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ANALYSIS OF
STRUCTURES (TRUSS)
E N G G 4 0 7 - S TAT I C S O F R I G I D B O D I E S
E n g r. C a r l o M a g n o U . O l a n o J r, R C E , R M P S O - 2

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METHOD OF SECTIONS
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This involves cutting the structure into sections, where
the cutting plane must pass through the members where
the bar forces need to be computed, analyzing only one
side of the cutting plane. Diagrams in this method almost
always result to coplanar force diagrams. This allows not
only the ∑F equations used in the method of joints but
also the ∑M equations making the computation of the bar
forces usually shorter. This method is more efficient
when you need to find the force in only one member or
the forces in a very few members of a truss.

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STEPS
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METHOD
MasterOF SECTIONS
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1. Draw a free-body diagram of the entire truss, and use
this diagram to determine the reactions at the
supports.
2. Pass a section through three members of the truss,
one of which is the member whose force you want to
find. After you cut through these members, you will
have two separate portions of truss.
3. Select one of these two portions of truss and draw its
free-body diagram. This diagram should include the
external forces applied to the selected portion as well
as the forces exerted on it by the intersected
members that were removed.
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4. You to edit
can nowMaster title style
write three equilibrium equations that can be
solved for the forces in the three intersected members.
5. An alternative approach is to write a single equation that
can be solved for the force in the desired member. To do so,
first observe whether the forces exerted by the other two
members on the free body are parallel or whether their
lines of action intersect.
• If these forces are parallel, you can eliminate them by
writing an equilibrium equation involving components in a
direction perpendicular to these two forces.
• If their lines of action intersect at a point H, you can
eliminate them by writing an equilibrium equation
involving moments about H.
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6. Keep in mind that the section you use must intersect three
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members only. Master titleisstyle
The reason that the equilibrium equations in
Step 4 can be solved for only three unknowns. However, you
can pass a section through more than three members to find
the force in one of those members if you can write an
equilibrium equation containing only that force as an unknown.

Note: A section passed through a truss does not have to be a

vertical or horizontal; it can be diagonal as well. Choose the
orientation that cuts through no more than three members of
unknown force and also gives you the simplest part of the truss
for which you can write equilibrium equations and determine
the unknowns.
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SAMPLE PROBLEMS

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PROBLEM NO.Master
1 title style
Determine the forces in members EF and GI of the truss
shown.

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PROBLEM NO.Master
2 title style
Determine the forces in members FH, GH, and GI of the
roof truss shown.

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