A truss bridge is a bridge composed of connected elements (typically straight) which may be stressed from tension, compression, or sometimes both in response to dynamic loads. Truss bridges are one of the oldest types of modern bridges. The basic types of truss bridges shown in this article have simple designs which could be easily analyzed by nineteenth and early twentieth century engineers. A truss bridge is economical to construct owing to its...
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A truss bridge is a bridge composed of connected elements (typically straight) which may be stressed from tension, compression, or sometimes both in response to dynamic loads. Truss bridges are one of the oldest types of modern bridges. The basic types of truss bridges shown in this article have simple designs which could be easily analyzed by nineteenth and early twentieth century engineers. A truss bridge is economical to construct owing to its efficient use of materials.
The nature of a truss allows for the analysis of the structure using a few assumptions and the application of Newton's laws of motion according to branch of physics known as statics. For purposes of analysis, truss are assumed to be pin jointed where the straight components meet. This assumption means that members of the truss (chords, verticals and diagonals) will only act in tension or compression. A more complex analysis is required where rigid joints impose significant bending loads upon the elements, as in a...
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