Experimental and Analytical Investigation of Double Chord HSS Trusses

Abstract

<p>A research program into the investigation of the behaviour of double chord HSS Warren trusses is presented. The experimental results of eleven tests on five different types are reported; these include two Back-to-Back trusses, two Standard trusses and a Bolted type. One of the Back-to-Back trusses employed stiffening plates to reinforce gapped connections while the other had web members fully overlapped. The two Standard trusses had different eccentricities depending on whether the ends of the web members were square cut or angle cut. Gusset plates and tie plates were used to stiffen the connections for the Bolted truss. Retreats after reparations were undertaken in the event of a localized joint or member failure so that maximum information could be obtained from the program.</p> <p>An analytical model has been developed and incorporated into an existing plane frame program for analysis of the double chord HSS trusses. Three types of yield mechanisms that are accounted for are plastic hinge formation at the end of a member, member failure due to plastic limit load and yielding of the spring for modelling a connection.</p> <p>The experimental and analytical results are then compared thus confirming the validity of the analytical model. Finally, conclusions and recommendations are outlined for the analysis, design and feasibility of double chord Warren trusses with hollow structural sections.</p>