The analysis of spaceframe structures has been greatly enhanced by the advent of the computer, whereby, the member forces and deflected shapes of structures consisting of perhaps several thousand members could be easily attempted. However, the ability to deal with large and complex structures has created a new problem. Namely, that of data generation. There are, of course, many analysis packages which have been evolved during the recent years to deal with the data generation problems. These packages do not, in general, provide a completely satisfactory answer. The concepts of formex algebra, on the other hand, may indeed provide a complete and universal solution for the problem.

The objectives of this paper are to outline the principles of formex algebra and its associated programming language, known as FORMIAN, and demonstrate the application of these in relation to the analysis of a number of spaceframe structures. Of necessity, the introduction to formex algebra has to be brief and a knowledge of the subject in the actual formulation of the problems, especially in the latter part of the paper is presumed.

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