CIVL 3121 Virtual Work for Trusses 1/4

Principle of Virtual Work Principle of Virtual Work

 The principle of virtual work was developed by John  In 1738, Johann and his son Daniel nearly simultaneously
Bernoulli in 1717 and is sometimes referred to as the published separate works on hydrodynamics.
unit-load method.  Daniel is said to have had a bad relationship
with his father
 Johann Bernoulli (1667–1748; also known as
Jean or John) was a Swiss mathematician  Upon both of them entering and tying
and was one of the many prominent for first place in a scientific contest at
mathematicians in the Bernoulli family. the University of Paris, Johann,
unable to bear the "shame" of being
 He is known for his contributions to infinitesimal compared Daniel's equal, banned
calculus and educated Leonhard Euler in his youth. Daniel from his house.

Principle of Virtual Work Principle of Virtual Work

 In 1738, Johann and his son Daniel nearly simultaneously
published separate works on hydrodynamics.
 Daniel is said to have had a bad relationship
with his father
 Johann Bernoulli also plagiarized
some key ideas from Daniel's book
Hydrodynamica in his own book
Hydraulica which he backdated to
before Hydrodynamica.
 Despite Daniel's attempts at reconciliation, his
father carried the grudge until his death.

Truss – Virtual Work Truss – Virtual Work

 Virtual work is a procedure for computing a single  The force system created by the actual loads is called
component of deflection at any point on a structure. the P-system.

 To compute a component of deflection by the method of  As the structure deforms under the actual loads, external
virtual work WQ is done by the virtual loads as they move
virtual work, the designer applies a force to structure at the through real displacements.
point and in the direction of the desired displacement.
 Due to the conversation of energy an equivalent quantity of
 The force is called the dummy load or the virtual load. virtual strain energy UQ is stored in the structure.

 The force system created by the virtual loads is called WQ = U Q

the Q-system.
CIVL 3121 Virtual Work for Trusses 2/4

Truss – Virtual Work Truss – Virtual Work

Consider the method of virtual work applied to one-bar truss, Now consider the forces and displacements produced by the
as shown below. virtual load, as shown below.

WP - real work UP - real strain

done by P energy stored in WD - real work UD - real strain
AB due to P done by Q energy stored in
AB due to Q
WP = U P WD = UD

Truss – Virtual Work Truss – Virtual Work

Now consider the forces and displacements produced by the By the principle of conservation of energy, it follows
virtual load and actual loads acting together. that WQ = UQ.

WT = U T

WQ = QP
WT – total work UT - total strain
WQ = U Q done by Q and P energy due to Q
and P

Truss – Virtual Work Truss – Virtual Work

By the principle of conservation of energy, it follows By the principle of conservation of energy, it follows
that WQ = UQ. that WQ = UQ.

UQ = FQLP QP = FQLP

CIVL 3121 Virtual Work for Trusses 3/4

Truss – Virtual Work Truss – Virtual Work

 By summing the energy expression for each member in a  Typically, the virtual load Q is assumed to be 1 and
truss, we get: dimensionless.
 Q P   FQ LP
 Therefore, the virtual work expression for the a single
 The bar elongation LP can be compute is terms of the displacement component in the direction of the applied
actual load P and the properties of the section. virtual load Q is:

F L  nNL   nNL 
 Q   FQ LP   FQ  P     AE  P   
P
 AE   
 AE 
Where n is the force in each member of the truss due to
the virtual load and N is the force in each member of the
truss due to the real loads.

Truss – Virtual Work Example 1 Truss – Virtual Work Example 1

Example: Compute the horizontal displacement at joint B in the truss Example: Compute the horizontal displacement at joint B
shown below. Assume the E = 30,000 kip/in2, the area of bars AD and BC
= 5 in2; the area of all other bars = 4 in2.
 The value and direction of
each real force is indicated
on the truss.

 A (+) sign is tension and

(–) sign is compression.

Real Force System

Truss – Virtual Work Example 1 Truss – Virtual Work Example 1

Example: Compute the horizontal displacement at joint B

 The value and direction of

each virtual force is
indicated on the truss.

Member N (kips) n L (in) A (in2) NnL/A (kip in/in2)

 A (+) sign is tension and
(–) sign is compression. AB 80 1 240 4 4,800

BC 100 0 300 5 0

CD -80 0 240 4 0

AD -100 -1.25 300 5 7,500

Virtual Force System BD -60 0 180 4 0

12,300 (kip/in)
CIVL 3121 Virtual Work for Trusses 4/4

Truss – Virtual Work Example 1 Truss – Virtual Work Example 2

Therefore the horizontal displacement a joint B may Example: Compute the magnitude and direction of the displacement at joint
D in the truss shown below. Assume the E = 29,000 kip/in2 and that the area of
be computed as: each bars is given in parenthesis (in2).

12,300 kip / in
 Bx   0.41in  Forces due to real loads
30,000 kip / in 2 D
D

3 ft (1.5) 15.09
C
Member N (kips) n L (in) A (in2) NnL/A (kip in/in2) C
18 k
18 k
AB 80 1 240 4 4,800
(1.5) -11.25
BC 100 0 300 5 0 (2.5) (3.0)
8 ft 22.5 -28.19
CD -80 0 240 4 0

AD -100 -1.25 300 5 7,500 A

(1.5) B A
-13.5 B
BD -60 0 180 4 0

12,300 (kip/in) 6 ft 6 ft

Truss – Virtual Work Example 2 Truss – Virtual Work Example 2

Example: Compute the magnitude and direction of the displacement at joint Example: Compute the magnitude and direction of the displacement at joint
D in the truss shown below. Assume the E = 29,000 kip/in2 and that the area of D in the truss shown below. Assume the E = 29,000 kip/in2 and that the area of
each bars is given in parenthesis (in2). each bars is given in parenthesis (in2).

Forces due to vertical virtual loads Forces due to horizontal virtual loads Member N (kips) nV nH L (in) A (in2) NnVL/A (kip/in) NnHL/A (kip/in)
D
D
AB -13.5 -0.75 -0.37 72 1.5 486.0 239.76
0.84
1.52 1 AC 22.5 1.25 2.29 120 2.5 1,350.0 2,473.20
C
C
1 BC -11.25 -0.63 -1.15 96 1.5 453.6 828.0
-0.63 -1.15 BD -28.19 -1.57 -0.77 150.35 3.0 2,218.08 1,087.92
1.25 -1.57 2.29 -0.77 CD 15.09 0.84 1.52 84.49 1.5 713.97 1,231.2

5,188.2 (kip/in) 5,860.08 (kip/in)

A
-0.75 B A
-0.37 B

Truss – Virtual Work Example 2 End of Virtual Work - Trusses

Therefore the total displacement a joint D may be computed

as:
Any questions?
5,860.08 kip / in
D   0.20 in 
H
29,000 kip / in 2
5,188.2 kip / in
D   0.18 in 
V
29,000 kip / in 2

0.20 in
D
D   0.18in    0.20in  
2 2
0.27in
  42

 0.18in 
0.18 in   tan1    42
0.27 in  0.20in 