Chapter (6)

Trusses and Frames

• Here we consider collections of parts assembled so as to hold
something up or hold something in place
• Emphasis is on trusses, assemblies of bars connected by pins at their
ends
• Trusses are useful in engineering practice, they are easy to analyze,
and they provide a good example of more general structural
concepts. Your main goal here is to learn ‘truss analysis’, how to find
the tensions in the bars of a given truss
• Trusses are analyzed by
drawing free body diagrams of the pins (joints method)
or of bigger parts of the truss (sections method)
• Structures can be rigid or not and redundant or not, as can be
determined by the collection of equilibrium equations.

Even though each joint on its own made a relatively flexible V, together
the 3 joints make a very stiff triangle.
 a truss
• Uses less material;
• Puts less gravity load on other parts of the structure;
• Leaves space for other things of interest (cars, cables, wires, people).
• In the method of joints, you draw free body diagrams of every joint and
apply the force balance equations to each free body diagram.

• In the method of sections, you draw a free body diagram of one or

more parts of the structure each of which includes 2 or more joints and
apply force and moment balance to the part or parts.

• Method of joints

The method of joints is a subset of the more general method of free body
diagrams. Free body diagrams are drawn of the joints. Here is the
method of joints recipe.
Example

The truss shown in the figure carries a load 𝐹 = 10 𝑘𝑁 at joint 𝐷. The truss
is designed with nine rods, six of which (the inclined ones) have the same
length 𝑑 = 2 𝑚. Rods 𝐵𝐶, 𝐸𝐶, 𝐷𝐸 and 𝐵𝐷 form a square.

1. Find the support reactions at joints 𝐴 and 𝐹.

2. Find the tensions in rods 𝐵𝐷 and 𝐵𝐶.
σ 𝐹𝑥 = 0 ⟹ 𝑅𝐴𝑥 = 0

σ 𝑀𝐴 = 0 ⟹ 2 𝑙 𝑅𝐹 − 𝑙 𝐹 = 0
𝐹
⟹ 𝑅𝐹 = = 2 𝑘𝑁
2

σ 𝐹𝑥 = 0 ⟹ 𝑅𝐴𝑦 + 𝑅𝐹 − 𝐹 = 0
⟹ 𝑅𝐴𝑦 = 𝐹 − 𝑅𝐹 = 5 𝑘𝑁
joint 𝐴

• σ 𝐹𝑦 = 0 ⟹ 𝑅𝐴𝑦 + 𝑇𝐴𝐵 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 = 0

𝑅𝐴𝑦 5 𝑘𝑁
⟹ 𝑇𝐴𝐵 = − =− = −7𝑘𝑁
𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 (1/ 2 )

• σ 𝐹𝑥 = 0 ⟹ 𝑇𝐴𝐵 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 + 𝑇𝐴𝐷 = 0

𝑇𝐴𝐵 −7 𝑘𝑁
⟹ 𝑇𝐴𝐷 = − = = 5 𝑘𝑁
𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 (1/ 2 )

joint 𝐵 From the geometry of forces, it is clear that writing scalar force balance
equations in the 𝑥′ and 𝑦′ directions will be advantageous

𝑇𝐵𝐷 = 0 ,
−𝑇𝐴𝐵 + 𝑇𝐵𝐶 = 0 ⟹ 𝑇𝐵𝐶 = 𝑇𝐴𝐵 = −7𝑘𝑁
Example

For the truss tower shown in the figure, assume all

horizontal and vertical rods to be 1𝑚 long and
rods numbered 16 and 18 to be 0.5𝑚 long. Given
that the horizontal load on the truss 𝐹 = 500 𝑁,
find the tension in rod 15.

at joint 𝐾

𝑇19 = 500 𝑁 and 𝑇18 = 0

at joint I

𝑇19 + 𝑇17 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 = 0

𝑇17 500 𝑘𝑁
⟹ 𝑇17 =− =− = −559 𝑁
𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝑡𝑎𝑛−1 0.5

at joint J

−𝑇17 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 − 𝑇15 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 = 0

⟹ 𝑇15 = −𝑇17 = 559𝑁

Example

The truss shown in the figure is made up of five horizontal and six inclined
rods. All inclined rods are 1m long and at right angles to each other. The
truss carries two vertical loads, 𝐹1 = 4 𝑘𝑁 and 𝐹2 = 1 𝑘𝑁 as shown. Find
the tensions in rods 𝐶𝐸, 𝐷𝐸, and 𝐷𝐹.
σ 𝑀𝐴 = 0 ⟹ 2 𝑙 𝑅𝐺 − 𝑙 𝐹1 − 2 𝑙 𝐹2 = 0

𝐹1 + 2𝐹2
⟹ 𝑅𝐺 = = 2 𝑘𝑁
3

෍ 𝐹𝑥 = 0 ⟹ 𝑅𝐴𝑥 = 0

෍ 𝐹𝑦 = 0 ⟹ 𝑅𝐴𝑦 = 𝐹1 + 𝐹2 − 𝑅𝐺 = 3 𝑘𝑁
At joint G:

෍ 𝐹𝑦 = 0 ⟹ 𝑇11 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 + 𝑅𝐺 = 0

𝑅𝐺
⟹ 𝑇11 =− = − 2 𝑅𝐺 = −2.83 𝑘𝑁
𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃

෍ 𝐹𝑥 = 0 ⟹ −𝑇11 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 − 𝑇10 = 0

⟹ 𝑇10 = 𝑇11 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 = 2 𝑘𝑁

At joint F:

෍ 𝐹𝑦 = 0 ⟹ 𝑇11 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 − 𝑇9 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 = 0

⟹ 𝑇9 = −𝑇11 = 2.83 𝑘𝑁

෍ 𝐹𝑥 = 0 ⟹ 𝑇11 − 𝑇9 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 − 𝑇8 = 0

⟹ 𝑇8 = 𝑇11 − 𝑇9 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 = −4 𝑘𝑁
At joint E:

෍ 𝐹𝑦 = 0 ⟹ 𝑇7 − 𝑇9 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 − 𝐹2 = 0

𝐹2
⟹ 𝑇7 = − 𝑇9 = −1.41 𝑘𝑁
𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃

෍ 𝐹𝑥 = 0 ⟹ 𝑇9 − 𝑇7 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 + 𝑇10 − 𝑇6 = 0

⟹ 𝑇6 = 𝑇9 − 𝑇7 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 + 𝑇10 = 5 𝑘𝑁
The method of sections

The method of joints can solve any solvable truss. So why learn a different
method. There are two basic reasons.

1. Sometimes one only wants to know a little and the method of joints is
cumbersome.
2. Sometimes the method of joints doesn’t best reveal basic structural ideas.

The basic method of sections recipe

• Find a way to cut the structure into two parts, using a section cut that
– cuts the bar of interest and
– cuts at most 3 bars in total and
– where one of the two parts of the truss have all loads known
Example

The tower truss shown in the figure is fabricated

with 19 rods. All the horizontal and vertical
rods are one meter long. Joint 𝐽 is halfway
between joints 𝐾 and 𝐻. The horizontal force
applied at joint 𝐾 is 1 𝑘𝑁. Find the tensions in

1. rod 𝐺𝐽, and

2. rod 𝐶𝐸.
To find the tension in rod 𝐺𝐽, numbered 15, let
us make a cut through the truss as shown in
figure.
𝐹 − 𝑇15 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 = 0
𝐹 1 𝑘𝑁
⟹ 𝑇15 = = 𝑜
= 1.12 𝑘𝑁
𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 𝑐𝑜𝑠26.56

To determine the tension in rod CE, we consider

a section that cuts rods 𝐶𝐸, 𝐶𝐹, and 𝐷𝐹.

෍ 𝑀𝐹 = 0 ⟹ 𝑎 𝑇6 − 2𝑎 𝐹 = 0

⇒ 𝑇6 = 2𝐹 = 2𝑘𝑁
Example

The box truss shown in the figure is loaded by three vertical forces acting
at joints 𝐴, 𝐵, and 𝐸. All horizontal and vertical bars in the truss are of
length 2 𝑚. Find the forces in members 𝐴𝐵, 𝐴𝐶, and 𝐷𝐶.
෍ 𝐹𝑥 = 0 ⟹ 𝑂𝑥 = 0

෍ 𝐹𝑦 = 0 ⟹ 𝑂𝑦 + 𝐹𝑦 − 𝑃1 − 𝑃2 − 𝑃3 = 0

෍ 𝑀𝐴 = 0 ⟹ −𝑃1 . 𝑙 − 𝑃2 . 2𝑙 − 𝑃3 . 3𝑙 + 𝐹𝑦 . 4𝑙 = 0

1
𝐹𝑦 = 𝑃1 + 2𝑃2 + 3𝑃3
4

𝐹𝑦 = 45 𝑘𝑁 and 𝑂𝑦 = 45 𝑘𝑁
we make a cut in the truss such that it cuts members 𝐴𝐷, 𝐴𝐶, and 𝐷𝐶

σ 𝐹𝑥 = 0 ⟹ 𝐹𝐴𝐵 + 𝐹𝐷𝐶 + 𝐹𝐴𝐶 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 = 0.

σ 𝐹𝑦 = 0 ⟹ 𝑂𝑦 − 𝑃1 + 𝐹𝐴𝐶 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 = 0.

σ 𝑀𝐴 = 0 ⟹ −𝑂𝑦 . 𝑙 − 𝐹𝐷𝐶 . 𝑙 𝑘෠ = 0 ⟹ 𝑂𝑦 + 𝐹𝐷𝐶 = 0

𝐹𝐴𝐶 = −25 2 𝑘𝑁 , 𝐹𝐷𝐶 = −45 𝑘𝑁 and 𝐹𝐴𝐵 = 70 𝑘𝑁

Frames and structures

Although trusses are good, they are not good enough for all purposes, nor
necessarily good-enough models of very truss-looking structures. Frames
are structures that are more general than trusses. In a truss every bar is a
two-force body. In general structures one or more components is not a
two-force body.
Example

The braced X-frame shown in the figure carries

two vertical loads 𝐹1 = 2 𝑘𝑁 and 𝐹2 = 3 𝑘𝑁.
Points 𝐺 and 𝐻 are directly above points 𝐴 and
𝐵 respectively. If 𝑑 = ℎ = 2 𝑚, find the tension
in the brace 𝐶𝐷.
σ 𝐹𝑥 = 0 ⟹ 𝐴𝑥 = 0.

σ 𝑀𝐴 = 0 ⟹ 𝐵𝑦 . 𝑑 − 𝐹2 . 𝑑 = 0 ⟹ 𝐵𝑦 = 𝐹2 .

σ 𝐹𝑦 = 0 ⟹ 𝐴𝑦 = 𝐹1 + 𝐹2 − 𝐵𝑦 = 𝐹1 .

From the free-body diagram of bar 𝐴𝐻

𝑑 𝑑 𝑑
σ 𝑀𝐶 = 0 ⟹ 𝐶𝑥 . − 𝐹2 . − 𝐴𝑦 . = 0.
4 2 2

⟹ 𝐶𝑥 = 2 𝐹2 + 𝐴𝑦 = 2 𝐹2 + 𝐹1

= 2 3 𝑘𝑁 + 2 𝑘𝑁 = 10 𝑘𝑁
Thank you