Rigid Jointed Frame Analysis

Title
Statically determinate structural analysis for a Rigid Jointed Frame

Description
A pitched-roof portal frame is pinned at supports A and H and members CD and DEF are
pinned at the ridge as shown in Figure below. For the loading indicated:
i) Determine the support reactions and
ii) Sketch the axial load, shear force and bending moment diagrams.

Structural geometry and analysis model

Finite Element Modelling:

Analysis Type: 2-D static analysis (X-Z plane)

Step 1: Go to File>New Project and then go to File>Save to save the project with any name

Step 2: Go to Structure>Structure Type to set the analysis mode to 2D (X-Z plane)

Unit System: kN,m

Step 3: Go to Tools>Unit System and change the units to kN and m. You can also change
units any time in the model from the status bar below as shown in the figure.

Geometry generation:
Step 4: Go to Node/Element>Create Nodes and type in (0,0,0) in the Coordinates box.
Press Apply. Switch to the Front view by clicking on the Dynamic View tool
as shown
below. Switch on node number from the option . Node number 1 will be point A.

Step 5: Go to Node/Element>Extrude Elements. Select type as Node->Line. Use select

single button to highlight the node number 1 by clicking on it. Type in (0,0,2.5) in the
Equal Distances dx,dy,dz box and enter number of times=2 and click Apply to generate the
column.

Step 6: Similar to Step 5, select this time node number 3 and enter dx,dy,dz as (4,0,2) m,
number of times=1 and click Apply to generate the pitched roof.
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Step 7: Select node 4 and extrude using dx,dy,dz= (3,0,-1) and number of times = 2 and
Apply to generate the other half of the pitched roof.

Step 8: Finally Select node 6 and extrude using dx,dy,dz= (0,0,-3) and number of times=2
and click Apply and Close to generate the other column.

Material: Modulus of elasticity, E = 2.0 108 kN/m2

Step 9: Go to Properties>Material Properties>Add. Select User defined in the Type of
Design and Enter E=2.0 108 kN/m2. Enter a name for the material and click OK and Close.

Section Property: BS Column section UC 305x305x158

Step 10: Go to Properties>Section Properties>Add. Select DB/User tab and select I
section type. Select BS4-93 from section DB and select the section UC 305x305x158 from
the dropdown. Click OK and Close.ectangle in the Type of Section Drop down menu and
check on User. Enter H=0.5 and B=0.5.

You can see the shape of the section in the model generated. Go to the Works Tree to check
the information for your model.

Boundary Condition: Pinned Supports at A and H and a pinned connection between

members CD and DEF at point D.
Step 11: Use select single
to select or highlight nodes 1 and 8 as shown in figure below.
Go to Boundary>Define Supports and check on Dx and Dz and Apply.

This becomes the Pinned support at A and H. DX and DZ provide horizontal and vertical
restraint simultaneously. No rotational restraint has been provided.
Step 12: Select and display element numbers by clicking on
. Again use Select Single
, this time to highlight or select element 3. Go to Boundary>Beam End Release. Select
Fixed-Pinned and Apply and Close.

This applies a moment release or a pinned connection at point D.

Load Case:
Concentrated Loads:
-Vertically downward loads of 15 kN, 25 kN, 35 kN and 20 kN at points C, D, E and F
respectively applied in (-Z) direction.
-Horizontal Loads of 12kN, 8kN, 5kN and 8kN at points B, C, F and G respectively applied
in (+X) direction.
Step 13: Go to Loads>Static Loads>Static Load Cases and define static load case P.
Select Load type as User defined for both of them. Click Close after adding the load case.

Step 13: Go to Load>Static Loads>Nodal Loads and select load case P. Select the node 2
using and enter FX=12 kN and press Apply. Select Node 3 and enter FX=8 kN and FZ =
-15 kN and Apply. Select Node 4 and enter FZ=-25 kN and Apply. Select Node 5 and enter
FZ=-35 kN and Apply. Select Node 6 and Apply FX=5 kN and FZ= -20 kN. Select node 7
and Apply FX=8 kN.

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You can display the values from the Works Tree by Right clicking on Nodal Loads and click
Display.
Uniform Loads: A uniformly distributed load, UDL of 12 kN/m is applied vertically
downward on the member CD.
Step 14: Go to Load>Static Loads>Element Loads and select load case P. Select the
element number 3 and enter w=-12 kN/m in the Global Z direction and press Apply and
Close.

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The analysis results for forces and moments in the frame are generated in the finite elemnt
software with respect to each elements local axis or centroidal axis. So before running the
analysis, we must make sure that the local axes of all elements are aligned properly. Turn on
the isometric view using the dynamic view tool
. To display the local axis, go to
View>Display and select Element tab and check on Local axis and click OK. You will find
that the members A to C or in the model elements 1 and 2 have their local y axis inclined in
the opposite direction to the rest of the models y local axis.

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Now to align the local axis properly, go to Node/Element>Change Parameters and go to

Element Local Axis and select the 2 elements 1 and 2 that need to be changed and enter the
change in beta angle (local axis angle)=180 degrees in the Change Mode.

You can now undisplay the local axis by going back to View>Display and checking off
Local Axis in the Element tab and click Apply..

Analysis:
Step 15: Switch off node numbers
Analysis

and Element numbers

. Go to Analysis>Perform

Results

Reaction Forces:

Step 16: Click on Results>Reactions and select the load case P. Select FXYZ. Check on
Values and click on the box
next to Values to change number of decimal points to 2 and
click OK to see reactions graphically.

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Beam forces/moment diagrams:

Step 17: Click on Results>Forces>Beam Diagrams and select the load Case P. Select Fx
and Click OK to display the axial force diagram in the members. Note that the + sign
indicates Tension and - indicates Compression.

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Step 18: Change to Fz to view the shear force diagram and click Apply.

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Step 19: Change to My to calculate the Bending Moment Diagram.

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Hand Calculations:

(1) To determine support reactions

Taking vertical force sum:
= 0
15.0 (12.0 4.0) 25.0 35.0 20.0 + = 0
+ V = 143 Equation (1)
Taking horizontal force sum:
= 0
+ + 12 + 8.0 + 5.0 + = 0
+ = 25.0 (2)
Taking sum of moments about A:
= 0
(12 2.5) + (8.0 5.0) + (12.0 4.0)(2.0) + (25.0 4.0) + (35.0 7.0)
+(20.0 10.0) + (5.0 5.0) + (8.0 2.0) ( 1.0) ( 10.0) = 0
+ 10.0 = 752 (3)
Taking sum of moments about the Pin D:
= 0
+(35.0 3.0) + (20.0 6.0) (5.0 2.0) (8.0 5.0) ( 8.0) ( 6.0) = 0
8.0 + 6.0 = 175 (4)

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From Equations (1),(2),(3) and (4) we obtain:

= +4.30
= +64.07
= 37.30
= +78.93

(2) To determine member forces:

Assuming anticlockwise bending moments to be positive:
( )
= 0
= (4.30 2.5) = 10.75
= (4.30 5.0) (12.0 2.5) = 51.50
( )
= 0
= (20.0 3.0) + (5.0 1.0) + (8.0 4.0) (37.3 7.0) + (78.93 3.0)
= 47.31
= +(8.0 3.0) (37.30 6.0) = 199.80
= (37.30 3.0) = 111.90

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The values of the end-forces F1 to F12 can be determined by considering the equilibrium of each
member and joint in turn.
Consider Member ABC:
( = 0)
1 + 64.07 = 0
1 = 64.07 kN
( = 0
+4.30 + 12.0 2 = 0
F2 = 16.30 kN
Consider Joint C:
( = 0) There is an applied vertical load at joint C=15kN
1 + 3 = 15.0
3 = 49.07 kN
( = 0) There is an applied horizontal load at joint C=8 kN
2 + 4 = +8.0
4 = 24.30
Consider Member CD:
( = 0)
+49.07 (12.0 4.0) + 5 = 0
5 = 1.07 kN
( = 0)
2 + 4 = +8.0
6 = 24.30
Consider Member FGH:
( = 0)
+78.93 11 = 0
11 = 78.93 kN
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( = 0)
37.30 + 8.0 + 12 = 0
12 = 29.30
Consider joint F:
( = 0) There is an applied vertical load at joint F=20 kN
11 + 9 = 20.0
9 = 58.93 kN
( = 0) There is an applied horizontal load at joint F=5 kN
+12 F10 = +5.0
10 = 24.30
Consider member DF:
( = 0)
+58.93 35.0 + 7 = 0
7 = 23.93 kN
( = 0)
24.30 + 8 = 0.0
8 = 24.30
The calculated values can be checked by considering the equilibrium at joint D.

( = 0)
1.07 23.93 = 25.0 ( )
( = 0)
24.30 + 24.30 = 0.0
The axial force and shear force in member CD can be found from:
= +/( ) +/( )
= +

( )

( )

The signs are dependent on the directions of the respective forces.

= tan1 (2.04.0) = 26.565
cos = 0.894; sin = 0.447

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Member CD:
Assume axial compression to be positive.
At joint C
= +(24.30 cos ) + (49.07 sin ) = +43.66
= (24.30 sin ) + (49.07 cos ) = +33.01
At joint D
= +(24.30 cos ) + (1.07 sin ) = +22.20
= (24.30 sin ) + (1.07 cos ) = 9.91
Member DEF:
= tan1 (2.06.0) = 18.435
cos = 0.947; sin = 0.316
Assume axial compression to be positive.
At joint D
= +(24.30 cos ) + (23.93 sin ) = +30.57
= +(24.30 sin ) (23.93 cos ) = +14.98
At joint F
= +(24.30 cos ) + (58.93 sin ) = +41.63
= (24.30 sin ) + (58.93 cos ) = +48.13

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Comparison of Results
Unit : kN,m
Reactions

Node Number

Theoretical

Midas Civil

HA

4.32

4.32

VA

64.07

64.07

HH

-37.32

-37.32

VH

78.93

78.93

Theoretical Force Diagrams

Midas Civil Force Diagrams

Reference
William M.C. McKenzie, Examples in Structural Analysis, 1st Edition, Taylor &
Francis 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN, 2006, 5.1.2 Example 5.2,
Page 361.
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