A truss is a structure that consists of a collection of structural elements connected at pin joints or nodes. In theory, the pin joints provide no rotational resistance and behave as hinges. In practice, this is not always the case. The benefit of a truss is that the members are predominantly axially loaded. This means they are either in compression, tension or have no force, so-called zero-force members. This makes trusses a particularly efficient structural form. In this tutorial, we’ll discuss common forms of truss, their features, approximate methods of analysis and the key assumptions that relate to our analysis. If you want to know how we can manually analyse trusses to determine the forces that develop in each member, I’ve written a tutorial on that here.
If you’re interested in truss behaviour, check out our free truss analysis toolbox below. There is no substitute for understanding the fundamental mechanics of a truss, but having access to an easy to use truss calculator does make life a little easier!
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