Republic of the Philippines

Central Luzon State University

Science City of Munoz, Nueva Ecija

College of Engineering
Civil Engineering Department

CENGR 412- Structural Theory I

Assignment #1

Submitted by:

Deadline of

Submission
Laurence Lee F. Relao

October 18,

2016
BSCE 4-1

Submitted to:

Date

Submitted
Engr. Joseph Frank A. Nagal
2016

October 18,

DIFFERENT TYPES OF TRUSSES

o ROOF TRUSSES
1. Scissor Roof Truss
A Scissor Roof Truss can particularly be found in cathedrals.
It doesnt require beams or bearing walls, however it doesnt
leave that much space for insulation which makes its energy
efficiency very poor. On the other hand, the upside here is that
the ceiling gets vaulted and you receive more space in the attic.
2. Howe Truss
This type of truss is a combination of steel and wood,
which makes it elegant, while also offering a very appealing
design. Almost everything is made out of wood, however, the
tension members or the vertical members are manufactured out
of steel in order to offer extra support and reliability! One thing
that makes the Howe Truss extraordinary is the fact that it has a
very wide span, as it can cover anything from 6-30m. This
makes it versatile and very useful for a wide range of project
types.
3. Pratt Truss
This is one of the most popular steel roof truss types and it
is quite economical. This particular type of truss offers some
interesting features mainly thanks to the fact that the vertical
members provide tension, while the diagonal ones are bringing
in compression. Its important to note that these trusses can be
used for spans that range between 6-10m.
4. Fan Truss
Just like you can see from many roof truss type pictures,
the Fan Truss comes with a very simple design and its made out

of steel. In this particular situation, the trusses form a fink roof

truss. On top of that, the main characteristic here is that the top
chords are split into smaller lengths, as this allows the build to
obtain purlin support. Also, you get a medium span with this
type, around 10-15m, which is more than enough for most
projects.

5. Fink Truss
A Fink truss is a symmetrical truss that is comprised of a
single bar that has arms which angle upwards, with V-shaped
webs supporting the interior of the structure. These trusses can
cover over 80 feet when the web pattern is duplicated
6. King Post Truss
This particular truss is made out of wood most of the time,
but it can also be built out of a combination of steel and wood. It
all comes down to the architect and the building structure. The
King Post Truss spans up to 8m, which makes it perfect for
multiple types of houses, especially the smaller ones.
7. Queen Post Truss
The Queen Post Truss is designed to be a very reliable,
simple and versatile type of roof truss that you can use at any
given time. It offers a good span, around 10m, and it has a
simple design which makes it perfect for a wide range of
establishments.
8. North Light Roof Truss
The North Light Roof Truss is suitable for the larger spans
that go over 20m and get up to 30m. This happens because its
cheaper to add a truss that has a wide, larger set of lattice
girders that include support trusses. This method is one of the
oldest, as well as most economical ones that you can find on the
market, as it allows you to bring in proper ventilation. Plus, the
roof has more resistance too because of that.

9. Raised Heel Roof Truss

Raised-heel trusses differ from their conventional truss
counter parts in that they are fitted with a heel where the
bottom chord intersects with the perimeter wall plate which
raises the top chord. This is one of the most efficient types of
timber roof trusses, mostly because it brings a very good room
for insulation, but at the same time it also provides you with a
very good system for structural support. It might require some
additional materials in order to make it bring the best results.

10.

Quadrangular Roof Trusses

These are used for large spans, and this is why you can
encounter then in larger spaces, which include auditoriums or
even railway sheds.
11.

Saw-tooth Roof truss

A variation of the North light truss is the saw-tooth truss

which is used in multi-bay buildings. Similar to the North light
truss, it is typical to include a truss of the vertical face running
perpendicular to the plane of the saw-tooth truss.
12.

Warren Roof Truss

In this type of truss, diagonal members are alternatively in

tension and in compression. The Warren truss has equal length
compression and tension web members, and fewer members
than a Pratt truss. A modified Warren truss may be adopted
where additional members are introduced to provide a node at
(for example) purlin locations.
13.

Bowstring Roof Truss

A form of truss in which the upper chord or compression

flange is made in the form of a bow or curve, preferably a
parabola, and the lower chord or tension-member is a straight
line. The truss resembles a bow and string, whence its name.

14.

Gambrel
A Gambrel is a barn-style roof shape, and is often referred
to as a hip roof. These trusses can also be designed as an attic
truss that is complete with a floor system built in.

15.

Dual Pitched Roof Truss

Basically, the most used dual pitched roof definition is it is

a gable roof with a peak at the center, called a ridge. There are
several roof designs, depending on the shape and number of
pitches. It is define as a gable roof that features two slopes that
meet at a central line and extend from one end to another to
cover an entire structure.

o BRIDGE TRUSSES
1. Pratt Truss
A Pratt truss includes vertical members and diagonals that
slope down towards the center, the opposite of the Howe truss.
The interior diagonals are under tension under balanced loading
and vertical elements under compression. If pure tension
elements are used in the diagonals (such as eyebars) then
crossing elements may be needed near the center to accept
concentrated live loads as they traverse the span. It can be
subdivided, creating Y- and K-shaped patterns. This truss is
practical for use with spans up to 250 feet (76 m) and was a
common configuration for railroad bridges as truss bridges
moved
from
wood
to
metal.
They
are statically
determinate bridges, which lend themselves well to long spans.
2. Howe Truss
The relatively rare Howe truss, patented in 1840
by Massachusetts millwright William Howe, includes vertical
members and diagonals that slope up towards the center, the
opposite of the Pratt truss. In contrast to the Pratt truss, the
diagonal web members are in compression and the vertical web
members are in tension.

3. Warren Truss (without Verticals)

The Warren truss was patented in 1848 by its
designers James Warren and Willoughby Theobald Monzani, and
consists of longitudinal members joined only by angled crossmembers, forming alternately inverted equilateral triangleshaped spaces along its length, ensuring that no individual strut,
beam, or tie is subject to bending or torsional straining forces,
but only to tension or compression. Loads on the diagonals
alternate between compression and tension (approaching the
center), with no vertical elements, while elements near the
center must support both tension and compression in response
to live loads.
4. Parker Truss
A Parker truss bridge is a Pratt truss design with a
polygonal upper chord. A "camelback" is a subset of the Parker
type, where the upper chord consists of exactly five segments.

5. Baltimore Truss
The Baltimore truss is a subclass of the Pratt truss. A
Baltimore truss has additional bracing in the lower section of the
truss to prevent buckling in the compression members and to
control deflection. It is mainly used for rail bridges, showing off a
simple and very strong design.
6. K-Truss
A truss in the form of a K due to the orientation of the
vertical member and two oblique members in each panel.
7. Warren truss (with verticals)
Warren truss is a support structure used in different
constructions, for supporting a load. These are used extensively
in bridges as well as, residential and public works designs. The
contiguous triangles that are a characteristic part of the Warren
truss, also gives them the name, Triangular Truss. These are not
common now since modern bridges are made of be steel box
girder, post stressed concrete or cable stayed structures. Trusses
were usually made of timber, iron, or steel.

8. Bowstring Arch Truss

The bowstring arch through truss bridge was patented in
1841 by Squire Whipple. While similar in appearance to a tiedarch bridge, a bowstring truss is a truss and thus has diagonal
load-bearing members. These diagonals result in a structure that
more closely matches a Parker truss or Pratt truss than a true
arch.
9. Queen Post Truss
The queenpost truss, sometimes "queen post" or
"queenspost", is similar to a king post truss in that the outer
supports are angled towards the center of the structure. The
primary difference is the horizontal extension at the center which
relies on beam action to provide mechanical stability. This truss
style is only suitable for relatively short spans.
10.

Pennsylvania Truss
The Pennsylvania (Petit) truss is a variation on the Pratt
truss. The Pratt truss includes braced diagonal members in all
panels; the Pennsylvania truss adds to this design half-length
strut or ties in the top, bottom, or both parts of the panels.