BH Class Blog

1. How are trusses able to span large distances?
-- Trusses are able to span large distances because of their shape. Generally trusses are constructed of some sort of triangle, the strongest of all geometric shapes. Triangles distribute the weight more effectively than other shapes.

2. What do I have to understand in order to use mathematics to predict truss strength?
-- For this class, a general knowledge of MD Solids is always helpful. In real life, a good knowledge of trigonometry would be helpful. This includes Pythagorean theorem and sine cosine and tangent.

3. How are different roof styles and pitches related to different architectural styles?
-- Different architectural styles have different roof pitches. For instance, the cubic style has very low pitched roofs whereas Victorian houses had very high pitched roofs. Different pitches give the house different aesthetic appeal.

4. What is the effect of different materials on the strength of a rafter or a truss?
-- Tensile strength, or the amount of bending a material can withstand before breaking, has a major effect on how strong a truss is. The higher the tensile strength of the material that makes up the truss, the more weight it will be able to hold.