ANALYSIS OF SPACE TRUSSES USING MATRIX STIFFNESS METHOD

A space truss is defined as a three-dimensional assemblage of

straight prismatic members connected at their ends by frictionless ball-
and-socket joints, and subjected to loads and reactions that act only
at the joints. Like plane trusses, the members of space trusses develop
only axial forces.

DEGREE OF FREEDOM
The procedure for assigning numbers to the structure coordinates
of a space truss is analogous to that for plane trusses. The degrees of
freedom of the space truss are numbered first by beginning at the lowest-
numbered joint with a degree of freedom, and proceeding sequentially to
the highest-numbered joint. If a joint has more than one degree of
freedom, then the translation in the X direction is numbered first,
followed by the translation in the Y direction, and then the translation
in the Z direction. After all the degrees of freedom have been numbered,
the restrained coordinates of the space truss are numbered in the same
manner as the degrees of freedom.

Fig. 1

Member Stiffness Relations in the Local Coordinate System

{𝑄} = [𝑘]{𝑢} (1)
𝐴𝐸 1 −1
[𝑘] = [ ] (2)
𝐿 −1 1

MATRIX STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS MARC ERICK VON A. TIOSING, CE, MP

 Fig. 2 Local Coordinate System for Members of Space Truss

Coordinate Transformation
𝐿 = √(𝑋𝑒 − 𝑋𝑏 )2 + (𝑌𝑒 − 𝑌𝑏 )2 + (𝑍𝑒 − 𝑍𝑏 )2 (3)
(𝑋𝑒 − 𝑋𝑏 )
cos 𝜃𝑋 = (4)
𝐿
(𝑌𝑒 − 𝑌𝑏 )
cos 𝜃𝑌 = (5)
𝐿
(𝑍𝑒 − 𝑍𝑏 )
cos 𝜃𝑍 = (6)
𝐿
cos 𝜃𝑋 cos 𝜃𝑌 cos 𝜃𝑍 0 0 0 (7)
[𝑇] = [ ]
0 0 0 cos 𝜃𝑋 cos 𝑌 cos 𝜃𝑍
{𝑄} = [𝑇]{𝐹} (8)
{𝐹} = [𝑇]𝑇 {𝑄} (9)
{𝑢} = [𝑇]{𝑣} (10)

MATRIX STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS MARC ERICK VON A. TIOSING, CE, MP

 Fig. 3

MATRIX STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS MARC ERICK VON A. TIOSING, CE, MP

Member Stiffness Relations in the Global Coordinate System
[𝐾] = [𝑇]𝑇 [𝑘][𝑇] (11)
cos2 𝜃𝑋 cos 𝜃𝑋 cos 𝜃𝑌 cos 𝜃𝑋 cos 𝜃𝑍 − cos 2 𝜃𝑋 − cos 𝜃𝑋 cos 𝜃𝑌 − cos 𝜃𝑋 cos 𝜃𝑍
cos 𝜃𝑋 cos 𝜃𝑌 cos 2 𝜃𝑌 cos 𝜃𝑌 cos 𝜃𝑍 − cos 𝜃𝑋 cos 𝜃𝑌 − cos 2 𝜃𝑌 − cos 𝜃𝑌 cos 𝜃𝑍
𝐴𝐸 cos 𝜃𝑋 cos 𝜃𝑍 cos 𝜃𝑌 cos 𝜃𝑍 cos 2 𝜃𝑍 − cos 𝜃𝑋 cos 𝜃𝑍 − cos 𝜃𝑌 cos 𝜃𝑍 − cos 2 𝜃𝑍
[𝐾] =
𝐿 − cos 2 𝜃𝑋 − cos 𝜃𝑋 cos 𝜃𝑌 − cos 𝜃𝑋 cos 𝜃𝑍 cos 2 𝜃𝑋 cos 𝜃𝑋 cos 𝜃𝑌 cos 𝜃𝑋 cos 𝜃𝑍
(12)
− cos 𝜃𝑋 cos 𝜃𝑌 − cos2 𝜃𝑌 − cos 𝜃𝑌 cos 𝜃𝑍 cos 𝜃𝑋 cos 𝜃𝑌 cos 2 𝜃𝑌 cos 𝜃𝑌 cos 𝜃𝑍
[− cos 𝜃𝑋 cos 𝜃𝑍 − cos 𝜃𝑌 cos 𝜃𝑍 − cos 2 𝜃𝑍 cos 𝜃𝑋 cos 𝜃𝑍 cos 𝜃𝑌 cos 𝜃𝑍 cos2 𝜃𝑍 ]

Structure Stiffness Matrix

One procedure that can automate the construction of the structure
stiffness matrix [𝑆] from the individual stiffness matrices involves
identifying the rows and columns of these individual global stiffnesses
with the global displacements associated with them. The numbers
identifying the rows and columns are those of the 𝑣 displacements
associated with each element. The structure stiffness matrix can be
constructed in the following way:
1. Create a square matrix that is of order equal to the number of
degrees of freedom of the structure.
2. Place the elements of each individual stiffness matrix in the rows
and columns of the new matrix corresponding to the global
displacement coordinates.
3. If there is more than one element to be placed in the same location
in the structure stiffness matrix, the elements are added at that
location.

Fig. 4

MATRIX STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS MARC ERICK VON A. TIOSING, CE, MP

SAMPLE PROBLEMS
1. Determine the joint displacements, member end forces, and support
reactions for the space truss shown in Fig. 5 by the matrix
stiffness method.

Fig. 5 Space Truss

Fig. 6 Analytical Model

MATRIX STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS MARC ERICK VON A. TIOSING, CE, MP

 Member 1: Beginning Joint: Joint 1 (-3, 0, 5), End Joint: Joint 4
(0, 12, 0)
2 2 2
L1 = √(X e1 − X b1 ) + (Ye1 − Yb1 ) + (Ze1 − Zb1 )
L1 = √[0 − (−3)]2 + (12 − 0)2 + (0 − 5)2 = 13.34166 m
0 − (−3)
cos θX = = 0.22486
13.34166
12 − 0
cos θY = = 0.89944
13.34166
0−5
cos θZ = = −0.37477
13.34166

The local stiffness matrix is

[k]1 = [ 10493.44 −10493.44]

−10493.44 10493.44

The transformation matrix is

[T]1 = [0.22486 0.89944 −0.37477 0 0 0
]
0 0 0 0.22486 0.89944 −0.37477

The global stiffness matrix is

530.57 2122.27 −884.28 −530.57 −2122.27 884.28

2122.27 8489.08 −3537.12 −2122.27 −8489.08 3537.12
[K]1 = −884.28 −33537.12 1473.80 884.28 3537.12 −1473.80
−530.57 −2122.27 884.28 530.57 2122.27 −884.28
−2122.27 −8489.08 3537.12 2122.27 8489.08 −3537.12
[ 884.28 3537.12 −1473.80 −884.28 −3537.12 1473.80 ]

Member 2: Beginning Joint: Joint 2 (9, 0, 6), End Joint: Joint 4

(0, 12, 0)
2 2 2
L2 = √(X e 2 − X b 2 ) + (Ye 2 − Yb 2 ) + (Ze 2 − Zb 2 )
L2 = √(0 − 9)2 + (12 − 0)2 + (0 − 6)2 = 16.15549 m
0−9
cos θX = = −0.55709
16.15549
12 − 0
cos θY = = 0.74278
16.15549
0−6
cos θZ = = −0.37139
16.15549

The local stiffness matrix is

[k]2 = [ 8665.78 −8665.78]

−8665.78 8665.78

The transformation matrix is

MATRIX STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS MARC ERICK VON A. TIOSING, CE, MP

 [T]2 = [−0.55709 0.74278 −0.37139 0 0 0
]
0 0 0 −0.55709 0.74278 −0.37139

The global stiffness matrix is

2689.38 −3585.84 1792.92 −2689.38 3585.84 −1792.92

−3585.84 4781.12 −2390.56 3585.84 −4781.12 2390.56
[K]2 = 1792.92 −2390.56 1195.28 −1792.92 2390.56 −1195.28
−2689.38 3585.84 −1792.92 2689.38 −3585.84 1792.92
3585.84 −4781.12 2390.56 −3585.84 4781.12 −2390.56
[−1792.92 2390.56 −1195.28 1792.92 −2390.56 1195.28 ]

Member 3: Beginning Joint: Joint 3 (2, 0, -3), End Joint: Joint 4

(0, 12, 0)
2 2 2
L3 = √(X e 3 − X b 3 ) + (Ye 3 − Yb 3 ) + (Ze 3 − Zb 3 )
L1 = √(0 − 2)2 + (12 − 0)2 + [0 − (−3)2 ] = 12.52996 m
0−2
cos θX = = −0.15962
12.52996
12 − 0
cos θY = = 0.95770
12.52996
0 − (−3)
cos θZ = = 0.23943
12.52996

The local stiffness matrix is

[k]2 = [ 11173.22 −11173.22]

−11173.22 11173.22

The transformation matrix is

[T]3 = [−0.15962 0.95770 0.23943 0 0 0
]
0 0 0 −0.15962 0.95770 0.23943

The global stiffness matrix is

284.67 −1708.01 −427.00 −284.67 1708.01 884.28

−1708.01 10248.05 2562.02 1708.01 −10248.05 2562.01
[K]3 = −427.00 2562.01 640.50 427.00 −2562.01 −640.50
−284.67 1708.01 427.00 284.67 −1708.01 −427.00
1708.01 −10248.05 −2562.01 −1708.01 10248.05 2562.01
[ 427.00 −2562.01 −640.50 −427.00 2562.01 640.50 ]

The joint load vector is

75 kN
{P} = {−150 kN}
0
Assemble the structure stiffness matrix [S] using the code numbers:

MATRIX STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS MARC ERICK VON A. TIOSING, CE, MP

 3504.62 −3171.58 481.64
[S] = [−3171.57 23518.24 −3365.67]
481.64 −3365.67 3309.58

Determine the joint displacement matrix {d}:

75 3504.62 −3171.58 481.64 d1
{−150} = [−3171.57 23518.24 −3365.67] {d2 }
0 481.64 −3365.67 3309.58 d3
d1 3504.62 −3171.58 481.64 −1 75
{d2 } = [−3171.57 23518.24 −3365.67] {−150}
d3 481.64 −3365.67 3309.58 0
d1 0.0178709
{d2 } = {−0.0050794} m
d3 −0.0077663

Member 1
The global member end displacements are
0
0
{v}1 = 0
0.0178709
−0.0050794
{−0.0077663}

The local member end displacements are

{u}1 = [T]1 {v}1
0
0
{u}1 = [0.22486 0.89944 −0.37477 0 0 0
]
0
0 0 0 0.22486 0.89944 −0.37477 0.0178709
−0.0050794
{−0.0077663}
{u}1 = { 0
}m
0.0023603

The local member end forces are

{Q}1 = [k]1 {u}1
{Q}1 = [ 10493.44 −10493.44] { 0
}
−10493.44 10493.44 0.0023603
{Q}1 = {−24.7679407} kN
24.7679407

The global member end forces are

{F}1 = [T]1T {Q}1

MATRIX STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS MARC ERICK VON A. TIOSING, CE, MP

 0.22486 0
0.89944 0
{F}1 = −0.37477 0 −24.768
{ }
0 0.22486 24.768
0 0.89944
[ 0 −0.37477]
−5.569
−22.277
{F}1 = 9.282
kN
5.569
22.277
{ −9.282 }

Member 2
The global member end displacements are
0
0
{v}2 = 0
0.0178709
−0.0050794
{−0.0077663}

The local member end displacements are

{u}2 = [T]2 {v}2
0
0
{u}2 = [−0.55709 0.74278 −0.37139 0 0 0 0
]
0 0 0 −0.55709 0.74278 −0.37139 0.0178709
−0.0050794
{−0.0077663}
{u}2 = { 0
}m
−0.0108442

The local member end forces are

{Q}2 = [k]2 {u}2
{Q}2 = [ 10493.44 −10493.44] { 0
}
−10493.44 10493.44 −0.0108442
{Q}2 = { 93.974 } kN
−93.974

The global member end forces are

{F}2 = [T]T2 {Q}2

MATRIX STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS MARC ERICK VON A. TIOSING, CE, MP

 −0.55709 0
0.74278 0
{F}2 = −0.37139 0 93.974
{ }
0 −0.55709 −93.974
0 0.74278
[ 0 −0.37139]
−52.351
69.802
{F}2 = −34.901
kN
52.351
−69.802
{ 34.901 }

Member 3
The global member end displacements are
0
0
{v}3 = 0
0.0178709
−0.0050794
{−0.0077663}

The local member end displacements are

{u}3 = [T]3 {v}3
0
0
{u}3 = [ −0.15962 0.95770 0.23943 0 0 0 0
]
0 0 0 −0.15962 0.95770 0.23943 0.0178709
−0.0050794
{−0.0077663}
{u}3 = { 0
}m
−0.0095766

The local member end forces are

{Q}3 = [k]3 {u}3
{Q}3 = [ 11173.22 −11173.22] { 0
}
−11173.22 11173.22 −0.0095766
{Q}3 = { 107.001 } kN
−107.001

The global member end forces are

{F}3 = [T]T3 {Q}3

MATRIX STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS MARC ERICK VON A. TIOSING, CE, MP

 −0.15962 0
0.95770 0
{F}3 = 0.23943 0 107.001
{ }
0 −0.15962 −107.001
0 0.95770
[ 0 0.23943 ]
−17.079
102.475
{F}3 = 25.619
kN
17.079
−102.475
{ −25.619 }

The reaction vector is

−5.569
−22.277
9.282
−52.351
{R} = 69.801
−34.901
−17.079
102.475
{ 25.619 }

Check the computation by applying equations of equilibrium:

+↑ ∑FX = 0; −5.569 + (−52.351) + (−17.079) + 75 = 0 (checks)
+↑ ∑FY = 0; −22.277 + 69.801 + 102.475 − 150 = 0 (checks)
+↑ ∑FZ = 0; 9.282 + (−34.901) + 25.619 = 0 (checks)

MATRIX STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS MARC ERICK VON A. TIOSING, CE, MP