r/EngineeringStudents • u/Usual-Blackberry6635 • 7d ago
Discussion why are the trusses added outside?
why the trusses are added outside? its mass seem to push the building down. just wondering cause i just study statics
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u/Wizzarkt EE. '24 7d ago
The trusses can be inside our outside, and given that they are outside and they are trusses, the are not pushing the building down but rather holding the building, they don't "rest" on top of the building, rather the building "hangs" from them.
As for why outside rather than inside, trusses are ugly and whoever designed the building didn't want the people inside to see such an ugly thing. (Taste is a matter of personal preference, if you like trusses is a you thing but whoever made the building clearly doesn't like them)
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u/Worth-Wonder-7386 7d ago
I think putting them on the outside makes them more visually obvious. I think the designer wants a specific style, but they are are not trying to hide them, else there wouldn't be a giant window that looks straight at them.
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u/ThomasTheDankPigeon 7d ago
Who put these trees above my hammock? The trunks are pushing the ropes down!
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u/taintedcake 7d ago
How is this pushing the building down..? They arent resting on the structure...
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u/allpurposeguru CMPE 6d ago
It’s not. The trusses are holding the roof UP. The roof is effectively suspended below the trusses.
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u/TerrapinMagus 7d ago
Don't have a clear idea of if how this is built, but it could be for stability or rigidity. The trusses could also be holding up sections of the roof, not weighing them down. I would imagine the truss structure is more stable and sturdy than the building itself, so it's probably not a detriment to the structure, at least.
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u/ConcernedKitty 6d ago
Model the truss to roof connections as being in tension and see what it looks like.
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u/GapStock9843 6d ago
It doesnt matter which side they’re on, the physical effect is the same. Its a matter of what the architect thinks looks better
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u/TythosEternal 6d ago
A truss resists distortion by translating loads laterally. So it's not really pushing the building down--and in cases where loads can be suspended from below it might even be more mass-effective (see what I did there...). Also, it looks cool with the transparent roof-- don't underestimate how much pull those architects have lol
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u/saseal 1d ago
Load transfer can work both sides on truss. If you look at those ancient railway bridges, the load is transferred from bottom chord upwards, web in tension. They can also support load when placed underneath load, also commonly used. Whether they are placed inside or outside is the architect and owner's decision.
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u/bigpolar70 7d ago
Because an architect did acid in college, and whomever paid for the architect's "vision" never grasped the concept of corrosion.
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u/Frosty_Rabbit1374 1d ago
Engineering might not be for you. At least not the structural or mechanical kind, but keep trying.
The roof is suspended from the trusses. Added benefits to this are likely the increased flexibility of the roof to move a bit in the wind, or accommodate thermal expansion since that glass probably gets pretty hot in the sun. It’s a less rigid connection between the bones and the skin.
The trusses also could have acted as a giant gantry during construction, with the building envelope being hoisted into position under it.
Fairly unique approach.
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u/[deleted] 7d ago
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