27 October 2015

ES184: Mechanics, Structures and

Thermodynamics
Lecture 6 –
Pin-jointed structures (Part 2)

Dr Georgia Kremmyda
 Previous lecture
- Trusses (definition; types)
- Loads in trusses
- How forces transmit Compression

C
Tension
B D

HA A E
F
VA VE
This lecture
- Behaviour of truss
- Method of joints
- Method of sections
Physical behaviour of a truss
B C P D
1

A 2 E
G F
Think about physical behaviour
Cut member 1
– Collapse moves its pins towards each other
– Member 1 must be in compression
Cut member 2
– Pins move apart  member 2 is in tension
‘Method of Joints’ - Steps

Treat truss as a rigid body to find the external reactions (make

F.B.D. + apply the 3 equations of equilibrium)

B C P D

A
E
G F

ΣFx=0 ΣFy=0 ΣMA=0

‘Method of Joints’ - Steps
• Find a joint with only two members (Joint ‘1’)
• Treat this joint as free body and solve for forces in those
two members (ΣFx = 0; ΣFy=0)

P FAB
B C D

Joint ‘1’ FAG

A
E
G F
‘Method of Joints’ - Steps
• Go to adjacent joint with only two members (Joint ‘2’) for
which the forces are unknown and solve for them
• Move to the next joint & keep going!
• It is always possible to solve for all members
• It is sometimes quicker to work from both supports

Joint ‘2’
B C P D

A
E
G F
Joint ‘3’
Example – method of joints
At A {+ve: , , tension}

ΣFx = 0; FAB*1/2 + FAE = 0

ΣFy=0; 12 + FAB*3/2 = 0

FAB = -24/3 kN (Comp.)

FAE = 12/3 kN (Ten.)

At B: ΣFx = 0; -FAB*1/2 + FBE*1/2 + FBC = 0

ΣFy = 0; -FAB*3/2 – 16 - FBE*3/2 = 0

FBE = -8/3 kN (Comp.); FBC = -8/3 kN (Comp.)

‘Sectioning’ a Truss
What if we only need to find the forces in a few members
of a pin-jointed frame?
– Working around joints is a lot of effort!

Cut through members to form a new FBD representing

part of the structure
Solve for equilibrium to give the forces at the new ‘loose’
ends (directions known)
The cut members carry those forces
We can solve for only three member
Method of Sections
P

Mask out part of frame

Consider only FBD to the left (or right!)
Force directions defined by the cut members
Three magnitudes found from equilibrium equations
Method of Sections - Steps
1. Solve whole truss as rigid body for external reactions at its
supports
2. ‘Cut’ through up to three members of interest to isolate a
free body
3. Set up three equilibrium equations of this FBD in the
magnitudes of forces at the cut ends
(directed along the cut members)
4. Take these forces as those in the cut members

Useful ‘trick’: consider taking moments about point of

intersection of unknown forces
Example – method of sections
Resolve horizontally, ΣFx=0
FAE + FBC + FBE*1/2= 0 (1)

Resolve vertically, ΣFy=0

FBE*3/2 + (4) = 0
FBE = -8/3 kN (Com.) (2)

Moments at E, ΣΜE=0
FBC*3 + (4)*2 = 0
FBC = -8/3 kN (Com.) (3)
Tension +ve
(1) : FAE = 12/ 3 kN (Ten.)
Summary
- Behaviour of truss
- Method of joints
- Method of sections
What to do next?
• Read
Chapter 6: Analysis of Structures, Sections 6.1-6.8
of Mc Graw Hill textbook, Volume 2

Next lecture
• Thursday 29 October 2015
Thank you very much for your attention!