Truss and tower systems are widely used in variety of applications ranging from industrial structures to space stations. Such systems are normally designed for specified loads and by using respective codes. But in certain cases, they may be subjected to loads over the design values due to earthquakes of higher intensity, cyclones or even man-made disasters like terrorist attacks. Then a need arises to protect these systems, if they serve lifeline activities, through some inherent means; and this paper focuses attention on one such aspect. The objective is to provide a "smart control", which comes into effect only when the specified loads are exceeded by certain margins.[3] To demonstrate the introduction of smartness, a three-dimensional, three-panel tower system is chosen. Actuators, which activate corrective control to externally applied forces at the nodes of the truss, are provided on the members of the truss. The control forces within an active control system are typically generated through actuators based on feedback information from the measured response of the structure. The measured responses are monitored by sensors, which based on a pre-determined control algorithm, apply appropriate control signal for operation of the actuators. The generation of control forces requires external power leading to an active control system. Such a self correcting structure can be termed as smart or adaptive structure. This paper focuses on providing in-built smartness to handle both force and deformation when unanticipated loads up to 100 percent increase over a short duration act on these systems. Analysis is made for loads at the rate of 1.25,1.5,1.75 and 2 times the design load on the tower. For each of these loads, the example highlights how suitable control forces are generated and how the system under combined action of unanticipated and control forces balance in such a manner as to keep the structural integrity during short duration unanticipated loads.