CHAPTER-6

Structural Analysis

Book:
▪ Engineering Mechanics Statics, R. C. Hibbeler, 14th Ed
 STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS
• Simple Trusses

• The Method of Joints

• The Method of Sections

 SIMPLE TRUSSES
• A truss is a structure composed of slender members joined together at their end points
• The members commonly used in construction consist of wooden struts or metal bars
• In particular, planar trusses lie in a single plane and are often used to support roofs and
bridges
• The truss shown is an example of a typical roof-supporting truss
• In this figure, the roof load is transmitted to the truss at the joints by means of a series of purlins
Since this loading acts in the same plane as the truss, the analysis of the forces developed in the
truss members will be two-dimensional
 SIMPLE TRUSSES
• In the case of a bridge, such as shown, the load on the deck is first transmitted to
stringers, then to floor beams, and finally to the joints of the two supporting side trusses
• Like the roof truss, the bridge truss loading is also coplanar
• When bridge or roof trusses extend over large distances, a rocker or roller is commonly
used for supporting one end, for example, joint A in figure
• This type of support allows freedom for expansion or contraction of the members due to a
change in temperature or application of loads
 SIMPLE TRUSSES
Assumptions for Design:

• To design both the members and the connections of a truss, it is necessary first to
determine the force developed in each member when the truss is subjected to a given
loading

• To do this we will make two important assumptions:

i) All loadings are applied at the joints

ii) The members are joined together by smooth pins

 SIMPLE TRUSSES – Assumptions for Design
i) All loadings are applied at the joints:
– In most situations, such as for bridge and roof trusses, this assumption is true
– Frequently the weight of the members is neglected because the force supported by
each member is usually much larger than its weight
– However, if the weight is to be included in the analysis, it is generally satisfactory to
apply it as a vertical force, with half of its magnitude applied at each end of the
member
 SIMPLE TRUSSES – Assumptions for Design
ii) The members are joined together by smooth pins:

– The joint connections are usually formed by bolting

or welding the ends of the members to a common
plate, called a gusset plate, as shown in figure (a),
or by simply passing a large bolt or pin through
each oft the members, figure (b)

– We can assume these connections act as pins

provided the center lines of the joining members are
concurrent
 SIMPLE TRUSSES – Assumptions for Design
• Because of these two assumptions, each truss member will act
as a two force member, and therefore the force acting at each
end of the member will be directed along the axis of the
member
• If the force tends to elongate the member, it is a tensile force
(T), whereas if it tends to shorten the member, it is a
compressive force (C)
• In the actual design of a truss it is important to state whether the
nature of the force is tensile or compressive
• Often, compression members must be made thicker than tension
members because of the buckling or column effect that occurs
when a member is in compression
 SIMPLE TRUSSES – Assumptions for Design
• If three members are pin connected at their ends
they form a triangular truss that will be rigid

• Attaching two more members and connecting these

members to a new joint D forms a larger truss

• This procedure can be repeated as many times as

desired to form an even larger truss

• If a truss can be constructed by expanding the basic

triangular truss in this way, it is called a simple
truss.
 STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS
• Simple Trusses

• The Method of Joints

• The Method of Sections

 THE METHOD OF JOINTS
• In order to analyze or design a truss, it is necessary to determine the force in each of its
members
• One way to do this is to use the method of joints
• This method is based on the fact that if the entire truss is in equilibrium, then each of
its joints is also in equilibrium
• Therefore, if the free-body diagram of each joint is drawn, the force equilibrium equations
can then be used to obtain the member forces acting on each joint
• Since the members of a plane truss are straight two-force members lying in a single plane,
each joint is subjected to a force system that is coplanar and concurrent
• As a result, only ƩFx = 0 and ƩFy = 0 need to be satisfied for equilibrium
 THE METHOD OF JOINTS
• For example, consider the pin at joint B of the truss
shown
• Three forces act on the pin, namely, the 500-N force
and the forces exerted by members BA and BC
• The free-body diagram of the pin is also shown
• Here, FBA is “pulling” on the pin, which means that
member BA is in tension; whereas FBC is “pushing” on
the pin, and consequently member BC is in
compression
• These effects are clearly demonstrated by isolating the
joint with small segments of the member connected to
the pin as shown
• The pushing or pulling on these small segments
indicates the effect of the member being either in
compression or tension
 THE METHOD OF JOINTS
• When using the method of joints, always start at a
joint having at least one known force and at most
two unknown forces

• In this way, application of ƩFx = 0 and ƩFy = 0

yields two algebraic equations which can be solved
for the two unknowns
 THE METHOD OF JOINTS
• When applying these equations, the correct sense of an unknown member force can be
determined using one of two possible methods:
Method 1:
– In simpler cases, the correct sense of direction of an unknown member force can be determined “by
inspection”
– In more complicated cases, the sense of an unknown member force can be assumed; then, after applying the
equilibrium equations, the assumed sense can be verified from the numerical results
– A positive answer indicates that the sense is correct, whereas a negative answer indicates that the sense
shown on the free-body diagram must be reversed
Method 2:
– Always assume the unknown member forces acting on the joint’s free-body diagram to be in tension; i.e.,
the forces “pull” on the pin
– If this is done, then numerical solution of the equilibrium equations will yield positive scalars for members
in tension and negative scalars for members in compression
– Once an unknown member force is found, use its correct magnitude and sense (T or C) on subsequent joint
free-body diagrams
 THE METHOD OF JOINTS
Procedure for Analysis
• Draw the free-body diagram of a joint having at least one known force and at most two
unknown forces. (If this joint is at one of the supports, then it may be necessary first to
calculate the external reactions at the support)
• Use one of the two methods described above for establishing the sense of an unknown force
• Orient the x and y axes such that the forces on the free-body diagram can be easily resolved
into their x and y components and then apply the two force equilibrium equations. Solve for
the two unknown member forces and verify their correct sense
• Using the calculated results, continue to analyze each of the other joints. Remember that a
member in compression “pushes” on the joint and a member in tension “pulls” on the joint.
Also, be sure to choose a joint having at most two unknowns and at least one known force
EXAMPLE 6-1
Determine the force in each member of the truss shown and indicate whether the
members are in tension or compression.
EXAMPLE 6-2
Determine the force in each member of the truss shown below.
EXAMPLE 6-3
Determine the force in each member of the truss shown. Indicate whether the
members are in tension or compression.
 THE METHOD OF JOINTS
Examples:
6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4
Fundamental Problems:
F6-2, F6-5, F6-6
Practice Problems:
6-2, 6-3, 6-7, 6-12, 6-15, 6-20, 6-26
PROBLEM 6-7
Determine the force in each member of the truss and state if the members are in
tension or compression.
PROBLEM 6-20
Determine the force in each member of the truss and state if the members are in
tension or compression. Set P1 = 9 kN and P2 = 15 kN.
PROBLEM 6-26
The maximum allowable tensile force in the members of the truss is (FT)max = 5 kN,
and the maximum allowable compressive force is (FC)max = 3 kN. Determine the
maximum load P of the two loads that can be applied to the truss.
 STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS
• Simple Trusses

• The Method of Joints

• The Method of Sections

 THE METHOD OF SECTIONS
• When we need to find the force in only a few members of
a truss, we can analyze the truss using the method of
sections
• It is based on the principle that if the truss is in equilibrium
then any segment of the truss is also in equilibrium
• For example, consider the two truss members shown. If the
forces within the members are to be determined, then an
imaginary section, indicated by the blue line, can be used
to cut each member into two parts and thereby “expose”
each internal force as “external” to the free-body diagrams
shown on the right
• It can be seen that equilibrium requires that the member in
tension (T) be subjected to a “pull,” whereas the member
in compression (C) is subjected to a “push”
 THE METHOD OF SECTIONS
• The method of sections can also be used to “cut” or section the members of an entire truss
• If the section passes through the truss and the free-body diagram of either of its two parts is
drawn, we can then apply the equations of equilibrium to that part to determine the member
forces at the “cut section”
• Since only three independent equilibrium equations can be applied to the free-body diagram
of any segment, then we should try to select a section that, in general, passes through not
more than three members in which the forces are unknown
• For example, consider the truss shown:
 THE METHOD OF SECTIONS
• If the forces in members BC, GC, and GF are
to be determined, then section aa would be
appropriate
• The free-body diagrams of the two segments
are shown
• The line of action of each member force is
specified from the geometry of the truss, since
the force in a member is along its axis
• Also, the member forces acting on one part of
the truss are equal but opposite to those acting
on the other part—Newton’s third law
• Members BC and GC are assumed to be in
tension since they are subjected to a “pull,”
whereas GF in compression since it is
(a) (b)
subjected to a “push”
 THE METHOD OF SECTIONS
• The three unknown member forces FBC, FGC
and FGF can be obtained by applying the three
equilibrium equations to the free-body diagram
in figure (a)
• If, however, the free-body diagram in figure
(b) is considered, the three support reactions
Dx, Dy and Ex will have to be known, because
only three equations of equilibrium are
available
• This can be done in the usual manner by
considering a free-body diagram of the entire
truss

(a) (b)
 THE METHOD OF SECTIONS
• When applying the three equations of equilibrium, the correct sense of an unknown member
force can be determined using one of two possible methods:
Method 1:
– In simpler cases, the correct sense of direction of an unknown member force can be determined “by
inspection”
– In more complicated cases, the sense of an unknown member force can be assumed; then, after applying the
equilibrium equations, the assumed sense can be verified from the numerical results
– A positive answer indicates that the sense is correct, whereas a negative answer indicates that the sense
shown on the free-body diagram must be reversed
Method 2:
– Always assume the unknown member forces acting on the joint’s free-body diagram to be in tension; i.e.,
the forces “pull” on the pin
– If this is done, then numerical solution of the equilibrium equations will yield positive scalars for members
in tension and negative scalars for members in compression
– Once an unknown member force is found, use its correct magnitude and sense (T or C) on subsequent joint
free-body diagrams
 THE METHOD OF SECTIONS
Procedure for Analysis
• Make a decision on how to “cut” or section the truss through the members where forces are to be
determined
• Before isolating the appropriate section, it may first be necessary to determine the truss’s support
reactions. If this is done then the three equilibrium equations will be available to solve for member
forces at the section
• Draw the free-body diagram of that segment of the sectioned truss which has the least number of
forces acting on it
• Use one of the two methods described above for establishing the sense of the unknown member
forces
• Moments should be summed about a point that lies at the intersection of the lines of action of two
unknown forces, so that the third unknown force can be determined directly from the moment
equation
• If two of the unknown forces are parallel, forces may be summed perpendicular to the direction of
these unknowns to determine directly the third unknown force
 THE METHOD OF SECTIONS
Examples:
6.5, 6.6, 6.7
Fundamental Problems:
F6-7, F6-9, F6-11
Practice Problems:
6-28, 6-29, 6-32, 6-34, 6-38, 6-42
EXAMPLE 6-5
Determine the force in members GE, GC, and BC of the truss shown. Indicate
whether the members are in tension or compression.
EXAMPLE 6-6
Determine the force in member CF of the truss shown. Indicate whether the member
is in tension or compression. Assume each member is pin connected.
EXAMPLE 6-7
Determine the force in member EB of the roof truss shown. Indicate whether the
member is in tension or compression.
PROBLEM 6-29
Determine the force in members HG, HE and DE of the truss, and state if the
members are in tension or compression.
PROBLEM 6-34
The Howe truss is subjected to the loading shown. Determine the force in members
GH, BC and BG of the truss and state if the members are in tension or compression.
PROBLEM 6-42
Determine the force in members BC, HC and HG of the truss. State if the members
are in tension or compression.