ADDIS ABABA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

CHAPTER TWO : CURVED AND HAUNCHED BEAM

SCHOOL OF CIVIL AND Environmental Engineering

Theory of Structure-I

Chapter Three : Moment Distribution(Cross) Method

Outline of Presentation

1. General principles and definition

2. Moment distribution for beams

3. Moment distribution for frames: No side-sway

4. Moment distribution for frames: Side-sway

1. GENERAL PRINCIPLES
• Essentially, the method begins by assuming each joint of a
structure is fixed.
• Then, by unlocking and locking each joint in succession, the
internal moments at the joints are “distributed” and balanced until
the joints have rotated to their final or nearly final positions.
Method developed by Prof. Hardy Cross in 1932).
• It will be found that this process of calculation is both repetitive
and easy to apply.
• Before explaining the techniques of moment distribution,
however, certain definitions and concepts must be presented.
 SIGN CONVENTION
• Clockwise moments that act on the member are
considered positive.

• Whereas counter-clockwise moments are negative.

 FIXED-END MOMENTS (FEMS)
• The moments at the “walls” or fixed joints of a loaded member are

called fixed-end moments.

• These moments can be determined from the table given on the inside

back cover. (*Textbook R.C. Hibbeler)

• For example, noting the action of these moments on the beam and

applying our sign convention it can be seen that

 MEMBER STIFFNESS FACTOR
• Consider the beam, which is pinned at one end and fixed at the

other.

• Application of the moment M causes the end A to rotate through an

angle θA.

Eq. (1)

• K is referred to as the stiffness factor at A and can be defined as

the amount of moment M required to rotate the end A of the beam

θA = 1 rad.
 MEMBER PIN SUPPORTED AT FAR END
• Many indeterminate beams have their far end span supported by an

end pin (or roller) as in the case of joint B.

• The stiffness factor for this beam is

Eq. (2)
 JOINT STIFFNESS FACTOR
• If several members are fixed connected to a joint and each of their far

ends is fixed, the total stiffness factor at the joint is the sum of the
member stiffness factors at the joint, that is
KT = ∑K

• Example:
• The numerical value of each member stiffness factor is determined from
Eq. (1) and listed in the figure.
• Using these values, the total stiffness factor of joint A is
 DISTRIBUTION FACTOR (DF)
• If a moment M is applied to a fixed connected joint, the connecting

members will each supply a portion of the resisting moment

necessary to satisfy moment equilibrium at the joint.

• That fraction of the total resisting moment supplied by the member is

called the distribution factor (DF).

Eq. (3)
 DISTRIBUTION FACTOR (DF)
• Example
• The distribution factors for members AB, AC, and AD at joint A are

• As a result, if M = 2000 kNm acts at joint A (Fig.b), the equilibrium

moments exerted by the members on the joint (Fig.c), are
 MEMBER RELATIVE-STIFFNESS FACTOR

• Quite often a continuous beam or a frame will be made from the same

material so its modulus of elasticity E will be the same for all the
members.

• If this is the case, the common factor 4E in Eq. (1) will cancel from the

numerator and denominator of Eq. (3) when the distribution factor for
a joint is determined.

• Hence, it is easier just to determine the member’s relative-stiffness

factor

and use this for the computations of the DF.

 CARRY-OVER FACTOR

• Consider again the beam in previous chapter.

• It was shown that

• Solving for θA and equating these equations we get

1
• The moment M at the pin induces a moment of M’ = M at the wall.
2
• The carry-over factor represents the fraction of M that is “carried over” from
the pin to the wall.
• Hence, in the case of a beam with the far end fixed, the carry-over factor is
𝟏
+ 𝟐.
 PROCEDURE FOR ANALYSIS
1. Distribution Factors and Fixed-End Moments
• The joints on the beam should be identified and the stiffness factors for
each span at the joints should be calculated (Eq. 2).
• DF = 0 for a fixed end(why?)
• DF = 1 for end pin or roller support
• The FEM for each loaded span are determined as seen in previous
section

2. Moment Distribution Process

i. Determine the moment that is needed to put each joint in
equilibrium.
ii. Release or “unlock” the joints and distribute the counterbalancing
moments into the connecting span at each joint.
iii. Carry these moments in each span over to its other end by
𝟏
multiplying each moment by the carry-over factor + 𝟐
 Example-1 Far end fixed (EXAMPLE 12.1 – R.C. HIBBELER)

• Determine the internal moments at each support of the

beam shown. EI is constant.
 Example-1
SOLUTION

1. Distribution Factor
• The stiffness factors for the members are

Eq. (1)
 Example-1
• Therefore,

Eq. (3)
 Example-1
2. The fixed-end moments
 Example-1
(-250+240)*DF

Unbalanced moment
3. Moment distribution table
 Example-1
4. Bending moment diagram
 Example 2 – Far end Over hanging beam

Determine the internal moment at each support of the

beam. The moment of inertia, I, of each span is indicated.
 Example-2
SOLUTION

1. Distribution Factor
• A moment does not get distributed in the overhanging span AB
• So the distribution factor (DF)BA = 0
• Span BC is based on 4EI/L since the pin rocker is not at the far end of
the beam

Eq. (3)
4 E (300)(10 6 ) DFBC  1  ( DF ) BA  1  0  1
K BC   300(10 6 ) E
4
4 E (240)(10 6 ) 300E
K CD   320(10 6 ) E DFCB   0.484
300E  320E
3

DFCD  0.516; DFDC  0

 Example-2
2. Fixed – end moment

Due to overhang, ( FEM ) BA  2000N (2m)  4000Nm

wL2
( FEM ) BC   2000Nm
12

wL2
( FEM ) CB   2000Nm
12
 Example-2
• The overhanging span requires the internal moment to the left

of B to be +4000Nm.

• Balancing at joint B requires an internal moment of –4000Nm

to the right of B.

• -2000Nm is added to BC in order to satisfy this condition.

• The distribution & CO operations proceed in the usual manner.

• Since the internal moments are known, the moment diagram

for the beam can be constructed.

 Example-2
3. Moment distribution table
 Example-2
4. Bending moment diagram
 Example-3 Far end pin

• Determine the internal moments at the supports of the

beam shown below. The moment of inertia of the two
spans is shown in the figure.
 Example-3
SOLUTION

1. Distribution Factor
• The beam is roller supported at its far end C.
• The stiffness factors for the members are

Eq. (1) Eq. (2)

4 EI 4 E (120)(10 6 )
K AB    160(10 6 ) E
L 3
3EI 3E (240)(10 6 )
K BC    180(10 6 ) E
L 4
 Example-3

Eq. (3)

160 E
DFAB  0
  160 E
160 E
DFBA   0.4706
160 E  180 E
180 E
DFBC   0.5294
160 E  180 E
180 E
DFCB  1
180 E
 Example-3
2. Fixed – end moment

( FEM ) AB  0

( FEM ) BA 0
wL2  6000(4) 2
( FEM ) BC     12000 Nm
8 8
 Example-3
3. Moment distribution table
 Example-3
4. Bending moment diagram
 PROCEDURE FOR ANALYSIS
• Application of the moment-distribution method for frames

having no sidesway follows the same procedure as that

given for the beam.

 EXAMPLE 1
• Determine the internal moments at the joints of the frame
as shown. There is a pin at E and D and a fixed support at
A. EI is constant.
 EXAMPLE 1
SOLUTION

1. Distribution factor
• By inspection, the pin at E will prevent the frame will sidesway.
• The stiffness factors of CD and CE can be computed using K =
3EI/L since far ends are pinned.

Eq. (1) Eq. (2)

 EXAMPLE 1
4 EI 4 EI 3EI 3EI
K AB  ; K BC  ; K CD  ; K CE 
5 6 5 4

Eq. (3)

4 EI / 6
DFAB  0 DFCB   0.330
4 EI / 6  3EI / 5  3EI / 4
3EI / 5
4 EI / 5 DFCD   0.298
DFBA   0.545 4 EI / 6  3EI / 5  3EI / 4
4 EI / 5  4 EI / 6
DFCE  1  0.330  0.298  0.372
DFBC  1  0.545  0.455
DFDC  1; DFEC  1
 EXAMPLE 1
2. Fixed – end moment
• The 60kN load does not contribute a FEM since it is applied at
joint B.
• (FEM)AB = (FEM)BA = (FEM)CD = (FEM)CE = 0

 wL2
( FEM ) BC   135kNm
12
wL2
( FEM ) CB   135kNm
12
 EXAMPLE 1
3. Moment distribution table
 EXAMPLE 1
4. Bending moment diagram
 PROCEDURE FOR ANALYSIS
• To determine sidesway and the internal moments at the joints using moment

distribution, we will use the principle of superposition.

1. The frame shown is first held from sidesway by applying an artificial joint
support at C.

2. Moment distribution is applied & by statics, the restraining force R is determined.

3. The equal but opposite restraining force is then applied to the frame. The moments
in the frame are calculated.
 EXAMPLE 1
• Determine the moments at each joint of the frame shown.
EI is constant.
 EXAMPLE 1
SOLUTION

First, we consider the frame held from sidesway.

16(4) 2 (1)
( FEM ) BC   2
 10.24kNm
(5)

16(1) 2 (4)
( FEM ) CB  2
 2.56kNm
(5)

The stiffness factor of each span is computed on the basis of 4EI/L.

 EXAMPLE 1
• The DFs and the moment distribution are shown in the table.
 EXAMPLE 1
• The equation of equilibrium are applied to the free body diagrams of
the columns in order to determine Ax and Dx.
• From the free body diagram of the entire frame, the joint restraint R
has a magnitude of

 Fx  0;
R  1.73kN  0.81kN  0.92kN
 EXAMPLE 1
• An equal but opposite value of R = 0.92kN must be applied to the
frame at C and the internal moments computed.
• We assume a force R’ is applied at C causing the frame to deflect as
shown.
• The joints at B and C are temporarily restrained from rotating.
• As a result, the FEM at the ends of the columns are determined.
 EXAMPLE 1
• Since both B and C happen to be displaced the same amount and AB

and DC have the same E, I and L, the FEM in AB will be the same as
that in DC.

• As shown we will arbitrarily assumed this FEM to be

( FEM ) AB  ( FEM ) BA  ( FEM ) CD  ( FEM ) DC  100kNm

 EXAMPLE 1
• The moment distribution of the FEM is shown below.
 EXAMPLE 1
• From the equilibrium, the horizontal reactions at A and D are
calculated.
• For the entire frame, we require:

 Fx  0; R'  28  28  56kN
• R’=56kN creates the moments tabulated below
• Corresponding moments caused by R = 0.92kN can be determined
by proportion
• Final Moments:

(MAB)Final = (MAB)nosway + R/R’(MAB)sway

M AB  2.88 
0.92
 80  1.57kNm
56.0
M BA  4.79kNm; M BC  4.79kNm; M CB  3.71kNm

M CD  3.71kNm; M DC  2.63kNm