Kathmandu University

Dhulikhel, Kavre, Nepal

Unit 5: Analysis of Truss

Prepared by:
Bini Neupane
Master of Engineering in Structural Engineering
Email id: [email protected]
Truss
• A truss in an assembly of members that are fastened together to support stationary or moving
loads.
• They may be fastened with riveted joints, welded joints or pin joints.
• The bars used in the framed structure are slender (cross sectional area quite small compared to
length) and are usually of angle section, T- section, I-section, etc.
• The bars are called two-force members because they are either in tension or in compression.

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Uses of Truss
• It is used in supporting sloping roofs, transmission tower, over head water tanks and bridge
decks.
• It is cheaper and lighter than RCC structures so that is used in large span bridge and roofs by
using steel sections such as angles, channels and T-sections.

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Determinacy and indeterminacy of a structure
• The structure in which the unknown reaction elements can be worked out by applying the
equations of static equilibrium is called statically determinate, otherwise indeterminate structures.
• In case of plane truss, statics provides three equations which are useful to find the support
reaction.
• σ 𝐹𝑥 = 0, σ 𝐹𝑦 = 0, σ 𝑀 = 0
• If m be the number of members, r be the number of support reactions and j be the number of joints
in the truss, then the following three condition may arise.
a. m+r>2j
The truss is said to be redundant or over rigid, These cannot be solved with the help of static
equilibrium alone. So, it is statically indeterminate.
b. m+r=2j
The truss is said to be efficient or perfect or rigid truss. Truss is statically determinate and
stable.
c. m+r<2j
The truss is statically determinate but unstable. 4
Classification of Truss:
i. According to analysis:
(a) Plane truss (b) Space Truss
ii. According to support condition
(a) Simply supported truss (b) Cantilever truss
iii. According to the purpose of utilization
(a) Roof Truss (b) Bridge Truss (c) Tower Truss
iv. According to degree of complexity
(a) Simple truss (b) Compound truss (c) Complex truss
v. According to stability point of view
(a) Perfect truss: m=2j-r
(b) Imperfect truss: m<2j-r
(c) Redundant Truss: m>2j-r

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Analysis of Plane Truss:
• The analysis of a truss involves the determination of:
✓ The reaction at the support
✓ The internal stresses induced in the members due to the external loads. That helps to work
out the size and shape of the structural members forming the truss.
• Assumptions for analysis of truss
i. The truss is perfect and statically determinate structure
ii. All the members comprising the truss are rigid and lie in same plane.
iii. The members are slender and of uniform cross section
iv. The external loads and reactions act at the joints only.
v. The self weight of the members is neglected because the self weight is small compared to the
loads they carry.
vi. The forces are transmitted from one member to another through smooth (no friction) fitting
perfectly in the members.
Two methods are used to calculate the force in the members of the truss.
➢ Joint method
➢ Section method 6
Nature of Force:
- A tensile force in the member is indicated by arrows pointing away from the joints while a
compressive force is towards the joints as shown.

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(a) Method of Joint
- Every joint is considered separately as a free body in equilibrium
- The method of joints is based on the static principle that all joints in a truss are in equilibrium.
- This means that the forces on the truss members at each joint must combine to equal zero.
- Treat the joint as a particle acted upon by the connected members and any applied loads
- Form two independent equations of equilibrium for each joint, one for horizontal equilibrium and
one for vertical equilibrium
- Use the equations σ 𝐹𝑥 = 0, σ 𝐹𝑦 = 0 to determine the member axial forces

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(b) Method of Section
- The method of sections is a technique used to calculate the unknown forces in a truss by
cutting through specific members and analyzing the sections as rigid bodies

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Reaction Forces

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THANK YOU!

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