EQUILIBRIUM OF STRUCTURES

A structure is considered to be in equilibrium if, initially at rest, it remains at rest when subjected
to a system of forces and couples.
In order for a structure to be in equilibrium, all the forces and couples (including support
reactions) acting on it must balance each other, and there must neither be a resultant force nor a
resultant couple acting on the structure.
For a plane structure lying in the xy plane and subjected to a coplanar system of forces and
couples the necessary and sufficient conditions for equilibrium can be expressed as:

Fx=0 Fy=0 Mz=0

Concurrent Force Systems
When the lines of action of all the forces intersect at a point, a structure is in equilibrium under
the action of a concurrent force system. For plane structures, equilibrium equations can be
expressed as

Fx=0 Fy=0
Two-Force and Three-Force Structures
1. If a structure is in equilibrium under the action of only two forces, the forces must be
equal, opposite, and collinear.
2. If a structure is in equilibrium under the action of only three forces, the forces must be
either concurrent or parallel.
EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL FORCES
External Forces

External forces are the actions of other bodies on the structure under consideration. This can be
classified into:
1. Applied forces usually referred to as loads (e.g., live loads and wind loads), have a
tendency to move the structure and are usually known in the analysis.
2. Reaction forces are the forces exerted by supports on the structure and have a tendency
to prevent its motion and keep it in equilibrium. The reactions are usually among the
unknowns to be determined by the analysis.
3. Internal Forces are also among the unknowns in the analysis and are determined by
applying the equations of equilibrium to the individual members or portions of the
structure.

TYPES OF SUPPORTS FOR PLANE STRUCTURES

DETERMINACY OF STRUCTURES
A structure is called statically determinate externally if all of its support reactions can be
determined by solving the equations of equilibrium and condition.
For Beams:
r < c + 3 the beam is statically unstable externally
r = c + 3 the beam is statically determinate externally
r > c + 3 the beam is statically indeterminate externally
Example:

r=c+3
3=0+3
3=3
Therefore: Statically Determinate

For Trusses:
r + b < 2j the truss is statically unstable externally
r + b = 2j the truss is statically determinate externally
r + b > 2j the truss is statically indeterminate externally

r + b = 2j
5 + 21 = 2 (12)
26 > 24
Therefore: Statically Indeterminate 2nd degree
For Frames:
r + 3b < 3j + c the frame is statically unstable externally
r + 3b = 3j + c the frame is statically determinate externally
r + 3b > 3j + c the frame is statically indeterminate externally

r + 3b = 3j + c
6 + 3 (4) = 3 (5) + 0
18 > 15
Therefore: Statically Indeterminate 3rd degree

The degree of external indeterminacy for such a structure is given by:

ie = r (3 + c)
COMPUTATION OF REACTIONS

The following step-by-step procedure can be used to determine the reactions of plane statically
determinate structure.
1. Draw a free-body diagram (FBD) of the structure.
2. Check for static determinacy.
3. Determine the unknown reactions by applying the equations of equilibrium and condition
(if any) to the entire structure.
Example:
Determine the reactions at the supports for the beam shown in the figure.

Solution:
Free-Body Diagram:

Static Determinacy:

The beam is internally stable with r = 3. Thus, it is statically determinate.

Support Reactions:

By applying the three equations of equilibrium, we obtain

+ Fx=0
Bx=0

+ F y=0
-15(6) 160 + By = 0

By = 250 kN
+ MB=0
-400 + 15(6)(3+8) 160(4) + MB = 0
M = 1230 kN-m
B

Checking: -400 + 15(6)(3) 160(10) + 250(14) = 1230

PRINCIPLE OF SUPERPOSITION
The principle of superposition states that on a linear elastic structure, the combined effect of
several loads acting simultaneously is equal to the algebraic sum of the effects of each load
acting individually.
REACTIONS OF SIMPLY SUPPORTED STRUCTURES USING PROPORTIONS
Example:
Determine the reactions at the supports for the truss shown in the figure.

Solution:
Free-Body Diagram:

Static Determinacy:
determinate.

The truss is internally stable with r 3. Therefore, it is statically

Support Reactions:

Plane and Space Trusses

A truss is defined as a structure that is composed of straight members connected at their ends by
flexible connections to form a rigid configuration. The analysis of trusses is based on three
simplifying:
1. All members are connected only at their ends by frictionless hinges in plane trusses and
by frictionless ball-and-socket joints in space trusses.
2. All loads and reactions are applied only at the joints.
3. The centroidal axis of each member coincides with the line connecting the centers of the
adjacent joints. The effect of these assumptions is that all the members of the truss can be
treated as axial force members.
COMMON BRIDGE TRUSSES

THREE TYPES OF CONNECTION ARRANGEMENTS

1. One Equation of Condition

2. One Equation of Condition

3. Two Equations of Condition

METHOD OF JOINTS
To analyze statically determinate plane trusses, we can use the method of joints, which
essentially consists of selecting a joint with no more than two unknown forces acting on it and
applying the two equilibrium equations,

Fx=0 Fy=0 ,

to determine the unknown

forces. We repeat the procedure until we obtain all desired forces.

Procedure for Analysis
1. Check the truss for static determinacy.
2. Identify by inspection any zero-force members of the truss.
3. Determine the slopes of the inclined members (except the zero-force members) of
the truss.
4. Draw a free-body diagram of the whole truss, showing all external loads and
reactions.
5. Examine the free-body diagram of the truss to select a joint that has no more than
two unknown forces (which must not be collinear) acting on it.

Example:

Solution:

Free-Body Diagram and Support Reactions:

FBD at Joint A:

FBD at Joint C:

FBD at Joint B:

FBD at Joint D:

Zero-Force Members
The analysis of trusses can be expedited if we can identify the zero-force members by inspection.
Two common types of member arrangements that result in zero-force members are the following:

1. If only two noncollinear members are connected to a joint that has no external loads or
reactions applied to it, then the force in both members is zero.
2. If three members, two of which are collinear, are connected to a joint that has no external
loads or reactions applied to it, then the force in the member that is not collinear is zero.
METHOD OF SECTIONS
The method of sections usually proves to be more convenient when forces in only a few specific members of the
truss are desired. This method essentially involves cutting the truss into two portions by passing an imaginary
section through the members whose forces are desired and determining the desired forces by applying the three
equations of equilibrium to the free body of one of the two portions of the truss.

The foregoing conditions for static determinacy and indeterminacy are

necessary but not sucient conditions. In order for these criteria to be
valid, the truss must be stable and act as a single rigid body under a
general system of coplanar loads when it is attached to the supports.
To analyze statically determinate plane trusses, we can use the
method of joints, which essentially consists of selecting a joint with no
more than two unknown forces acting on it and applying the two equilibrium
equations to determine the unknown forces. We repeat the procedure
until we obtain all desired forces. This method is most ecient
when forces in all or most of the members of a truss are desired.
The method of sections usually proves to be more convenient when
forces in only a few specific members of the truss are desired. This
method essentially involves cutting the truss into two portions by passing
an imaginary section through the members whose forces are desired
and determining the desired forces by applying the three equations of
equilibrium to the free body of one of the two portions of the truss.
The analysis of compound trusses can usually be expedited by using
a combination of the method of joints and the method of sections.
A procedure for the determination of reactions and member forces in
space trusses is also presented.