Lecture 2 - Page 1 of 8

Lecture 2 Forces and Loads

Definition of Force: A force is simply a push or a pull acting on a body. It
has units of lb., kip, tons, newtons, kN, etc. A 1 lb. force =4.45 N. A force is a
vector (i.e., having magnitude and direction) and is usually designated by an
arrow as indicated by the figure below of a block subjected by a single lateral
force:









All forces must be resisted by an equal and opposite force as shown above.
Forces may act in any direction, but it is often convenient to resolve the force into
vertical and horizontal components as shown below on the roof truss:












If, for example, the original force on the truss as shown is 4000 lbs., it would
correspond to the length of the hypotenuse of the triangle. The vertical and
horizontal components can be determined by corresponding the diagonal load
and its hypotenuse with the length of the side of the equivalent triangle.

Vertical force =4000 lbs |
.
|

\
|
13
12

=3692 lbs.

Horizontal force =4000 lbs
|
.
|

\
|
13
5

=1538 lbs.


Original force =4000 lbs.
13
12
5
13
5
12
125 kips
125 kips resisting force
Vert. force component
Horz. force component
Resolve forces
into right
triangle
Lecture 2 - Page 2 of 8
Most forces on inclined surfaces, or inclined forces are resolved by solving
triangles. Another example of a force acting on an anchor is as follows:











Vertical force =1000 lbs(sin(35
0
))
=574 lbs.

Horizontal force =1000 lbs(cos(35
0
))
=819 lbs.

Another example of a hanging load supported by two inclined cables as follows:










Resolve it into a triangle as shown below:







Using the Law of Sines, the force in Cable A is determined as:

sin 85
0
= sin 40
0

2000 lbs cable A

Force in Cable A = 1290 lbs.

Force in Cable B = ??? _
50
0

Cable A
40
0

85
0

2000 lbs.
35
0

1000 lbs.
Horizontal force
Vertical force
35
0
50
0

Cable A Cable B
2000 lbs.
Cable B
Lecture 2 - Page 3 of 8
Loads on Framing Plan:

Usually, beam analysis on a framing plan is performed by determining equivalent
loads on filler beams and applying those loads as point loads to Girder
beams. A typical example of a steel-framed floor system is shown below:






Lecture 2 - Page 4 of 8
Example 1



































3
.
5

3
.
5

3
.
5

3
.
5

T
r
i
b
u
t
a
r
y

w
i
d
t
h

(
T
W
)

G
i
r
d
e
r

Beam A
32-0
3
@
7

-
0

=

2
1

-
0

Floor DL =82 PSF
Floor LL =100 PSF
Beam A =W18x35
Girder B =W24x94
32-0
3
@
7

-
0

=

2
1

-
0

Shaded area =floor area supported
by Beam A.
FRAMING PLAN
Column
(typ.)
Lecture 2 - Page 5 of 8
Uniform load on Beam A =TW(PSF) +Beam Wt.
=7(82 PSF +100 PSF)+35 PLF
=1309 PLF












End Reaction on Beam A =(span)Unif. Load
=(32)(1309 PLF)
=20,904 lbs.


Loading on Girder B:













End reaction of Girder B =(Sum of all vertical loads)
=(20,904 lbs. +20,904 lbs. +94 PLF(21))
=21,891 lbs.

94 PLF (Beam wt.)
End
reaction
1309 PLF
32-0
End
reaction
End
reaction
20,904 lbs.
21-0
20,904 lbs.
End
reaction
Lecture 2 - Page 6 of 8
Example 2

Determine the rafter end reactions R
1
and R
2
.






















Step 1 Determine the length of the rafter:

Using Pythagoreans Theorem, and similar triangles,





Rafter length = |
.
|

\
|

12
89 . 13
" 0 ' 11

=12.73

Microllam Ridge
Beam
Snow load =37 PSF
hyp
12
7
R
2

R
1

Dead load =14 PSF
to rafter
Rafter span =11-0
Nom. 2x10 rafter @
16 o.c. wood unit
weight =45 PCF
12
7
89 . 13 ) 12 ( ) 7 (
2 2
= + = hyp
Lecture 2 - Page 7 of 8
Step 2 Determine dead load weight of rafter:

Rafter weight = ) _ )( ( _ _ Area Sect X Length wt unit wood

=
|
|
.
|

\
|
2 2
/ 144
) " 25 . 9 )( " 5 . 1 (
) ' 73 . 12 ( 45
ft in
PCF

=55.2 lbs.

Step 3 Determine uniform dead load along rafter in PLF:

Uniform dead load =(Trib. Width)(PSF) +
|
|
.
|

\
|
length Rafter
weight Rafter
_
_


=(1.33)(14 PSF) + |
.
|

\
|
' 73 . 12
. 2 . 55 lbs


=18.62 PLF +4.34 PLF

=22.96 PLF

Step 4 Determine uniform dead load on rafter in along horizontal projection:















Horz. PLF =?
11-0
22.96 PLF
Horz. PLF = |
.
|

\
|
" 0 ' 11
' 73 . 12
96 . 22 PLF

=26.6 PLF
Lecture 2 - Page 8 of 8
Step 5 Determine total uniform dead load +snow load on horz. projection:
















Step 6 Determine rafter end reactions R
1
and R
2
:














( ) ) " 0 ' 11 )( 8 . 75 (
2
1
2 1
= = PLF R R

R
1
= R
2
= 416.9 Lbs.




11-0
R
1

R
2

75.8 PLF
11-0
Dead load =26.6 PLF
Snow load =37 PSF(1.33 trib. width)
=49.2 PLF
Total unif. load =49.2 PLF +26.6 PLF
=75.8 PLF