Truss-101 — The Complete Guide: Free 2D Truss Solving With Influence Lines and a PDF Report
Truss-101 is a small open-source (GPLv3) Windows program for solving plane trusses by the displacement (finite element) method. It handles both statically determinate and indeterminate trusses and is especially suited to statics and structural analysis courses.
Truss-101
Truss-101 (open-source project)
2D truss solver by the displacement method, with influence lines and a PDF report — a handy study tool.
Get it from the vendorWhat you get
- Model input — nodes, bars, supports and loads.
- Results — the force in every bar, reactions and nodal displacements.
- Influence lines — to find the critical position of a moving load, for example on a truss bridge.
- Unit conversion — switching between unit systems.
- PDF report — a tidy record of input and results.
What to know
The latest release came out in 2023; the program is stable but not developing quickly. It is limited to trusses — bars with pinned joints — so it does not suit frames with rigid joints. It is excellent for practice, for checking a hand solution by the method of joints and for quick checks.
Related tools
For plane frames and trusses with the intermediate matrices — PlenFrem. For a full graphical interface with diagrams — Ftool. For space trusses and frames — Frame3DD.
PlenFrem
Ensel Software
Linear static analysis of 2D frames and trusses, no node limit, with the matrix steps shown for learning.
Get it from the vendorFtool
PUC-Rio, Tecgraf
2D frame and beam analysis — fast to enter, aimed at learning and order-of-magnitude checks.
Get it from the vendor
Frame3DD
Frame3DD Project
3D frame and truss solver driven by an input file — excellent for automation and repeat runs.
Get it from the vendorTom Beam
Tom Holderread
Single-span and continuous beam analysis — shear, moment and deflection, including indeterminate beams.
Get it from the vendorThe bottom line
Truss-101 is a simple, free way to solve and understand trusses, with influence lines and a report ready to hand in.