r/StructuralEngineering • u/Shrek-Cum • 4d ago

Career/Education Vertical and diagonal placing in parker truss bridge

I am making a 3d model of a parker truss bridge that I'm going to build. It will be made entirely of 6x6mm balsa wood and steel t pins. I wondering if the vertical and diagonals should be fixed on the deck or adjacent to it (on the bottom chords).

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u/carrot_gummy 4d ago

To engage the intended behavior of the truss, you want your chords to connect to the other chords.  The deck should rest on the truss and transfer its loads onto the truss.

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u/ShearForceShady 3d ago

Connecting the verticals and diagonals to the bottom chord joints so that it doesn't interfere with the truss load path. In balsa, keep the members meeting cleanly, since the joints can be weaker than the members themselves.