Kirk Martini . We now turn attention from tools and criteria for single elements to assemblies of elements.
Trusses are a good place to start since they are one of the simplest form of assembly.
Palladio knew this. Triangulation is the key to trusses. Using triangulation, it is possible to form a stable assembly with pin connections only. Rectangles require moment-resisting connections to be stable. The connections are more expensive to make, and the resulting moments require larger members.