STRUCTURAL

THEORY

JASPER KENNETH F. PERALTA

 Learning Objectives
1). To be able to have an insight of what a truss is and
be able to identify its classification.

2). To identify zero-force members in a structure.

3). To solve problems related to trusses through

methods of analysis of joint and sections.
Plane Trusses
A truss is an assembly of straight members
assumed to be pin-connected at their ends.
A truss member is a two-force body.
Therefore, each bar is an unknown.

The stress in the member of the truss is

either TENSION or COMPRESSION.

In the process of analysis, each member is

always assumed to be in TENSION.
CLASSIFICATION OF A compound truss is a combination
TRUSSES 2
of two or more simple trusses.

Trusses are classified as simple,

compound, or complex.

A simple truss is one that is an

expansion of a simple triangular
frame-shape truss.
1
COMPLEX TRUSS
A complex truss is one that
cannot be classified as either
simple or compound.
ZERO-FORCE
CASE 1:
Two non-collinear members

MEMBERS meeting at an unloaded joint.

These are members that do not

carry any force but cannot be
removed from the truss because
they help in the geometric
stability of trusses.
 CASE 2:
ZERO-FORCE If all but one meet at unloaded joint, two of which
are collinear, the member not parallel to the
MEMBERS collinear members is a zero-force member.

These are members that do not

carry any force but cannot be
removed from the truss because
they help in the geometric
stability of trusses.
 METHOD OF
ANALYSIS
METHOD OF JOINTS: applied to joints when
there are only two unknown members (2D) or
three unknown members (3D).
METHOD OF SECTIONS: section members
such that all but one has a unique line of
action. The member with the unique line of
action is determined by summing up
momoents on the point of concurrency of
the other sectioned members considering
the portion which is simpler.
Example 1
Determine the axial forces in
members EH and GJ of the truss
shown.