MODULE 6: ANALYSIS OF SPACE TRUSSES USING MATRIX STIFFNESS METHOD

The learning objectives:

At the end of this lesson, the learner will be able to:
 Identify whether a structure is analyzed as a space truss
 Establish the coordinate system of the structure
 Identify the degrees of freedom on a space truss
 Construct the local stiffness matrix, transformation matrix, and global stiffness matrix of
each member of the space truss
 Construct the structure stiffness matrix and the joint load vector of the structure
 Use stiffness method to evaluate the space truss

COURSE MATERIAL:
A space truss is defined as a three-dimensional assemblage of straight prismatic
members connected at their ends by frictionless ball-and-socket joints and subjected to loads
and reactions that act only at the joints. Like plane trusses, the members of space trusses
develop only axial forces.

DEGREE OF FREEDOM
The procedure for assigning numbers to the structure coordinates of a space truss is
analogous to that for plane trusses. The degrees of freedom of the space truss are numbered
first by beginning at the lowest-numbered joint with a degree of freedom and proceeding
sequentially to the highest-numbered joint. If a joint has more than one degree of freedom, then
the translation in the X direction is numbered first, followed by the translation in the Y direction,
and then the translation in the Z direction. After all the degrees of freedom have been
numbered, the restrained coordinates of the space truss are numbered in the same manner as
the degrees of freedom.

Fig. 6.1
Member Stiffness Relations in the Local Coordinate System
* + , -* + (6.1)

, - [ ] (6.2)

Fig. 6.2 Local Coordinate System for Members of Space Truss

Coordinate Transformation
√( ) ( ) ( ) (6.3)
( )
(6.4)

( )
(6.5)

( )
(6.6)

, - [ ] (6.7)

* + , -* + (6.8)
* + , - * + (6.9)
* + , -* + (6.10)
Fig. 6.3
Member Stiffness Relations in the Global Coordinate System
, - , - , -, - (6.11)

, - (6.12)

[ ]
Structure Stiffness Matrix
One procedure that can automate the construction of the structure stiffness matrix , -
from the individual stiffness matrices involves identifying the rows and columns of these
individual global stiffnesses with the global displacements associated with them. The numbers
identifying the rows and columns are those of the displacements associated with each
element. The structure stiffness matrix can be constructed in the following way:
1. Create a square matrix that is of order equal to the number of degrees of freedom of the
structure.
2. Place the elements of each individual stiffness matrix in the rows and columns of the
new matrix corresponding to the global displacement coordinates.
3. If there is more than one element to be placed in the same location in the structure
stiffness matrix, the elements are added at that location.

Fig. 6.4
SAMPLE PROBLEM
1. Determine the joint displacements, member end forces, and support reactions for the
space truss shown in Fig. 6.5 by the matrix stiffness method.

Fig. 6.5 Space Truss

Fig. 6.6 Analytical Model

 Joint Details

Joint x (m) y (m) z (m) Degrees of Freedom

1 -3.00 0.00 5.00 4 5 6
2 9.00 0.00 6.00 7 8 9
3 2.00 0.00 -3.00 10 11 12
4 0.00 12.00 0.00 1 2 3

Member Details

Beginning
Member End Joint Xe Xb Ye Yb Ze Zb Length (m)
Joint
1 1 4 0.00 -3.00 12.00 0.00 0.00 5.00 13.34166406
2 2 4 0.00 9.00 12.00 0.00 0.00 6.00 16.15549442
3 3 4 0.00 2.00 12.00 0.00 0.00 -3.00 12.52996409
Member 1 Member Local Stiffness Matrix [k]
Unit 10493.44 -10493.44
E 70 GPa -10493.44 10493.44
A 2000 mm2
L 13.3416641 m
cos θx 0.22485951 Transformation Matrix [T]
cos θy 0.89943803 4 5 6 1 2 3
cos θz -0.3747658 0.2248595 0.8994380 -0.3747658 0.0000000 0.0000000 0.0000000
AE/L 10493.4436 kN/m 0.0000000 0.0000000 0.0000000 0.2248595 0.8994380 -0.3747658

Member Global Stiffness Matrix [K]

4 5 6 1 2 3
530.57 2122.27 -884.28 -530.57 -2122.27 884.28 4
2122.27 8489.08 -3537.12 -2122.27 -8489.08 3537.12 5
-884.28 -3537.12 1473.80 884.28 3537.12 -1473.80 6
-530.57 -2122.27 884.28 530.57 2122.27 -884.28 1
-2122.27 -8489.08 3537.12 2122.27 8489.08 -3537.12 2
884.28 3537.12 -1473.80 -884.28 -3537.12 1473.80 3
Member 2 Member Local Stiffness Matrix [k]
Unit 8665.78 -8665.78
E 70GPa -8665.78 8665.78
A 2000mm2
L 16.1554944 m
cos θx -0.557086 Transformation Matrix [T]
cos θy 0.74278135 7 8 9 1 2 3
cos θz -0.3713907 -0.5570860 0.7427814 -0.3713907 0.0000000 0.0000000 0.0000000
AE/L 8665.78245 kN/m 0.0000000 0.0000000 0.0000000 -0.5570860 0.7427814 -0.3713907

Member Global Stiffness Matrix [K]

7 8 9 1 2 3
2689.38 -3585.84 1792.92 -2689.38 3585.84 -1792.92 7
-3585.84 4781.12 -2390.56 3585.84 -4781.12 2390.56 8
1792.92 -2390.56 1195.28 -1792.92 2390.56 -1195.28 9
-2689.38 3585.84 -1792.92 2689.38 -3585.84 1792.92 1
3585.84 -4781.12 2390.56 -3585.84 4781.12 -2390.56 2
-1792.92 2390.56 -1195.28 1792.92 -2390.56 1195.28 3
Member 3 Member Local Stiffness Matrix [k]
Unit 11173.22 -11173.22
E 70 GPa -11173.22 11173.22
A 2000 mm2
L 12.5299641 m
cos θx -0.1596174 Transformation Matrix [T]
cos θy 0.95770426 10 11 12 1 2 3
cos θz 0.23942607 -0.1596174 0.9577043 0.2394261 0.0000000 0.0000000 0.0000000
AE/L 11173.2164 kN/m 0.0000000 0.0000000 0.0000000 -0.1596174 0.9577043 0.2394261

Member Global Stiffness Matrix [K]

10 11 12 1 2 3
284.67 -1708.01 -427.00 -284.67 1708.01 427.00 10
-1708.01 10248.05 2562.01 1708.01 -10248.05 -2562.01 11
-427.00 2562.01 640.50 427.00 -2562.01 -640.50 12
-284.67 1708.01 427.00 284.67 -1708.01 -427.00 1
1708.01 -10248.05 -2562.01 -1708.01 10248.05 2562.01 2
427.00 -2562.01 -640.50 -427.00 2562.01 640.50 3
Structure Stiffness Matrix

1 2 3
3504.62 -3171.58 481.64 1
S = -3171.58 23518.24 -3365.67 2
481.64 -3365.67 3309.58 3

Joint Load Vector

P
75.00 kN
-150.00 kN
0.00 kN

Solving for the displacement matrix:

75.00 251600.00 0.00 0.00 d1

-150.00 = 0.00 750237.04 1066.67 × d2
0.00 0.00 1066.67 25600.00 d3

d1 325.030246 43.375724 -3.190522 75.00

d2 = 43.375724 55.550820 50.179756 ×10-6 × -150.00
d3 -3.190522 50.179756 353.647418 0.00

d1 0.017870909793026 m = 17.870909793026100 mm
d2 -0.005079443680884 m = -5.079443680884060 mm
d3 -0.007766252453924 m = -7.766252453924420 mm
Member 1

{u} = [T]{v} Local Member End Displacement {u}

4 5 6 1 2 3
4 0.0000000
5 0.0000000
u1 0.0000000 m 0.2248595 0.8994380 -0.3747658 0.0000000 0.0000000 0.0000000 6 0.0000000
u2 0.0023603 m 0.0000000 0.0000000 0.0000000 0.2248595 0.8994380 -0.3747658 1 0.0178709
2 -0.0050794
3 -0.0077663

{Q} = [k]{u} Local Member End Forces {Q}

Q1 -24.7679407 kN 10493.44 -10493.44 0.0000000
Q2 24.7679407 kN -10493.44 10493.44 0.0023603

{F} = [T]T{Q} Global Member End Forces {F}

F1 -5.5693069 kN 0.2248595 0.0000000 4
F2 -22.2772277 kN 0.8994380 0.0000000 5
F3 9.2821782 kN -0.3747658 0.0000000 6 -24.7679407
F4 5.5693069 kN 0.0000000 0.2248595 1 24.7679407
F5 22.2772277 kN 0.0000000 0.8994380 2
F6 -9.2821782 kN 0.0000000 -0.3747658 3
Member 2

{u} = [T]{v} Local Member End Displacement {u}

7 8 9 1 2 3
7 0.0000000
8 0.0000000
u1 0.0000000 m -0.5570860 0.7427814 -0.3713907 0.0000000 0.0000000 0.0000000 9 0.0000000
u2 -0.0108442 m 0.0000000 0.0000000 0.0000000 -0.5570860 0.7427814 -0.3713907 1 0.0178709
2 -0.0050794
3 -0.0077663

{Q} = [k]{u} Local Member End Forces {Q}

Q1 93.9737918 kN 8665.78 -8665.78 0.0000000
Q2 -93.9737918 kN -8665.78 8665.78 -0.0108442

{F} = [T]T{Q} Global Member End Forces {F}

F1 -52.3514851 kN -0.5570860 0.0000000 7
F2 69.8019802 kN 0.7427814 0.0000000 8
F3 -34.9009901 kN -0.3713907 0.0000000 9 93.9737918
F4 52.3514851 kN 0.0000000 -0.5570860 1 -93.9737918
F5 -69.8019802 kN 0.0000000 0.7427814 2
F6 34.9009901 kN 0.0000000 -0.3713907 3
Member 3

{u} = [T]{v} Local Member End Displacement {u}

10 11 12 1 2 3
10 0.0000000
11 0.0000000
u1 0.0000000 m -0.1596174 0.9577043 0.2394261 0.0000000 0.0000000 0.0000000 12 0.0000000
u2 -0.0095766 m 0.0000000 0.0000000 0.0000000 -0.1596174 0.9577043 0.2394261 1 0.0178709
2 -0.0050794
3 -0.0077663

{Q} = [k]{u} Local Member End Forces {Q}

Q1 107.0009309 kN 11173.22 -11173.22 0.0000000
Q2 -107.0009309 kN -11173.22 11173.22 -0.0095766

{F} = [T]T{Q} Global Member End Forces {F}

F1 -17.0792079 kN -0.1596174 0.0000000 10
F2 102.4752475 kN 0.9577043 0.0000000 11
F3 25.6188119 kN 0.2394261 0.0000000 12 107.0009309
F4 17.0792079 kN 0.0000000 -0.1596174 1 -107.0009309
F5 -102.4752475 kN 0.0000000 0.9577043 2
F6 -25.6188119 kN 0.0000000 0.2394261 3
Reaction Vector

Reactions
-5.5693069 4 kN
-22.2772277 5 kN
9.2821782 6 kN
-52.3514851 7 kN
69.8019802 8 kN
-34.9009901 9 kN
-17.0792079 10 kN
102.4752475 11 kN
25.6188119 12 kN

The reactions are as follows:

Fig. 6.7 Reactions

Activities:
1. Determine the joint displacements, member end forces, and support reactions for the
space truss shown in Fig. 6.8.

Fig. 6.8

2. Determine the joint displacements, member end forces, and support reactions for the
space truss shown in Fig. 6.9.

Fig. 6.9