Truss structures use triangular or pyramidal shapes to provide stability and strength, making them common in engineering and architecture. Bridges, towers, houses, and platforms often use trusses. Trusses are used in roofing and flooring in homes, and in large platforms to reduce the need for vertical supports. The International Space Station is an example of an integrated truss structure.
Any structure that uses trusses in its design can be called a truss structure. Trusses are triangular or pyramidal shapes that are used in the structure of buildings to make them more stable than structural components with 90 degree angles could. Bridges, platforms, towers and houses are common types of lattice structures.
Structures often make use of trusses due to the additional support and strength they provide. Triangular shapes are particularly stable because the lengths of the sides of the legs and the measure of the angles must be correlated, making it difficult for triangles to lose shape. Trusses are able to withstand the force of a large weight compared to rectangular structures made of the same materials because a downward force applied to the corner of a triangle can easily be spread throughout the shape. These characteristics of the triangles make truss structure common in engineering and architecture.
A bridge is a common type of truss structure. Many bridges use a series of simple trusses as part of their design, either along the sides, bottom or on towers to support the bridge at strategic intervals. Free-standing trellises are also common. In this type of truss structure, a series of two- or three-dimensional trusses are used to give the tower greater stability and make it less prone to bending as it reaches greater heights. Electrical towers, bridge supports, or scaffolding can all be built as pylons.
In homes, trusses are commonly used in the construction of the roof and floor. In roofing, the truss may be used to frame the roof, while in flooring, a truss may be used to create a platform. Many large open platforms can also be built with the use of trusses. Two- or three-dimensional trusses can be used to keep the structure stable as it moves toward the center, away from the support posts that hold it up. While large platforms may still need additional supports, using a trellis frame allows them to be made larger with fewer vertical supports.
A specialized type of truss structure is known as an integrated truss structure. This truss system is made up of many pieces that have been assembled to form the International Space Station (ISS). On the space station, there are specialized masts that hold solar panels, power systems and cargo bays.
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