Lesson No.

ANALYSIS of STRUCTURES
INTRODUCTION.
The problems considered in the preceding chapters are focused on determining the resultant of
external forces acting on a rigid body and also the equilibrium of single rigid body. In these problems we
first draw a free body diagram of this single body showing all forces external to the isolated body and then
we applied the force and moment equations of equilibrium. In this chapter our attention is directed
toward the determination not only of the external forces acting on the structure but also of the forces
which hold together the various parts of the structure. These forces are called internal forces. An
engineering structure is any connected system of members built to support or transfer forces and to safely
withstand the loads applied to it. In the force analysis of structures it is necessary to dismember the
structure and to analyze separate free-body diagrams of individual members or combinations of members
in order to determine the forces internal to the structure. This analysis calls for very careful observance
of Newton’s third law, which states that the forces of action and reaction between bodies in contact have
the same magnitude, same line of action, and opposite sense.

Three broad categories of engineering structures will be considered :

1. Trusses, which are designed to support loads and are usually stationary, fully constrained
structures. Trusses consist exclusively of straight members connected at joints located at the ends
of each member.
2. Frames, which are also designed to support loads and are also usually stationary, fully constrained
structures. Frames contain at least one multi force member, a member acted upon by three or
more forces.
3. Machines, which are designed to transmit and modify forces and are structures containing
moving parts. Machines, like frames, always contain at least one multi-force member.

TRUSSES

A truss is a framework composed of members joined at their ends to form a rigid structure. In
general, the members of a truss are slender and can support little lateral load; all loads must be applied
to the various joints and not to the members themselves. When a distributed load is to be supported by
the truss, as in the case of bridge truss, a floor system must be provided which, through the use of stringers
and floor beams, transmits the load to the joints.

The only force assumed to be applied to a truss member is a single force at each end of the member.
Each member can then be treated as a two-force member, and the entire truss can be considered as a

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group of pins and two force members. An individual member can be acted upon as shown in either of
the two sketches.

Bar Force Representation

If the force tend to pull the member apart then it is in tension:

If the force tend to compress the member it is in compression.

Simple Truss

The basic element of a plane truss is a basic triangle and adding two more members will form
another triangle. Every time two new members are added, the number of joints is increased by one. We
find that in a simple truss the total number of members is m = 2j – 3, where j is the total number of joints.

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Methods of Analysis

Trusses are extensively used for bridges, long span roofs, electric tower, and space structures. For
trusses it is assumed that :

1. Bars are pin-connected.

In a truss analysis or design, we seek to determine the internal force along each member. The term
analysis is used to describe the process whereby the bar forces in a truss are determined. For statically
determinate truss, these forces can be found by employing the laws of statics to ensure internal
equilibrium of the structure. Methods used are :

1. Methods of Joint
2. Methods of Section

• Methods of Joints

This method for finding the forces in the members of a simple truss consists of satisfying the conditions
of equilibrium for the forces acting on the connecting pin of each joint. The method therefore deals with
the equilibrium of concurrent forces, and only two independent equilibrium equations are involved. We
start first by determining reactions from the supports and select a joint where at least one known load
exist and where not more than two unknown forces are present. With the joints indicated letters, we
may designate the force in each member by the two letters defining the ends of the member.

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 F E F E

𝐴𝑥 B C D

A B C D 𝐴𝑦 P 𝐷𝑦

Analyze Joint A

AF

Ax AB

Ay

The magnitude of AF is obtained by the equilibrium equation ∑𝐹𝑦 = 0 and AB is then found from
∑ 𝐹𝑥 = 0. Then proceed with another joint with at least two unknowns until all the bar forces are
determined.

Steps in using the methods of joints :

1. Draw a free body diagram of the entire truss, and use this diagram to determine the reactions at
the supports.
2. Locate a joint connecting only two members, and draw the free- body diagram of its pin. Calculate
the bar forces connected to that joint using the two equilibrium equations : ∑ 𝐹𝑥 = 0 and ∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 0.
3. Repeat step 2, until the forces in all members of the truss have been calculated.
4. The last joint if all bar forces are determined will serve as a check if summation of forces along
the y- axis and x-axis are all equal to zero.

Sample Problem 4.1.

Determine the force in each member of the loaded truss shown. State whether each member is in
tension or compression. B C

∑ MD = 0 4m 6m

6(3) + 4(9) – Ay (12) = 0 A F E D

Ay = 4.5 KN 4 KN 6 KN

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FBD of the truss: ∑ 𝐹𝑥 = 0

B C 𝐷𝑥 = 0

4m E 𝐷𝑥 ∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 0

𝐴𝑦 3m F 6m 3m 𝐷𝑦 Ay + D Y – 4 – 6 = 0

4 KN 6 KN 𝐷𝑦 = 5.5 KN

Joint A

AB ∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 0 ∑ 𝐹𝑥 = 0

AF 𝐴𝑦 − 𝐴𝐵𝑦 = 0 AF – 𝐴𝐵𝑥 = 0

Ay = 4.5 KN 4.5 – AB (4/5) = 0 AF – AB ( 3/5 ) = 0

inclination of AB AB = 5.625 KN C AF = 5.625 ( 3/5 )

5 4 AF = 3.375 KN T

Joint F

BF ∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 0 ∑ 𝐹𝑥 = 0

AF EF BF – 4 = 0 EF – AF = 0

4 KN BF = 4 KN T EF = 3.375 KN T

Joint D

CD ∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 0 ∑ 𝐹𝑥 = 0

DE 5.5 – 𝐶𝐷𝑦 = 0 𝐶𝐷𝑥 – DE = 0

5.5 KN 5.5 – CD (4/5 ) = 0 CD (3/5 ) – DE = 0

4 5 CD = 6.875 KN C DE = 4.125 KN T

Inclination of CD

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Joint C

BC ∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 0 ∑ 𝐹𝑥 = 0

CD CD (4/5 ) – CE = 0 BC – CD ( 3/5 ) = 0

CE CE = 5.5 KN T BC = 4.125 KN C

Joint B

BC ∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 0

AB BE AB (4/5) + BE (2/3.61) – BF = 0
3.61
BF BE = [ BF – AB (4/5) ] = [ 4 – 5.625 (4/5) ]
2

Inclination of BE BE = -0.9025 KN , the negative sign indicates that our

2 3.61 assumption was wrong, so member BE is in tension.

3 BE = 0.9025 kN T

∑ 𝐹𝑥 = 0 Using the computed values, we can check that a joint

Is in equilibrium.

AB (3/5) – BC + BE (3/3.61) = 0

5.625 (3/5) – 4.125 + 0.9025 (3/3.61) = 0

3.375 – 4.125 + 0.75 = 0

0=0

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Problem 4/1

Compute the force in each member of the loaded cantilever truss

• Methods of Section
The method of joints is most effective when the forces in all the members of a truss are to be
determined. If however, only one or very few members are desired, another method is more
efficient, that is the methods of section.

In this method, the external reactions from the supports are first computed, considering the truss
as a whole. An imaginary section is passed through the truss at the desired bar member, cutting the truss
into two parts. You may analyze either side of the truss. In this method we could utilize the 3 equilibrium
equations.

P1 P2 P3 P1 P2

A B C D A B BD

C E C BE

CE

In the FBD of left side of the truss, we could ∑ MB = 0, to solve for CE or ∑ ME = 0, point E is imaginary
in our FBD, to solve BD. ∑ 𝐹𝑥 =0 or ∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 0, to solve for BE.

A positive sign for the magnitude of the desired force indicates a correct assumption, that is, tension
and a negative sign indicates an incorrect assumption, that is, compression.

Steps in the analysis using method of section.

1. Draw a free-body diagram of the entire truss, and use this diagram to determine the reactions at
the supports.
2. Pass a section through the desired member to be determined. You have cut the truss into two
separate portions.
3. Select one of the two portions of the truss you have cut and draw its free body diagram. This
diagram should include the external forces applied to the selected portions as well as the forces
exerted on it by the intersected members before these members were removed.
4. You can now use the three equilibrium equations which can solved for the forces in the three
intersected members,

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 5. Keep in mind that the section you use must intersect three members only. This is because the
equilibrium equations in step 4 can be solved for three unknowns only.

Sample Problem 4.2

Compute the force in members BC, BF, and EF of the truss shown
using method of section.

Solution: B C

A E F D 𝐷𝑥

𝐴𝑦 4 kN 6 kN 𝐷𝑦

Determine reactions from the supports. + ∑ 𝑀𝐷 = 0

4 (9) + 6 (3) −𝐴𝑦 (12) = 0

𝐴𝑦 = 4.5 𝑘𝑁 ↑

∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 0

𝐴𝑦 + 𝐷𝑦 − 4 − 6 = 0

𝐷𝑦 = 5.5 𝑘𝑁 ↑

Pass a cutting plane along where the bar members BC, BF and EF are located and analyze the left portion
of the truss.

B BC ∑ 𝑀𝐵 = 0 EF (4) – 4.5 (3) = 0

BF EF = 3.375 kN T

EF ∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 0 4.5 – 4 – BF (2/√13) = 0

4.5 kN 4 kN BF = 0.90 kN T

∑ 𝐹𝑥 = 0 EF + BC + BF (3/√13 ) = 0

BC = -4.12 kN, the negative sign tells as

BC = 4.12 kN C

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Frames And Machines

A structure is called a frame or machine if at least one of its individual member is a multi-force
member. A multi-force member is defined as one with three or more forces acting on it or one with two
or more forces and one or more couples acting on it.

Frames are designed to support loads and are usually stationary, fully constrained structures.
Machines are structures which contain moving parts and are designed to transmit forces or couples from
input values to output values.

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Analysis of Frame

In the frame analysis, you will be asked to determine the external reactions exerted on the frame
and the internal forces that hold together the various parts of the frame. In solving problems involving
frames containing one or more multi-force members, you may follow these steps :

1. Draw free body diagram of the entire frame. Use this free-body diagram to calculate, to the extent
possible, the reactions at the supports.
2. Dismember the frame, and draw a free-body diagram of each member.
3. Considering first the two-force members, apply equal and opposite forces to each two-force
member at the points where it is connected to another member. If the two-force member is a
straight member, these forces will be directed along the axis of the member. If you cannot tell at
this point whether the member is in tension or compression, just assume that the member is in
tension and direct both of the forces away from the member.
4. Next, consider the multi-force members. For each of these members, show all the forces acting
on the member, including applied loads, reactions, and internal forces at connections. The
magnitude and direction of any reaction or reaction component found earlier from the free-body
diagram of the entire frame should be clearly indicated.
5. The internal forces may now be determined, as well as any reactions that you have not calculated.
a. The free-body diagram of each of the multi-force members can provide you with three
equilibrium equations.
b. To simplify your solution, you should seek a way to write an equation involving a single
unknown.
c. Since you arbitrarily chose the direction of each of the unknown forces, you cannot determine
until the solution is completed whether your guess was correct. To do that, consider the sign
of the value found for each of the unknowns : a positive sign means that the direction you
selected was correct; a negative sign means that the correct direction is opposite to the
direction you assumed.
6. To be more effective and efficient as you proceed through your solution, observe the following
rules:
a. If an equation involving only one unknown can be found, write that equation and solve it for
that unknown wherever it appears on other free- body diagrams by the value you have found.
Repeat this process by seeking equilibrium equations involving only one unknown until you
have found all of the internal forces and unknown reactions.
b. If an equation involving only one unknown cannot be found, you may have to solve a pair of
simultaneous equations. Before doing so, check that you have shown the values of all of the
reactions that were obtained from the free-body diagram of the entire frame.
c. The total number of equations of equilibrium for the entire frame and for the individual
members will be larger than the number of unknown forces and reactions. After you have
found all the reactions and all the internal forces, you can use the remaining equations to
check the accuracy of your computations.

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Sample Problem 4.3

Determine the components of the forces acting on each member of the

SOLUTION

Free Body Diagram of the entire Frame.

Refer to the diagram below.

We compute the external reactions by considering the free body diagram of

+ ∑ 𝑀𝐸 = 0: −2400 𝑁(3.6) + 𝐹(4.8) = 0: 𝐹 = 1800𝑁

∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 0: − 2400 + 1800 + 𝐸𝑦 = 0; 𝐸𝑦 = 600 𝑁

∑ 𝐹𝑥 = 0: 𝐸𝑥 = 0

The frame is now dismembered; they are members ABE, BCD and ACF. At every joint, equal and
opposite components are shown on each member at each joint.

Free Body Diagram of member BCD

+ ∑ 𝑀𝐵 = 0: −2400(3.6) + 𝐶𝑦 (2.4) = 0, 𝐶𝑦 = 3600 N

+ ∑ 𝑀𝐶 = 0: −2400(1.2) + 𝐵𝑦 (2.4) = 0, 𝐵𝑦 = 1200 N

∑ 𝐹𝑥 = 0: -𝐵𝑥 + 𝐶𝑥 = 0

Take note that neither 𝐵𝑥 𝑛𝑜𝑟 𝐶𝑥 can be solved by considering only member BCD. The positive values
obtained for 𝐵𝑦 and 𝐶𝑦 indicate that the force components are directed as assumed.

Free Body Diagram of member ABE

+ ∑ 𝑀𝐴 = 0: 𝐵𝑥 (2.7) = 0 𝐵𝑥 = 0

∑ 𝐹𝑥 = 0: 𝐵𝑥 − 𝐴𝑥 = 0 𝐴𝑥 = 0

∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 0 − 𝐴𝑦 + 𝐵𝑦 + 600 = 0 𝐴𝑦 = 1800 𝑁 ↓

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 Free Body Diagram of member ACF

Since all unknown components have now been found; the

+∑ 𝑀𝐶 = 0:

1800(2.4) − 𝐴𝑦 (2.4) − 𝐴𝑥 (2.7) = 0

1800(2.4) − 1800(2.4) − 0 = 0

0=0 (checks).

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Problem 4/2

The roof truss is composed of 30° − 60° right triangles and is loaded as shown. Using method of section,
compute the forces in members BH and HG.

Problem 4/3

The frame supports the 400 kg

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