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Activity 2.1.7 Calculating Truss Forces: Students: - , - , - Per: 4

This document provides instructions for students to calculate forces in truss structures. It explains that trusses must be statically determinate to solve for internal forces. Students are asked to make indeterminate trusses determinate by adding or removing members. The procedure involves drawing free body diagrams, summing moments at supports to find reactions, and using the method of joints to solve for forces at each connection. Examples of trusses are provided for analysis.

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Long Phan
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285 views

Activity 2.1.7 Calculating Truss Forces: Students: - , - , - Per: 4

This document provides instructions for students to calculate forces in truss structures. It explains that trusses must be statically determinate to solve for internal forces. Students are asked to make indeterminate trusses determinate by adding or removing members. The procedure involves drawing free body diagrams, summing moments at supports to find reactions, and using the method of joints to solve for forces at each connection. Examples of trusses are provided for analysis.

Uploaded by

Long Phan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 3

Students: _________________, _________________, _________________.

Per: 4 th

Activity 2.1.7 Calculating Truss Forces

Purpose
Because of the rigidity of a truss shape, it is not difficult to find the familiar triangles in many
structures. Designers must accurately determine how much force occurs at locations of a truss
design. The designer may change the material, the amount of material, or the number of members in
a truss in order to make a design safer or more efficient. The calculations for determining truss forces
are also a good basis for calculating forces for many other systems.

Equipment
 Straight edge

 Calculator

Procedure
In this activity you will make changes to given trusses to make them statically determinate. You will
then solve for the outside forces and forces at each pinned connection of trusses.

Static Determinacy
It is important to know that a truss is statically determinate before attempting to solve for the internal
forces. If the truss is statically indeterminate, then you will not be able to solve for all of the forces.

The trusses 1, 2, and 3 are statically indeterminate based on the formula 2J = M + R. Use the formula
to demonstrate that each truss is statically indeterminate, then sketch a solution that would result in
the truss being statically determinate. Remember when you sketch solutions that each should retain
triangular shapes in order to remain rigid.

 J = Number of joints

 M = Number of members

 R = Number of reactions within a


support
0r

2015 – KMS – CGH – CTE – Engineering - Activity 2.1.7 Calculating Truss Forces – Page 1
1.

2.

3.

Solving Statically Determinate Trusses


Use the method below to calculate the forces occurring at each pinned connection.

 Draw a free body diagram of the entire truss. Label applied forces, known dimensions, and
replace supports with labeled reaction forces.

2015 – KMS – CGH – CTE – Engineering - Activity 2.1.7 Calculating Truss Forces – Page 2
 Sum the moments occurring about one or more pinned support(s) to solve for reaction forces
at supports. There may be occasions when this will not solve any unknown reaction forces. If
that happens, move to the next step.
 Use method of joints to create free body diagrams for each joint to solve for all of the forces
acting at that joint. Precision (0.0).

4. 5.

Conclusion
1. Calculate the moment if you were to hold a 15 lb bowling ball with your arm straight out and your
forearm perpendicular to your body. What is the pinned connection?

1. Why are clockwise moments considered negative when they are summed with counterclockwise
moments?

2015 – KMS – CGH – CTE – Engineering - Activity 2.1.7 Calculating Truss Forces – Page 3

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