Lecture 15: PLANE TRUSSES

Plane Truss Joint Stiffness Matrix

We now wish W i h to t outline tli the th procedure d of f formulating f l ti the th joint j i t stiffness tiff matrix t i [SJ] for f a plane truss structure. Consider an arbitrary member, i. in the generalized plane truss depicted below:

The joints at the end of member i are denoted j and k. We assume that the plane truss lies in the x-y plane. The joint translations are the unknown displacements and these displacements are expressed in terms of their x and y components.

Lecture 15: PLANE TRUSSES

The positive directions of the four displacement components (two translations at either end) of member i are depicted in the figure below

It will be convenient to utilize the direction cosines associated with this arbitrary member. In terms of the joint coordinates the direction cosines are

CX

= cos 1 = xk L L = xj

CY

= cos 2 = yk L yj )
2

yj

with ih

(x

xj )

(y

Lecture 15: PLANE TRUSSES

The beam member stiffness matrix developed in the previous section of notes can be easily adapted for use in the case of a plane truss. The member stiffness matrix [SM] for an arbitrary truss member with member axes Xm and Ym oriented along the member and perpendicular to the member can be obtained by considering Case #1 and Case #7 from the previous section of notes. Using g the numbering gj joint numbering g system y and the member axes depicted p in the following figure then the member stiffness matrix for a truss member is as follows

Lecture 15: PLANE TRUSSES

Note that [SJ] is based on axes oriented to the structure. Truss member stiffnesses may be obtained in one of two ways. Either the stiffnesses are directly computed using the figure to the left, or the second method consists of first obtaining the stiffness matrix relative to the member b oriented i t d axes and d then th imposing i i a suitable matrix transformation that transforms these elements to axes relative to the structure. We will focus on the direct method first to help develop an intuition of how the structure behaves. Unit displacement in both the x and y directions are applied at each end of the member. If a unit displacement in the x direction is applied to the j end of the member, the member shortens and an axial compression force is induced. The magnitude of the force is

EAx Cx L

Lecture 15: PLANE TRUSSES

The restraint actions at the ends of the truss member in the x and y directions are required. They are equal to the components of the axial force induced in the member, and are id ifi d here identified h as elements l of f the h [SMD] matrix i in i order d to distinguish di i i h them h from f elements l of the [SM] matrix. The numbering of these elements are shown in the previous figure. Thus

S MD11 S MD 21 S MD 31 S MD 41

EA 2 = x (C x ) L EA = x (C x )(C y ) L EA 2 = S MD11 = x (C x ) L EA = S MD 21 = x (C x )(C y ) L

Lecture 15: PLANE TRUSSES

In a similar fashion, a unit displacement in the y direction at the j end of the member yields

S MD12 S MD 22 S MD 32 S MD 42

EA = x (C x )(C y ) L EA 2 = x (C y ) L EA = S MD12 = x (C x )(C y ) L EA 2 = S MD 22 = x (C y ) L

Lecture 15: PLANE TRUSSES

In a similar fashion, a unit displacement in the x direction at the k end of the member yields

S MD13 S MD 23 S MD 33 S MD 43

EA 2 = x (C x ) L EA = x (C x )(C y ) L EA 2 = S MD13 = x (C x ) L EA = S MD 23 = x (C x )(C y ) L

Lecture 15: PLANE TRUSSES

In a similar fashion, a unit displacement in the y direction at the k end of the member yields

S MD14 S MD 24 S MD 34 S MD 44

EA = x (C x )(C y ) L EA 2 = x (C y ) L EA = S MD14 = x (C x )(C y ) L = S MD 24 EA 2 = x (C y ) L

Lecture 15: PLANE TRUSSES

We have just developed the four rows of the [SMD] matrix, i.e.,