Overview

John M. Kulicki, Ph.D., P.E.

President, CEO, and Chief Engineer
Modjeski and Masters, Inc.
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Joseph E. Prickett, P.E.

Former Senior Associate
Modjeski and Masters, Inc.
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

David H. LeRoy, P.E.

Former Vice President
Modjeski and Masters, Inc.
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

A truss is a structure that acts like a beam but with major components, or members, subjected primarily to axial stresses. The members are arranged in triangular patterns. Ideally, the end of each member at a joint is free to rotate independently of the other members at the joint. If this does not occur, secondary stresses are induced in the members. Also if loads occur other than at panel points, or joints, bending stresses are produced in the members.

Though trusses were used by the ancient Romans, the modern truss concept seems to have been originated by Andrea Palladio, a sixteenth-century Italian architect. From his time to the present, truss bridges have taken many forms.

Early trusses might be considered variations of an arch. They applied horizontal thrusts at the abutments, as well as vertical reactions. In 1820, Ithiel Town patented a truss that can be considered the forerunner of the modern truss. Under vertical loading, the Town truss exerted only vertical forces at the abutments. But unlike modern trusses, the diagonals, or web systems, were of wood-lattice construction and chords were composed of two or more timber planks.

In 1830, Colonel Long of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers patented a wood truss with a simpler...