L12 CALCULATION

1
X1, y1

X2, y2

Figure 1

The figure 1 shows a truss with two members, marked as member 1 2 and member 2 3.
Point 1 and 3 are fixed and Point 2 is a free point. A force of P (kN) is subjected at Point 2
downwards.

The initial condition :

The coordinate for each point are stated as :
x12 = x2 x1 x23 = x3 x2
y12 = y2 y1 y23 = y3 y2

The length of member 1 2 and member 2 3

L12 = x 12
2
+ y 122

L23 = x 23
2
+ y 232

The cosine vectors for each member :

x 12 y 12
12 : 12 :
L12 L12

x 23 y 23
23 : 23 :
L23 L23

The first procedure is to establish an equilibrium equation for every member force. The axial
for member 1 2 is denoted as N12 and member 2 3 is N23.

N12 N23

Figure 2
The figure 2 show the equilibrium condition at Point 2.

Equilibrium on horizontal direction :

Fx=0
P - 12 N12 + 23 N23 = 0 1
Equilibrium on vertical direction :
Fx=0
P - 12 N12 + 23 N23 = 0 2

Element Force Equation

22 EA
L12
N12 = 23 12 12 23 xP= L12

22 L12
L12 = P x x EA
23 12 12 23

12 EA
L23
N23 = 23 12 12 23 xP= L23

12 L23
L23 = P x x
23 12 12 23 EA

The simultaneous equation 1 and 2 the member forces for every member.
12 N 12 + 23 N 23 =0 1

P 12 N 12 + 23 N 23=0 2

1 X 12

12 12 N 12 + 23 12 N 23=0 3

2 X 12
 12 P 12 N 12 12+ 23 12 N 23=0 4

3 4

12 P+ 23 12 N 23 23 12 N 23=0

23 12 N 23 23 12 N 23= 12 P

N 23 ( 23 12 23 12 )= 12 P

N 12 P 12
N 23= = P
23 12 23 12 23 12 23 12

1 X 23

12 23 N 12+ 23 23 N 23=0 5

2 X 23

23 P 23 12 N 12 + 23 23 N 23=0 6

5 6
23 P 12 23 N 12+ 23 12 N 12=0

N 12 ( 12 23+ 23 12 )= 23 P

23
N 12= P
23 12 12 23