VIRTUAL WORK

METHOD APPLIED
TO TRUSS
 VIRTUAL WORK EQUATION FOR TRUSSES

The general virtual work equation,

1()   U dL
may be modified to obtain the deflection of any joint of a truss. The
factor dL is the change in length of a member due to the applied loads
and is , where
S = the stress in any member due to the loads
L = length of a member
A = cross-sectional area of a member
E = modulus of elasticity of a member

If u is the stress in a member due to the virtual unit load, the virtual
work equation for trusses is

SuL
 Eq. 2
AE
Procedure for Analysis
The following step-by-step procedure can be used to determine the
deflections of trusses by the virtual work method.

1. Real System. If the deflection of the truss to be determined is

caused by external loads, then apply the method of joints and/or
the method of sections to compute the (real) axial forces (S) in all
the members of the truss. In the examples given, tensile member
forces are considered to be positive and compression members to
be negative. Similarly, increases in temperature and increases in
member length due to fabrication errors are considered to be
positive and vice versa.
2. Virtual System. Remove all the given (real) loads from the truss;
then apply a unit load at the joint where the deflection is desired
and in the direction of the desired deflection to form the virtual
force system. By using the method of joints and/or method of
sections, compute the virtual axial forces (u) in all members of the
truss. The sign convention used for the virtual forces must be the
same as that adopted for the real forces in step 1; that is, if real
tensile forces, temperature increases, or member elongations due
to fabrication errors were considered as positive in step 1, then
the virtual tensile forces must also be considered to be positive
and vice versa.
3. The desired deflection of the truss can now be determined by
applying Eq. 2 if the deflection is due to external loads, Eq. 3 if
the deflection is caused by temperature changes. The
application of these virtual work expressions can be facilitated
by arranging the real and virtual quantities, computed in steps 1
and 2, in tabular form, as illustrated in the following examples. A
positive answer for the desired deflection means that the
deflection occurs in the same direction as the unit load, whereas
a negative answer indicates that the deflection occurs in the
direction opposite to that of the unit load.
Example:
1. For the deck bridge truss loaded as shown. Use E = 200 GPa for all
members. The cross-sectional areas are as shown.

(8000 mm2) (8000 mm2) (8000 mm2) (8000 mm2)

(6000 mm2)
(6000 mm2)

(400 mm2)
(800 mm2) (800 mm2)

Requirements:
A. Determine the vertical and horizontal deflection of joint F.
B. Determine the relative displacement between joints D and F.
C. Determine the angle of rotation of member BC.
Solution:
A. For V and H
a. Real System. The real system consists of the loading given in
the problem as shown. The member axial forces due to the real
loads (S) obtained by using the method of joints and or section
are shown below.

-122.67 -122.67 -133.33 -133.33

-48

-64
0
92 kN 181.33 181.33 100 kN
b. Virtual System. The virtual system consists of a unit load (1 kN)
applied in the vertical direction at joint F, as shown below. The
member axial forces due to the virtual unit load ( 𝑈𝑉 ) are
determined by applying the method of joints and/or sections. The
member forces (𝑈𝑉) are also depicted in the figure below.

-1 -1 -0.333 -0.333

0 0 0
3/4 1/4
0.667 0.667
1
c. Virtual System. The virtual system consists of a unit load (1 kN)
applied in the horizontal direction at joint F, as shown below. The
member axial forces due to the virtual unit load ( 𝑈𝐻 ) are
determined by applying the method of joints and/or sections. The
member forces (𝑈𝐻) are also depicted in the figure below.

1 -0.75 -0.75 -0.25 -0.25

0 0
0
3/16 3/16
1 0.50 0.50
d. To facilitate the computation of the desired deflection, the real
and virtual member forces are tabulated along with the lengths (L)
and the cross-sectional areas (A) of the members, as shown in
Table 1. The modulus of elasticity, E, is the same for all the
members, so its value is not included in the table. Note that the
same sign convention is used for both real and virtual systems;
that is, in the fifth (S), sixth (𝑈𝑉) and seventh (𝑈𝐻) column of the
table, tensile forces are entered as positive numbers, and
compressive forces as negative numbers. Then, for each member
𝑆𝑢𝐿
the quantity 𝐴 is computed, and its value is entered in the eighth
and ninth column of the table. The algebraic sum of all the entries
𝑆𝑢𝐿
in the eighth and ninth column, , is then determined, and its
𝐴
value is recorded at the bottom of the eighth and ninth column, as
shown. Finally, we determine the required deflection by dividing
the algebraic sum in the eighth and ninth column by the value of
modulus of elasticity, E. Note that the positive answer indicates
the deflection in the direction of the virtual unit load.
 Table 1: CALCULATION FOR DEFLECTIONS AT POINT F
Member L(mm) A(mm2) L/A S (kN) UV UH SUVL/A SUHL/A
AB 4000 8000 0.500 -122.667 -1.000 -0.750 61.334 46.000
BC 4000 8000 0.500 -122.667 -1.000 -0.750 61.334 46.000
CD 4000 8000 0.500 -133.333 -0.333 -0.250 22.200 16.667
DE 4000 8000 0.500 -133.333 -0.333 -0.250 22.200 16.667
AF 5000 8000 0.625 153.333 1.250 -0.313 119.791 -29.948
FG 4000 8000 0.500 181.333 0.667 0.500 60.475 45.333
GH 4000 8000 0.500 181.333 0.667 0.500 60.475 45.333
HE 5000 8000 0.625 166.667 0.417 0.313 43.438 32.552
BF 3000 6000 0.500 -48.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000
CF 5000 8000 0.625 -73.333 0.417 0.313 -19.112 -14.323
CG 3000 4000 0.750 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000
CH 5000 8000 0.625 -60.000 -0.417 -0.313 15.638 11.719
DH 3000 6000 0.500 -64.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000
S 447.770 216.000


SuL
From  with E  200 GPa
AE
447.770 216
V   2.24 mm H   1.08 mm
200 200
B. Relative displacement of joints F and D.
To determine the axial forces due to unit loads at joints F and D we
place unit loads acting opposite each other along the line joining
points F and D. Assume the directions of the unit loads as acting
toward each other; that is, points F and D are assumed to be moving
towards each other, as shown.
1
0 0 0 -0.936 0

-0.352
0
0

0 0
1 -0.468 -0.468

3
8
 Table 2: CALCULATION OF DISPLACEMENT BETWEEN
POINTS F AND D
Member L(mm) A(mm2) L/A S (kN) U SUL/A
AB 4000 8000 0.500 -122.667 0 0.000
BC 4000 8000 0.500 -122.667 0 0.000
CD 4000 8000 0.500 -133.333 -0.936 62.400
DE 4000 8000 0.500 -133.333 0 0.000
AF 5000 8000 0.625 153.333 0 0.000
FG 4000 8000 0.500 181.333 -0.468 -42.432
GH 4000 8000 0.500 181.333 -0.468 -42.432
HE 5000 8000 0.625 166.667 0 0.000
BF 3000 6000 0.500 -48.000 0 0.000
CF 5000 8000 0.625 -73.333 -0.585 26.812
CG 3000 4000 0.750 0.000 0 0.000
CH 5000 8000 0.625 -60.000 0.585 -21.938
DH 3000 6000 0.500 -64.000 -0.352 11.264
S -6.325
SuL  6.325
   0.032 Note: The negative sign indicates that points
AE 200 F and D are moving away from each other.
C. Angle of rotation of member BC, BC
To determine the amount by which member BC rotates, place a
couple consisting of unit loads at joints B and C acting in
opposite directions. The member stresses caused by these loads
are written on the corresponding members as shown below.
1 1

0 1/3 1/3 -1/3 -1/3

1 0 0
1/4 2/3 2/3 1/4
 CALCULATION OF ANGLE ROTATION OF MEMBER BC
Member L(mm) A(mm2) L/A S (kN) U SUL/A
AB 4000 8000 0.500 -122.667 1/3 -20.445
BC 4000 8000 0.500 -122.667 1/3 -20.445
CD 4000 8000 0.500 -133.333 - 1/3 22.222
DE 4000 8000 0.500 -133.333 - 1/3 22.222
AF 5000 8000 0.625 153.333 - 5/12 -39.930
FG 4000 8000 0.500 181.333 2/3 60.444
GH 4000 8000 0.500 181.333 2/3 60.444
HE 5000 8000 0.625 166.667 5/12 43.403
BF 3000 6000 0.500 -48.000 1 -24.000
CF 5000 8000 0.625 -73.333 -1 1/4 57.291
CG 3000 4000 0.750 0.000 0 0.000
CH 5000 8000 0.625 -60.000 - 5/12 15.625
DH 3000 6000 0.500 -64.000 0 0.000
S 176.833

SuL 176.833 BC  angle of rotation of member BC

 
AE 200  0.884
BC    0.000221 rad  0.0127
  0.884 mm L BC 4000
To determine the rotation of member BC, first divide the algebraic
sum of seventh column by the modulus of elasticity giving us the
amount of deflection of the member.
SuL 176.833
 
AE 200
  0.884 mm
B LBC=4000 mm C
BC 

BC  angle of rotation of member BC

 0.884
BC    0.000221 rad  0.0127
L BC 4000
 VIRTUAL WORK EQUATION FOR
TEMPERATURE CHANGE

The Method of virtual work lends itself very well to the

determination of deflections due to temperature changes. Consider its
effect on a beam or a member of a truss or frame. From Strength of
Materials, the unit strain due to a temperature change T is
 =  T

where  is the coefficient of thermal expansion for the material in the

member. For an element of a member of length dx, the expression for
virtual work can be written as
 = u( dx) = u  (T) dx

Hence, for a member of length L, the internal virtual work is;

 = u  (T) L
Example:
For the deck bridge truss shown, determine the vertical deflection of
joint F due to a temperature increase of 60C in the top chord
members. For these members  = 11.70 x 10-6 m/m-C.

Solution:
To obtain the desired deflection, apply a unit load at joint F as shown.
The resulting stresses are as shown.

-1 -1 -0.333 -0.333

0 0 0
3/4 1/4
0.667 0.667
1
 Computation for the deflection of joint F due to
temperature change in the top chord members
Member L (mm) U T  UL(T)
AB 4000 −1 60 11 𝑥 10−6 −2.808
BC 4000 −1 60 11 𝑥 10−6 −2.808
CD 4000 −0.333 60 11 𝑥 10−6 −0.936
DE 4000 −0.333 60 11 𝑥 10−6 −0.936
S −7.488

∆𝐹 = 𝑈𝛼 ∆𝑡 𝐿 = −7.488 𝑚𝑚

The negative sign indicates that F is upward (opposite the

direction of the unit load at F. Note also that the unit load stresses for
the other members had no effect on joint F since T = 0 for these
members.
EXERCISES:
1. For the cantilever truss shown, find the vertical and horizontal
displacements of joint C, the angle through which member BC
rotates, and the vertical displacement of joint C due to rise in
temperature of 60C in members DE and CE with =11.7m/m-C.

Areas of each member

Member Area, mm2
AB, BC 10,000
AD, AE, DE, CE, BE 12,000
2. For The Warren truss shown, find the horizontal and vertical
displacement of point C, the angle through which member BD
rotates, and the relative displacement between joints C and F.

Areas of each member

Member Area, mm2
AC, CE, EG 10,000
BD, DF,AB, BC, CD, DE, EF, FG 12,000