4. PLANE TRUSSES
STATICS - Lecture Notes / Mehmet Zor
1
26 September, 2025
4a
(tvid – 4)
Trusses
STATICS - Lecture Notes / Mehmet Zor
2
26 September, 2025
They are carrier systems formed by rod elements connected to each other at their end points.
4- Plane Trusses
Figure 4.1
STATICS - Lecture Notes / Mehmet Zor
3
26 September, 2025
There are many application areas.
It is used in
4- Plane Trusses
Figure 4.2
Figure 4.3
Figure 4.4
STATICS - Lecture Notes / Mehmet Zor
4
26 September, 2025
4.1 Main Features of Trusses:
Systems that do not have at least one of these features are not considered truss systems and fall within the scope of the frame system that will be shown in the next topic.
Joint
Rod
4- Plane Trusses
Figure 4.5
Figure 4.6
Figure 4.7
Figure 4.8
STATICS - Lecture Notes / Mehmet Zor
5
26 September, 2025
4.2 Types of Truss Systems:
4.3 Our aim in this subject within the scope of Statics Course is to calculate the forces acting on each rod or specific rods, while the geometry of the Truss System and external forces are known. Only plane truss systems are included in the scope of the course.
1- Space Truss Systems: They are 3-dimensional systems.
2- Plane Truss Systems: They are 2-dimensional systems.
4- Plane Trusses
Figure 4.9
Figure 4.10
STATICS - Lecture Notes / Mehmet Zor
6
26 September, 2025
F
F
F
F
Force applied externally to the finger
Force from joint to finger
Force from finger to joint
force coming from other parts of the hand to the joint
F
eklem
its own axis.
4.4 Force Distribution Logic in Truss Systems
4- Plane Trusses
your joint = a connection point (a joint) of the truss system.
Figure 4.12
Figure 4.11
STATICS - Lecture Notes / Mehmet Zor
7
26 September, 2025
4.5 Rod Forces and Calculation Methods:
We will try to understand this issue with an example.
First we must understand the logic of force distribution in rods and joints.
4- Plane Trusses
Example 4.1) Calculate the force that occurs in each rod in the plane truss system formed by 5-meter rods.
30kN
10kN
Using the finger example on the previous page, let's draw the force distribution between rods AB and AC and joints A, B and C:
Tip 5.1) How do we choose the direction of the forces? When a bar force is first placed, an arbitrary direction (tension or compression) is selected, provided that it is parallel to the bar axis. However, the direction of the same force cannot be selected arbitrarily in the 2nd, 3rd, placements. It is selected depending on the first placement. For example, the FAC force is first applied to the A joint, arbitrarily to the left. This force must necessarily be to the right (action-reaction) at the A end of the AC bar and to the left at the C end of the AC bar so that the bar is balanced. At joint C, it should be towards the right (action-reaction). If the sign of the force is «-» as a result of the calculations, it shows that it is in the opposite direction to the direction we selected. However, in this case, the direction of the force is not reversed, it is used with the «-» sign in the calculations. If it is reversed, its sign must also be changed.
Solution:
FAC First Direction:
arbitrary
mandatory
Figure 4.13
Figure 4.14
STATICS - Lecture Notes / Mehmet Zor
8
26 September, 2025
4- Plane Trusses
Force distribution in the entire system:
Figure 4.15
STATICS - Lecture Notes / Mehmet Zor
9
26 September, 2025
We continue the same example…
First, the forces at the connection points are calculated in the equilibrium of the entire system:
Tip 5.2: In some problems, the desired rod forces can be found without having to calculate the reaction forces in the connections. It is useful to solve many questions to see this situation and get used to it. In the cutting method, if all the connections are on one side of the cut, there is no need to find the reaction forces… The other side of the cut is examined and the rod forces can be found.
In the balance of the entire system, the system is isolated only from external connections. (In this isolation, the rods are not cut, so the rod forces remain as internal forces. For this reason, they are not included in the equilibrium equations of the entire system.)
bulunur.
4- Plane Trusses
T
Now we will calculate the forces acting on the rods and joints. There are 2 methods for this:..>>
Figure 4.16
STATICS - Lecture Notes / Mehmet Zor
10
26 September, 2025
4.5.1 ) Method of Joint
4- Plane Trusses
After A, we can move on to joint B. Because FAB is found, there are 2 unknown forces left in B.
Since there are 2 unknown forces left at joint C, we can move on to C.
Figure 4.17
STATICS - Lecture Notes / Mehmet Zor
11
26 September, 2025
Method of Section
4- Plane Trusses
4.5.2
I
I
II
Cut I-I
Left section (FBD)
From the eqilibrium of the left section:
We found the same results as in the Joint Method
Since we can apply 3 equations of equilibrium in a cut, there must be at most 3 unknown bar forces so that all of them can be found. For example, if we had examined the II-II cut first, we would not be able to find the forces of all 4 cut bars.
II
Figure 4.18
Figure 4.19
The truss system in the example we examined is in balance under the influence of external forces. Therefore, the left and right parts (sections) of the imaginary cuts we made are also in balance separately. (Separation Principle)
Note: Since we are placing it for the first time, we could have chosen a rod force in the opposite direction. In this case, the magnitude of the calculations would not change, but the sign would be the opposite. For example, if we had chosen FBC from B to C, its value would be -34.64kN.
STATICS - Lecture Notes / Mehmet Zor
12
26 September, 2025
4- Plane Trusses
I
I
If we had examined the Right part of the I-I cut, we should have found the same results. Let's prove it:
(Same Results)
II
II
Figure 4.20
Figure 4.21
STATICS - Lecture Notes / Mehmet Zor
13
26 September, 2025
4.7 Zero Force Member:
In general; The zero force member makes a 900 angle with the other rods in a joint and no external force acts on that joint in the direction of the rod. Considering the balance of the joint B for the example above:
How is it detected?
Hz. Mevlana
It is the name given to rods on which no force falls, that is, whose tensile or compressive force is zero.
4- Plane Trusses
Rod GB is a zero force member.
4.6 Wrong Cuts:
a
a
Wrong cut
b
b
wrong cut
c
c
Right cut
Question: Do you think the d-d cut is a correct cut? Discuss among yourselves.
d
d
Figure 4.22
Figure 4.23
STATICS - Lecture Notes / Mehmet Zor
14
26 September, 2025
Example 4.2 : Find the rod forces in the given truss system using the method of joint.
Solution: First of all, the reaction forces in the connections are found in the equilibrium of the entire system.
FBD (Entire System)
4- Plane Trusses
Figure 4.24
Figure 4.25
STATICS - Lecture Notes / Mehmet Zor
15
26 September, 2025
4- Plane Trusses
Figure 4.26
STATICS - Lecture Notes / Mehmet Zor
16
26 September, 2025
Let's examine joint C for control purposes:
4- Plane Trusses
(for control purpose)
These equations are also satisfied. It supports the accuracy of the results we found above.
Figure 4.26
STATICS - Lecture Notes / Mehmet Zor
17
26 September, 2025
Find the rod forces ED and EF by using the a-a cut.
a-a cut
Example 4.3 :
4- Plane Trusses
Solution:
a
a
(Other rod forces cannot be found from the a-a cut alone.)
If we examine the equilibrium of joint E:
Figure 4.27
Figure 4.28
STATICS - Lecture Notes / Mehmet Zor
18
26 September, 2025
Example 4.4 In the truss system in the figure
a-) Find the forces in the GE, GC and BC bars.
b-) Is there an zero force member in the system? Determine.
Solution:
Let's find the support reactions from the equilibrium of the entire system:
4- Plane Trusses
Let's examine the equilibrium of the left side of the f-f cut :
f
f
Figure 4.29
Figure 4.30
Figure 4.31
STATICS - Lecture Notes / Mehmet Zor
19
26 September, 2025
Question 4.1 (*): Find the force on the rod CF in the truss system shown in the figure.
4- Plane Trusses
Figure 4.32
STATICS - Lecture Notes / Mehmet Zor
20
26 September, 2025
In the Truss Systems Below a-) Calculate the forces in the rods with question marks. b-) Identify the zero force members, if any. (Answers are given next to the questions. The method is free.)
4- Plane Trusses
Answers:
AB= -750N,
BC = -600N,
BD = 250N
Question 4.2(*):
Question 4.3
Answers:
CF= 16kN,
CE = CA= -11.31kN
Figure 4.33
Figure 4.34
Zero force Member: DE
STATICS - Lecture Notes / Mehmet Zor
21
26 September, 2025
4- Plane Trusses
Zero force Members : CH, JI, GF, EF
Answer: DE = 146.41kN
Question 4.4
Question 4.5
Answers: GH =-20kN, CD =40kN , DH =-28.28 kN
Figure 4.35
Figure 4.36
STATICS - Lecture Notes / Mehmet Zor
22
26 September, 2025
Answer: CD=1.87kN
4- Plane Trusses
Question 4.6
Question 4.7
Figure 4.37
Figure 4.38
Answer: EF=-11.93kN
STATICS - Lecture Notes / Mehmet Zor
23
26 September, 2025
Zero force Members : AF, AB, DE, DC
Answers: CB = 66.6kN ; EC = 83.3kN; EB = -50kN
Question 4.8
Question 4.9
Answers : EF = -4kN ; CF = -2.237kN; FB = -1kN
Figure 4.39
Figure 4.40
4- Plane Trusses