WORKSHEET 6

TRUSSES
 Q1

When would we use a truss?

(a) long spans, loads not too heavy

(b) when want to save weight

(c) when have plenty of depth

(d) when want light appearance

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 Q2

When would we not use a truss?

(a) dont have the depth

(b) very large loads

(c) dont want fussy appearance

(d) cant provide lateral support if needed

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 Q3
What are the main characteristics of trusses?

(a) assembly of (short) linear members

(b) members connected to form triangles

(c) joints pinned

(d) loads applied at panel points (joints)

(d) members carry only tension or compression

forces

4/24
 Q4
What materials are trusses most commonly made of?

(a) steel

(b) timber

(c) concrete (very occasionally)

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 Q5
How are the joints commonly made?
(a) in timber trusses
(i) using gangnail joints - light timber
(ii) using gusset plates
(iii) overlapping/double members and bolts
(iv) concealed plates - bolts

(b) in steel trusses

(i) gusset plates
(ii) welded joints

6/24
 Q6
What do the following do?
(a) the chords

(i) chords resist the bending moment

(ii) top chords take the compressive forces

(in a triangular truss, the top chord also resists shear)

(iii) bottom chords take the tensile forces

(b) the web members
(i) resist the shear forces

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 Q7
What are the common span-to-depth ratios for:
(a) timber beams?

18-20:1

(b) trusses?
5-10:1

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 Q8
In the truss below show where:
(a) the maximum compressive force in a chord occurs

(b) the maximum tensile force in a chord occurs

(c) the maximum shear force in a web member occurs

(a)

(c) (c)

(b)

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 Q9
In the truss below show where:
(a) the maximum compressive force in a chord occurs

(b) the maximum tensile force in a chord occurs

(c) the maximum shear force in a web member occurs

(c)

(a)

(b) 10/24
 Q10 (a)

(a) given the force shown, what is H

45o
(i) the horizontal component?

H = 10 cos 45
= 7.07 kN to the right V 10kN

(ii) the vertical component?

V = 10 sin 45
= 7.07 kN down

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 Q10 (b)

(b) given the force shown, what is

V
6kN
(i) the horizontal component?

H = 6 cos 30 30o
H
= 5.2 kN to the right

(ii) the vertical component?

V = 6 sin 30
= 3.0 kN up

12/24
 Q10 (c)

(c) given the two forces shown, use the 6kN

parallelogram of forces or the triangle
of forces to find the resultant force

6kN 6kN 8kN

R
R

o o
8kN 8kN

R = (62 + 82) Tan = 6 / 8 = 0.75

= 10 kN at 36.87o = 36.87o

13/24
 Q11
Analyze the truss shown below using
the Methods of Joints
4 bays @ 3m

1kN 2kN 2kN 2kN 1kN

B C E
3m
45o
A D F

R1=4kN R2=4kN
First find the reactions. Using symmetry R1 = R2 = 8/2 = 4kN

Assume all forces are in tension - i.e. away from the joint
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 Q11 (cont1.)
AB
start at joint A vertically: 4 + AB = 0
A AD (support) AB = -4.0 (compression)
horizontally: AD = 0
4
1
next at joint B. vertically: 1 - 4 + BDsin45o = 0

B BC BD = +4.24 (tension)

BD horizontally: BC +4.24 cos45o = 0

BA
BC = -3.0 (compression)
4

DB next at joint D. vertically: 4.24sin45o + DC = 0

(4.24) DC DC = -3.0 (compression)

DA DF horizontally: 0 +DF -4.24 cos45o = 0

(0) D
DF = +3.0 (tension)

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 2kN Q11(cont2.)
C next at joint C vertically: 2 - 3 + CFsin45o = 0
CB CE CF = +1.41 (tension)
3
CF horizontally: 3 +CE +1.41cos45o = 0
CD
CE = -4.0 (compression)
3

2kN
E next at joint E. vertically: 2 + EF = 0
EC EG EF = -2.0 (compression)
4 4
EF

That completes half the truss. The other half is the same by symmetry

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 Q11 (cont3.)
1kN 2kN 2kN 2kN 1kN

B C E
3 4 4 3
4 4.24 3 1.41 2 1.41 3 4.24 4
0 3 3 0
A D F

Note that the biggest chord forces are near the middle
and the biggest web forces are near the ends

Always true for parallel chord trusses

with fairly uniform loading

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 Q12
For the same truss use the Methods of Sections
to find the forces in members BD, CE and DF
4 bays @ 3m

1kN 2kN 2kN 2kN 1kN

B C E
3m
45o
A D F

R1=4kN R2=4kN
First find the reactions. Using symmetry R1 = R2 = 8/2 = 4kN

Assume all forces are in tension - i.e. away from the joint
18/24
 Q12(cont1.)
Make a cut through the truss passing through the member wanted, BD

1kN Consider the left part of the cut as a freebody

Mark all the forces on it - including those members cut off
B C
the freebody is in equilibrium

A D Using V = 0
4 - 1 -BD sin45o = 0 BD = 4.24 (tension)

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 Q12(cont2.)
Make another cut through the truss passing through
the other members wanted, CE and DF

Mark all the forces on it - including those members cut off

1kN 2kN
the freebody is in equilibrium
B C E
3m Using M = 0 about F - consider all the forces on the left
4 x 6 - 1x 6 - 2 x 3 +CE x 3 = 0 CE = -4.0 (compression)
A D F
4 3m 3m
Using M = 0 about C
4 x 3 - 1x 3 - DF x 3 = 0 DF = +3.0 (tension)

Note that we have found only the members we wanted

20/24
 Q13
For the same truss use the Graphical Method
to construct a Maxwell diagram and find the
forces in the members
4 bays @ 3m

1kN 2kN 2kN 2kN 1kN

3m
45o

R1=4kN R2=4kN
First find the reactions. Using symmetry R1 = R2 = 8/2 = 4kN
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 Q13(cont1.)
First annotate using Bows Notation
(label spaces between members and forces)

4 bays @ 3m

1kN 2kN 2kN 2kN 1kN

b c d e
i k l n
3m a h j m 0 f
g

R1=4kN R2=4kN
First find the reactions. Using symmetry R1 = R2 = 8/2 = 4kN

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 Q13(cont2.)
Next select a scale and draw a line representing
all the loads and reactions a 4
all the loads are vertical - so is the line i
b 3
the line is the line a,b,c,d,e,f (ag, gf)
ab = 1, bc = 2,...etc ag = 4, gf = 4 k
2
c 1
begin with a zone near a reaction, e.g h jm
ah is vertical and gh is horizontal - meet at g g ho 0
(h & g at same point) hg is 0 d scale
l for
take next zone - i forces
bi is horizontal and ih is at 45o - draw these lines e
n
they meet at i
f
Now ij is vertical and jg is horizontal. This locates j

Proceed to k in same way and half the truss is solved

Measure all lines - this gives the force in each member
need to use a special convention to determine tension or compression 23/24
 Q14
When would you use:
(a) the Method of joints?

When want to do detailed design and need to know

all the forces in all members
(b) the Method of Sections?
When want to know only a few member forces
e.g. end diagonals and middle chords
(b) the Graphical Method
When dont have a calculator or dont want to calculate

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