Investigation of space truss using the integrated force method

ABSTRACT: This thesis investigates the usage of integrated force method in the analysis of statically indeterminate space truss. Computer codes are written to generate the equilibrium equations and then calculate the unknowns as: internal forces, nodal displacements, deformations and support reactions. The first two programs of space truss analysis find the member forces in statically indeterminate cases. These two programs are based on integrated force method (IFM) which recently developed as solution approach. The main step of integrated force method is obtaining of compatibility condition and the difference between these programs is related to the calculation of compatibility condition. In the first program null space of equilibrium equation is used to find the compatibility condition and in the second program singular value decomposition is used. The third program is based on displacement method termed dual integrated force method. In this method the main step is generation of global stiffness method which is assembled by the matrix multiplication of the equilibrium equation, its transpose and the diagonal matrix of the inverse of the flexibilities of members. In this method displacements are primary unknowns and internal forces can be back-calculated. Keywords: equilibrium equation, integrated force method, dual integrated force method. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………