CHAPTER FOUR

ANALYSIS OF TRUSS STRUCTURE

Objective: To figure out the forces being carried by these structure
In this chapter we will find the internal forces in the following
structures
 Trusses
 Frames
 Machines
Internal forces: are the forces that develop with in every structure
that keeps the different parts of the structure together.
External forces: forces (loads) acting on your structure including
the support reactions.
 Trusses
Truss: is a framework composed of members joined at their ends to
form a rigid structure and are characterized by
 All straight members
 Connected only at the ends of the member
 Connected together with pin joints
 act only in either tension or compression.
 All external loads must be applied only at the joints
 Every member of a truss is a two force member
 Are assumed to be negligible weight compared to the loads they
carried
 Cont…
Commonly used bridge trusses

Commonly used roof trusses Other types of trusses

 Truss connections and supports
Trusses are connected by
 Welding The connections are assumed to be smooth
 Riveted connections pin support

 The only force assumed to be applied to a truss member is a single

force at each end of the member.
 A truss member can be either compression member or tension
member
 Compression force: a force that tends to compress a member

 Tension force: a force that tends to stretch a member a part

 Method of analysis
1. Method of joints
2. Method of section
Method of joint: is finding the force in the member of the truss
which is acting on the connecting pin of each joint.
 Isolates one joint
 Deals with equilibrium of concurrent forces
 Only two independent equilibrium equations are involved at
each joint and solves two unknown.

Note: The analysis of joint method begins with any where at least
one known force exists and not more than two unknown force are
present.
 Example1

To analyze the truss given above using method of joint involves

the following steps:
Step1: draw FBD for the truss, then calculate Ax, Ay and Dy (use
M = 0 , FX = 0 and FY = 0 for the whole truss)
 Cont…
Step2: Tension force (such as FAB) will always be indicated by an arrow
away from the pin.
Compression force (FAE) will always be indicated by an arrow to ward a
pin.
 Cont…
Step3: Draw FBD for each joint and begin the analysis with a joint
having not more than two unknown forces.
 Cont…
Step4: Apply equilibrium equation for each joint, i.e FX = 0 and
FY = 0 to get the unknowns and indicate the tension T and
compression C of the various members.
Example1: For the truss loaded as shown below, determine the
external support reactions, all the member forces and indicate
weather the members are in tension or in compression by using the
method of joints.
 Cont…
2. For the truss loaded as shown below, determine the
external support reactions, all the member forces and
indicate weather the members are in tension or in
compression by using the method of joints
Example 2
 Example3
3. For the truss loaded as shown below, determine the external support
reactions, all the member forces and indicate weather the members are in
tension or in compression by using the method of joints
 Exercise
1. Determine the force in all members of the truss using the
method of joint and state if the members are in compression
or tension.
 Internal and external redundancy
 A plane truss with more external supports than available
equilibrium equations is said to be statically indeterminate.
 For a truss which is statically determinate externally, there is a
definite relation b/n the number of its members (m) and the
number of its joints(j) necessary for internal stability with out
redundancy.
 m + 3 = 2j statically determinate
 m + 3 > 2j there are more members than independent equation
 m + 3 < 2j there is deficiency of internal members and the
truss is unstable and will collapse under load.
 2. Method of section
 Isolates more than one joint
 In method of joint, we need only two equilibrium equations of
concurrent force system. Where as
 In method of section, we will consider three equilibrium equations
including moment equilibrium equation.
 Force in any desired member can be obtained directly from analysis of
a section which has cut the member.
 Not necessary to proceed from joint to joint.
 Not more than three members whose forces are unknown should be
sectioned(cut). Since we have only three equilibrium equation.
 Efficiently find information of a specific member
 The cutting section is preferably passed through members and not
through joints
 Cont…
Assume you are asked to find force in members BE, FE and BC

 Initially the external force are obtained by considering the truss

as a whole.
 Next the entire section has to be cut /sectioned across FE, BE and
BC as shown

Considering the left hand side section

FX = 0 => get force BC
 Cont…

Procedure for analysis

1. determine the support reactions for the entire truss.
2. Next, make a decision on how the truss should be
“cut” into sections and draw the corresponding free-
body diagrams.
3. Try to apply the three equations of equilibrium
Example 1
 Example2
1. Calculate the force in member ID of the Howe roof truss
illustrated. Neglect any horizontal component force at the
support.
 Exercise
1. Determine the force in members BC, HC and HG of the truss
using the method of section and state if the members are in
compression or tension. Neglect any horizontal component force at
the support.
 Joints under special conditions: zero force members
Why zero force members are used in truss structure?
 To increase the stability of the truss during construction
 To provide support if the applied loading is changed.
 To provide aesthetically pleasing in case of roof trusses
& stadiums
Zero force members in a truss structure are identified by
 FBD
 inspection
Example1: Consider joint B & E
 Cont…
Identify the zero force members from the truss structure given
below

CB, RQ, QP, PN, NM, ML are the zero force members
 Frames and Machines
 Frames and Machines are multi force members, the force
in the member will not be in the direction of the
members. Method of joints and sections are not
applicable.
 Frames are structures which are fixed in position and are
designed to support applied loads and are fixed in
position.
 Machines are structures which contain moving parts and
are designed to transmit input forces or couples to out
put forces.
 The only force tend to be applied to a truss member are a
single force at each ends of the member, whereas the
force in frames and machines are represented by two
unknown components.
 Cont…
 In analyzing multi force members, the principle of action
and reaction must be carefully observed when we
represent the force of interaction on the separate FBD.
 Cont…
 Force representation and free body diagram

Example1: Determine the components of force acting on each

member of the frame.
 Exercise
Determine the components of force acting on each member of
the frame
 Exercises

M
N L 2m

O K 2m
2 kN
P J 2m
2m
A I
B C D E F G H

6 kN
8 panels @ 4m
THE END!