(a) Structural envelope Structure Structure

(b) Shear diagram

M2 Ml

(c) Bending moment

diagram

v, M-Cd=Td
c
(d) Forces in constant-
depth and variable
depthtrusses

Resistance to extemal shear forces To resist moments, horizontalcom-

is provided by the vertical compo-
nents of forces in the diagonals.
Chord forces resist moments and
vary according to the moment
diagram.
ponents of chord forces are held
constant and the structural depth
allowed to vary. Shear forces are
picked up by the vertical compo-
nents of resultantforces in inclined
members.

(e) Diagram of relative

membersizes based
on magnitudes of
the internal mem-
ber forces present

FIGURE 24 Shapingoftrusses
based
on internalshears and moments.

chords: Mexternal= Cd — Td. Because the

v with different_yaluesof Mexvrnal,as shown in Figure 24. Thus, the forces in
ord members generally vary as shown. The external shear forces are carried
exclusively by the diagonals, because the chords are horizontal and can contribute
no vertically acting resisting forces. The forces in the diagonals then must generally
vary as does the external shear force. The ensuring wide variation in member forces
influences member design attitudes, because members must either be designed
in response to specific force levels that are present or be designed on the basis of
maximum values. (See Section 4.4.)
Different diagonal organizations are possible, with different sloping patterns
yielding different force states within them. In order to make the most efficient use of
tension or compression elements, a typical objective might be to try to cause as many
as possible of the longest members of a truss to be in tension rather than compres-
sion. •nis can often be done by paying careful attention to how certain members are
oriented in the truss. Figure 26 shows an example of a truss with tension diagonals.
Parallel-chord trusses having bar patterns of the type illustrated in Figure 25(a)
invariably have all diagonals in tension (for the loading shown), whereas trusses
having patterns of the type illustrated in Figure 25(f) have all interior vertical mem-
bers in tension while diagonals are in compression. The reversal of the direction of
diagonals at midspan in such trusses is characteristic of designs for symmetrical
loadings. Pratt and Howe were nineteenth-century bridge designers who developed
and popularized thé forms shown.

151