Republic of the Philippines

DON HONORIO VENTURA STATE UNIVERSITY

Villa de Bacolor, Pampanga

STATICS OF RIGID BODIES

A. Course Code / Title : Statics 213 / Statics of Rigid Bodies

B. Module Number : Module 13 - Analysis of Structure (Method of Joints)
C. Time Frame : 12th week (3 hours)
D. Description:
This module looks into the definition of a truss, different types of trusses, and forces
acting in each member of a truss.
E. Objectives:
At the end of this module, the learner should be able to :
1. Identify several types of trusses.
2. Understand the concept of two-force member.
3. Solve problems on how to determine the forces in the members of a truss using Method
of Joints.
F. Contents:
 TRUSSES
 A truss is one of the major type of engineering structures which provide both
economical and practical solutions in many engineering situations especially in the
design of buildings and bridges.
 A truss is a structure composed of combinations of members such as chords, diagonals
and webs which are usually in triangular arrangement so as to constitute a rigid
framework.
 Common examples are bridge trusses and roof trusses

TYPICAL ROOF TRUSS TYPICAL BRIDGE TRUSS

Howe
Howe

Pratt
Pratt

Fink

K truss

Warren

Scissors
 Web Members

Bottom Chord

Top Chord

Rise

Span

 The analysis of trusses is based on the following three assumptions:

 The weights of the members are negligible
A truss can be classified as a lightweight structure; the weights of its members are
generally much smaller than the loads that it is designed to carry.
 All joints are pins.
In practice, the members at each joint are usually riveted or welded to a plate called
gusset plate. (see fig. b)

 The applied forces act at the joints.

Trusses are designed so that the major applied loads act at joints, since the
members are slender and may fail in bending.
 Using these assumptions, the free-body diagrams for any member of a truss contains
only two forces. Therefore, each member of a truss is a two-force member.
- If the force tends to elongate the member, it is a tensile (T) force.
- If the force tends to shorten the member, it is a compressive (C) force.

C C

Compression

T T

Tension
 Loads carried by the truss:
Dead loads: Live loads:
1. Roofing materials 1. Wind load (Pampanga, 30 psf)
2. Weight of the truss 2. Sand load
3. Ceiling loads 3. Rain
4. Insulations

 TWO COMMON METHODS IN DETERMINING THE INTERNAL FORCES IN A

TRUSS:

 Method of JOINTS
This method is based on the fact that if the entire truss is in equilibrium, therefore each
of its joints is also in equilibrium.
To calculate the forces in the members of a truss, the equilibrium equations are applied
to individual joints (or pins) of the truss. Since the members are two-force members, the
forces in the FBD of a joint are concurrent. Consequently, two independent equilibrium
equations are available for each joint.

Steps:
1. Determine the external reactions by taking the whole structure as FBD.
2. Consider a joint with two unknown bar forces.
3. Assume direction of the forces.
Note:
If the direction of the forces is towards the joint, the force is said to be in
compression.
If the force is directed away from the joint, the force is said to be in tension.
If the solution yielded a negative answer, just reverse the direction.
4. Solve these unknowns by considering that joint as FBD using the two equations of
equilibrium:
ΣFX = 0 and ΣFY = 0
5. Proceed to the next joint with two unknown forces then solve these unknowns.
6. Repeat step 4 until all the members are solved.
Problems:
1. For the truss loaded as shown, determine the magnitude and kind of force acting in each
member.

2000 N

2000 N 2000 N
F
2000 N 2000 N
D H

B J 2.0 m

A L
C E G I K

800 N 800 N 800 N 800 N 800 N

6 panels @ 2m = 12 m

Required:
Magnitude and direction of forces acting in each member
Solution:
 Determine the external reactions using the FBD of the whole structure:

2000 N

2000 N 2000 N
F
2000 N 2000 N
D H

B J 2.0 m

A L
C E G I K

800 N 800 N 800 N 800 N 800 N

R1 = 7000 N R2 = 7000 N
6 panels @ 2m = 12 m

* Since all the forces are vertical, therefore the horizontal component of the reaction at
hinge support A is equal to zero.

* By observation, the truss is symmetrical, thus, reaction at A is equal to the reaction L.

total _ load
R1  R2 
2
2000(5)  800(5)
R1  R2 
2
R1  R2  7000N
 Consider a joint with two unknown bar forces. (From the FBD of whole structure, it is either
joint A or Joint L).
Consider joint A:
FBD of joint A

FAB Fy  0   Fx  0  

A 3
1
7000 
1
FAB  0 FAC 
3
22135.94  0
10 10
FAC
FAB  22135.94NC FAC  21000NT

7000 N Note:
C is for COMPRESSION T is for TENSION

 Mark in the FBD of the whole structure the bar with known or solved forces. (To avoid
confusion as we go on.)

2000 N

2000 N 2000 N
2000 N F
D 2000 N
H
B J 2.0 m
A L
C E G I K

800 N 800 N 800 N 800 N 800 N

R1 = 7000 N R2 = 7000 N
6 panels @ 2m = 12 m

 Joint that has two unknown bar forces is joint C. (Joint C has three bar members, but
member AC is already known.)
Consider joint C:
FBD of joint C
Fx  0   Fy  0  
FCB
FCE  21000  0 FCB  800  0
FCA = 21000N C FCE FCE  21000NT FCB  800NT

800N

 Mark the member, to identify the bars with known / solved forces.

2000 N

2000 N 2000 N
2000 N F
D 2000 N
H
B J 2.0 m
A L
C E G I K

800 N 800 N 800 N 800 N 800 N

R1 = 7000 N R2 = 7000 N
6 panels @ 2m = 12 m
 Joint that has two unknown bar forces is joint B. Although joint B has four members (BA,
BC, BD & BE), members BA and BC are already known.

2000N FBD
1
3
B
1
FBA = 22135.94N
3
FBE

FBC = 800N

Fx  0  


3
FBE 
3
FBD 
3
22135.94  0
10 10 10
FBE   FBD  22135.94
FBE  22135.94  FBD  eq.1

Fy  0  
1
FBE 
1
FBD  2000 
1
22135.94  800  0
10 10 10
1
FBE 
1
FBD  2800 
1
22135.94
10 10 10
FBE  FBD  13281.56  eq.2

eq.1  eq.2
22135.94  F BD FBD  13281.56
22135.94  13281.56  FBD  FBD
FBD  17708.85NC

Substitute FBD = 17708.85N in eq. 1 or eq.2

FBE  22135.94  17708.85 FBE  17708.85  13281.56

FBE  4427.09NC F BE 4427.29NC

 Again, mark the members, to avoid confusion.

2000 N

2000 N 2000 N
2000 N F
D 2000 N
H
B J 2.0 m
A L
C E G I K
800 N 800 N 800 N 800 N 800 N
R1 = 7000 N R2 = 7000 N
6 panels @ 2m = 12 m
 Consider joint E

Fx  0  

FBE = 4427.09N FED FEG 

3
4427.09  21000  0
10
1
3 FEG FEG  16800.09NT
FEC = 21000N E

800N

𝛴𝐹𝑉 = 0 ↑ +
1
−800 − 𝐹𝐸𝐵 ( ) + 𝐹𝐸𝐷 = 0
√10
1
−800 − 4,427.09( ) + 𝐹𝐸𝐷 = 0
√10
𝐹𝐸𝐷 = 2,199. N T

 Mark in the FBD of the whole structure:

2000 N

2000 N 2000 N
2000 N F
D 2000 N
H
B J 2.0 m
A L
C E G I K

800 N 800 N 800 N 800 N 800 N

R1 = 7000 N R2 = 7000 N
6 panels @ 2m = 12 m

 Consider joint D:
FBD of joint D
2000N
FDF

1
D 3
33.69°
FDB = 17708.85N

FDG
FDE = 2199.97N
Fx  0  

FDG cos 33.69 

3
FDF 
3
17708.85  0
10 10
FDG cos 33.69 
3
FDF 
3
17708.85
10 10
FDG  1.14FDF  20191.18  eq.1

Fy  0  
1 1
17708.85  2000  FDF  FDG sin 33.69  2199.97  0
10 10
1
FDG sin 33.69  FDF  1400
10
FDG  0.57FDF  2523.89  eq.2

eq.3  eq.4
1.14FDF  20191.18  0.57FDF  2523.89
1.14FDF  0.57FDF  20191.18  2523.89
0.57FDF  17667.29
FDF  30995.25NC

Substitute FDF = 30995.25 in eq. 1 or eq. 2

FDG  0.5730995.25  2523.89 FDG  1.1430995.25  20191.18
FDG  15143.40NT FDG  15143.40NT

2000 N

2000 N 2000 N
2000 N F
D 2000 N
H
B J 2.0 m
A L
C E G I K

800 N 800 N 800 N 800 N 800 N

R1 = 7000 N R2 = 7000 N
6 panels @ 2m = 12 m

 Consider joint F:
*Note: By symmetry FFH = FDF

2000N

1 1
FDF = 30995.25N 3 3 FFH = 30995.25 N

FFG
 Fy  0  
1
30995.25  1 30995.25  FFG  2000  0
10 10
FFG  17603.12NT
 By symmetry:
 The forces in members in the left segment is equal to the forces in members of the right
segment.

 Summary:
FAB = 22135.94 N C = FJL
FAC = 21000 N T = FKL
FBC = 800 N T = FJK
FCE = 21000 N T = FIK
FBD = 17708.85 N C = FHJ
FBE = 4427.09 N C = FIJ
FEG = 16800.09 N T = FGI
FED = 2199.97 N T = FHI
FDF = 30995.25 N C = FFH
FDG = 15143.40 N C = FGH
FFG = 17603.12 N T

2. Compute the force in each member of the Warren truss shown.

2000 N 3000 N

B D

A 60˚ 60˚ 60˚ 60˚ E

3m C 3m

4000 N

Solution:
 Free Body Diagram of the whole structure:

2000 N 3000 N

B D

A 60˚ 60˚ 60˚ 60˚ E

3m C 3m

4000 N
R1 R2
 Although the truss is symmetrical, the applied loads are not symmetrical. Hence, the applied
bar forces are not symmetrical.
The bar forces must be solve one by one.
 Reactions:
 Horizontal component of reaction at E is Zero, since all applied forces are vertical.

M E  0 
 R1 6  20004.5  40003  30001.5  0
R1  4250N
M A 0 
 20001.5  30004.5  R2 6  40003  0
R2  4750N
 Check if the reactions are correct,
Fv  0  
4250  4750  4000  2000  3000  0
0  0ok 

 Start with a joint that has two unknown bar forces.

 Consider joint A:
Fy  0  
FAB
4250  FAB sin 60  0
FAB  4907.48NC
60°
A FAC
Fx  0  
F AC  FAB cos 60  0
4250N
FAC  4907.48 cos 60
FAC  2453.74 NT

 Mark the solved bar forces in the FBD:

2000 N 3000 N

B D

A 60˚ 60˚ 60˚ 60˚ E

3m C 3m

4000 N
R1 = 4250N R2 = 4750N
 Consider joint B:

2000N Fy  0  
4907.48 sin 60  2000  FBC sin 60  0
B FBD FBC  2598.08NT
60° 60°

Fx  0  
FAB = 4907.48N FBC 4907.48 cos 60  2598.08 cos 60  FBD  0
FBD  3752.94NC

 Mark the solved bar forces in the FBD:

2000 N 3000 N

B D

A 60˚ 60˚ 60˚ 60˚ E

3m C 3m

4000
R1 = 4250N R2 = 4750N
N

 Consider joint D:

3000N

FBD = 3752.94 N D
60° 60°

FDC FDE

Fx  0   Fy  0  
3752.94  FDC cos 60  FDE cos 60  0 FDE sin 60  FDC sin 60  3000  0
FDE cos 60  3752.94  FDC cos 60 FDE sin 60  FDC sin 60  3000
FDE  7505.88  FDC  eq.1 FDE  FDC  3464.10  eq.2

eq  1  eq.2
7505.88  FDC  FDC  3464.1
2 FDC  4041.78
FDC  2020.89NT
Substitute FDC = 2020.89N in eq.1 or eq.2
FDE  7505.88  2020.89 FDE  2020.89  3464.1
FDE  5484.99NC FDE  5484.99NC

 Mark the solved bar forces in the FBD

2000 N 3000 N

B D

A 60˚ 60˚ 60˚ 60˚ E

3m C 3m

4000
R1 = 4250N R2 = 4750N
N
 Consider joint E.

FDE = 5484.99N

60°
E
FEC

4750N

Fx  0  
5484.99 cos 60  FEC  0
FEC  2742.50 NT

2000 N 3000 N

B D

A 60˚ 60˚ 60˚ 60˚ E

3m C 3m

4000
R1 = 4250N R2 = 4750N
N
Summary:
FAC = 2453.74 N T FAB = 4907.48 N C FBC = 2598.08 N T
FBD =3752094 N C FCD = 2020.89 N T FDE = 5484.99 N C
FCE =2742.50 N T
3. Compute the force in each members of the Howe truss shown.
500 N
1000 N

1000 N
D
500 N E
C
3m F
B
G
A L K J I H
3m 3m 3m 3m 3m 3m

600 N 600 N 600 N 600 N 600 N

G. References:

1. Vector Mechanics for Engineers 10th Edition, Beer, F.P., Johnston, [Link],
Mazurek, D.F., Cornwell, P.J.2013

2. Engineering Mechanics Statics 13th Edition, Hibbeler, R.C.,2013

3. Engineering Mechanics Statics 14th Edition, Hibbeler, R.C.,2016

4. Engineering Mechanics Statics 3rd Edition, Pytel, A., Kiusalaas, J., 2010