07-Str-A1: December 2017

Paper format. National Examinations, December 2017, 07-Str-A1 Elementary Structural Analysis; three hours, closed book, approved Sharp or Casio calculator only. Six questions constitute a complete paper: Questions 1–5 are compulsory (6 + 18 + 18 + 18 + 18 = 78 marks) and the candidate answers one only of Questions 6, 7 or 8 (22 marks). All eight questions are worked below.

Sign conventions used throughout. Sagging bending moment is positive and is plotted above the axis; shear at a section is the sum of the upward forces on the portion to the left of it. Truss member forces are quoted as T for tension and C for compression. In the slope-deflection and moment-distribution work the member-end moments follow the usual convention — clockwise on the member end taken as positive — so the sagging moment is $+M_{ij}$ at the left end of a member and $-M_{ji}$ at its right end. Coordinates, where used, are measured from the left-hand support of the structure with $x$ to the right and $y$ upward.

Reference texts.

• R. C. Hibbeler, Structural Analysis, 10th ed. — Ch. 2 (determinacy and stability), Ch. 3–5 (trusses, internal loadings, frames), Ch. 6 (influence lines), Ch. 8–9 (deflections; virtual work), Ch. 11–12 (slope deflection; moment distribution).
• A. Kassimali, Structural Analysis, 6th ed. — Ch. 3 (equilibrium and determinacy), Ch. 4 (plane trusses), Ch. 5–6 (beams and frames), Ch. 7 (virtual work), Ch. 8–9 (influence lines), Ch. 16–17 (slope deflection; moment distribution).
• K. Leet, C.-M. Uang and A. Gilbert, Fundamentals of Structural Analysis, 5th ed. — a parallel treatment of the same syllabus.
• C. H. Norris, J. B. Wilbur and S. Utku, Elementary Structural Analysis, 4th ed. — the classical text this exam code is named after.