Hardy Cross method

1. Introduction
Hardy Cross method, also known as the moment distribution method, is a modification of the
stiffness method used to solve statically indeterminate structures. It allows to reduce the number of
unknowns only to independent linear displacements.
The method uses the concept of beam stiffness, node stiffness, distribution coefficients and carry-
over coefficients.
The beam stiffness is defined using the relation between a nodal moment and a unit nodal rotation
at this node, given by the slope-deflection formulae. Thus, the stiffness for a clamped-clamped
beam is

sik = M ik =
2EI
(2i ) = 4EI
l l
and for a clamped-hinged beam

sik =
3EI
(i ) = 3EI
l l
The sum of stiffness values for all n-beams adjacent to a given node i defines the node stiffness
Si = s in
n

The distribution coefficients for the beams adjacent to this node are defined as
s ik
d ik =
Si
and from these definitions it follows, that for every node i

d in = 1
n

The carry-over coefficients are related to clamped-clamped beams only. They also follow from the
slope-deflection formulae and define the influence of unit nodal rotation on the moment at the
opposite end of the given beam. This moment has the value equal to the half of the one at the
node which undergoes rotation. Thus
1
cik =
2
2. Examples
For the beginning let us consider a frame for which one unknown nodal rotation in the stiffness
method exists.
5 kN/m
5 kNm
0 2EI 1

EI 3

2
4 4 [m]

The values of beam stiffness are:

 3 2EI
s10 = = 1.5EI
4
4EI
s12 = = 0.8EI
5
The stiffness for the node 1 is
S1 = s10 + s12 = 2.3EI
and the distribution coefficients:
s10 15
d10 = = = 0.652
S1 23
s12 8
d12 = = = 0.348
S1 23
The carry-over coefficients for the beam 12 are
c12 = c 21 = 0.5
The loading is applied to the modified system for the stiffness method, i.e. each beam is treated
separately. One has to find nodal moments due to span loading. From possible nodal loading types
only concentrated moments are taken into account, clockwise moments are taken to the node as
negative ones, anticlockwise as positive.
In the considered example the uniformly distributed loading on the beam 01 gives:
ql 2 5 4 2
M10 = + = = 10 kNm
8 8
The concentrated moment at the node is clockwise, i.e. it is taken as negative
M1 = 5 kNm
These two values enter the calculation table.

Node number 01 1 10 12 21
dik 0.652 0.348
cik 0.5 0.5
5 a) 10 b)
5 c)
5 d) 3.26 e) 1.74 f) 0.87 g)
Mik [kNm] h) 0 0 6.74 1.74 0.87

a) the value of the nodal moment M1

b) the value of the nodal moment M10 due to the span loading on the beam 01
c) the out-of-balance moment at the node 1 taken as the sum from the columns 1, 10 and 12
d) the moment added to the node 1 to restore equilibrium the thick underline denotes the
restored equilibrium
e) the part of the added moment distributed to the beam 10: 50.652=3.26
f) the part of the added moment distributed to the beam 12: 50.348=1.74
g) the half of the moment 1.74 carried over to the opposite end of the beam 12
h) the final values of the nodal moments are obtained by the summation of the values in the
respective columns

The solution of this example, including just one unknown rotation in the sense of the stiffness
method, is already obtained after one distribution of the out-of-balance moment in the node 1.
The signs at the values of moments are interpreted as in the stiffness method positive means the
clockwise nodal moment with respect to the beam.

5 kN/m
6.74
5 kNm
2EI 1.74
0 1

EI 3

2
M [kNm]
4 4 [m]
0.87

As the second example we will consider a structure with two unknown rotations in the sense of the
stiffness method.
Let us analyse the following frame 6 kN/m
20 kN 2
1 EI
EI EI 2
0 3

4 [m]
The values of beam stiffness are:
3EI
s10 = = 1.5EI
2
4EI
s12 = = EI
4
4EI
s21 = = EI
4
4EI
s23 = = 2EI
2
The values of node stiffness are
S1 = s10 + s12 = 2.5EI
S2 = s21 + s23 = 3EI
and the distribution coefficients
s10 1.5
d10 = = = 0. 6
S1 2.5
s12 1
d12 = = = 0. 4
S1 2.5
s21 1
d 21 = = = 0.333
S2 3
s23 2
d 23 = = = 0.667
S2 3
The carry-over coefficients for the beams 12 and 23 are
c12 = c 21 = c 23 = c 32 = 0.5
The moments due to the span loading on the beam 12 are:
ql 2 6 42
M12 = = = 8 kNm
12 12
ql 2 6 4 2
M 21 = + = = 8 kNm
12 12

Node No. 01 1 10 12 2 21 23 32
dik 0.6 0.4 0.333 0.667
cik 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5
a)
8 8 8
b) b) b) d) c)
8 4.8 3.2 9.6 1.6
g) e) e) e) f)
1.6 1.6 9.6 3.2 6.4 3.2
1.6 0.96 0.64 0.32 0.32
0.0533 0.0533 0.32 0.1067 -0.2133 0.1067
0.0533 0.032 0.0213 0.0107 0.0107
0.0018 0.0018 0.0107 0.0036 0.0071 0.0036
0.0018 0.00108 0.00072 0.00036
Mik [kNm] 0 0.000 5.793 5.793 0.000 6.621 6.621 3.310

a) starting with the node 1, the out-of-balance moment

b) the moment added to the node 1 to restore the equilibrium and distributed in 10 and 12 the
thick underline denotes the restored equilibrium
c) the half of the moment 3.2 carried over to the opposite end of the beam 12
d) the out-of-balance moment at the node 2 taken as the sum from the columns 2, 21 and 23
e) the moment added to the node 2 to restore the equilibrium and distributed in 21 and 23 the
thick underline denotes the restored equilibrium
f) the half of the moment 6.4 carried over to the opposite end of the beam 23
g) the half of the moment 3.2 carried over to the opposite end of the beam 12
From this point the restoring of equilibrium at the nodes 1 and 2 continues, one after another, until
the out-of-balance moments are smaller than the assumed accuracy here 0.0005 kNm.
The final values of the nodal moments are again obtained as sums of the values in the respective
columns. It is worth to note that in the considered example the force 20kN does not influence the
bending moment distribution.
6 kN/m
20 kN 5.79 6.62
2
1 EI
EI EI 2
0 3 3.31

4 M [kNm]
[m]

In the last example we will consider a frame which has both types of unknowns in the sense of the
stiffness method nodal rotations and linear displacement. As was seen in the previous examples
frames without linear displacements are solved by the Cross method without solving any canonical
equations. On the other hand, every linear displacements adds one equation to the system. In the
presented example one linear displacement is present and the analysis will require one equation to
be solved.
6 kN/m
20 kN 2
1 EI
EI EI 2
0 3

4 [m]

In such a case the modified system of the Cross method is adopted in which additional supports
are added to restrain all the linear displacements. In the presented example a support is added to
restrain the horizontal displacement at the node 2 .

6 kN/m
20 kN 2 R
1 EI
EI EI 2
0 3

4 [m]

The identity of the modified system with the original one requires the reaction in the added support
to be 0. This reaction is represented using the superposition rule as:
R = R(P ) + R ( = 1) = 0
The modified system with the constrained linear displacement can be solved using the Cross
method as was shown earlier. Here two cases must be considered.
The first case with the external loading has just been solved as the previous example. From this
existing solution we only have to extract the value of the reaction at the additional support. Having
found the nodal moments, the easiest way to do it is to use the principle of the virtual work. The
real state includes the loading, the nodal moments and the unknown reaction treated as external
forces applied to the further modified system with hinges introduced at the places of all the nodal
moments.
5.793 6
20 1 2 R(P)

6.621 6.621
5.793
3.310 2
0
3
4 [m, kN, kN/m, kNm]

The virtual displacement state is applied to the same system, which in fact represents a kinematic
mechanism, and features a unit value displacement = 1 . The resulting virtual displacements
corresponding (work-conjugate) to all the real forces must be in general found from the equations
of this mechanism. However, in the analysed case they can be easily determined by inspection of
the deformed mechanism.
 1 2 =1
1 u1 2 =1

2 01
0 3 vA 23
0 3
4 [m]
The necessary virtual displacements have the following values
1
01 = 23 =
2
12 = 0
u1 = 1
vA = 0
Hence, the principle of virtual work can be written as
R(P ) 1 + 20 u1 + 6 4 v A + M10 01 + (M12 + M 21 ) 12 + (M 23 + M 32 ) 23 = 0

+ ( 5.793 + 6.621) 0 + ( 6.621 3.310 ) = 0

1 1
R(P ) 1 + 20 1 + 6 4 0 + 5.793
2 2
and the reaction
R(P ) = 17.93 kN

The second case of loading in the modified system is the linear displacement = 1.

2 =1
1 EI
EI EI 2
0 3

4 [m]

This displacements leads to the following values of the beam rotations

1
01 = 23 =
2
12 = 0
as was seen in the analysis of the kinematic mechanism subjected to the analogous virtual
displacement. These angles are substituted to the slope-deflection formulae to find the nodal
moments

M10 =
3EI
( 01 ) = 0.75EI
l
M12 =0

M 23 = M 32 =
2EI
( 3 01 ) = 1.5EI
l
which are used to start the Cross iterative solution of the modified system subjected to the linear
displacement = 1.
The equilibrating of the out-of-balance moments is best started at the node with the largest
violation of equilibrium, i.e. the node 2 in this case.
Node No. 01 1 10 12 2 21 23 32
dik 0.6 0.4 0.333 0.667
cik 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5
7.5 15 15 15
5 2.5 15 5 10 5
5 3 2 1 1
[0.1EI] 0.167 0.167 1 0.333 0.667 0.333
0.167 0.1 0.067 0.033 0.033
0.0056 0.0056 0.033 0.011 0.022 0.011
0.0056 0.0033 0.0022 0.0011 0.0011
0.0002 0.0011 0.00037 0.00073 0.0004
Mik [0.1EI] 0 0 4.397 4.397 0 5.690 5.690 10.344

The reaction R( = 1) is found following the same pattern as with R(P)

R( = 1) 1 + M10 01 + (M12 + M 21 ) 12 + (M 23 + M32 ) 23 = 0

+ (0.4397EI + 0.5690EI ) 0 + ( 0.5690EI 1.0344EI ) = 0

1 1
R( = 1) 1 0.4397EI
2 2
giving
R( = 1) = 1.022EI

With the reactions found the linear displacement follows from the canonical equation
R(P ) + R ( = 1) = 0
17.93 + 1.022EI = 0
17.54
=
EI
The final values of the nodal bending moments can be found using the superposition rule
M ik = M ik (P ) + M ik ( = 1)
what leads to
17.54
M10 = 5.793 + ( 0.4397EI ) = 1.919 kNm
EI
17.54
M12 = 5.793 + (0.4397EI ) = 1.919 kNm
EI
17.54
M 21 = 6.621 + (0.5690EI ) = 16.601kNm
EI
17.54
M 21 = 6.621 + ( 0.5690EI ) = 16.601kNm
EI
17.54
M 23 = 3.310 + ( 1.0344EI ) = 21.453 kN
EI
6 kN/m
20 kN 2 1.92 16.60
1 EI
EI EI 2
0 3 21.45

4 [m] M [kNm]