Bea Marie A.

Francisco
BS ARCHITECTURE 4-1

DETERMINATE & INDETERMINATE STRUCTURES

Structure is generally classified into two categories as Determinate and Indeterminate

Structures or Redundant Structures for analysis of structures to find forces based on criteria
discussed below.

Structure is an assemblage of a number of components like slabs, beams, columns, walls,

foundations and so on, which remains in equilibrium. It has to satisfy the fundamental
criteria of strength, stiffness, economy, durability and compatibility, for its existence.

Any structure is designed for the stress resultants of bending moment, shear force,
deflection, torsional stresses, and axial stresses. If these moments, shears and stresses
are evaluated at various critical sections, then based on these, the proportioning can be
done.

Evaluation of these stresses, moments and forces and plotting them for that structural
component is known as analysis. Determination of dimensions for these components of
these stresses and proportioning is known as design.

Determinate structures are analysed just by the use of basic equilibrium equations. By
this analysis, the unknown reactions are found for the further determination of stresses.

Redundant or indeterminate structures are not capable of being analysed by mere use
of basic equilibrium equations. Along with the basic equilibrium equations, some extra
conditions are required to be used like compatibility conditions of deformations etc to get
the unknown reactions for drawing bending moment and shear force diagrams.

Example of determinate structures are: simply supported beams, cantilever beams,

single and double overhanging beams, three hinged arches, etc.

Examples of indeterminate structures are: fixed beams, continuous beams, fixed arches,
two hinged arches, portals, multistoried frames, etc.

Special methods like strain energy method, slope deflection method, moment distribution
method, column analogy method, virtual work method, matrix methods, etc are used for the
analysis of redundant structures.
Indeterminate Structures

A structure is termed as statically indeterminate, if it can not be analysed from principles of

statics alone, i.e. . A statically indeterminate structure may
be classified as:

Externally indeterminate, (example: continuous beams and frames shown in figure-1(a) and
(b)).

Internally indeterminate, (example: trusses shown in figure-1(c) and (d)).

Both externally and internally indeterminate, (example: trussed beams, continuous trusses
shown in figure-1 (e) and (f)).

Externally Indeterminate Structures

A structure is usually externally indeterminate

or redundant if the reactions at the supports
can not be determined by using three
equations of equilibrium,
i.e. . In the
case of beams subjected to vertical loads only,
two reactions can be determined by conditions
of equilibrium.

Therefore, simply supported cantilever and

overhanging beams shown in figure 2 are
statically determinate structures.

If however a beam rests on more than two

supports or in addition any of the end support
is fixed, there are more than two reactions to
be determined. These reactions can not be
determined by conditions of equilibrium alone.
The degree of indeterminacy or redundancy is
given by the number of extra or redundant
reactions to be determined.

The beam shown in figure 3 (a) is statically indeterminate to one degree because there are
three unknown reactions and statics has only two reactions. The beam in figure 3(b) is
statically redundant to two degree. The beam in figure 3(c) is redundant to three degree
and the beam in figure 3(d) is redundant to four degrees.
A portal frame is statically determinate if there are only three external reactions, because
there are three conditions of equilibrium for such a system. The portal frame shown in figure
4 are statically determinate because there are only three reactions to be determined.

If a portal frame has more than three reactions it is statically indeterminate, the degree of
indeterminacy or redundancy being equal to the number of redundant or extra reactions to
be determined.

Therefore, the portal frames of figure 5(a) and (b) are redundant by one degree, that of
figure 5(c) is redundant by two degrees, that of figure 5(d) is redundant by three degrees,
and that of figure 5(e) is redundant by 5 degrees.

Internally Indeterminate Structures

A truss is statically determinate internally if the total number of members

m=2j – 3

where j= number of joints.

A truss having more than (2j – 3) members is statically indeterminate or redundant, the
degree of indeterminacy or redundancy being equal to the number of extra members.

Thus the truss shown in figure 6(a) is statically redundant by one degree because there are
14 members and 8 joints.

Number of redundant members = m= 2j – 3

= 14 – (16 – 3) = 1

Similarly, the truss shown in figure 6(b) is internally redundant by two degrees.

The internally indeterminate trusses can be analysed by strain energy method.

Externally and Internally Indeterminate Structures

A truss is statically determinate, both externally and internally when

(a) All the reactions can be determined from the conditions of equilibrium,
namely , and

(b) The total number of members, m= 2j – 3, where j= number of joints.

The truss shown in figure 7 is externally indeterminate to one degree because the numbers
of reactions to be determined are three, and the conditions of equilibrium reduces to two,
namely . This truss is also internally indeterminate to one degree
because there is one extra member.

Number of redundant member = m – (2j – 3)= 22 – (2 x 12 – 3)= 1

Such trusses can be analysed by using strain energy method.

ADVANTAGE & DISADVANTAGE OF DETERMINATE AND INDETERMINATE
STRUCTURE

A statically determinate system is neither better nor worse than a statically

indeterminate system. It may be stronger or weaker depending on the details of the
two systems. Though look at the advantages it ma can provide:

When we provide more support and/or member to structure than required for static stability,
it makes structure indeterminate. By providing this excess member it ensures stability and
also increase stiffness of the member or structure. Such as in case of truss we provide
additional diagonal members to ensure stability. So, the advantages of Indeterminate
structure over determinate:

Stresses in indeterminate are generally lower than determinate structure.

Deflection in case of indeterminate structure is less than those compared to determinate

due to greater stiffness.

Statically indeterminate structure have capacity to redistribute the loads. If a part (or
member or support) of such a structure fails, the entire structure will not necessarily
collapse, and the loads will be redistributed to the adjacent portions of the structure.

In a statically indeterminate structure, differential displacement of the supports, changes in

member lengths caused by temperature or fabrication errors will introduce stresses in the
structure.
ANALYSIS OF INDETERMINATE STRUCTURE

Methods of Analysis

i. Equilibrium of forces and moments

ii. Compatibility of deformation among members and at supports
iii. Material behavior relating stresses with strains
iv. Strain-displacement relations

Boundary Conditions Structural Analysis requires that the equations governing the following
physical relationships be satisfied: Primarily two types of methods of analysis: (Ref: Chapter
10) Displacement (Stiffness) Method Express local (member) force-displacement
relationships in terms of unknown member displacements. Using equilibrium of assembled
members, find unknown displacements.

Unknowns are usually displacements Coefficients of the unknowns are "Stiffness"

coefficients.

Statically indeterminate structures occur more frequently in practice than those that are
statically determinate and are generally more economical in that they are stiffer and
stronger. For example, a fixed beam carrying a concentrated load at mid-span has a central
displacement that is one-quarter of that of a simply supported beam of the same span and
carrying the same load, while the maximum bending moment is reduced by half. It follows
that a smaller beam section would be required in the fixed beam case, resulting in savings
in material. There are, however, disadvantages in the use of this type of beam for the
settling of a support in a fixed beam causes bending moments that are additional to those
produced by the loads, a serious problem in areas prone to subsidence. Another
disadvantage of statically indeterminate structures is that their analysis requires the
calculation of displacements so that their cross-sectional dimensions are required at the
outset. The design of such structures therefore becomes a matter of trial and error,
whereas the forces in the members of a statically determinate structure are independent of
member size. On the other hand, failure of, say, a member in a statically indeterminate
frame would not necessarily be catastrophic since alternative load paths would be
available, at least temporarily. However, the failure of a member in, say, a statically
determinate truss would lead, almost certainly, to a rapid collapse.
INTRODUCTION OF THREE-MOMENT DIAGRAM

The three-moment equation gives us the relation between the moments between any three
points in a beam and their relative vertical distances or deviations. This method is widely
used in finding the reactions in a continuous beam.

Consider three points on the beam loaded as shown.

From proportions between similar triangles:

h1−t1/2L1=t3/2−h3L2
Moment distribution method offers a convenient way to analyse statically indeterminate
beams and rigid frames.In the moment distribution method, every joint of the structure to be
analysed is fixed so as to develop the fixed-end moments.

Then, each fixed joint is sequentially released and the fixed-end moments (which by the
time of release are not in equilibrium) are distributed to adjacent members until equilibrium
is achieved.

Moreover, the moment distribution method in mathematical terms can be demonstrated as

the process of solving a set of simultaneous equations by means of iteration. Added to that,
it falls into the category of displacement method of structural analysis.
Finally, moments distribution method of structural analysis is thoroughly presented in the
following sections in addition to provide solved example.

Basic definitions of terms in moment distribution method of structural analysis

Fixed end moments

Fixed end moments are the moments produced at member ends by when the joints are

fixed. Table 1 provides equations for fixed end moment computations.

Flexural stiffness

The flexural stiffness (EI/L) of a member is represented as the product of the modulus of
elasticity (E) and the second moment of area (I) divided by the length (L) of the member.
Additionally, what is needed in the moment distribution method is not the exact value but
the ratio of flexural stiffness of all members.

Distribution factors

Distribution factors can be defined as the proportions of the unbalanced moments carried
by each of the members.

Carryover factors

Unbalanced moments are carried over to the other end of the member when the joint is
released. Added to that, the ratio of the carried-over moment at the other end to the fixed-
end moment of the initial end is the carryover factor.

Lastly, For prismatic members, the carryover moment in each span has the same sign as
the distribution end moment, but is one-half as large.

Sign convention

Any moment acting clockwise is considered to be positive. This differs from the usual
engineer’s sign convention, which employs a Cartesian coordinate system with positive x-
axis to the right and positive y-axis up, resulting in positive moment about the z-axis being
counterclockwise.