A STRUCTURE - interconnected members

carrying/transmitting loads/forces safely.

• For the equilibrium of structures made of several
connected parts, the internal forces as well the
external forces are considered.

• In the interaction between connected parts,

Newton’s 3rd Law states that the forces of
action and reaction between bodies in contact
have the same magnitude, same line of action,
and opposite sense.

• Two categories of engineering structures are

considered:
a) Trusses: formed from two-force members,
i.e., straight members with end point
connections
b) Frames: contain at least one multi-force
member, i.e., member acted upon by 3 or
more forces.
• 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.
Members of a truss are slender and not
capable of supporting large lateral
loads. Loads must be applied at the
joints.
• A rigid truss will not collapse
under the application of a load.

• A simple truss is constructed by

successively adding two
members and one connection to
the basic triangular truss.

• In a simple truss, m = 2n - 3
where m is the total number of
members and n is the number
of joints.
• Dismember the truss and create a free
body 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.
Example: Determine the force in each member 400 N
of the truss. Indicate whether the member is in C
tension or compression.
B

A 4m
1-Start by drawing the free body diagram for the whole truss.
2-Show all the known and unknown forces acting on the whole truss.
D
3-Use force equilibrium in x and y directions and moment equilibrium about C 600 N
to find the unknown reaction forces at A and C. 3m 3m

F x
0 600  C x  0 C x  600 N

M C
 0  Ay (6)  400(3)  600(4)  0 Ay  600 N   tan 1
4
 53.13
3
F y
0 400  C y  Ay  0 C y  200 N
Cy
400 N
4-Consider joint A and draw a FBD for it: C Cx
B
y F y
0
F 0
x
A θ
4m
 AB sin 53.13  Ay  0  AB cos 53.13  AD  0y


 AB sin 53.13  600  0 AD  450 N (T) D

AB 600 N
AB  750 N (C)
θ 3m 3m
x
+ Ay
AD
A x
Ay
Example: Determine the force in each member 400 N
of the truss. Indicate whether the member is in C
tension or compression.
B

A 4m
4-Consider joint D and draw a FBD for it:

y F x
0 F y
0 D
600 N
600  450  BD cos 53.13  0

 DC  BD sin 53.13  0

3m 3m
BD BD  250 N
CD CD  200 N (C)
BD  250 N (T)
θ
x 4
  tan 1  53.13
3
AD D 600 N
Cy
5-Consider joint C and draw a FBD for it (can check up your answer for CD here):
400 N
C
y F y
0 F x
0 B Cx
CD  C y  0 BC  C x  0
y A θ
4m
Cy CD  200 N (C) BC  600 N (C)
D
600 N
BC Cx x 3m 3m
+ Ay
C x
CD
• When the force in only one member or the
forces in a very few members are desired,
the method of sections works well.

• To determine the force in member BD,

pass a section through the truss as
shown and create a free body diagram
for the left side.

• With only three members cut by the

section, the equations for static
equilibrium may be applied to
determine the unknown member
forces, including FBD.
• Compound trusses are • Truss contains a redundant
statically determinant, rigid, member and is statically
and completely constrained. indeterminate.

m  2n  3 m  2n  3
Example: Use method of sections to determine
the force in members, GC, GE and BC of the
truss. Indicate whether the member is in tension
G E 400 N
or compression.
3m
1-Start by drawing the free body diagram for the whole truss. D
2-Show all the known and unknown forces acting on the whole truss. A
3-Use force equilibrium in x and y directions and moment equilibrium about B C
A to find the unknown reaction forces at A and D. 4m 4m 4m

F x
0 400  Ax  0 Ax  400 N 1200 N

M A
 0 D y (12)  1200(8)  400(3)  0 D y  900 N   tan 1
3
 36.87 
4
F y
 0 1200  900  Ay  0 Ay  300 N
5-Cut through the section of truss that includes GC, GE and BC. We will
choose the section in the left for force analysis as it has the least number of forces : G GEE 400 N
6- Show the forces in GC, GE and BC , with their correct sense if can 3m GC D
figure out whether the member is in tension or compression. Ax
Recall if the force is acting away from the section the member
y A BC
is in tension. If the force is acting towards the section the member B C
is in compression.
4m
Ay
4m Dy
4m

F y
0  GC sin 36.87  Ay  0


+ 1200 N
 GC sin 36.87   300  0
GC  500 N (T) x
Example: Use method of sections to determine
the force in members, GC, GE and BC of the
truss. Indicate whether the member is in tension
G E 400 N
or compression.
3m
D
A
7- Sum the moments about G: B C
4m 4m 4m
M G
0  Ay (4)  Ax (3)  BC (3)  0
300(4)  400(3)  BC (3)  0 1200 N
BC  800 N (T) 3
  tan 1  36.87 
4
8- Force equilibrium in x direction yields:
G GEE 400 N
F x
0
3m GC D
 Ax  GC cos 36.87  BC  GE  0
 Ax
y A BC
 400  500 cos 36.87  800  GE  0
 B C
4m
Ay
4m Dy
4m

GE  800 N (C)
+ 1200 N

x
 6 - 13 Example
SOLUTION:
• Take the entire truss as a free body.
Apply the conditions for static equilib-
rium to solve for the reactions at A and L.
• Pass a section through members FH,
GH, and GI and take the right-hand
section as a free body.
• Apply the conditions for static
equilibrium to determine the desired
member forces.
Determine the force in members FH,
GH, and GI.
6 - 14

SOLUTION:
• Take the entire truss as a free body.
Apply the conditions for static
equilibrium to solve for the reactions at A
and L.

M A  0  5 m 6 kN   10 m 6 kN   15 m 6 kN 

 20 m 1 kN   25 m 1 kN   30 m L
L  7.5 kN 
F y  0  20 kN  L  A
A  12.5 kN 
6 - 15

• Pass a section through members FH, GH, and GI

and take the right-hand section as a free body.

• Apply the conditions for static equilibrium to

determine the desired member forces.
MH  0
7.50 kN 10 m   1 kN 5 m   FGI 5.33 m   0
FGI  13.13 kN
FGI  13.13 kN T
6 - 16

FG 8 m
tan     0.5333   28.07
GL 15 m
 MG 0
7.5 kN 15 m   1 kN 10 m   1 kN 5 m 
  FFH cos  8 m   0
FFH  13.82 kN
FFH  13.82 kN C
GI 5m
tan   2  0.9375   43.15
HI
3
8 m 
ML  0
1 kN 10 m   1 kN 5 m   FGH cos  10 m   0
FGH  1.371 kN
FGH  1.371 kN C
6 - 17
• Frames and machines are structures with at least one
multi-force member. Frames are designed to support
loads and are usually stationary. Machines contain
moving parts and are designed to transmit and modify
forces.
• A free body diagram of the complete frame is used to
determine the external forces acting on the frame.
• Internal forces are determined by dismembering the
frame and creating free-body diagrams for each
component.

• Forces on two force members have known lines of

action but unknown magnitude and sense.

• Forces on multiforce members have unknown

magnitude and line of action. They must be
represented with two unknown components.

• Forces between connected components are equal,

have the same line of action, and opposite sense.
Frames Which Cease To Be Rigid When Detached From Their
Supports

• Some frames may collapse if removed from

their supports. Such frames can not be
treated as rigid bodies.
• A free-body diagram of the complete frame
indicates four unknown force components
which can not be determined from the three
equilibrium conditions.
• The frame must be considered as two distinct,
but related, rigid bodies.
• With equal and opposite reactions at the
contact point between members, the two free-
body diagrams indicate 6 unknown force
components.
• Equilibrium requirements for the two rigid
bodies yield 6 independent equations.
 Example
SOLUTION:
• Create a free-body diagram for the
complete frame and solve for the
support reactions.
• Define a free-body diagram for
member BCD. The force exerted by
the link DE has a known line of action
but unknown magnitude. It is
determined by summing moments
Members ACE and BCD are about C.
connected by a pin at C and by • With the force on the link DE known,
the link DE. For the loading the sum of forces in the x and y
shown, determine the force in directions may be used to find the
link DE and the components of force components at C.
the force exerted at C on
• With member ACE as a free-body,
member BCD.
check the solution by summing
moments about A.
6 - 20
SOLUTION:
• Create a free-body diagram for the complete
frame and solve for the support reactions.
 Fy  0  Ay  480 N Ay  480 N 

 M A  0  480 N 100 mm   B160 mm 

B  300 N 

 Fx  0  B  Ax Ax  300 N 

Note:
  tan 1 150
80  28.07
 Example
6 - 21

• Define a free-body diagram for member

BCD. The force exerted by the link DE
has a known line of action but unknown
magnitude. It is determined by summing
moments about C.

M C  0  FDE sin  250 mm   300 N 80 mm   480 N 100 mm 

FDE  561 N
FDE  561 N C
• Sum of forces in the x and y directions may be used to find the force
components at C.
 Fx  0  C x  FDE cos   300 N
0  C x   561 N  cos   300 N C x  795 N

 Fy  0  C y  FDE sin   480 N

0  C y   561 N  sin   480 N C y  216 N
6 - 22

• With member ACE as a free-body, check

the solution by summing moments about A.

 M A  FDE cos  300 mm   FDE sin  100 mm   C x 220 mm 

  561cos  300 mm    561sin  100 mm    795220 mm   0

(checks)