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Midterm Notes 2

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Basher Biboy
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13 views12 pages

Midterm Notes 2

Uploaded by

Basher Biboy
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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PLANE AND SPACE TRUSSES

A truss may be defined as a plane structure composed of a number of members


joined together at their ends by smooth pins so as to form a rigid framework. Each
member in a truss is a two-force member and is subjected only to direct axial forces
(tension or compression).

A rigid plane truss can always be formed by beginning with three bars pinned
together at their ends in the form of a triangle.

A number of typical trusses are shown below.

TYPICAL BRIDGE TRUSSES

TYPICAL ROOF TRUSSES

Common trusses may be classified according to their formation as simple, compound


and complex.
SIMPLE TRUSS
A simple truss is formed by a basic triangle; each new joint is connected to the basic
triangle by two new bars.

METHOD OF JOINTS
In this method, a truss is analyzed by considering the equilibrium of each pin
successively, starting with a joint at which only two forces are unknown.

STEPS:
1. Draw a free-body diagram of the entire truss, and use this diagram to
determine the reactions at the supports.
2. Locate a joint connecting only two members, and draw the free-body
diagram of its pin. Use this free-body diagram to determine the unknown
force in each of the two members. A positive answer means that the member
is in tension, a negative answer that the member is in compression.
3. Next, locate a joint where the forces in only two of the connected
members are still unknown. Draw the free-body diagram of the pin and
use it as indicated above to determine the two unknown forces.
4. Repeat this procedure until the forces in all the members of the truss
have been found.
5. Note that the choice of the first joint is not unique. Once you have
determined the reactions at the supports of the truss, you can choose either
of two joints as a starting point for your analysis.
SAMPLE PROBLEM #1:
Using the method of joints, determine the force in each member of the truss shown.
State whether each member is in tension or compression.

METHOD OF SECTIONS
The method of joints is most effective when the forces in all the members of a truss
are to be determined. If, however, the force in only one member or the forces in a
very few members are desired, another method, the method of sections, is more
efficient.

SAMPLE PROBLEM #2:


A Warren bridge truss is loaded as shown. Determine the force in members EG, FG,
and FH.

SAMPLE PROBLEM #3:


Determine the force in members CE, BE, and BD of the truss shown.
ACOMPOUND TRUSS
A compound truss is formed from two or more simple trusses connected together as
one rigid framework either by three links neither parallel nor concurrent, or by a link
and a hinge.

COMPLEX TRUSS
A complex truss is a type of truss where you can't identify it either as simple or
compound. The arrangement of the members and joints form a complicated
framework in such sense that the method of joints and sections don't help in
analyzing the structure.

METHOD OF SUBSTITUTE MEMBERS:


Procedure for analysis:
1. Determine the reactions at the supports of truss.
2. Imagine how to analyze the truss by the method of joint by removing a
member from a joint with three members and replace it by an imaginary
member elsewhere in the truss.
3. Determine the forces (S'i) in all members due to the external loads using joint
method.
4. Remove the external loading and place equal but opposite collinear unit load
on the truss at the two joints from which the member was removed.
5. Determine the force (si) in each member due to the unit load.
6. If the effects of the above two loadings are combined, the force in the i th
member of the truss will be Si = S’i + Xsi.
This equation can be applied on the imaginary (substituted) member that
replaced the removed one. Since the imaginary member does not actually
exist on the original truss, so Si , the force in this member, is equal to zero.
Then “x” can be determined
7. Use the equation to find the force in all members by substituting the value of
x obtained in the previous step.

SAMPLE PROBLEM #4:


Determine the force in all the members of the complex truss. State if the members
are in tension or compression.
SPACE TRUSSES
When several straight members are joined together at their extremities to form a
three-dimensional configuration, the structure obtained is called a space truss.

The most elementary rigid space truss consists of six members joined at their
extremities to form the edges of a tetrahedron ABCD.

By adding three members at a time to this basic configuration, such as AE, BE, and
CE, attaching them to three existing joints, and connecting them at a new joint, we
can obtain a larger rigid structure which is defined as a simple space truss.

Although the members of a space truss are actually joined together by means of
bolted or welded connections, it is assumed that each joint consists of a ball-and-
socket connection. Thus, no couple will be applied to the members of the truss, and
each member can be treated as a two-force member. The conditions of equilibrium
for each joint will be expressed by the three equations ∑Fx = 0, ∑Fy = 0, and ∑Fz =
0. However, to avoid the necessity of solving simultaneous equations, care should be
taken to select joints in such an order that no selected joint will involve more than
three unknown forces.
SAMPLE PROBLEM #5:
Determine the force in each member of the space truss and state if the members are
in tension or compression. The truss is supported by ball-and-socket joints at A, B, C,
and D.
ASSIGNMENT
1. Determine the force in each member of the truss. State if the members are in
tension or compression.
2. Determine the force in members GF, FC, and CD of the bridge truss. State if the
members are in tension or compression. Assume all members are pin connected.
3. Determine the reactions at ball-and-socket joints D, E, and F of the space truss
shown. Express the answers in vector form.

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