3.1.10.10. Truss Element

This command is used to construct a truss element object. There are two ways to construct a truss element: by specifying an area and a UniaxialMaterial, or by specifying a Section.

element truss $eleTag $iNode $jNode $A $matTag <-rho $rho> <-cMass> <-doRayleigh $rFlag>

Construct a truss element with cross-sectional area and a UniaxialMaterial.

element trussSection $eleTag $iNode $jNode $secTag <-rho $rho> <-cMass> <-doRayleigh $rFlag>

Construct a truss element with a Section identifier.

Note

  1. The truss element does not include geometric nonlinearities, even when used with beam-columns utilizing P-Delta or Corotational transformations.

  2. When constructed with a UniaxialMaterial object, the truss element considers strain-rate effects and is suitable for use as a damping element.

  3. The valid queries to a truss element when creating an ElementRecorder object are ‘axialForce,’ ‘forces,’ ‘localForce,’ ‘deformations,’ ‘material matArg1 matArg2…’ and ‘section sectArg1 sectArg2…’

  4. For backward compatibility, element truss $eleTag $iNode $jNode $secTag (four args after nodes) still creates a TrussSection element.

See also

Notes (OpenSees wiki)

Example

The following example constructs a truss element with tag 1 between nodes 2 and 4, area 5.5, and material tag 9 (from the OpenSees wiki).

  1. Tcl Code

element truss 1 2 4 5.5 9

  1. Python Code

ops.element('Truss', 1, 2, 4, 5.5, 9)

Code developed by: fmk