TRUSS DESIGN

ARJUN RADHAKRISHNAN

Concept Evolution
Truss requires stiffness as well as load bearing capacity
Browns truss
Redundancy
Rigidity for load reversal

ARJUN RADHAKRISHNAN

Truss Member Design

Equations of equilibrium
Reactions

Member
loads

Design

Method of joints - member loads

Principle of virtual load deflections
Maximum compressive and tensile load

Buckling
Strength
Deflection
Lateral stability

ARJUN RADHAKRISHNAN

Truss Member Design

Pmax = 5 kN Diagonal members

DESIGN

Pmax = 44 kN Other members

Optimize for Moment of inertia

and cross-sectional area

Stress
Criteria

Tsai- Wu criterion

Buckling
Load

Compressive Load and

EI

Deflection

Truss stiffness and crosssectional area

Lateral
stability

Lateral stiffness

ARJUN RADHAKRISHNAN

Optimized Cross-section
0.096 m

t= 0.002 m

0.024 m

Design material for required stiffness

ARJUN RADHAKRISHNAN

Material Design
Fibre : Carbon
Matrix : Epoxy
Layup: [27/-27]8s
Exx = 49.5 GPa
Eyy = 8.6 GPa

ARJUN RADHAKRISHNAN

Lateral Stability
Assumptions
1.
Average wind loading 4N
2.
Top section is a single beam
3.
Vertical truss members act as cantilever beams

=PL3/48 EI
= P *1.8e-3
14 m

1m

=PL3/3 EI
= P * 3.58 e -5

ARJUN RADHAKRISHNAN

Lateral Stability
To deflect one vertical member by 3.5 cm , 1 kN is required
Top section is hence covered with stiffeners
It can take lateral load of more than 35 kN

ARJUN RADHAKRISHNAN

Critical Design Parameters

Critical buckling load

Deflection
Strength

Pcr

4.12 e 05

4.4 e 04

7.69 e 03

5.6 e 03

uj = 0.0396 m
Tsai Wu factor = 0.249

Total weight of Truss = 90 kg

Thermal strain < 0.00001 %

ARJUN RADHAKRISHNAN

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Connector Design

Basic Analysis is done based on

the assumption shear would be the
major failure mode
xy (maximum) = 59 MPa

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Material Design
Fibre : Carbon
Matrix : Epoxy
Layup: Short fibre

composite

xx = 207 MPa
yy = 207 MPa
xy = 90 MPa

Conservative Design
Fibre : Carbon
Matrix : Epoxy
Layup: Multidirectional
laminate

Could increase shear strength by use

of highly complicated layup
procedure !!

ARJUN RADHAKRISHNAN

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DESIGN

Mechanical Joint Design

w

Bearing
Stress

P/dt

Tensile
stress

P/(w-d)t

Shear
stress

P/2et
e

Obtain diameter of bolt and

distance from free edge

ARJUN RADHAKRISHNAN

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Mechanical Joint Design

d = 0.012 , e = 0.014

Bolt
Inserts (No
threads)

ADD LAP PICTURE

Steel Sleeve (threaded or
clinched with nuts)
Composite

Typical Inserts

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Adhesive Joint Design

Shear stress = 6.6 MPa

= P/(2 r l)

Allowable shear stress of adhesive not exceeded

Allowable tensile (peel) stress not exceeded
Allowable in-plane shear stress of adherent not
exceeded

Allowable through-thickness tensile stress of

adherent not exceeded

ARJUN RADHAKRISHNAN

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Manufacturing of Truss
Part

Method

Comments

Circular Tubes

Filament winding

Insert is to be fixed after

manufacturing

Square Tubes

Filament winding

Insert is to be fixed
after manufacturing
Tough to manufacture

Connectors

Injection molding

Complex mold design

ARJUN RADHAKRISHNAN