AE328: Flight Structure I

Chapter 2: Determinate Structures

Truss Analysis

Instructor
Dr. Hanafy Omar
1

Truss
A truss (also called pin-joint frame) is a stick-like structure
of slender rods joined together by smooth pins at the joints
(also called nodes).

Node
Rod

Assumptions for Truss Analysis

members are
weightless
and can carry
axial force
(tension or
compression)

truss members are

connected by
frictionless pins
no moment
provides
vertical &
horizontal
support but
no moment

loads only applied to ends

of members at the joints

provides
vertical support
but
no moment or
horizontal force

Rigidity of Trusses

The simplest plane truss consists of three rods pinned

together to form a rigid triangle.

Trusses are regarded as rigid if they maintain their shape

if the supports are removed otherwise they become
Mechanisms (unstable).

The Truss must be supported properly to prevent it from

rigid body motion.

rigid

Simple Truss

non-rigid

Mechanism

rigid

Rigid Body Motion4

Statically Determinate Truss

For a plane truss to be statically determinate, it has to
possess two properties.

1)

Its supports restrain rigid body motion. In this case, the truss is
called Externally Statically Determinate.

2)

It has minimum number of rods to support the external loads. The

truss is called Internally Statically Determinate.

No of Reactions

Two for plane and 3 for space

The truss is statically Determinate if:

2j = m +r

Equations at each joint

The truss is statically Indeterminate if:

No of Members

2j < m +r
5

Complex trusses

we can generate minimally stable plane trusses of arbitrary shape

and size using the triangular truss as the Building block.

However, minimally stable trusses can be build from another

blocks
m = 9, J = 6, r = 3
2j = 12
m + r = 12

Examples of Unstable trusses

They are externally statically determinate, but they are

not rigid
They will collapse if the loads are applied
Note

2j > m+r

Q: We can make them stable?

A: by adding another rod

7

Examples of Rigid Body Motion

Note

2j = m+r !!

How can we prevent this motion?

by changing the support direction

Truss analysis

There are two methods for calculating the

forces in the truss rods:
P

1.

Method of Joints

2.

Method of Sections

Method of joints
P

TAB

TBC

P
A

TAB
TAB
TAC

Ax

TBC

TBC
TAC

Ay
TAC

Cy
TAC

 The

structure is exploded and the forces on each

member and joint are identified

 The

equilibrium analysis of each joint gives enough

simultaneous equations to solve for unknowns

10

Rules for the Method of joints

P

1.

Find reactions at the

supports

2.

Initially we assume all

members are in tension

3.

If it turns out that they are

in compression, the sign
(direction) will tell us so

4.

5.

Forces are labelled e.g.

TAC regardless of whether
they go from A to C or C to
A
Choose a joint with few
unknown forces to start

A
TAB

TBC

TAB
TAB
TAC

Ax
Ay
TAC

TBC

TBC
TAC
Cy

TAC11

Method of sections

Used when we interested in calculating the load at certain

members.

In this case, the method of joints becomes unnecessarily

tedious when the truss exceeds a certain size.
12

Philosophy of the Method of sections

If the joints are in equilibrium, so too is the truss

as a whole

Hence, we can also split it into two equilibrium

part-trusses

The method of sections is especially useful to

find the force in a member in the middle of a
large truss

13

Example

Reactions

14

Example
Node 4

Node 1

15

Example

16

Truss Member Failure Criteria

1.

Force transmitted into the member should

not create a stress exceeding the material
strength limit.

2.

If the member is under compression, the

compressive force should not exceed the
buckling critical load.

17

Tension or Compression?

It is important to identify
which members are in
tension and which in
compression


long, thin truss members

are relatively weak in
compression and tend to
buckle

they need to be identified

and strengthened if
necessary

Buckling occurs when

Buckling

18

Buckling

Question
If the cross section of
all the rods of the
previous example is
circular with the same
radius (R) , determine
the minimum value of
R, given that
E=30*10^6 psi
Check also the
maximum strength

See also example 2.2.1 in the text book 19

Space Truss
Space truss analysis is similar to the plane truss analysis, however
the determinacy formula will be

3j = m+r
Means no motion
in that direction
(x)

Ball Joint (Allow moment only)

No motion in
(y) direction

20