Forces in a Howe truss

As light-weight structures offering a high degree of rigidity, trusses are employed in the construction of halls, bridges, cranes, pylons and masts. Trusses are bar structures in which the bars are subjected to compression or tension loading, but not to bending.

• investigation of bar forces in a single plane, statically determinate truss
• ready assembled Howe truss
• frame for horizontal experimental setup
• influence of dead weight minimized by horizontal experimental setup
• any straight and inclined load cases possible
• fine adjustment of load force
• low-friction knife-edge bearing
• 2 supports for vertical forces, 1 support for horizontal forces
• pre-balanced strain gauge connection box with connection to measuring amplifier
• measuring amplifier required
• software to evaluate measured values graphically