Swinburne University of Technology, Sarawak Campus

Faculty of Engineering, Computing & Science

CVE20002: Computer Aided Engineering Civil

SpaceGass Tutorial Questions

This tutorial aims to give you an opportunity to develop skills in using SpaceGass for analysis
of simple beams, frames and trusses.

 For all beams, adopt a 400mm depth 300mm width concrete section with concrete
strength of 32 MPa.
 For all frames, adopt a 310UB40.4 Grade 300 steel.
 For trusses, adopt a 1501506 SHS (Square Hollow Section), Grade 350 steel.

Question 1
Use SpaceGass to draw the Bending Moment Diagram (BMD) and Shear Force Diagram
(SFD) for the beams below, showing peak values on your diagrams. Use hand calculations to
check your answers.

A B
A

Question 2

SUTS -1-
Draw the Bending Moment Diagram (BMD) and Shear Force Diagram (SFD) for the beam
below, showing peak values on your diagrams.
[Answer: BMA =-16.67 kNm, SFDA =10 kN]

w* = 2kN/m

10m B
A

BMD

SFD

SUTS -2-
Question 3
Draw the Bending Moment Diagram (BMD) and Shear Force Diagram (SFD) for the beam
below, showing peak values on your diagrams.
[Answer: BMA =0.28 kNm, SFA= -0.28 kN]

w* = 3kN/m

3m 2m 2m
A B C D

BMD

SFD

Question 4
Draw the Bending Moment Diagram (BMD) and Shear Force Diagram (SFD) for the beams
below, showing peak values on your diagrams.
[Answer: BMA = -1.43 kNm, SFA = 3.61 kN]
P* = 6kN

A D

1.5m 1.5m 3m
B C
0.75m

BMD

SFD

SUTS -3-
Question 5
Draw the Bending Moment Diagrams and Shear Force Diagrams for Dead Load, and for the
Load Combination of Dead Load + Live Load for the beam below.
[Answer: DL: BMmax = 9.38 kNm; SFA = 7.5 kN; DL+LL: Stressmax = 1.95 MPa]

PLL = 5kN

wDL = 3kN/m

2.5m 2.5m
A B
A

BMD BMD
Dead Load DL + LL

SFD SFD
Dead Load DL + LL

For the combined load case

Question 6
Use Space Gass to draw the Bending Moment Diagram (BMD) and Shear Force Diagram
(SFD), showing peak values on your diagrams. Use hand calculations to check your answers.
[Hint: release the z-moment of members using member fixity for the hinge connection.]
[Answer: BMDB = -20 kNm; SFA = -5 kN]
P* = 10kN

4m 2m 2m
Hinge
A B C

BMD

SFD

SUTS -4-
Question 7
For frames shown in (a) and (b) below, draw the Bending Moment Diagram (BMD) and
Shear Force Diagram (SFD), showing peak values on your diagrams.
[Hint: release the z-moment of members using member fixity for the hinge connection.]
[Answer: (a) BMB = -7.5, -7.5 kNm, SFB = -2.5, 2.5 kN; (b) BMB = 7.5, 7.5 kNm, SFB = 2.5,
-2.5 kN]

(a) P* = 5kN

B C
Hinge

3m

3m 3m
A D

BMD SFD

(b)
P* = 5kN C
B

3m

A 3m 3m
D

BMD SFD
SUTS -5-
Question 8
For the frames shown in (a) and (b) below, draw the Bending Moment Diagram (BMD) and
Shear Force Diagram (SFD), showing peak values on your diagrams.
[Answer: (a) BMB = 20, 20 kNm, SFB = 5, -5 kN; (b) BMB = -16, -16 kNm, SFB = -4, 16 kN]
(a)
P* = 10kN C

4m

4m 4m
A D

BMD

SFD

SUTS -6-
(b)
w* = 4kN/m

4m

4m 4m

BMD

SFD

SUTS -7-
Question 9
The truss below is subjected to a dead load of 50 kN and live load of 30kN. For the load case
of 1.2DL+1.5LL find the reactions at the supports and all member forces. Identify which
members are in tension and which members are in compression. Check your answers using
hand calculations. [Hint: release the z-moment of members using member fixity]
[Answer: RA= 52.5 kN, MFAE = 74.25 kN (CN), MFAB = 52.5 kN (TN)]

DL = 50kN

E LL = 30kN F
D

4m

4m 4m
A B C

Question 10

Use space Gass to determine all reactions and member forces in the truss shown below.
Identify which members are in tension and which members are in compression. Using hand
calculations check the reactions and determine the forces in members DE, EJ and JK.
[Hint: release the z-moment of members using member fixity]
[Answer: RA= 22.5 kN, MFAH = 31.82 kN (CN), MFAB = 22.5 kN (TN)]

60kN 30kN

G H I J K L

3m

A B C D E F

5@3m=15m

SUTS -8-