Analysis of Trusses

3.1. Introduction A truss is an assemblage of straight members connected at their ends by flexible connections to form a rigid configuration. The joint connections are usually formed by bolting or welding the ends of the members to a common plate, called a gusset plate or by simply passing a large bolt or pin through each of the members. Classification of trusses according to their formations: 1. Simple truss - the simplest type of bar arrangement encountered in practice. - constructed by starting with a basic triangular element, and connecting two members to form an additional element.

2. Compound truss - two or more simple trusses that are connected together to form one rigid framework.

3. Complex truss - Trusses that cannot be classified as either simple or compound

3.2. Assumptions for Analysis of Trusses

1. All members are connected only at their ends by frictionless hinges in plane trusses and by frictionless ball-and-socket joints in space trusses. 2. All loads and support reactions are applied only at the joints. 3. The centroidal axis of each member coincides with the line connecting the centers of the adjacent joints. 3.3. Analysis of Simple Trusses: Method of Joint In the method of joints, the axial forces in the members of a statically determinate truss are determined by considering the equilibrium of its joints. Since the entire truss is in equilibrium, each of its joints must also be in equilibrium. Procedure for Analysis 1. 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, it may be necessary to calculate the external reactions at the supports by drawing a free-body diagram of the entire truss.) 2. Use one of the two methods previously described for establishing the sense of an unknown force. 3. The x and y axes should be oriented such that the forces on the free-body diagram can be easily resolved into their x and y components. Apply the two force equilibrium equations Fx 0 and Fy 0 , solve for the two unknown member forces, and verify their correct directional sense. 4. Continue to analyze each of the other joints, where again it is necessary to choose a joint having at most two unknowns and at least one known force. 5. Once the force in a member is found from the analysis of a joint at one of its ends, the result can be used to analyze the forces acting on the joint at its other end. Remember, a member in compression pushes on the joint and a member in tension pulls on the joint.