IOMU 1

PLANE TRUSS
Composed of members lying in the same plane
connected by PIN JOINTS
For a truss to be RIGID (non-collapsible), it must
have an enclosed TRIANGULAR shape

IOMU 2
 External Structural Conditions
Focuses on the external reaction forces
Attained when the number of unknown reactions
are equal to the number of available equations

Internal Structural Conditions

Focuses on the number of members and its
connections
IOMU
3
Let: m = number of members; j = number of joints
m < 2 j -3 Internally Unstable
Internally stable;
m = 2 j -3 Internally statically
determinate
Internally stable;
m > 2 j -3 Internally statically
indeterminate

Degree of Internal Indeterminacy = n = m (2j-3)

IOMU
4
 #
# of
of members
members = =33
# of joints = 3
# of joints = 3
2(3) 3
2(3) 3==33
3
3==33
Internally
Internally stable
stable and
and
determinate
determinate

If
If with
with diagonal;
diagonal;
# of
# of members
members = =4
4 #
# of
of joints
joints =
=44 # of
of members
members = =55
# # of joints =
# of joints = 44
2(4)
2(4) 33==55 2(4) 33==55
4<<55 2(4)
4 5
5= =55
Internally unstable
Internally unstable Internally
Internally stable
stable and
and
determinate
determinate

# of
# of members
members = =66
# of
# of joints
joints =
=44
2(4)
2(4) 33==55
6>
6 >55
Internally stable
Internally stable and
and
indeterminate
indeterminate
n=
n =6655==11

#
# of
of members
members = =88
#
# of
of joints
joints =
=55
2(5) 3 = 7
2(5) 3 = 7
8
8>>77
Internally
Internally stable
stable and
and
indeterminate
indeterminate
n
n==887 =
=1
7IOMU
1
5
ANALYSIS of PLANE TRUSS
Before analyzing a truss, the following assumptions
are made:
Forces acting on the truss are concentrated and
applied at the joints only
Weights of members are neglected since the
forces supported by the members are larger than
their weights.
Members are joined by frictionless pins.

IOMU 6
ANALYSIS of PLANE TRUSS
Since forces are applied at joints, then each
members is subjected to internal forces. These
members are called TWO-FORCE MEMBERS
having equal collinear forces with opposite
directions at each of the members ends.

TENSION = elongates

COMPRESSION = shortens

IOMU 7
ANALYSIS of PLANE TRUSS
Since the members are pin-connected at its joints,
then this forms a concurrent force system at the
joint.

IOMU 8
ZERO-FORCE MEMBERS
Members that are redundant or are not
subjected to internal forces
Even by visual inspection, zero-force members may
be identified:
If only two members are connected by a joint
and that joint carries no applied load, then both
members are zero-force members

Zero force
members

IOMU P 9
ZERO-FORCE MEMBERS
If three members are connected at a joint and 2
of those members are collinear, then the third
non-collinear member is a zero-force member if
the connecting joint has no load applied onto it.

Zero force
members

IOMU 10
METHOD OF JOINTS
The analysis of the truss is done one joint at a time
in order to determine internal forces

IOMU 11
SAMPLE PROBLEM
Determine the force in each member of the truss

300 N

A 45 45 C
2m

IOMU 12
SAMPLE PROBLEM
Determine the force in each member of the truss

10 N
B D

8m

A C E F
16 N 15 N
6m 6m 6m

3 @ 6m
IOMU 13