A structural element in which the chords run in the same plane is called what?

A structural element in which the chords run in the same plane is called what?

• A. Pratt truss
• B. Howe truss
• C. Parallel chord truss
• D. Warren truss

Answer: (C)

The key idea is how the main horizontal members, called chords, are arranged. If the top and bottom chords run parallel to each other in the same plane, you’re looking at a parallel chord truss. This layout keeps the chords in a straight, flat alignment while the web members between them form triangles that distribute loads efficiently. That direct geometric description—two parallel chords in one plane—is exactly what the term parallel chord truss names, making it the best fit for the given description. The other names describe different patterns of the diagonal web members (how the diagonals are arranged), but they don’t define the specific parallel-chord arrangement so clearly.

The key idea is how the main horizontal members, called chords, are arranged. If the top and bottom chords run parallel to each other in the same plane, you’re looking at a parallel chord truss. This layout keeps the chords in a straight, flat alignment while the web members between them form triangles that distribute loads efficiently. That direct geometric description—two parallel chords in one plane—is exactly what the term parallel chord truss names, making it the best fit for the given description. The other names describe different patterns of the diagonal web members (how the diagonals are arranged), but they don’t define the specific parallel-chord arrangement so clearly.