Chapter 3-Truss: Exercise 3.

2
The members of three dimensional truss shown in Figure 3.6 have a cross sectional
area of 15 cm2 and are made of steel (E = 200GPa). Calculate the deformation of point
A, the stress in each member, and the reaction forces. The point data of A, B, C and D is
listed in Table 3.1 .In this problem, the geometrical points are also defined as the
analysis nodes. Node 1 is at point B, node 2 at point A, node 3 at point C, and node 4 is
representing point D.

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 Chapter 3-Truss: Exercise 3.2
Go to menu Model> Type of Analysis.
The problem is truss problem (3D) under static loads, select 3D and Static
then select General

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 Chapter 3-Truss: Exercise 3.2
Go to menu Model > Global Properties, then select the Output Options tab and
enable Element field values (non-averaged).

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 Chapter 3-Truss: Exercise 3.2
There are three different cross sections. In this case, 1 material should be
Prepared. Go to Model > Materials. Click Add, Type Material 1 as name. In
Geometric tab, choose General Section and enter the Cross Sectional Area =
15E-04.

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 Chapter 3-Truss: Exercise 3.2
• Go to Mechanical tab , Choose Isotropic
– Enter Young’s Modulus: 200GPa and Poisson Ratio: 0.3 > Close

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Chapter 3-Truss: Exercise 3.2
• Go to Nodes tab , Choose Add Single.

– Enter and Add the coordinate of 4 nodes as below

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 Chapter 3-Truss: Exercise 3.2
Click Close button to exit the dialog. You have created 4 nodes.
Click Show Node Numbers On/Off symbol.

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 Chapter 3-Truss: Exercise 3.2
To see the nodes information, click Nodes tab and click List Info. Check the
coordinate of the 4 nodes created.

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 Chapter 3-Truss: Exercise 3.2
Go to menu Elements > Add Single, then select Line 2 , enable Truss, choose material 1
and click node 2 and then node1 (2>1) to define element 1. Then, continue the step for
element 2 (2>3) and element 3 (2>4) by using same material1. Click Show Element
Numbers On/Off symbol.

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 Chapter 3-Truss: Exercise 3.2
To see the elements information, click Element tab and click List Info. Check the
information of the 3 elements created.

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 Chapter 3-Truss: Exercise 3.2
Node 1, 3 and 4 is restrained which is not allowed to move. Since this is truss
problem, restraining in x, y and z translations should be sufficient to define
the fixed condition. Firstly, Pick the node to be restrained, i.e. click node 1 ,
hold control button on your keyboard, click node 3 and node 4 to select all
fixed nodes , then go to menu Constraints . Add/Edit and a Node Properties
dialog appears (next page)

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 Chapter 3-Truss: Exercise 3.2
Select the Property selection bar to displx then click Add then OK to accept
displx=0 and back to the previous node properties dialog.

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 Chapter 3-Truss: Exercise 3.2
Select the Property selection bar to disply then click Add then OK to accept
disply=0 and exit the dialog and back to the previous dialog.

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 Chapter 3-Truss: Exercise 3.2
Select the Property selection bar to displz then click Add then OK to accept
displz=0 and exit the dialog and back to the previous dialog. Click the Close
button to exit the Node Properties dialog.

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 Chapter 3-Truss: Exercise 3.2
The constraint symbols for all nodes should appear as shown at below figure.
Click Nodes > Properties to check the list of constrain > Close if ok

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 Chapter 3-Truss: Exercise 3.2
There is one nodes will be loaded. It is located at node 2 with a load of 2000N downward. Since
the y direction is going to the up direction, the loading at node 1 should be indicated as negative.
Pick node 2 by clicking on it, then from the menu Loads . Add/Edit. A dialog appears waiting your
response

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 Chapter 3-Truss: Exercise 3.2
Select the Property selection bar to forcey then click Add then in the Value
field enter −2000 then press OK to accept forcey=-2000 and exit the dialog and
back to the previous dialog. Click the Close button to close the dialog

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 Chapter 3-Truss: Exercise 3.2
You should see the green arrows; one going to the left at node 2

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 Chapter 3-Truss: Exercise 3.2
The analysis model is now ready to solve. Click Solve Symbol to run the solver.
After the solver completing doing the analysis successfully, then click the Post
Processor button to open the viewing result environment.

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 Chapter 3-Truss: Exercise 3.2
You will see the default Displacement Magnitude contour shown in below
Figure

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 Chapter 3-Truss: Exercise 3.2
If you change the viewing result to Displacement in X the result, the result of
displacement in X should show what is captured in below figure ;

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 Chapter 3-Truss: Exercise 3.2
If you change the viewing result to Displacement in y the result, the result of
displacement in y should show what is captured in below figure ;

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 Chapter 3-Truss: Exercise 3.2
If you change the viewing result to Tensile Stress, the result of tensile stress
should show what is captured in below figure ;

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 Chapter 3-Truss: Exercise 3.2
To see the result in table , click the table icon the table dialog box will appear.
Enable Nodes Values / Element values (non-averaged). Choose the field value
that you wanted to appear in the table; in this case displacement x and y plus
tensile stress. Then click Update.

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 Chapter 3-Truss: Exercise 3.2
For elemental results as shown in below Figure, element 3 is stretched with
the stress as high as 2.22x 106 N/m2 and element 1 & 2 is in compression at
1.11 x106 N/m2. Node 2 is deformed 1.736 x10−5 m in x-axis (negative) and
moved downward 6.944 x10−5 m

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