TRuss Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

TRuss - Lab Report Example in simple structures and to experimentally determine the internal forces in simple structures, and to compare those results with values obtained analytically. Trusses used widely in most construction projects. These include in buildings such things as scaffoldings, bridges towers, roofs to name but a few. Trusses can be defined as structural elements that are long and assembled by connecting them at the end. The basic structure of a truss is shown in figure 1 below; The use of trusses in construction process is at times faced with problems of determining the failure modes of the specific structure and determination of appropriate factors of safety. This can be achieved theoretically by calculating the amount of load that is capable of causing failure in the pin connections, theoretically calculating the load to cause yielding on members that are severely stressed and theoretically calculating the critical buckling load. In this laboratory project, the allowable load that can be applied to each of the trusses is determined. Also, the forces in each of the members of the truss are determined. Basically, the ultimate goal of the lab project is measuring Forces in Truss Members Using Strain Gages As stated above, trusses are mainly used for stiffening structures. This implies that the truss is subjected to various forces that may be tension, compressional or both. A truss is made up of members joined together at the edges. Since the trusses are subjected to forces by the structures they support and the truss is made of members, then it implies that each member is subjected to 2 forces i.e. each member is a two force member. In the use of trusses, the weight is not considered since they are assumed to possess negligible weight as compared to the load imposed on them. Trusses exist in various types that include simple trusses, and complex trusses. Trusses are subjected to compression, tensional or both tensional and compression force due to the load imposed on them.