Truss Displacement

DISPLACEMENT of
STATICALLY
DETERMINATE
TRUSSES
(Part 1)

Ahmad Shufni bin Othman

Mei 2014

Truss Displacement

Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this course, students should be
able to;
Determine value and types of displacement that occur in
frame / trusses using the Method of Unit Load ;
Horizontal displacement
Vertical displacement
Combination of horizontal and vertical displacement
Influences of Temperature Change and Fabrication Errors
(inaccurate length of members)

Truss Displacement

Vertical

Diagonal

Top Chord
Web
Members

Depth
or Rise

(verticals & diagonals)

Panel

Joint,
Panel point
or Node

Bottom Chord

Span
Flat Truss or Parallel Chord Truss

Truss Displacement
Introduction

When a frame structure or truss carries some external loads, all of its
members are subjected to either compressive or tensile axial forces.
We also know that whenever a body is subjected to some external
forces (load), it undergoes some deformation.
Therefore, when a frame or trusses are subjected to external forces,
all the members will undergo a change in their lengths.
This change in lengths, will cause some displacement of all its joints,
except those which are rigidly fixed.
The net displacement of any joint may be found out by studying the
combine effect of changes of all members of the truss.
The truss joint may suffer displacement in any direction, depending
upon the direction of the load system and rigidity of the truss
members.
There are two very important type of displacement ;
i. Vertical displacement
ii. Horizontal displacement

Truss Displacement
Vertical and Horizontal Displacement
It is a total displacement, suffer by a joint from its original
position, in the vertical or horizontal direction due to the
action of external forces.

The vertical or horizontal displacement of a joint may be

found out first by finding out the individual vertical or
horizontal displacements of all the joint, due to the changes
in the various members caused by external forces, and then by
combining up the result.

Truss Displacement
Method of Determining The Displacement
There are many methods used for determining the displacement
of the joints in a frame or truss;
1.
2.
3.
4.

Virtual Work Method

Unit Load Method
Strain Energy Method
Castigliano Theorem Method

Truss Displacement
Method of Determining The Displacement
The Principle of Virtual Work
Based upon the Principle of Minimum Total Potential Energy, we
can see that any small variation about equilibrium must do no
work. Thus, the Principle of Virtual Work states that:
A body is in equilibrium if, and only if, the virtual work of all
forces acting on the body is zero.
In this context, the word virtual means having the effect of, but
not the actual form of, what is specified. Thus we can imagine
ways in which to impose virtual work, without worrying about
how it might be achieved in the physical world.

Truss Displacement
Method of Determining The Displacement
Virtual Work
There are two ways to define virtual work, as follows.

1. Principle of Virtual Displacements:

Virtual work is the work done by the actual forces acting
on the body moving through a virtual displacement.
This means we solve an equilibrium problem through geometry.
2. Principle of Virtual Forces:
Virtual work is the work done by a virtual force acting on the
body moving through the actual displacements.
This means we solve a geometry problem through equilibrium.

Truss Displacement
Method of Determining The Displacement
Virtual Displacements
A virtual displacement is a displacement that is only imagined
to occur.

So given any real force, F, acting on a body to which we apply

a virtual displacement. If the virtual displacement at the
location of and in the direction of F is y , then the force F
does virtual work W = F y .
In summary, virtual displacements are not real, they can be
physically impossible but they must be compatible with the
geometry of the original structure and they must be small
enough so that the original geometry is not significantly altered.

Truss Displacement
Method of Determining The Displacement
Principle of Virtual Displacements:

We can prove the Principle of Virtual

Work quite simply, as follows.
Consider a particle P under the
influence of a number of forces
F1,. , Fn which have a resultant
force, FR . Apply a virtual
displacement of y to P, moving it to
P, as shown:
The virtual work done by each of the forces is:

Truss Displacement
Method of Determining The Displacement
Principle of Virtual Displacements:
Where y is the virtual displacement along
the line of action of F1 and so on. Now if the
particle P is in equilibrium, then the forces
F1,. , Fn have no resultant. That is, there is
no net force. Hence we have:

Proving that when a particle is in equilibrium the virtual work

of all the forces acting on it sum to zero. Conversely, a particle
is only in equilibrium if the virtual work done during a virtual
displacement is zero.

Truss Displacement
Method of Determining The Displacement
Virtual Forces (Unit Load Method)
A virtual force is a force imagined to be applied and is then
moved through the actual deformations of the body, thus
causing virtual work.
So if at a particular location of a structure, we have a deflection,
y, and impose a virtual force at the same location and in the
same direction of F we then have the virtual work W = yF .

Virtual forces must form an equilibrium set of their own. For

example, if a virtual force is applied to the end of a spring there
will be virtual stresses in the spring as well as a virtual reaction.

Truss Displacement
Method of Determining The Displacement
Unit Load Method
1. First, determine all the forces (P0 )
in all the truss member, due to the
external loading. (using the
method of joint or method of
section)
2. Then, find out the stress in the
various members ( = P0/A),
where A are the cross-sectional
area of the members. (+ve for
tension and ve for compression)

Truss Displacement
Method of Determining The Displacement
Unit Load Method (cont.)
3. Remove all the external load on
the truss and apply a unit load
(vertical or horizontal) to act at a
joint whose displacement is
required to be found.
4. Now, find out all the forces (P1 ) in
the various member of the truss
due to this unit load.

Truss Displacement
Unit Load Method (cont.)
5. Now, the displacement (vertical or horizontal) of the joint can
be determine by the equation ;
P0 P1 L P0 P1 L P0 P1 L


.............
AE 1 AE 2 AE 3
P PL
0 1
AE

Where :

P0 = forces in all the truss member, due to the external loading.

P1 = forces in the member of the truss due to this unit load.
L = lengths of the members of the truss.
A = Cross-sectional area of the member.
E = Youngs Modulus of elasticity of the truss material.

Truss Displacement
Example 1
Determine the vertical and horizontal displacement of joint B for
The loaded truss below.

Truss Displacement
Example 1 : Solution for VERTICAL DISPLACEMENT
1. First, determine all the forces (P0 )
in all the truss member, due to the
external loading (4 kN).

2. Remove all the external load on the

truss and apply a unit load
(vertically and assume downward)
at joint B, whose displacement is
required to be determine.

Truss Displacement
Example 1 : Solution for VERTICAL DISPLACEMENT (cont.)
3. Now, the vertical displacement at joint B can be determine
by the equation ;
(Members of the truss has the same
P PL
VB 0 1
cross-sectional area and material.
AE
1
Therefore A and E are constant)

P PL
VB

AE

0 1

Member

P0

P1

L (m)

VB

AB

+6

+0.75

+13.5

BC

+5

CD

-3

BD

-5

-1.25

+31.25

+ve for tension

ve for compression

+ 44.75

1
P0 P1 L

AE
44.75

AE

VB
VB

+ve means that

displacement downward
(in the direction of the
assume unit load)

Truss Displacement
Example 1 : Solution for HORIZONTAL DISPLACEMENT
1. First, determine all the forces (P0 )
in all the truss member, due to the
external loading (4 kN).

2. Remove all the external load on

the truss and apply a unit load
(horizontally and assume to the
left) at joint B, whose
displacement is required to be
determine.

Truss Displacement
Example 1 : Solution for HORIZONTAL DISPLACEMENT (cont.)
3. Now, the horizontal displacement at joint B can be determine
by the equation ;
(Members of the truss has the same
P PL
HB 0 1
cross-sectional area and material.
AE
1
Therefore A and E are constant)

P PL
HB

Ahli
AB
BC
CD
BD

P0
6
5
-3
-5

AE

P1 H
-1
0
0
0

+ve for tension

ve for compression

0 1

h/AE

3
5
6
3

-18
0
0
0
-18

JUMLAH

1
P0 P1 L

AE
18

AE

HB
HB

-ve means that

displacement is to the right
(opposite direction to the
assume unit load)

Truss Displacement
Example 2
Determine the vertical and horizontal displacement of joint B for
the loaded truss below. Each truss member has a cross-sectional
area of 1000 mm2 and made from the same material, with the
modulus of elasticity 210 Gpa.

Truss Displacement
Example 2 : Solution for VERTICAL DISPLACEMENT
1. Determine all the forces (P0 )
in all the truss member, due
to the external loading.

2. Remove all the external load

on the truss and apply a unit
load (vertically and assume
downward) at joint B,
whose displacement is
required to be determine.

Truss Displacement
Example 2 : Solution for VERTICAL DISPLACEMENT (cont.)
3. Now, the vertical displacement at joint B can be determine
by the equation ;
(Members of the truss has the same
P PL
VB 0 1
cross-sectional area and material.
AE
1
Therefore A and E are constant)

P PL
VB

Member P0
AB
15
BC
15
AD
-75
BD
80
CD
-25

AE

P1 V
0.375
0.375
-0.625
1
-0.625

+ve for tension

ve for compression

0 1

L
3
3
5
4
5

V
16.875
16.875
234.375
320.000
78.125
666.251

P0 P1 L
AE
666.251

AE
0.00317 m

VB
VB
VB

+ve means that

displacement downward
(in the direction of the
assume unit load)

Truss Displacement
Example 2 : Solution for HORIZONTAL DISPLACEMENT
1. Determine all the forces (P0 )
in all the truss member, due
to the external loading.

2. Remove all the external load

on the truss and apply a unit
load (horizontally and
assume to the right) at
joint B, whose displacement
is required to be determine.

Truss Displacement
Example 2 : Solution for HORIZONTAL DISPLACEMENT (cont.)
3. Now, the horizontal displacement at joint B can be determine
by the equation ;
(Members of the truss has the same
P PL
HB 0 1
cross-sectional area and material.
AE
1
Therefore A and E are constant)

P PL
HB

Ahli
AB
BC
AD
BD
CD

P0
15
15
-75
80
-25

AE

P1 H
1
0
0
0
0

+ve for tension

ve for compression

0 1

L
3
3
5
4
5

H
45
0
0
0
0
45

1
P0 P1 L

AE
45
HB
EI
HB 0.000214m ()
+ve means that
displacement is to the right
(in the direction of the
assume unit load)

HB

Truss Displacement
Exercise 1:
Determine the vertical and horizontal displacement for the
loaded truss shown;

Truss Displacement
Exercise 1 : (cont.)

Truss Displacement
Exercise 1 : (cont.)

Truss Displacement
Exercise 1 : (cont.)

Truss Displacement
Exercise 1 : (answer)

Truss Displacement
Exercise 1 : (answer)

Truss Displacement
COMBINE DISPLACEMENT(VERTICAL and HORIZONTAL)

Using the theorem pythagoras and vector principle, the combine

or total displacement (vertical and horizontal displacement) can
be determine.
From Example 1: The Total Displacement at joint B ;
2

44.75 18
B

AE
AE

48.23
B
AE

44.75

AE
18

H
AE

AND

18

1
AE

tan
44
.
75

AE
21.912 (downward to the right)

Truss Displacement
TOTAL DISPLACEMENT (VERTICAL and HORIZONTAL)
From Example 2: The Total Displacement at joint B ;

B 0.2142 3.17 2
B 0.382mm

AND
V 0.317mm
H 0.214mm

0.214

3.17
3.862 (downward to the right)

tan 1

Truss Displacement
Exercise 2 :
Determine the TOTAL DISPLACEMENT of the truss from the
Previous EXERCISE 1.

Exercise 2 : (answer)

Truss Displacement
Exercise 3 :
Determine the vertical, horizontal and total displacement for the
loaded trusses shown. (All the member has the same
cross-sectional area A and Modulus of Elasticity E)

Truss Displacement
Exercise 3 : (cont.)

Truss Displacement
Exercise 3 : (cont.)

Truss Displacement
Exercise 3 : (cont.)

Truss Displacement
Exercise 3 : (cont.)

Truss Displacement