Truss

** Force and Shape by Sikotu Lake in Hokkaidou Chitose City suburbs. || The main joining part becomes a pin. || Courtesy of NASDA || || ** Let's attempt to make a stick into two by breaking it at the middle without using any implements. Many people will break it like in the following photograph. Theoretically it is possible to break the stick by pulling or crushing. But no one will do so. Many people know that breaking a toothpick into two by bending is easier.|| || (Place your mouse over the picture to see the result of bending.) || If only the force of tension or compression is added on sticks without creating the force of bending, a light and strong structure can be made. The force only of tension or compression is added to the sticks when joining sticks with a pin and making them into triangles. When the force (10N) is added downward to the following figure’s top, compressive force(-6.01N) works at the diagonal parts, and tensional force(3.33N) works at the bottom part.
 * ** Toothpick Bridge Contest
 * Truss** ||
 * **We can see that the structure which combined triangles is used for iron bridges and towers. Wind goes through the structure easily. A triangle is a wonderful shape which captures the force into the best use of the material.**|| [[image:http://homepage2.nifty.com/SUBAL/truss/Ymasenn7.jpg width="320" height="240"]] || [[image:http://homepage2.nifty.com/SUBAL/truss/pin.jpg width="320" height="240"]] ||
 * The Yamasen iron bridge (Double Warren truss)
 * [[image:http://homepage2.nifty.com/SUBAL/truss/ss_003.jpg width="318" height="254"]] || [[image:http://homepage2.nifty.com/SUBAL/truss/ss_010.jpg width="308" height="247"]] ||
 * Truss is used for space station
 * ** The Wonder of Triangle
 * By bending the stick easily breaks.


 * [[image:http://homepage2.nifty.com/SUBAL/tri.jpg width="288" height="225" align="center" link="http://kitten.ace.nitech.ac.jp/soft_e.html"]] ||
 * Please place your mouse pointer on the figure. ||


 * Analysis of Truss **

On the truss structure, there is a transformation like a beam as a whole, but each part can be divided into the compressed part and the tensional part. The figures below are some typical truss structures. When placing your mouse pointer on the figure, the axis power of each part when 10 N of force is loaded on the center to each truss structure appears. As for the figure, the plus shows tension and the minus shows compression. Also, as for the color, the red shows compression and the blue shows tension.


 * [[image:http://homepage2.nifty.com/SUBAL/trussW.jpg width="488" height="188" align="center" link="http://kitten.ace.nitech.ac.jp/soft_e.html"]] ||
 * Warren truss ||
 * [[image:http://homepage2.nifty.com/SUBAL/trussP.gif width="488" height="188" align="center" link="http://kitten.ace.nitech.ac.jp/soft_e.html"]] ||
 * Pratt truss ||
 * [[image:http://homepage2.nifty.com/SUBAL/trussH.gif width="488" height="188" align="center" link="http://kitten.ace.nitech.ac.jp/soft_e.html"]] ||
 * Howe truss ||
 * [[image:http://homepage2.nifty.com/SUBAL/trussK.gif width="488" height="227" align="center" link="http://kitten.ace.nitech.ac.jp/soft_e.html"]] ||
 * King post truss ||

This analysis used a software program (" Analysis Truss") that is made public on the Website of Ichinose laboratory at the Nagoya Institute of Technology. The basis of structural dynamics, which contain trusses, is explained in an easy to understand way on this Website. I recommend referring to this Website to the person who wants to study structural dynamics more..

Website at Ichinose laboratory Structual Mechanics Programs

Wright brothers learnd the truss structure to design thier airplane. Force and Shape Arch ||