CHAPTER THREE

DETERMINACY & STABILITY OF

STRUCTURES
3.1 Introduction.
3.2 Determinacy of structures
3.3 Stability of structures
 3.1 INTRODUCTION

It may be recalled from statics that a structure or one of its

members is in equilibrium when it maintains a balance of force
and moment.

Before going into the analysis of any structure, it is necessary to

identify its statical type (classification), i.e., whether it is
determinate or indeterminate, stable or unstable. An unstable
arrangement of supports and structural members should be
avoided.

Establishment of the loads that act on a structure is one of the

most difficult and yet important steps in the design process.
 Cont.…
In general this requires that the force and moment equations of equilibrium be
satisfied along three independent axes, namely,
ƩFx=0 ƩFy=0 ƩFz=0

ƩMx=0 ƩMy=0 ƩMz=0

The principal load-carrying portions of most structures, however, lie in single

plane, and since the loads are also coplanar, the above requirements for
equilibrium reduce to

ƩFx=0 ƩFy=0 ƩMO=0

The algebraic sums of the x and y components of all the forces acting on the
structure or one of its members, and represents the algebraic sum of the
moments of these force components about an axis perpendicular to the x–y
plane (the z axis) and passing through point O.
 Determinacy and Stability
Before starting the force analysis of a structure, it is necessary to establish
the determinacy and stability of the structure.
3.2 Determinacy of structure:
When all forces in a structure can be determined strictly from equilibrium
equations, the structure is referred to as statically determinate. Structures
having more unknown forces than available equilibrium equations are called
statically indeterminate.

A statically indeterminate structure is one that cannot be analyzed by the

equations of static equilibrium alone. Indeterminacy is introduced in
structures on account of functional requirements, limitations on types of
framing, need for stiffness and often by the nature of inherent continuity
introduced by the type of material used like reinforced concrete.
■ A structure is statically indeterminate when it possesses
more members or is supported by more reactive restraints
than are strictly necessary for stability (and equilibrium).

■ The excess members or restraints are called redundant. The

degree of indeterminacy is the number of unknowns in
excess of the available equilibrium equations. In the analysis
of indeterminate structures, therefore, ways of establishing
additional equations must be sought.

■ These additional equations may be derived from

compatibility of deformation or from conditions of
symmetry.
■ Indeterminate structures have some advantages and
disadvantages over determinate ones. One obvious
disadvantage is the computational difficulty involved when
establishing the required additional equations. Another
disadvantage is that indeterminate structures will be stressed
due to differential settlement of supports, temperature
changes and errors in fabrication of members.

■ On the other hand, however, indeterminate structures are

stiffer and in the case of over loads indeterminate structures
can provide an advantage of redistribution of loads within
the structure.
■ The indeterminacy of a structure can be external (with
respect to reactions) or internal (with respect to
member forces). The question of identifying external or
internal indeterminacy is largely of academic interest.
What is of primary importance is the total degree of
indeterminacy, Nevertheless, determining external and
internal indeterminacy is desirable as a method to
evaluate the total degree of indeterminacy.

■ A structure is internally indeterminate when it is not

possible to determine all internal forces by using the
equations of static equilibrium.
Criteria for Stability and Determinacy of Structures-
Beams and Frames, Trusses

a structure can be identified as being either statically

determinate or statically indeterminate by drawing
free-body diagrams of all its members, or selective
parts of its members, and then comparing the total
number of unknown reactive force and moment
components with the total number of available
equilibrium equations.
For a coplanar structure there are at most three equilibrium

equations for each part, so that if there is a total of n parts and r

force and moment reaction components, we have

r = 3n, statically determinate

r > 3n, statically indeterminate

Beams

A beam is a structural element that is capable of withstanding

load primarily by resisting bending. The bending force
induced into the material of the beam as a result of the
external loads, own weight and external reactions to these
loads is called a bending moment. Beams generally carry
vertical gravitational forces but can also be used to carry
horizontal loads (i.e., loads due to an earthquake or wind)
■ Stability depends on external supports

■ Determinacy relates on the number of available and

conditional equations.

 r < 3n; structure is statically unstable

 r =3n; structure is statically determinate

 r > 3n; structure is statically indeterminate

where r is the available number of reaction components

3n is the available equilibrium equations

Frames
Frames are composed of continuous members and rigidly connected
joints, The degree of indeterminacy (DI) is determined as the
difference of the total number of unknown reaction components and
the number of static equilibrium equations available. Note that the
frame with the hinge has a fourth condition equation, since the
bending moment at the hinge must be zero.

Stability depends partly on external supports and partly on moment

resisting joints.

External classification: The external statical classification of the

structure depends on the total number of reaction components, ra and
their arrangement
Therefore, the following criteria hold true:

 ra < r; structure is statically unstable externally

 ra = r; structure is statically determinate externally

 ra > r; structure is statically indeterminate externally

where ;

 ra is the available number of reaction components

 r is the minimum number of reaction components required for external

stability, usually 3+n

 n is the number of special/ conditional equation

ra ≥ r is necessary but not sufficient conditions for statical classification

because the arrangement of the reaction components may render the frame
unstable.
Internal classification
(3ma + r) < (3j + n);
Let ma =the actual number of members
r = the minimum number of independent reaction components required
for external stability
j= the total number of joints
n= number of special/condition equations
Therefore, 3ma + r =the number of unknowns
3j+n=the number of available equations
Then the following criteria hold true for internal classification of
frames
 (3ma + r) < (3j + n); structure is statically unstable
 (3ma + r) = (3j + n); structure is statically determinate
 (3ma + r) > (3j + n); structure is statically indeterminate
Note. The number of conditional equation introduced by a hinge joint
is equal to the number of members at the joint minus one.
Classify each of the beams shown in Fig as statically
determinate or statically indeterminate
Classify each of the pin-connected structures shown in Fig as
statically determinate or statically indeterminate
Classify each of the frames shown in Fig as statically
determinate or statically indeterminate

Sometimes the members form internal loops as in Figure shown blow.

Here ABCD forms a closed loop. In order to classify these structures, it
is necessary to use the method of sections and “cut” the loop apart.
Trusses
A simple truss can be made by combining three bars to form a triangle.
Stability depends partly on external supports and partly on the
arrangement of members or bars. Three reaction components are
required for external stability and determinacy of a plane truss without

condition equations.

External classification: The external statical classification of the

structure depends on the total number of reaction components, ra and
their arrangement. Therefore, the following criteria hold true:

 ra < r; structure is statically unstable externally

 ra = r; structure is statically determinate externally

 ra > r; structure is statically indeterminate externally

where ra is the available number of reaction components

 r is the minimum number of reaction components required for

external stability, usually 3+n

 n is the number of special/ conditional equation

The condition for ra ≥ r is necessary but not sufficient conditions for

statical classification because the arrangement of the reaction
components may render the truss unstable.

Internal classification: For internal classification, in addition to the

above definition for r; let m be the total number of

bars and j the total number of joints. Then

2j = m + r

The above equation can be rewritten as: m = 2j – r

■ In this form, m is the number of members required to form an
internally statically determinate truss that connects j joints and
has r reaction components required for external stability.

■ If ma is the actual number of bar forces in the truss, then the

following criteria hold true for internal classification

 ma < m; truss is statically unstable internally

 ma > m; truss is statically determinate internally

 ma > m; truss is statically indeterminate internally

■ Consider the trusses shown below. The truss shown in fig (a) is
stable where as the truss shown in fig (b) is unstable since the
geometric arrangement of the members is not maintained.
3.3 Stability of Structures
 To ensure the equilibrium of a structure or its members, it is
not only necessary to satisfy the equations of equilibrium,
but the members must also be properly held or constrained
by their supports.
 In structural analysis a structure is said to be stable when it
can support any possible system of applied loads.
Stability can be divided into two as external and internal.
 A structure in which there are insufficient numbers of
reactions to prevent motion from taking place is called an
unstable structure. This is external instability.
What matters is not only the number of support reactions but also
their arrangement. Structures for which the numbers of reaction
components are greater than or equal to the number of available
equilibrium equations but that are unstable due to arrangement of
these reaction components are said to be geometrically unstable.

Two situations may occur where the conditions for proper

constraint have not been met.

Partial Constraints. In some cases, a structure or one of its

members may have fewer reactive forces than equations of
equilibrium that must be satisfied. The structure then becomes
only partially constrained. Consider the member shown in Figure
below with its corresponding FBD.
Here the equation will not be satisfied for the loading
conditions and therefore the member will be unstable.

Improper Constraints. In some cases, there may be as many

unknown forces as there are equations of equilibrium; however,
instability or movement of a structure or its members can
develop because of improper constraining by the supports. This
can occur if all the support reactions are concurrent at a point.
From the free-body diagram of the beam it is seen that the
summation of moments about point O will not be equal to zero
thus rotation about point O will take place.
Improper Constraints. In some cases, there may be as many
unknown forces as there are equations of equilibrium; however,
instability or movement of a structure or its members can
develop because of improper constraining by the supports. This
can occur if all the support reactions are concurrent at a point.

From the free-body diagram of the beam it is seen that the

summation of moments about point O will not be equal to zero
thus rotation about point O will take place.
■ Another way in which improper constraining leads to instability
occurs when the reactive forces are all parallel. when an
inclined force P is applied, the summation of forces in the
horizontal direction will not equal zero.

 In conclusion, the stability of structures depends on the

number and geometric arrangement of reactions and
structural members rather than on the strength of individual
member or supports.
The stable fundamental element of a plane truss is a triangular
arrangement of three members. A truss may have internal instability
if four members are used to form an element.
We will now formalize these statements for a coplanar structure
having n members or components with r unknown reactions. Since
three equilibrium equations are available for each member or
component, we have
r < 3n unstable
r ≥ 3n unstable
r =3n unstable
if member reactions are concurrent or parallel or some of the
components form a collapsible mechanism.
■ If the structure is unstable, it does not matter if it is
statically determinate or indeterminate. In all cases such
types of structures must be avoided in practice.
Classify each of the structures in Fig as stable or unstable.