DEFLECTION OF TRUSSES BY

THE VIRTUAL WORK METHOD

CHAPTER 7: DEFLECTION OF TRUSSES, BEAMS, AND FRAMES: WORK-
ENERGY METHOD
CHAPTER 7.3

• To develop the expression of the virtual work method

that can be used to determine the deflections of
trusses, consider an arbitrary statically determinate
truss.
• If F represents the axial force in an arbitrary member j
of the truss, then the axial deformation, of this member
is

(EQUATION 7.19)
CHAPTER 7.3

• To determine the vertical deflection at joint B of the

truss, we select a virtual system consisting of a unit
load acting at the joint and in the direction of the
desired deflection.
• Let Fv denote the virtual force in member j.
• The virtual external work performed by the virtual load
as it goes through the real deflection is equal to

(EQUATION 7.20)
CHAPTER 7.3

• To
  determine the virtual internal work, focus our
attention on member j (member CD).
• Since the virtual axial force acting through the real axial
deformation is equal to Fv, therefore, the total virtual
internal work done on all the members of the truss can be
written as
(EQUATION 7.21)

• By equating the virtual external work to the virtual

internal work in accordance with the principle of virtual
forces for deformable bodies, we obtain
(EQUATION 7.22)
CHAPTER 7.3

• When the deformations are caused by

• 

external loads, (Eq. 7.19) can be

substituted into (Eq. 7.22) to obtain

(EQUATION 7.23)
TEMPERATURE CHANGES AND FABRICATION
ERRORS

•  The expression of the virtual work method, , is quite general in the sense
that it can be used to determine truss deflections due to temperature
changes, fabrication errors, any other effect for which the member axial
deformations are either known or evaluated beforehand.
• The axial deformation of a truss member j of length due to a change in
temperature is given by

(EQUATION 7.24)
TEMPERATURE CHANGES AND FABRICATION
ERRORS

•  Substituting (Eq. 7.24), into (Eq. 7.22), we obtain the expression:

(EQUATION 7.25)

• It can be used to compute truss deflections due to the changes in

temperature.
• Truss deflections due to fabrication errors can be determined by simply
substituting changes in member lengths due to fabrication errors for in
(Eq. 7.22).
 PROCEDURE FOR ANALYSIS

1. REAL SYSTEM
- If the deflection of the truss to be determined
is caused by external loads, then apply the method
of joints and/or the method of sections to compute
the (real) axial forces (F) in all the members of the
truss.
 PROCEDURE FOR ANALYSIS

2. VIRTUAL SYSTEM
- Remove all given (real) loads from the truss; then
apply a unit load at the joint where the deflection is
desired and in the direction of the desired deflection to
form the virtual force system. By using the method of
joints and/or the method of sections, compute the
virtual axial forces (Fv) in all the members of the truss.
 PROCEDURE FOR ANALYSIS
3.
•   The desires deflection of the truss can now be determined by
applying;
• (Eq. 7.23), if the deflection is due to external loads,
• (Eq. 7.25), if the deflection is caused by
temperature changes, or
• (Eq. 7.22), in the case of the deflection due to
fabrication errors.
EXAMPLE 1

• Determine the horizontal deflection at joint C of the truss shown

EXAMPLE 1: SOLUTION
 EXAMPLE 1: SOLUTION

• The
  total virtual internal work
done on all of the members of the
truss is given by

• The virtual external work done is

 EXAMPLE 2

• Determine the horizontal and vertical components of the deflection at joint B of

the truss shown by the virtual work method.
EXAMPLE 2: SOLUTION
EXAMPLE 2: SOLUTION

•  Using the formula

 EXAMPLE 3

• Determine the vertical deflection at joint D of the truss if member CF is 15mm

too long and member EF is 10mm too short. Use the method of virtual work.
 EXAMPLE 3: SOLUTION

•  Using the formula,

 THANK YOU!
CHAPTER 7: DEFLECTION OF TRUSSES, BEAMS, AND FRAMES: WORK-
ENERGY METHOD