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Structures, frames and machines 1/9

▪ Examples of structures [2]

▪ Plane trusses – types [4]

▪ Planes trusses – analysis assumptions [5]

▪ Structural redundancy [6]

▪ Structural redundancy examples [7]

▪ Methods of joints [8]

AMC511S – Engineering Mechanics 114 (Statics) | Andrew Zulu

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Examples of structures 2/9

Engineering structures
> connected system of members built to support or transfer forces and safely withstand loads
applied to it.
.

Postgraduate Centre under constr. @ NUST (2020) Luangwa suspension bridge, Zambia (pic. taken in 2018).
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Examples of structures 3/9

> The race for the skies – New York, Hong Kong, Dubai!
.

Burj Khalifa, the tallest (as at 2020) Classic failure – Tacoma narrows bridge, WA, USA (1947)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burj_Khalifa https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-zczJXSxnw
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Plane trusses 4/9

Plane (2D) trusses - types

> Truss - framework composed of members joined at their ends to form a rigid structure
> Common in bridges & roofs;
structural members used:
I-beams, channels, angles,
bars; basic element of a truss
is a triangle, which is rigid/
non-collapsible.
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Plane trusses – assumptions for analysis 5/9

> Assumption 1 – all members are two-force: equal, opposite, collinear, T or C

> Assumption 2 – weight of member is small compared with the force it supports (unless
otherwise stated)
> Assumption 3 – connection is a pin joint if the centrelines of the members are
concurrent
> Assumption 4 - all external forces are applied at the pin connections. These are obtained
first from equilibrium conditions.
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Structural redundancy 6/9

Internal and external redundancy

> Statically indeterminate truss has more supports than required for equilibrium;
> Extra support is external redundancy
> If truss has more internal members than required to prevent collapse, we have internal
redundancy
> m + 3 = 2j (internal stat. indeter. plane truss with 3 supports); where m is the number of
2-force members; j is the number of joints
> In addition if r is the number of unknown reactions, then plane truss is solvable when
m + r = 2j
> if m + 3 > 2j and m + r > 2j (more members than indep. eqns, we have internal stat.
indeterminacy)
> if m + 3 < 2j and m + r < 2j (deficiency in internal members, truss is unstable, will collapse
under load).
 Structural redundancy
Redundancy examples
examples 7/9
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How does (m + 3) and (m + r) compare with 2j? Solvable by statics alone?

m = 9; j = 6; r = 3
9 + 3 ? 2(6) => 12 ? 12 (“=”)
9 + 3 ? 2(6) => 12 ? 12 (“=”)
. Okay – solvable!
=>
.
m = 9; j = 6; r = 4
9 + 3 ? 2(6) => 12 ? 12 (“=”)
9 + 4 ? 2(6) => 13 ? 12 (“>”)
=> Not solvable –
redundant support!
m = 4; j = 4; r = 0
4 + 3 ? 2(4) => 7 ? 8 (“<”)
4 + 0 ? 2(4) => 4 ? 8 (“<”)
=> Not solvable -
collapsible!
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Method of joints 8/9

> Determining forces in the members of the truss by satisfying equilibrium for the forces
acting on the pin of each joint. This is equilibrium of concurrent forces requiring only two
equilibrium equations
> Calculate external forces first before applying method
> No more than two unknowns at a joint! Equal and opposite reactions at joints
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Method of joints 9/9

Method of joints (you are solving for red; blue is known in the order shown)
> Joint A: σ 𝐹𝑦 = 0 ⇒ 𝑅𝐴 − 𝐴𝐵𝑠𝑖𝑛𝛼 = 0; σ 𝐹𝑥 = 0 ⇒ 𝐴𝐹 − 𝐴𝐵𝑐𝑜𝑠𝛼 = 0
> Joint B: σ 𝐹𝑦 = 0 ⇒ 𝐴𝐵𝑐𝑜𝑠𝛽 − 𝐵𝐹 = 0; σ 𝐹𝑥 = 0 ⇒ 𝐴𝐵𝑠𝑖𝑛𝛽 − 𝐵𝐶 = 0
> Joint F: σ 𝐹𝑦 = 0 ⇒ −𝐶𝐹𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜖 + 𝐵𝐹 = 0; σ 𝐹𝑥 = 0 ⇒ −𝐴𝐹 − 𝐶𝐹𝑐𝑜𝑠𝛾 + 𝐸𝐹 = 0
> Joint E: σ 𝐹𝑦 = 0 ⇒ 𝐶𝐸 − 𝐿 = 0; σ 𝐹𝑥 = 0 ⇒ 𝐸𝐷 − 𝐸𝐹 = 0 (CE “zero-force” w/o force L)!
> Joint C: σ 𝐹𝑥 = 0 ⇒ 𝐵𝐶 + 𝐶𝐹𝑠𝑖𝑛𝛿 − 𝐶𝐷𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 = 0; σ 𝐹𝑦 = 0 ⇒ 𝐶𝐹𝑐𝑜𝑠𝛿 + 𝐶𝐷𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 − 𝐶𝐸 = 0
> Joint D (just a check): σ 𝐹𝑦 = 0 ⇒ 𝑅𝐵 − 𝐶𝐷𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜎 = 0; σ 𝐹𝑥 = 0 ⇒ −𝐸𝐷 + 𝐶𝐷𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜎 = 0