CE 131 STRUCTURAL THEORY

BY

ENGR. BOBBY S. AMIL

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
Civil Engineering Department
 Module

CE 131
Theory of Structure
(FOR INSTRUCTIONAL PURPOSES ONLY)
 MODULE
1

GENERAL INTRODUCTION
INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES:
After reading the chapter the students will be able to

1. Explain what structural theory is and define what structure is.

2. Identify various types of structural system or structural forms (i.e. the 3 basic
engineering structures such as beams, frames and trusses), the types of
external supports and types of loads that these structures are subjected to.
3. Calculate the degree of indeterminacy and stability of a given structure such
as beams, trusses and frames.
4. Differentiate between stable and unstable structures.
5. State and use conditions of static equilibrium.

INTRODUCTION:

The word structure has various meanings. By an engineering structure

we mean roughly something constructed or built. The principal structures of
concern to civil engineers are bridges, buildings, walls, dams, towers, shells,
canals and cable structures to name a few, but in this lesson we will focus our
studies on the three basic engineering structures. Such structures are
composed are composed of one or more solid elements so arranged that the
whole structure as well as its components are capable of holding themselves
without appreciable geometric change during loading and unloading.

The design of a structure involves much consideration, among which are

four major objectives that must be satisfied;

1. The structure must meet the performance requirement (utility)

2. The structure must carry the loads safely (safety)
3. The structure should be economical in material, construction, and the overall
cost (economy)
4. The structure should have a good appearance (aesthetic/beauty)

The complete design of a structure is outlined in the following stages:

1. Developing a general layout. The general layout of the structure is selected

from many possible alternatives for which the structure is to be built. It
involves the choice of structural type, the selection of materials, tentative
estimation of cost based on a reasonable analysis of a preliminary structural
design, the selection of best location for the structure and many other
considerations. In this stage it calls for an engineer with high order of
experience, skill, and imagination.
2. Investigating the Loads. Before starting with a refined structural analysis
can be carried out, it is necessary to determine the loads (dead and live
loads) for which a given structure should be designed.
3. STRESS ANALYSIS. To determine the internal forces in various members of
the structure and the displacements at some controlling points, the maximum
stresses (shear, moment, external reactions) once the basic form of the
structure and the applied loads are defined. This is the subject is all about.
4. Selection of Elements. The selection of suitable sizes and shapes of
members and their connection depends on the results of the STRESS
ANALYSIS together with the design provisions of the specifications and codes.
5. Drawing and Detailing. Once the sizes of every member has been
determined, the last stage is the preparation of the complete of working
drawing that includes the detailing, job specification, and the final cost of the
structure for the construction to proceed.
STABILITY AND DETERMINACY OF THE THREE BASIC
STRUCTURES

1. BEAM – If a beam is built up without any internal connections (e.g.

internal hinge, roller or link), the entire beam may be considered as one
piece of monolithic rigid body placed on a number of supports, and the
question of the stability and the determinacy of the beam are settled
solely by the number and arrangement of supports.
 If R < 3 + c, the beam is unstable
 If R = 3 + c, the beam is statically determinate provided that no
geometric instability (internal and external) is involved.
 If R > 3 + c, the beam is statically indeterminate and stable.

2. TRUSS – A truss is composed of a number of members (bars) pin-

connected at their ends so as to form a solid network, usually starting with
three members in the form of a triangle, and mounted on a number of
supports. Loads are acting directly at joints.
 If B + R < 2J, the truss system is unstable
 If B + R = 2J, the truss is statically determinate, provided it is also
stable
 If B + R > 2J, the truss is statically indeterminate

3. RIGID FRAME – a frame is usually composed of beams and columns

rigidly at their ends.
 If 3B + R < 3J + c, the frame is unstable
 If 3B + R = 3J + c, the frame is statically determinate
 If 3B + R > 3J + c, the frame is statically indeterminate

 R is the number of the reactive elements (support reactions)

 B is the number of members that composed a truss
 J is the number of joints (including the supports)
 c is the number of internal connections
= 1 (hinge)
= 2 (roller or a link)
= 0 if no internal connection in a beam or frame.
 c = n – 1 in frame where n is the number of members connected
at joint.

TYPES OF SUPPORTS And SUPPORT REACTIONS

Structures are either partially or completely restrained so that they

cannot move freely in space. Such restraints are provided by supports that
 connect the structure to some stationary body, such as the ground or
another structure. The reactions at the supports are considered part of the
external forces other than the loads on the structure and are to balance
the other external loads in a state of equilibrium.There are generally three
different types of support; the HINGE, the ROLLER, and the FIXED
SUPPORT with a corresponding symbols use to designate the supports.

Taken from: Elementary Theory Of Structures by YUAN-YU HSIEH