SPACE FRAMES

PREPARED BY: ENGR. VILLAMOR D. ABAD JR.

 SPACE FRAMES
• constitute the most general type of framed
structures.
• The members of such frames may be oriented in
any directions in three-dimensional space, and may
be connected by rigid and/or flexible connections.
• external loads oriented in any arbitrary directions
can be applied to the joints, as well as members, of
space frames
• the members of a space frame are generally
subjected to bending moments about both principal
axes, shears in both principal directions, torsional
moments, and axial forces.
 SPACE FRAMES
• the cross-sections of all the members are
symmetric about at least two mutually
perpendicular axes, and are free to warp out of their
planes under the action of torsional moments
• numbering the degrees of freedom and restrained
coordinates, of space frames is analogous to that
for other types of framed structures.
• The overall geometry of the space frame, and its
joint loads and displacements, are described with
reference to a global righthanded XYZ coordinate
system, with three global (X, Y, and Z) coordinates
used to specify the location of each joint.
 SPACE FRAMES
• a free joint of a space frame has six degrees of
freedom - the translations in the X, Y, and Z
directions and the rotations about the X, Y, and Z
axes
MEMBER STIFFNESS RELATIONS IN
THE LOCAL COORDINATE SYSTEM
MEMBER STIFFNESS RELATIONS IN
THE LOCAL COORDINATE SYSTEM
MEMBER STIFFNESS RELATIONS IN
THE LOCAL COORDINATE SYSTEM
MEMBER STIFFNESS RELATIONS IN
THE LOCAL COORDINATE SYSTEM
MEMBER STIFFNESS RELATIONS IN
THE LOCAL COORDINATE SYSTEM
MEMBER STIFFNESS RELATIONS IN
THE LOCAL COORDINATE SYSTEM
 COORDINATE TRANSFORMATION

• the transformation matrix for members of

space frames involves direction cosines of all
three (x, y, and z) axes of the member local
coordinate system with respect to the
structure’s global (XYZ) coordinate system.
COORDINATE TRANSFORMATION
COORDINATE TRANSFORMATION
COORDINATE TRANSFORMATION
 ANGLE OF ROLL
• defined as the angle, measured clockwise positive when
looking in the negative x direction, through which the local
xyz coordinate system must be rotated around its x axis, so
that the xy plane becomes vertical with the y axis pointing
upward
• defined as the angle, measured clockwise positive when
looking in the negative x direction, through which the local
xyz coordinate system must be rotated around its x axis, so
that the local z axis becomes parallel to, and points in the
positive direction of, the global Z axis
• most computer programs allow the users to specify the
orientation of the member y and z axes by means of the so-
called angle of roll
PROBLEM 1
The global coordinates of the joints to which the beginning and
end of a space-frame member are attached are (4, 7, 6) ft and
(20, 15, 17) ft, respectively. If the global coordinates of a
reference point located in the local xy plane of the member are
(10.75, 13.6, 13.85) ft, determine the rotation matrix of the
member.
PROBLEM 2
Determine the joint displacements, member end forces, and
support reactions for the three-member space frame shown,
using the matrix stiffness method.
REFERENCE
• Godbole, P.N et. Al.. Matrix Methods of
Structural Analysis. (2014) PHI Learning
Pte. Ltd.
• Kassimali, A.. Matrix Structural analysis.
Brooks/Cole Publishing Company.
• Mcguire, W. et Al.. Matrix Structural
Analysis, 2nd ed. (2000) Wiley India Pvt.
Ltd.
QUESTIONS?