CE 432/532, Spring 2008 2-D Truss Element Stiffness Matrix 1/2

For a truss elements at different angles, the stiffness equations for each element must be
transformed to a common coordinate system, called the system coordinate system. A
horizontal and a vertical degree of freedom (DOF) is assigned at each node in the structure,
as illustrated below.
4
2
3

2
1
1
Element DOFs System DOFs

The element displacements are written in terms of the system displacements and the
angle from the system DOF 1 to the element DOF 1 (from 1 to 1).

2
4
3
1 2

1
2 1

1
1 = 1 cos + 2 sin

The transformation from element displacements to system displacements shown above can
be written in matrix form for both ends of the member as

1
1 cos sin 0 0 2
=
2 0 0 cos 1 sin 3
4

{ } = [T ]{} (!)

where [T] represents the coordinate transformation matrix.

CE 432/532, Spring 2008 2-D Truss Element Stiffness Matrix 2/2

The system forces {P} can be written in terms of the element end forces {p} as shown below.

p2
P4
P3
P1 = p1 cos

P2 = p1 sin
P3 = p 2 cos
P4 = p 2 sin
p1
P2
P1

In matrix form, these equations become

P1 cos 0
P sin 0 p1
2
=
P3 0 cos p 2
P4 0
sin

{P} = [T ]T {p} (2)

where [T]T represents the transpose of [T].

The element stiffness equations in element coordinates are.

{p} = [k ']{ } (3)
where [k] represents the 2x2 element stiffness matrix in element coordinates.

Substituting Eqn. 3 into Eqn. 2

{P} = [T ]T {p} = [T ]T [k ']{ }
and substituting Eqn. 1 into the above
{P} = [T ]T [k '][T ]{}
or
[P] = [k ][ ]

where [k ] = [T ]T [k '][T ] (4)

[k] represents the 4x4 element stiffness matrix in system coordinates.