Truss Software help

You could probably set up a spreadsheet and run the calculations that way, since it is essentially the same equation repeated several times.

I think most of the software you'll see looks pretty complicated to a beginner. We use Visual Analysis in our structural courses and there's a free trial available here:

snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com said the following on 11/23/2005 7:55 AM:

Can't help with the software. You can get an estimate of the reactions but estimating the truss's moment of inertia and using beam formulas. With the reactions you should be able to use statics to determine the in each axial member.

You may have been intended to do the calculation by hand. Indications this is the case are well defined point loads and a repetitive triangulated pin truss. Similarity to one or two cases covered in class, or on a recent reading list.

First rule: Don't panic! Try sending a few more details if it still goes blurry....

Brian Whatcott

I thought about that possibility, but giving students a problem with statically indeterminate boundary conditions seems unlikely. But maybe so??

btw

Thanks guys