In this section, we'll cover:

• Applying the completed truss solver to example structures
• Practising how to represent structural geometry within the solver notebook
• Correctly defining connectivity, supports, and loading conditions
• Allowing the implemented code to compute results without revisiting theory or derivations

In this section, we focus on putting our completed truss solver into practice. Rather than developing new theory or writing additional code, we concentrate on correctly translating structural examples into a form that the solver can interpret. We work through several example structures, ensuring that we are confident in defining the geometry, member connectivity, supports, and applied loads within the notebook environment.

The emphasis is on accurate input and representation rather than derivation or algorithm development. We rely on the solver we have already built to perform the analysis, using these examples as structured practice to reinforce good modelling habits. By the end of the session, we should feel comfortable taking any suitable truss structure and preparing it correctly for analysis within the solver framework.

Next up:

In the next lecture, we work through our first test problem, a statically determinate truss. We also introduce enhanced post-processing, including tension and compression colour coding.