ABSTRACT
Graphical methods can be an interesting and quick alternative, however, and can help provide a better intuitive understanding of how the forces work together. The method of solution is to determine graphically the point of concurrency of two forces, which in turn fixes the direction of the third force. While analysis by manual calculation and by manual graphical methods has been superseded by computer-based methods for routine analysis and design, they are still commonly used during scheme stage and at ‘decision points’ like. Graphical methods provide visible evidence of the interplay of forces and so reinforce understanding of behaviour. Analytical, or mathematical, methods are usually used to calculate the forces needed to hold structures in equilibrium, often with a computer.
