Structural Analysis (Aero 103)

Trusses

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Trusses are the main part in building structures and
 in architecture and structural engineering, a truss is a structure comprising one or more triangular units constructed with straight members whose ends are connected at joints referred to as nodes. External forces and reactions to those forces are considered to act at the nodes and result in forces in the members which are either tensile or compressive forces. Moments (torques) are explicitly excluded because, and only because, all the joints in a truss are treated as revolutes.

  A planar truss is one where all the members and nodes lie within a two dimensional plane, while a space truss has members and nodes extending into three dimensions.

 Characteristics of trusses

A truss is composed of triangles because of the structural stability of that shape and design. A triangle is the simplest geometric figure that will not change shape when the lengths of the sides are fixed. In comparison, both the angles and the lengths of a four-sided figure must be fixed for it to retain its shape.



Planar Truss

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The simplest form of a truss is one single triangle. This type of truss is seen in a  roof consisting of rafters and a ceiling joist Because of the stability of this shape and the methods of analysis used to calculate the forces within it, a truss composed entirely of triangles is known as a simple truss.

A planar truss lies in a single plane. Planar trusses are typically used in parallel to form roofs and bridges.

The depth of a truss, or the height between the upper and lower chords, is what makes it an efficient structural form. A solid girder or beam of equal strength would have substantial weight and material cost as compared to a truss. For a given span length, a deeper truss will require less material in the chords and greater material in the verticals and diagonals. An optimum depth of the truss will maximize the efficiency .

Space Frame Truss

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A space frame truss is a three-dimensional framework of members pinned at their ends. A tetrahedron shape is the simplest space truss, consisting of six members which meet at four joints.Large planar structures may be composed from tetrahedrons with common edges and they are also employed in the base structures of large free-standing power line pylons.

Other Types Of Trusses :

 

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Simple Tetrahedron such as used for a roof .

 

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Four Tetrahedrons is the base structure of this power pylon .