Steel trusses are structures made of steel that transfer weight to supporting structures. They come in many types, including king post, queen post, pile, Brown’s, Pratt, Howe, and Pengram trusses, as well as space frame trusses, which are commonly used for large-scale roofing systems.
A steel truss is an arrangement of pieces of steel connected to form a structure intended to span or fill a gap of some sort. A steel truss transfers the weight, or pressure applied to it, to the supporting structures on either side of the void. Steel trusses come in many types and are commonly used for large roofs and decks. While any truss can be made of steel to enhance its load-bearing capabilities, and many often are, there are several types of steel truss that are more common than others.
Trusses are the oldest and simplest forms of trellis and come in two basic designs: king post and queen post. The king post trellis is a simple triangular shape with a single vertical post in the center. The queen trellis consists of two horizontal pieces with the lower member longer than the upper. At each end of the top member, there is a vertical post connecting the top and bottom members and a diagonal member connecting the ends of both horizontal members to form a triangle. Pile trusses were originally made of wood to support bridges; however, today they are made of both steel and wood for roofs and decks.
Brown’s trellis is a form of trellis developed in the 1860s. This trellis has two horizontal pieces that are connected with a series of diagonal members that form X’s along the length of the trellis. While not in heavy use, Brown’s trusses are often made of steel and used for heavy spans such as railroad bridges.
Pratt trusses consist of two parallel horizontal members with a number of vertical members creating what appears to be a series of squares. Each square therefore has a diagonal member, dividing it in two, with the lower end facing the center of the trellis. Originally made of wood, this form of steel truss is commonly used for large area roofing and for bridges. A variant of the Pratt truss is the Howe truss, which has the diagonals pointing down toward the ends of the truss rather than the center, and is also used for heavy bridges and large-scale roofing systems. Another variation is the Pengram truss, which is identical to the Howe truss except that its upper horizontal member is curved rather than straight.
Space frame trusses are another common type of steel truss used for large scale roofing systems. Each section consists of a three-dimensional, upward-facing, three-sided pyramid. When several of these structures are joined together, their tips can be brought together to create a series of downward-facing pyramids. These structures can be continued and interconnected as needed in all directions, unlike most pylons which only travel in a single plane.
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