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Support reaction calculations in trusses (4)
Truss calculation in brief: Calculating support reactions is usually the first step in analyzing any truss, as it makes it easier to determine the forces in individual members. Before starting the calculations, the types of supports must be correctly identified: a...
Gerber Beam (with hinges) – calculation example
Gerber beam in brief A Gerber beam is a system of beams connected by hinges, which makes it possible to create statically determinate multi-span structures. The analysis should begin by dividing the structure into component beams at the hinge locations. A key step is...
Beam Calculations – Example
Beam calculations in brief: Beam calculations are based on determining support reactions and internal forces, which makes it possible to verify the safety and strength of the structure. Every analysis should start by checking static determinacy, to ensure that the...
Calculation of Support Reactions in Statically Determinate Beams (3)
Calculation of support reactions in brief: Determining support reactions is the first and most crucial step in analyzing any structure, as it enables further calculations of internal forces. Statically determinate beams are those in which the number of unknown...
Geometric stability of the system (2)
Geometric stability of the system in brief Geometric stability is the ability of a system to maintain its shape under loading, assuming the members behave as rigid bodies. A geometrically unstable system (a mechanism) is not suitable for static analysis because it can...
Degrees of freedom and static equilibrium equation (1)
Degrees of freedom and static equilibrium equation in brief Degrees of freedom (DOF) describe the number of independent motions (translations and rotations) a body can perform in space or in a plane. A rigid plate in a plane has three degrees of freedom: translation...
Calculation of axial forces in trusses – Ritter’s method (4)
Ritter’s method in brief: Ritter’s method, also known as the method of sections, is used to determine axial forces in selected truss members without having to analyze the entire structure. The section cut through the truss must divide it into two independent parts and...
Calculation of axial forces in trusses – the method of joints (3)
Method of joints in trusses in brief: The method of joints consists of isolating individual truss joints and analyzing them as particles in static equilibrium. The analysis should begin at a joint where no more than two members have unknown axial forces. For each...
Internal forces in beams – calculation example
Internal forces in beam in brief The calculation process starts by determining the support reactions using the three equations of static equilibrium. The beam should be divided into characteristic spans, whose boundaries are defined by the locations of point loads,...
Internal forces in beams – principles and calculations (2)
In brief Internal forces are the material’s response to external loads, ensuring the structure remains continuous and in equilibrium. In beams and frames, three basic internal actions are distinguished: the axial force (N), the shear force (V), and the bending moment...
Internal force analysis – Introduction (1)
Internal force analysis in brief Internal-force analysis can be carried out from the left or from the right side of the beam, and the results at a given point must be identical regardless of the chosen direction. Axial forces are taken as positive when their direction...
Displacement Calculations – Various Load Cases (3)
In brief Deflection analysis is a key stage of design, used to verify whether a structure satisfies stiffness/serviceability requirements (serviceability limit state). The magnitude of deflections depends on three main factors: the static scheme and loading, the...
Displacement Calculations – Energy Methods (2)
Energy methods in brief: Energy methods use the principle of energy conservation: the work of external forces is stored in the structure as elastic strain energy. Castigliano’s theorem makes it possible to find the displacement at the point of application of a force...
Displacement Calculations – Introduction to Analysis (1)
Displacement calculations in brief: Deflection calculations are essential for verifying the Serviceability Limit State (SLS), which specifies the allowable deflections of a structure. Deflections are mainly influenced by three factors: the type and magnitude of...
The moments of inertia of flat figures – Steiner theorem (example)
Steiner theorem in brief: The second moment of area is a cross-sectional property of a plane figure with respect to a given axis, describing its resistance to bending. Steiner’s theorem (the parallel-axis theorem) makes it possible to calculate the second moment of...
Moments of inertia for plane figures – example calculation
Second moments of area of plane figures in brief: Calculating the second moment of area of an I-section requires dividing the cross-section into three rectangles: two flanges (top and bottom) and one web. The first step is to determine the centroid of the entire...
Cross-Section Analysis – Mohr’s Circle (3)
Mohr's circle in brief Mohr’s circle is a graphical method for representing the transformation of second moments of area and the product of inertia when the coordinate system is rotated. It allows quick determination of the principal centroidal second moments of area...
Cross-Section Analysis – Moments of Inertia (2)
Moments of inertia in brief The second moment of area is a geometric property of a cross-section that describes its stiffness and resistance to bending about a given axis. The value of the second moment of area depends not only on the area itself, but primarily on how...
Introduction to Cross Section Analysis (1)
In brief Cross-section analysis is an essential stage of design, as it determines the geometric properties that affect the strength of the entire member. The first step in analyzing composite shapes is to divide them into simpler geometric figures such as rectangles,...
Discover EquiFrame – new online frame analysis software
In this post, we would like to share some exciting news! After beams and trusses, it’s time for the next step – something that naturally complements our EquiStruct application and allows us to move to a higher level in structural analysis. This is how EquiFrame was...
New Application: EquiTruss – A calculator for analytical truss calculations
In today's post, we are excited to share our latest educational tool – the EquiTruss application – designed to help students learn truss calculations! Just like EquiBeam, EquiTruss enables fully analytical calculations for all types of truss structures (not just the...
EquiBeam is much more than just a beam calculator
I can actually start my first MechaDevs News post by saying – WE DID IT! Yes, three years after a conversation (on a small balcony) between a computational mechanic and a programmer about an interesting idea for an app, after many late nights spent on coding and...
Good beam calculator: 5 most important features of the calculation learning app
Hello! Today we’ll talk about applications that support learning mechanical calculations, specifically which features are absolutely essential for a beam calculation app to be not just useful but invaluable. Trere are at least five key features that every such...