Date:

Experiment No. 7
Moments in Portal Frame Moment Distribution Method

Aim: To Determine the Bending Moment in the Portal Frame using Moment
Distribution Method and SAP 2000.

Theory: The method of analysis of indeterminate structures involves the formulation and
solution of simultaneous equations. Such process can be tedious, time
consuming and error prone when large structures are analysed. Thus, methods
that did not involve simultaneous equations were required to analyze large
structures before the advent of computers. Such method was developed early
this century which did not rely exclusive on the solution of simultaneous
equations.
The moment distribution method was developed by Prof. Hardy Cross in the
1930s (some time referred as Hardy Cross‟ Method). This method involves the
distributing the known fixed-end moments of the structural members to the
adjacent members of the joints, in order to satisfy the conditions of continuity
of slope and displacements (compatibility conditions). Though this method is
iterative in nature, they converge in a few iterations to the correct solution.
The structural system is first reduced to its kinematically determinate form in
this method. This is accomplished by assuming all the joints to be fully
restrained. The end moments of all the members are computed for this condition
of the structure (all the members having fixed ends). The joints are allowing to
rotate one after other by releasing them successively. The unbalanced moment
at the joint is shared by the members connected at the joint when it is released.
This method makes use of the ability of various structural members at a joint to
sustain moments in proportion to their relative stiffness. This method provides
an elegant and quick procedure to analyze continuous beams. The method can
also be applied to frames with few additional computations.
Procedure:
The procedure for applying moment distribution for portal frame is as follows:
1. Rotational stiffnesses K of all the members meeting at a joint are computed
depending upon the condition at the far end. The value of K is given by
 K = 4EI/L (If the far end is fixed);

K = 3EI/L (if the far end is simply supported), and K = 0 (if the far
end is free).
2. Distribution factors at each joint are computed on the basis of relative
rotational stiffnesses of the members at that joint. These factors are noted
alone each member meeting at the joint.
3. Distribution factors at each joint are computed on the basis of relative
rotational stiffnesses of the members at that joint. These factors are noted
alone each member meeting at the joint.
4. Moments are released at the simply supported end; these moments are
referred as released moment (R.M). The released moments are carried over
to the far ends of the corresponding members depending upon the carry over
factors; these moments are known as carry over moments (C.O.M.)
5. The unbalanced moments at each joint are computed from the total moments
(T.M) these moments are distributed among the various members meeting
at the joint on the basis of D.F. The unbalanced moments so distributed at a
joint are known as distributed moments (D.M.).
6. The D.M are carried over to the far ends of the corresponding members on
the basis of their C.O.M.
7. Steps 5 and 6 are repeated at each joint until no unbalanced moment exists
at any joint or till the moment carried over is negligible compared to their
final end moments (usually within about one percent).
8. The algebraic sum of all the moments (F.E.M. or T.M., R.M., D.M. and
C.O.M) from all the cycles (Step 5 to 7) for each member meeting at the
joint is calculated. These values are known as the final end moments (F.M.).

Problem: Determine the B.M and S.F. diagrams for the beams shown in Fig below.

1)

2)
3)

4)

5)

Conclusion:

References:

1. Cross, Hardy (1930), “Analysis of Continuous Frames by Distributing Fixed-

End Moments”. Proceeding of the American Society of Civil
Engineers(ASCE): pp. 919-928.
2. Wang C. K., Indeterminate Structural Analysis, McGraw-Hill Book Co., New
York (1983).