The construction of many buildings and structures rely on the use of trusses. Trusses are strong and economical ways to support a structure. The truss should make the most of the efficiency of the structure and be the right type of the structure’s design. So, what are the different types of trusses and where is each type best used?
Warren Truss
This type of truss is easy to identify as it contains equilateral triangles. It is a popular truss and spreads loads evenly. It is more suited to spanned loads and not for loads concentrated on a single point. The Warren truss is a simple design and is ideal for use where a load needs to be spread evenly across its members. The downsides include the fact that due to extra members, it is more time consuming to build plus it is not ideal for concentrated loads.
Pratt Truss
This design has been in use for two centuries. The vertical parts provide compression, whilst the horizontal ones add tension. This makes it easier to construct, reduces its weight and makes it highly efficient. This type of truss is ideally used for long horizontal stretches where the force is predominantly a vertical one. It is a popular truss, however, it is not as effective if the force is not a vertical one. For more information on Oak Trusses, visit a site like https://www.timberpride.co.uk/oak-trusses/
K Truss
Similar to the Pratt truss but with a slightly more complex design, the K truss has shortened vertical members making it more resistant against buckling risks. It is not a particularly widely used truss but does offer excellent strength. One of its disadvantages is that the members might not also behave as expected, in that one area might be under compression while another is under tension. This can result in a structure that isn’t designed optimally.
The most basic design of this type of truss is a repetitive pattern of V shapes. They slope downwards from the middle and the V’s become progressively smaller. Due to the diagonal nature of the structure, it can be highly efficient at transmitting load support. A double fink truss repeats the same pattern twice on the other side.
Gambrel Truss
This truss is a little different and has two exterior slopes. Because the shape protrudes outwards, it is a useful truss for fitting with a hollow centre. This shape is often seen in the roof of a barn, for example. In the case of a barn, it acts like more of a frame than a truss and is usually constructed from timber.
Howe Truss
This is basically the opposite form of a Pratt truss. The geometry is virtually the opposite and an upside Pratt truss looks very similar to a Howe truss. The diagonal parts of the structure are facing the other direction which has quite an impact in terms of structural effect.
