statically indeterminate to the first degree

76 11
 Statically
determinate
r = 9,n = 3,9 = 9

r = 10,n = 2,10  6 Statically indeterminate to the

fourth degree

r = 9,n = 3,9 = 9
Statically determinate 12
 13
r = 9, n = 3
i = r − 3n = 0

Statically determinate
More examples

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Alternative equation for determining
determinacy of beam and frame
• The structure is statically determinate if 3m + r = 3j + ec
i = 3m + r − (3j + ec ) = 0
3m + r = Number of unknown, m = member, r = reaction
3j + ec = Number of equation, j = joint, 𝑒𝑐 = equation of
condition
i = number of redundant force

• The structure is statically indeterminate if 3m + r  3j + ec

i = 3m + r − (3j + ec )  0
• The strucuture is unstable if 3m + r  3j + ec
i = 3m + r − (3j + ec )  0

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16
Determinacy of Plane Trusses
• For a number of members m, a number of reactions r,
and a number of joints j:
𝑚 + 𝑟 = 2𝑗 → 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑑𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑒
i = m + r – 2j = 0

𝑚 + 𝑟 > 2𝑗 → 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑒

i = m + r – 2j > 0

𝑚 + 𝑟 < 2𝑗 → 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑢𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒

i = m + r – 2j < 0

• This assumes the supports are arranged properly for

stability
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Examples

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19
Examples
Classify each of the trusses as stable, unstable, statically
determinate or statically indeterminate. The trusses are subjected
to arbitrary external loadings that are assumed to be known &
can act anywhere on the trusses.

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Solutions
For (a),
• Externally stable
• Reactions are not concurrent or parallel
b = 19, r = 3, j = 11,
b + r =2j = 22
• Truss is statically determinate
• By inspection, the truss is internally stable

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For (b),
• Externally stable
b = 15, r = 4, j = 9
b + r = 19 >2j =18
• Truss is statically indeterminate to the 1st degree
• By inspection, the truss is internally stable

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For (c),
• Externally stable
b = 9, r = 3, j = 6
b + r = 12 = 2j
• Truss is statically determinate
• By inspection, the truss is internally stable

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For (d),
• Externally stable
b = 12, r = 3, j = 8
b + r = 15 < 2j
• The truss is internally unstable

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Stability
• All physical bodies undergo at least some
small amount of deformation when subject
to loadings
• Unstable structure cannot resist large
deformation (The structure
can move)
• There are two instability cases:
– Internal instability and
– external instability

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Example of external instability

Unstable

Unstable

Unstable
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Internally stable structure
• Internally stable, or rigid, structures maintain their shape
when detached from their supports

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Internally unstable structure
• Internally unstable structures cannot maintain their shape when
not supported externally

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Internally unstable structure
• Also when there is insufficient number of member to prevent
large relative movement between nodes
• Or when members are arranged improperly

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Summary
• A structure is in equilibrium if and only if it satisfies all equations of
equilibrium
– You should know how to use these equations

• Structures may be supported in a variety of ways, each of which

gives different reaction forces and moments
– You should know the different types of supports and their corresponding
reactions

• Structures may be statically determinate, indeterminate, or unstable

– You should know what each of these terms means and how to identify
structures

• For statically determinate structures, equations of equilibrium are

sufficient to determine reactions
– You should be able to apply these equations to find reactions for such
structures

• Frames and beams may be statically determinate, indeterminate,

or unstable
– You should be able to determine whether a frame is statically determinate or
not 30
End of lecture slide