 Statically Determinate and Indeterminate Structure

Structure is an assemblage of a number of components like slabs, beams, columns,

walls, foundations and so on, which remains in equilibrium. It has to satisfy the fundamental
criteria of strength, stiffness, economy, durability and compatibility, for its existence.

Any structure is designed for the stress resultants of bending moment, shear force,
deflection, torsional stresses, and axial stresses. If these moments, shears and stresses are
evaluated at various critical sections, then based on these, the proportioning can be done.

Evaluation of these stresses, moments and forces and plotting them for that structural
component is known as analysis. Determination of dimensions for these components of these
stresses and proportioning is known as design.

Determinate structures are analysed just by the use of basic equilibrium equations.

By this analysis, the unknown reactions are found for the further determination of
stresses. Example of determinate structures are: simply supported beams, cantilever beams,
single and double overhanging beams, three hinged arches, etc.

Redundant or indeterminate structures are not capable of being analysed by mere

use of basic equilibrium equations. Along with the basic equilibrium equations, some extra
conditions are required to be used like compatibility conditions of deformations etc to get
the unknown reactions for drawing bending moment and shear force diagrams.Examples
of indeterminate structures are: fixed beams, continuous beams, fixed arches, two hinged
arches, portals, multistoried frames, etc.

Special methods like strain energy method, slope deflection method, moment
distribution method, column analogy method, virtual work method, matrix methods, etc are
used for the analysis of redundant structures.

 Indeterminate Structures

A structure is termed as statically indeterminate, if it can not be analysed from principles of

statics alone, i.e.

 . A statically indeterminate structure may be classified as:

1. Externally indeterminate, (example: continuous beams and frames shown in figure-1(a) and
(b)).
2. Internally indeterminate, (example: trusses shown in figure-1(c) and (d)).
3. Both externally and internally indeterminate, (example: trussed beams, continuous trusses
shown in figure-1 (e) and (f)).
4.
  Externally Indeterminate Structures

A structure is usually externally indeterminate or redundant if the reactions at the supports

can not be determined by using three equations of equilibrium, i.e.

 . In the case of beams subjected to vertical loads only, two reactions can be determined by
conditions of equilibrium.

Therefore, simply supported cantilever and overhanging beams shown in figure 2 are
statically determinate structures.

If however a beam rests on more than two supports or in addition any of the end support is
fixed, there are more than two reactions to be determined. These reactions can not be
determined by conditions of equilibrium alone. The degree of indeterminacy or redundancy is
given by the number of extra or redundant reactions to be determined.

The beam shown in figure 3 (a) is statically indeterminate to one degree because there are
three unknown reactions and statics has only two reactions. The beam in figure 3(b) is
statically redundant to two degree. The beam in figure 3(c) is redundant to three degree and
the beam in figure 3(d) is redundant to four degrees.
 Fig 3 a and b

Fig 3 c and d
A portal frame is statically determinate if there are only three external reactions,
because there are three conditions of equilibrium for such a system. The portal frame shown
in figure 4 are statically determinate because there are only three reactions to be determined.

If a portal frame has more than three reactions it is statically indeterminate, the degree
of indeterminacy or redundancy being equal to the number of redundant or extra reactions to
be determined.

Therefore, the portal frames of figure 5(a) and (b) are redundant by one degree, that of
figure 5(c) is redundant by two degrees, that of figure 5(d) is redundant by three degrees, and
that of figure 5(e) is redundant by 5 degrees.
 Fig 4 a and b

Figure 4 e and d

Fig a and b
 Fig 5 c, d, and e
The statically indeterminate beams and frames can be analysed by strain energy
method, three moment equation, slope deflection method or moment distribution method.

 Internally Indeterminate Structures

A truss is statically determinate internally if the total number of members

m=2j – 3

where j= number of joints.

A truss having more than (2j – 3) members is statically indeterminate or redundant,

the degree of indeterminacy or redundancy being equal to the number of extra members.
 Figure 6
Thus the truss shown in figure 6(a) is statically redundant by one degree because there
are 14 members and 8 joints.

Number of redundant members = m= 2j – 3

= 14 – (16 – 3) = 1

Similarly, the truss shown in figure 6(b) is internally redundant by two degrees.

The internally indeterminate trusses can be analysed by strain energy method.

 Externally and Internally Indeterminate Structures

A truss is statically determinate, both externally and internally when

(a) All the reactions can be determined from the conditions of equilibrium, namely , and

(b) The total number of members, m= 2j – 3, where j= number of joints.

The truss shown in figure 7 is externally indeterminate to one degree because the numbers of
reactions to be determined are three, and the conditions of equilibrium reduces to two,
namely . This truss is also internally indeterminate to one degree because there is one extra
member.

Number of redundant member = m – (2j – 3)= 22 – (2 x 12 – 3)= 1

Such trusses can be analysed by using strain energy method.

 Figure 7

 Difference Between Determinate and Indeterminate Structures

No. Determinate Structures Indeterminate Structures

1 Equilibrium conditions are fully Conditions of equilibrium are not adequate to

adequate to analyze the structure. fully analyze the structure.

2 Bending moment or shear force at any Bending moment or shear force at any section
section is independent of the material depends upon the material property.
property of the structure.

3 The bending moment or shear force at The bending moment or shear force at any
any section is independent of the cross- section depends upon the cross-section or
section or moment of inertia. moment of inertia.

4 Temperature variations do not cause Temperature variations cause stresses.

stresses.

5 No stresses are caused due to lack of fit. Stresses are caused due to lack of fit.

6 Extra conditions like compatibility of Extra conditions like compatibility of

displacements are not required to displacements are required to analyze the
analyze the structure. structure along with the equilibrium equations.