548 CHAPTER 14 T R U S S A N A LY S I S U S I N G THE STIF FNESS METHOD

EXAMPLE 14.1
Determine the structure stiffness matrix for the two-member truss
shown in Fig. 14–7a. AE is constant.
6

1 5
1
y

14 2
4 ft
4 ft

2 4
x
2 1 1 3 3
2 3
3 ft 3 ft
(a) (b)

Fig. 14–7

SOLUTION
By inspection, ② will have two unknown displacement components,
whereas joints ① and ③ are constrained from displacement.
Consequently, the displacement components at joint ② are code
numbered first, followed by those at joints ③ and ①, Fig. 14–7b. The
origin of the global coordinate system can be located at any point. For
convenience, we will choose joint ② as shown. The members are
identified arbitrarily and arrows are written along the two members to
identify the near and far ends of each member. The direction cosines
and the stiffness matrix for each member can now be determined.

Member 1. Since ② is the near end and ③ is the far end, then by
Eqs. 14–5 and 14–6, we have
3 - 0 0 - 0
lx = = 1 ly = = 0
3 3
Using Eq. 14–16, dividing each element by L = 3 ft, we have
1 2 3 4
0.333 0 -0.333 0 1
k1 = AE 0 0 0 0 2
-0.333 0 0.333 0 3
0 0 0 0 4
The calculations can be checked in part by noting that k1 is symmetric.
Note that the rows and columns in k1 are identified by the x, y degrees
of freedom at the near end, followed by the far end, that is, 1, 2, 3, 4,
respectively, for member 1, Fig. 14–7b. This is done in order to identify
the elements for later assembly into the K matrix.
 14.5 TRUSS STIFFNESS MATRIX 549

Member 2. Since ② is the near end and ① is the far end, we have
3 - 0 4 - 0
lx = = 0.6 ly = = 0.8
5 5
Thus Eq. 14–16 with L = 5 ft becomes
1 2 5 6
0.072 0.096 - 0.072 -0.096 1
0.096 0.128 - 0.096 -0.128 2 14
k2 = AE
-0.072 -0.096 0.072 0.096 5
-0.096 -0.128 0.096 0.128 6
Here the rows and columns are identified as 1, 2, 5, 6, since these
numbers represent, respectively, the x, y degrees of freedom at the
near and far ends of member 2.

Structure Stiffness Matrix. This matrix has an order of 6 * 6 since

there are six designated degrees of freedom for the truss, Fig. 14–7b.
Corresponding elements of the above two matrices are added
algebraically to form the structure stiffness matrix. Perhaps the assembly
process is easier to see if the missing numerical columns and rows in
k1 and k2 are expanded with zeros to form two 6 * 6 matrices. Then

K = k1 + k2

1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6
0.333 0 -0.333 0 0 0 1 0.072 0.096 0 0 -0.072 - 0.096 1
0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.096 0.128 0 0 -0.096 - 0.128 2
K = AE -0.333 0 0.333 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 3
0 0 0 0 0 0 4 + AE 0 0 0 0 0 0 4
0 0 0 0 0 0 5 -0.072 -0.096 0 0 0.072 0.096 5
0 0 0 0 0 0 6 -0.096 -0.128 0 0 0.096 0.128 6

0.405 0.096 -0.333 0 - 0.072 -0.096

0.096 0.128 0 0 - 0.096 -0.128
-0.333 0 0.333 0 0 0
K = AE
0 0 0 0 0 0
-0.072 - 0.096 0 0 0.072 0.096
-0.096 - 0.128 0 0 0.096 0.128

If a computer is used for this operation, generally one starts with K

having all zero elements; then as the member global stiffness matrices
are generated, they are placed directly into their respective element
positions in the K matrix, rather than developing the member stiffness
matrices, storing them, then assembling them.