ABSTRACT
Trusses are commonly used in residential homes, warehouses, office buildings, hotels, apartment buildings, and industrial structures. They have aesthetic value that can be incorporated into the finished look of the structure. A key concept in understanding trusses is the triangle–the most stable geometric shape. Imagine a fractionless pin at each end of a triangle connected by solid, rigid bars. The analysis of a truss is handled in two separate phases, used to determine external and internal forces. The two phases are global analysis and internal analysis. The internal analysis looks at how the external forces flow though the truss and determines the stresses in each member. The beauty of trusses is that the majority of members only have axial loads. Each member will either be in tension or compression. Where trusses are intended to be seen inside the structure, it is common practice for architects to use heavy timbers and express the connection.
