Chapter 3: Analysis of Statically Determinate Trusses

3.1 Introduction

Truss - is an assemblage of straight members connected at their ends by @lexible connections to form a rigid con@iguration. It is
also a structure composed of slender members joined together at their end points. The members commonly used in construction
consist of wooden struts, metal bars, angles, or channels.

Plane Truss - is a truss that all the members and the applied loads lie in a single plane. It is commonly used for supporting decks
of bridges and roofs of buildings.

Space Truss - is a three-dimensional structural framework in which members are connected at their ends by frictionless joints.
The members form a stable geometric con@iguration that can resist loads applied in any direction. Space trusses are used in
applications such as transmission towers, space frames, and large-span roofs.

3.2 Types of Trusses

Roof Trusses - this are often used as part of an industrial building frame. The roof load is transmitted to the truss at the joints
by means of series of purlins.

Common Types of Roof Trusses

Bridge Trusses - the load on the deck is @irst transmitted to stringers, then to @loor beams, and @inally to the joints of the two
supporting side trusses.

Typical Forms of Bridge Trusses

3.3 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.

3.4 Classi@ication of Trusses

Simple Truss is constructed by starting with a basic triangular element. It is formed by enlarging the basic truss element, which
contains three members and three joints, by adding two additional members for each additional joint, so the total number of
members m in a simple truss is given by:
𝑚 = 3 + 2(𝑗 − 3) = 2𝑗 − 3
where,
𝑗 → total number of joints (including those attached to the supports)

Compound Truss is formed by connecting two or more simple trusses together. Quite often this type of truss is used to support
loads acting over a large span, since it is cheaper to construct a somewhat lighter compound truss that to use a heavier single
simple truss.
Complex Truss is one that cannot be classi@ied as being either simple or compound.

3.5 Internal Stability of Plane Trusses

𝑚 < 2𝑗 − 3 (internally unstable)
𝑚 ≥ 2𝑗 − 3 (internally stable)
where,
𝑚 → number of members
𝑗 → number of joints

Example 3.1. Classify each of the plane trusses shown as internally stable or unstable.

(a) (b)

(c) (d)

(e) (f)

(g) (h)
3.6 Static Determinacy and Instability of Plane Trusses
𝑚 + 𝑟 < 2𝑗 (statically unstable truss)
𝑚 + 𝑟 = 2𝑗 (statically determinate truss)
𝑚 + 𝑟 > 2𝑗 (statically indeterminate truss)
where,
𝑚 → number of members
𝑟 → number of reactions
𝑗 → number of joints

For the degree of static indeterminacy,

𝑖 = (𝑚 + 𝑟) − 2𝑗

Example 3.2
Classify each of the plane trusses shown as unstable, statically indeterminate, or statically indeterminate. If the truss is statically
indeterminate, determine the degree of static indeterminacy.

(a) (b) (c)

(d) (e)

(f) (g)

(h) (i) (j)

(k)
3.7 Analysis by Method of Joints
The axial forces in the members of a statically determinate truss are determined by considering the equilibrium of its joints.

Identi@ication of Zero-Force Members

Zero-force members are added to the trusses to brace compression members against buckling and slender tension members
against vibrating.
1. If only two noncollinear members are connected to a joint that has no external loads or reactions applied to it, then the
force in both members is zero.
2. If three members, two of which are collinear, are connected to a joint that has no external loads or reactions applied to
it, then the force in the member that is not collinear is zero.

Procedure of Analysis
1. Check the truss for static determinacy, as discussed in the preceding section. If the truss is found to be statically
determinate and stable, proceed to step 2. Otherwise, end the analysis at this stage.
2. Identify by inspection any zero-force members of the truss.
3. Determine the slopes of the inclined members (except the zero-force members) of the truss.
4. Draw a free-body diagram of the whole truss, showing all external loads and reactions. Write zeros by the members that
have been identified as zero-force members.
5. Examine the free-body diagram of the truss to select a joint that has no more than two unknown forces (which must not
be collinear) acting on it. If such a joint is found, then go directly to the next step. Otherwise, determine reactions by
applying the three equations of equilibrium and the equations of condition (if any) to the free body of the whole truss;
then select a joint with two or fewer unknowns, and go to the next step.
6. Draw a free-body diagram of the selected joint, showing tensile forces by arrows pulling away from the joint and
compressive forces by arrows pushing into the joint. It is usually convenient to assume the unknown member forces to
be tensile.
7. Determine the unknown forces by applying the two equilibrium equations ∑ 𝐹! = 0 and ∑ 𝐹" = 0. A positive answer for
a member force means that the member is in tension, as initially assumed, whereas a negative answer indicates that the
member is in compression.
If at least one of the unknown forces acting at the selected joint is in the horizontal or vertical direction, the
unknowns can be conveniently determined by satisfying the two equilibrium equations by inspection of the joint on the
free-body diagram of the truss.
8. If all the desired member forces and reactions have been determined, then go to the next step. Otherwise, select another
joint with no more than two unknowns, and return to step 6.
9. If the reactions were determined in step 5 by using the equations of equilibrium and condition of the whole truss, then
apply the remaining joint equilibrium equations that have not been utilized so far to check the calculations. If the
reactions were computed by applying the joint equilibrium equations, then use the equilibrium equations of the entire
truss to check the calculations. If the analysis has been performed correctly, then these extra equilibrium equations must
be satisfied.

Example 3.3
Determine the force in each member of the Warren truss shown by the method of joints.
Example 3.4
Determine the force in each member of the three-hinged trussed arch shown by the method of joints.

3.8 Analysis by Method of Sections

The method of sections involves cutting the truss into two portions by passing an imaginary section through the members whose
forces are desired. The desired member forces are then determined by considering the equilibrium of one of the two portions of
the truss. Sections should be chosen that do not pass through more than three members with unknown forces.

Procedure of Analysis
1. Select a section that passes through as many members as possible whose forces are desired, but not more than three
members with unknown forces. The section should cut the truss into two parts.
2. Although either of the two portions of the truss can be used for computing the member forces, we should select the
portion that will require the least amount of computational e¤ort in determining the unknown forces. To avoid the
necessity for the calculation of reactions, if one of the two portions of the truss does not have any reactions acting on it,
then select this portion for the analysis of member forces and go to the next step. If both portions of the truss are
attached to external supports, then calculate reactions by applying the equations of equilibrium and condition (if any)
to the free body of the entire truss. Next, select the portion of the truss for analysis of member forces that has the least
number of external loads and reactions applied to it.
3. Draw the free-body diagram of the portion of the truss selected, showing all external loads and reactions applied to it
and the forces in the members that have been cut by the section. The unknown member forces are usually assumed to
be tensile and are, therefore, shown on the free-body diagram by arrows pulling away from the joints.
4. Determine the unknown forces by applying the three equations of equilibrium. To avoid solving simultaneous equations,
try to apply the equilibrium equations in such a manner that each equation involves only one unknown.
5. Apply an alternative equilibrium equation, which was not used to compute member forces, to check the calculations.
This alternative equation should preferably involve all three member forces determined by the analysis. If the analysis
has been performed correctly, then this alternative equilibrium equation must be satisfied.

Example 3.5
Determine the forces in members CD, DG and GH of the truss shown by the method of sections.
Example 3.6
Determine the forces in members CJ and IJ of the truss shown by the method of sections.

Example 3.7
Determine the forces in members FJ, HJ, and HK of the K-truss shown by the method of sections.

3.9 Analysis of Compound Trusses

Example 3.8
Determine the force in each member of the compound truss shown.
3.10 Complex Trusses

Procedure for Analysis

1. Reduction to Stable Simple Truss.
2. External Loading on Simple Truss.
3. Remove External Loading from Simple Truss.
4. Superposition.

Example 3.9
Determine the force in each member of the complex truss shown. State whether the members are in tension or compression.

3.11 Space Trusses

Space Truss consists of members joined together at their ends to form a stable three-dimensional structure. The simplest
element of a stable space truss is a tetrahedron.

Determinacy and Stability

𝑚 + 𝑟 < 3𝑗 (unstable truss)
𝑚 + 𝑟 = 3𝑗 (statically determinate - check stability)
𝑚 + 𝑟 > 3𝑗 (statically indeterminate - check stability)

Reactions
∑ 𝐹! = 0 ∑ 𝐹" = 0 ∑ 𝐹# = 0
∑ 𝑀! = 0 ∑ 𝑀" = 0 ∑ 𝑀# = 0
 Types of Supports for Space Trusses

External Stability and Determinacy,

𝑟 < 6 (statically unstable externally)
𝑟 = 6 (statically determinate externally)
𝑟 > 6 (statically indeterminate externally)
Example 3.10
Determine the reactions at the supports and the force in each member of the space truss shown.