‫بسم هللا الرحمن الرحيم‬

‫الجملونات‬
‫‪TRUSSES‬‬

‫د نادر محمد حسنين‬

DEFINITION OF A TRUSS
• A truss consists of straight members
connected at joints. No member is
continuous through a joint.
• Most structures are made of several trusses
joined together to form a space framework.
Each truss carries those loads which act in
its plane and may be treated as a two-
dimensional structure.
• Bolted or welded connections are assumed to
be pinned together. Forces acting at the
member ends reduce to a single force and no
couple. Only two-force members are
considered.
• When forces tend to pull the member apart,
it is in tension. When the forces tend to
compress the member, it is in compression.
 DEFINITION OF A TRUSS

Members of a truss are slender and not capable of supporting large lateral loads.
Loads must be applied at the joints.
They are light in weight and economical.
TRUSS CONNECTIONS AND SUPPORTS

Riveted, Bolted, or Welded

External and internal (dotted) supports

ASSUMPTIONS FOR DESIGN
All members are connected at both ends by smooth frictionless pins.
All loads are applied at joints (member weight is negligible).
Notes:
 Centroids of all joint members coincide at the joint.
 All members are straight.
 All load conditions satisfy Hooke’s law.

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Classification of Coplanar Trusses

• Simple Trusses

P C D C P C
P D

A B A B A B

new members
a d (new joint)

b c

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• Compound Trusses

simple truss simple truss simple truss simple truss

Type 1 Type 2

secondary
simple truss secondary
simple truss
secondary secondary
simple truss simple truss
main simple truss

Type 3

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• Complex Trusses

• Determinacy

m + r = 2j statically determinate
m + r > 2j statically indeterminate

In particular, the degree of indeterminacy is specified by the difference in the

numbers (m + r) - 2j.

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• Stability

b + r < 2j unstable
b + r > 2j unstable if truss support reactions are concurrent or parallel
or if some of the components of the truss form a collapsible
mechanism

External Unstable

Unstable-parallel reactions Unstable-concurrent reactions

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IMPORTANT NOTES
• For a truss to be properly constrained:
– It should be able to stay in equilibrium for any combination
of loading.
– Equilibrium implies both global equilibrium and internal
equilibrium.
• Note that if 2j > m + r, the truss is most definitely
partially constrained (and is unstable to certain
loadings). But 2j ≥ m + r, is no guarantee that the truss
is stable.
• If 2j < m + r, the truss can never be statically
determinate.
Internal Unstable

O
D A B E
8 + 3 = 11
< 2(6)

AD, BE, and CF are concurrent at point O

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Example
Classify each of the trusses in the figure below as stable, unstable, statically
determinate, or statically indeterminate. The trusses are subjected to arbitrary
external loadings that are assumed to be known and can act anywhere on the
trusses.

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SOLUTION

Externally stable, since the reactions are not concurrent or parallel. Since m = 19,
r = 3, j = 11, then m + r = 2j or 22 = 22. Therefore, the truss is statically determinate.
By inspection the truss is internally stable.

Externally stable. Since m = 15, r = 4, j = 9, then m + r > 2j or 19 > 18. The truss
is statically indeterminate to the first degree. By inspection the truss is internally
stable.

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Externally stable. Since ,m = 9, r = 3, j = 6, then m + r = 2j or 12 = 12. The truss is
statically determinate. By inspection the truss is internally stable.

Externally stable. Since m = 12, r = 3, j = 8, then m + r < 2j or 15 < 16. The truss
is internally unstable.

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EXERCISE
Classify the trusses shown in as stable, determinate, or indeterminate, and state the
degree of indeterminacy when necessary.

r=3, m=9, j=6

9+3=2(6)9+3=2(6). Statically determinate.
 r=3, m=10, j=6.
10+3>2(6)10+3>2(6). Statically indeterminate to 1∘1∘

r=3, m=9, j=6.

9+3=2(6)9+3=2(6). Statically determinate.
PROBLEM

j = 7, m = 10, r = 3, 2j > m + r. Stable but statically indeterminate

JOINT IDENTIFICATION AND MEMBER FORCE
NOTATION
Truss joints can be identified using alphabets or numbers, depending on the preference of the
analyst. However, consistency must be maintained in the chosen way of identification to avoid
confusion during analysis. A bar force can be represented by any letter ( F ), with two
subscripts designating the member. For example, the member force FAB in the truss shown is
the force in the member connecting joints A and B
.
SIGN CONVENTION
In truss analysis, a negative member axial force implies that the member or the joints
at both ends of the member are in compression, while a positive member axial force
indicates that the member or the joints at both ends of the member are in tension.
ANALYSIS OF TRUSSES BY THE METHOD OF JOINTS
• Dismember the truss and create a freebody
diagram for each member and pin.

• The two forces exerted on each member are

equal, have the same line of action, and
opposite sense.

• Forces exerted by a member on the pins or

joints at its ends are directed along the member
and equal and opposite.

• Conditions of equilibrium on the pins provide

2n equations for 2n unknowns. For a simple
truss, 2n = m + 3. May solve for m member
forces and 3 reaction forces at the supports.

• Conditions for equilibrium for the entire truss

provide 3 additional equations which are not
independent of the pin equations.
METHOD OF JOINTS
This method involves isolating each joint of the truss and considering the equilibrium
of the joint when determining the member axial force. Two equations used in
determining the member axial forces are ΣFX=0 and ΣFy=0. Joints are isolated
consecutively for analysis based on the principle that the number of the unknown
member axial forces should never be more than two in the joint under consideration in
a plane trust.
ANALYSIS OF TRUSSES BY THE METHOD OF JOINTS
• Dismember the truss and create a freebody
diagram for each member and pin.

• The two forces exerted on each member are

equal, have the same line of action, and
opposite sense.

• Forces exerted by a member on the pins or

joints at its ends are directed along the member
and equal and opposite.

• Conditions of equilibrium on the pins provide

2n equations for 2n unknowns. For a simple
truss, 2n = m + 3. May solve for m member
forces and 3 reaction forces at the supports.

• Conditions for equilibrium for the entire truss

provide 3 additional equations which are not
independent of the pin equations.
 USING THE METHOD OF JOINT, DETERMINE THE AXIAL
FORCE IN EACH MEMBER OF THE TRUSS SHOWN
Solution
Support reactions. By applying the
equations of static equilibrium to the
free-body diagram, the support
reactions can be determined as follows:
Analysis of joints. The analysis begins with selecting a joint that has two or fewer unknown member
forces. The free-body diagram of the truss will show that joints A and B satisfy this requirement.
To determine the axial forces in members meeting at joint A , first isolate the joint from the truss
and indicate the axial forces of members as FAB and FAD. The two unknown forces are initially
assumed to be tensile (i.e. pulling away from the joint). If this initial assumption is incorrect, the
computed values of the axial forces will be negative, signifying compression.
After completing the analysis of joint A , joint B or D can be analyzed, as there are only two
unknown forces.
 ZERO FORCE MEMBERS
Complex truss analysis can be greatly simplified by first identifying the “zero
force members.” A zero force member is one that is not subjected to any axial
load. Sometimes, such members are introduced into the truss system to prevent
the buckling and vibration of other members. The truss-member arrangements
that result in zero force members are listed as follows:
1.If noncollinearity exists between two members meeting at a joint that is not
subjected to any external force, then the two members are zero force members
(see Figure a).
2.If three members meet at a joint with no external force, and two of the
members are collinear, the third member is a zero force member (see Figure b).
3.If two members meet at a joint, and an applied force at the joint is parallel to
one member and perpendicular to the other, then the member perpendicular to
the applied force is a zero force member (see Figure c).
ANALYSIS OF TRUSSES BY METHOD OF SECTION
Sometimes, determining the axial force in specific members of a truss system by the method of joint can be very involving and
cumbersome, especially when the system consists of several members. In such instances, using the method of section can be
timesaving and, thus, preferable. This method involves passing an imaginary section through the truss so that it divides the
system into two parts and cuts through members whose axial forces are desired. Member axial forces are then determined
using the conditions of equilibrium. The detailed procedure for analysis by this method is presented below.
Procedure for Analysis of Trusses by Method of Section
•Check the stability and determinacy of the structure. If the truss is stable and determinate, then proceed to the next step.
•Determine the support reactions in the truss.
•Make an imaginary cut through the structure so that it includes the members whose axial forces are desired. The imaginary
cut divides the truss into two parts.
•Apply forces to each part of the truss to keep it in equilibrium.
•Select either part of the truss for the determination of member forces.
•Apply the conditions of equilibrium to determine the member axial forces.
 USING THE METHOD OF SECTION, DETERMINE THE
AXIAL FORCES IN MEMBERS CD , CG , AND HG
OF THE TRUSS SHOWN IN FIGURE.
Support reactions. By applying the equations
of static equilibrium to the free-body
diagram, the support reactions can be
determined as follows:
Analysis by method of section. First, an imaginary section is passed through the truss so that it
cuts through members CD , CG , and HG and divides the truss into two parts. Member
forces are all indicated as tensile forces (i.e., pulling away from the joint). If this initial
assumption is wrong, the calculated member forces will be negative, showing that they are in
compression. Either of the two parts can be used for the analysis. The left-hand part will be
used for determining the member forces in this example. By applying the equation of
equilibrium to the left-hand segment of the truss, the axial forces in members can be
determined as follows:
Axial force in member CD. To determine the axial force in member CD , find a moment
about a joint in the truss where only CD will have a moment about that joint and all other
cut members will have no moment. A close examination will show that the joint that meets this
requirement is joint G . Thus, taking the moment about G suggests the following:
SPECIAL LOADING CONDITIONS BY
INSPECTION
• Can be recognized by using specialized co-ordinate axes
PROBLEM 1
• Using method of joints, determine the forces in the
members of the trusses shown
PROBLEM 2
• For the given loading , determine the zero force member in the truss
shown
PROBLEM 3
• Find the forces in members EF, KL, and GL for the Fink truss shown.
PROBLEM 4
1. A Fink roof truss is loaded as shown in Fig 5. Use method of
section to determine the force in members (a) BD, CD, and CE
(b) FH, FG, EG
PROBLEM 5
• Use method of section to determine the force in members IK, HK, FI,
EG of the truss shown in the figure.
EXTRA PROBLEM 6
• Obtain force in member
AB of the truss.
PROBLEM 7
• Determine the forces in members FH, EH, EG, LM, MK
and LK.
PROBLEM 8
• Determine the forces in members BD and DE.