VIERENDEEL TRUSS

21ARC66/BS 5/GSAP
The Vierendeel truss, also known as the rigid frame truss, is a lattice
truss with no diagonal members and fixed joints that can resist bending
moments. Belgian engineer Jules Arthur Vierendeel patented the truss in
1897.
The Vierendeel Truss differs from the more common triangulated truss in
that it contains no diagonal members. The members of the truss are
joined rigidly together and each member is required to transmit bending,
shear and direct stress.

21ARC66/BS 5/GSAP
The truss's main characteristics include:

•Rigidly joined members

•Each member of the truss is required to transmit bending, shear, and
direct stress.
•Lack of diagonal members
•This differentiates the Vierendeel truss from the more common
triangulated truss.
•Statically indeterminate structure
•The bending, shear, and axial capacity of the members contribute to the
resistance to external loads.
•The stiffness of a Vierendeel truss depends on the joint stiffness.

21ARC66/BS 5/GSAP
Some advantages of the Vierendeel truss include:

•Simplicity of form
•Simpler details
•Cheaper fabrication
•Fully utilized rigidity of the joints
•Novelty compared to existing beam types
•Externally isostatic
Some disadvantages of the Vierendeel truss include:

Structural safety concerns, Greater deformation than other models,

Difficult calculation, and More complicated stress distribution than
normal truss structures.
The Vierendeel truss was first used for bridges and later for the
frames of high-rise buildings. 21ARC66/BS 5/GSAP
Vierendeel Action
The Vierendeel local bending moment is a consequence of spreading of the shear force
through the. opening length, causing a high increase of tension and compression at the
opening's corners. This. effect causes them the corners to plasticize, creating four plastic
hinges.
Vierendeel trusses are usually more expensive to construct due to the section size often
required to sustain loads and as a result their use is restrained only to instances where
diagonal elements are obtrusive or undesirable.

21ARC66/BS 5/GSAP
21ARC66/BS 5/GSAP
21ARC66/BS 5/GSAP