Structural Engineering & Statics
where the load goes
Ladder

Network arch — the ladder

One essay so far against this idea. A ladder is the distinct arguments that stand against one idea, and this one has room to grow.
  1. Cross the hangers and the chords stop bending. The same tied arch, the same twelve hangers, the same load on half the span — hung vertically and hung as a network. Vertical hangers make the two chords a Vierendeel frame, which has no truss action at all, so a partial load is carried by bending: 14827 kNm in the tie and 24213 in the arch. Inclined hangers can carry the shear between the chords axially, and the same load gives 5852 and 7484 — factors of 2.5 and 3.2. The thrust is identical in both, because that is decided by the span and the rise and nothing else.

    Cross the hangers and the bending goes

    A tied arch with vertical hangers is a Vierendeel frame with a curved top chord — it has no truss action at all, so a load on half the span is carried by bending. Incline the hangers so they cross and the same two chords become a truss.

    rung 1 · structures

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