Types of Truss Structures

Pratt Truss
Warren Truss
K Truss Two basic types of truss:
 The pitched truss, or common truss, is characterized
Howe Truss by its triangular shape. It is most often used for roof
Fink Truss construction.

 The parallel chord truss, or flat truss, gets its name

from its parallel top and bottom chords. It is often used
for floor construction.
 Pratt Truss

The vertical members are in compression, whilst the

diagonal members are in tension.
Advantages
•Aware of member's behaviour - diagonal members are in tension,
vertical members in compression
•The above can be used to design a cost effective structure
•Simple design

Disadvantages
Not as advantageous if the load is not vertical
 Warren Truss

Identified by its construction from equilateral triangles.

Advantages of a Warren Truss is its ability to spread the load evenly across a number of different
members; this is however generally for cases when the structure is undergoing a spanned load (a
distributed load)
Under concentrated load scenarios, the structure is not as good at distributing the load evenly
across its members
K Truss

The K Truss is a slightly more complicated version of the Pratt Truss.

It's main difference is that the vertical members have become shortened - improving it's resistance
against buckling.

main disadvantages is that the members don't always behave as expected. A member may
be in compression under one load scenario and in tension under another. This can mean the
structure may not be able to be optimally designed 
Howe Truss
Howe trusses are essentially the opposite of Pratt trusses in terms of geometry. Switch in
position of the diagonal members has a very important effect structurally. Diagonal members
are now in compression, while the vertical members are in tension.

Pratt Truss
Fink Truss
The Fink truss in its most basic form has web members
that follow a V-pattern which can be repeated several
times.

Derivatives of the Fink truss include the Double Fink

and the Fan truss types.

Double Fink trusses are essentially Fink trusses that

repeat the pattern twice on either side. If the most
basic Fink truss can be characterized by a double-V,
then a double fink would look like a double-W. Fan
trusses are essentially Fink trusses that have its web
members ‘fan out’ from the joints at the bottom,
usually the addition of vertical members.