Graphic truss analysis

09 Graphic Truss Analysis Copyright G G Schierle, 2001-05 press Esc to end, for next, for previous slide 1
 Truss examples

Oakland Bay Bridge

Truss joists

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 Airport terminal Hamburg
Stadium roof Milan
Prismatic trusses provide
lateral & rotational stability

Vertical compression bars: thick

Diagonal tension bars: thin

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 Truss concepts
Beam Replace beams for long spans
Truss Replace bulk by triangulation

Triangle is the only stable polygon

Square is an unstable polygon

All other polygons are unstable

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 Common trusses
1 Pratt truss
2 Howe truss
3 X-truss
4 K-truss
5 Warren truss
6 Warren truss with vertical bars
7 Fink truss
8 Belgian truss
9 Scissor truss
10 Bowstring truss
11 Bowstring truss (alternate)
12 Bowstring K-truss

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 Unique trusses

1 Prismatic truss

2 Prismatic truss frame

3 Prismatic truss arch

4 Folded truss

5 Folded truss frame

6 Folded truss vault

Note:
Prismatic and folded trusses
resist buckling and rotation
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 Graphic Truss Analysis
1 Truss diagram
2 Force polygon for loads and reactions
Force polygon for joint ABHG
Equilibrium arrows on bars
3 Truss with tension & compression arrows
4 Equilibrium polygons for left half of truss
(right half is equal due to symmetry)
5 Bar force list (+ tension, - compression)

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 Truss Analysis steps
Draw truss diagram to scale
Add tributary joint loads
Compute reactions
Add letters between loads and reactions
Add letters between truss bars
Draw load / reactions polygon
Draw equilibrium polygon for joints
Select joint sequence to limit unknown
bar forces (max. 2 per joint)
Draw equilibrium arrows on bars
Measure bar forces at force scale
Define bar tension / compression:
arrow pulling from joint = tension (+)
arrow pushing joint = compression (-)
Record bar forces

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 Graphic Truss Analysis
1 Joint ABHG
2 Joint ABHG equilibrium polygon

3 Joint BCJH
4 Joint BCJH equilibrium polygon

5 Joint HJKG
6 Joint HJKG equilibrium polygon

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 Parallel chord truss
1 Truss diagram
2 Equilibrium force polygon
3 Bar force table
4 Intuitive analysis
Top chord shortens in compression
Bottom chord elongates in tension
Inward sloping bars elongate in tension
Outward sloping bars shorten in compression
Vertical bars shorten in compression
Note:
Diagonal bars in tension are preferred
since they are the longest bars and thus
would tend to buckle in compression.
Buckling increases quadratic with length !!!

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 Truss analysis examples
1 Warren truss
2 Warren truss equilibrium polygons

3 Pratt truss
4 Pratt truss equilibrium polygons

5 Braced frame
6 Braced frame equilibrium polygon

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 Wood truss

1 Truss with gusset plate joints

2 Gusset plate for nails, both sides

3 Gang nail gusset plate

4 Truss with bolt and split ring joints

5 Split ring joint

A Split ring resists shear stress

B Bolt

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 Wood truss

Timber truss with steel rods and

diagonal wood bars in compression
(wood tension joints are difficult)

7 Truss joist with steel web bars

8 Truss with gusset plates
9 Truss with twin chord and single
web bars

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 Steel truss joints

1 Truss

2 Twin angles with gusset plate

3 Channels with gusset plate

4 Pipe with gusset plate

5 Welded tube joint

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 Steel truss joints
1 Twin angles with gusset plate

2 Welded tube joint

3 Welded pipe joint

Note:
Concentric truss joints avoid bending stress
Eccentric joints caused collapse in the past

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 Steel truss joist

Roof / floor

Glass wall supported with truss joists

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 Space truss joint Mero

The popular Mero joint provides concentric connections

for space truss bars in any direction.
Mero is an abbreviation of:
The first 2 letters of Dr. Meneringhausen, the inventor
and the first 2 letters of Rohr, German for pipe.

A Node
B Web bar
C Chord bar
D Roof support
E Wall support
F Joint support

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 trusses are cool

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