MOMENT DISTRIBUTION METHOD

Example 1: Analyse the continuous beam shown in figure.

Solution:

Step 1: Calculation of fixed end moments

−𝑤𝑙 2 6x42 𝑤𝑙 2 6x42
For beam AB, 𝑀𝑎𝑏 = 12
=− 12
= −8kNm ; 𝑀𝑏𝑎 = 12
= 12
= 8kNm

−𝑤𝑙 2 10x42 𝑤𝑙 2 10x42

For beam BC, 𝑀𝑏𝑐 = =− = −30kNm; 𝑀𝑐𝑏 = = = 30kNm
12 12 12 12

Step 2: Calculation of distribution factors:

The members AB and BC are joined at the joint B.

∴ For member BA, farther end is A, which is hinged.

3I 3xI 3I
∴ Relative stiffness of member BA = = =
4𝑙 4x4 16

For member BC, father hinged end C is hinged.

3I 3xI I
∴ Relative stiffness of member BC = = =
4𝑙 4x6 8

3I I 3I+2I 5I
∴ Total relative stiffness = + = =
16 8 16 16

3I/16 3
Distribution factor for BA = 5I/16 = 5

I/8 2
For BC, Distribution factor = =
5I/16 5

Now we will write it in table form:

Joint Member Relative Stiffness Total Relative Stiffness Distribution Factor

3 I 3I 3I/16 3
BA x = =
4 4 16 3I I 5I 5I/16 5
B + =
3 I 3I I 16 8 16 I/8 2
BC x = = =
4 6 24 8 5I/16 5

Step 3: Moment distribution table

Make the table as follows

A B C
DF 3/5 2/5
FEM -8 8 -30 30

Dr. Utpal K Nath, CED, AEC, Guwahati-13, Assam Page 1 of 5

 MOMENT DISTRIBUTION METHOD
The table is made as per the given beam, so now there is the joint B in the middle. The point A and C don’t have
any other members connected to it. It is simply supported. The moment there should be zero. Now we write the
FEM as calculated in Step 1. As we can see a moment of -8 kNm is already at the end A. Since it is simply
supported the moment should be zero. So we apply a moment of +8kNm at A to make the moment summation
M 8
at A (=-8+8=0). As we apply a moment of +8kNm at A, a carry-over moment of or = 4kNm will be developed
2 2
at B. Similarly, C has a moment of 30 kNm due to fixed end moment. C is also a hinge point ⇒ moment should
be zero.

Thus we apply a moment of -30kNnm to make the final summation to zero. As the -30kNm is applied at C, a
M −30
carry-over moment of 2
or 2 = −15kNm is developed at B near the member BC. In tabular form it is done as
follows:

A B C
DF 3/5 2/5
FEM -8 8 -30 30
Balancing 8 8/2 4 -15 -30
fffdfdffee
Total 0 12 -45 0
Distribution 19.8 13.2
Final 0 31.8 -31.8 0

After this, the moments are summed up to find the values which will be distributed using the DF.

∑M @ A = -8 + 8 = 0

∑M @B (L) = 8 + 4 =12 = 0

@ B (R) = -30 -15 = - 45 kNm

@ C = 30 - 30 = 0

Now, supports A and C are hinged and their corresponding moments are also 0.
𝛼 𝛼1
We will now distribute the moments at B. We know, 𝑀1 = ( 𝛼1 ) 𝑀, where 𝛼
= Relative stiffness and M = ∑M at
a particular joint.

∴ Moment distributed in member BA = DF of BA x (∑MB)

3
= 5 x (12 - 45) = -19.8 kNm

We have to apply this moment but in the opposite direction i.e., +19.8 kNm.
3
∴ Formula for distribution moment at BA is = (-1) x DF x (∑MB) = (-1) x 5 x (12 - 45) = 19.8 kNm

Similarly, for BC
2
Balancing moment = (-1) x 5 x (12 - 45) = 13.2 kNm

Now, the hinges support at A and C are already balanced, so no carry over moment will come.

Finding the final summation of the moments we get,

Dr. Utpal K Nath, CED, AEC, Guwahati-13, Assam Page 2 of 5

 MOMENT DISTRIBUTION METHOD
M @ A, MAB = 0

M @ B, MBA = (12 + 19.8) = 31.8 kNm, MBC = (-45 + 13.2) = -31.8 kNm

M @ C, MCB = 0

Step 4: Calculation of reactions and drawing BMD

Procedure similar to that done in continuous beams.

Example 2.

Solution:

STEP 1: Fixed end moments:

20x82
MAB = − 12
= -106.67 kNm, MBA = 106.67 kNm,
60 x 4
MBC = − 8
= -30 kNm, MCB = 30 kNm.

STEP 2: Calculation of distribution factors:

Joint Member Relative Stiffness Total Relative Stiffness Distribution Factor

2I I I/4 4
BA = =
8 4 3I I 7I 7I/16 7
B + =
3 I 3I 16 4 16 3I/16 3
BC x = =
4 4 16 7I/16 7

STEP 3: - Moment distribution table

A B C
DF 4/7 3/7
FEM -106.67 106.67 -30 30
Balancing -15 -30
Total -106.67 106.67 -45 0
Distribution -35.24 -26.43
Carry over -17.62
Final -124.29 71.43 -71.43 0

Dr. Utpal K Nath, CED, AEC, Guwahati-13, Assam Page 3 of 5

 MOMENT DISTRIBUTION METHOD
Example3: Determine the support moments and draw the BMD for the continuous beam shown in figure. If
the supports B and C sink by 2 mm and 7 mm respectively. Take 𝑰𝒂𝒃 = 𝑰𝒄𝒅 = 𝟐 × 𝟏𝟎𝟕 𝒎𝒎𝟒 𝑰𝒃𝒄 =
𝟒 × 𝟏𝟎𝟕 𝒎𝒎𝟒 and 𝑬 = 𝟐𝟎𝟎 𝒌𝑵/𝒎𝒎𝟐

Solutions

Distributions factors

Let 𝐼𝑎𝑏 = 𝐼; 𝐼𝑏𝑐 = 2𝐼 ; 𝐼𝑐𝑑 = 𝐼

Joint Member Relative stiffness Total Relative stiffness Distribution factors

3𝐼 𝐼 𝟏
BA =
43 4 3𝐼 𝟑
B
2𝐼 4 𝟐
BC
4 𝟑
2𝐼 𝐼 𝟐
CB =
4 2 3𝐼 𝟑
C
3𝐼 𝐼 4 𝟏
CD =
43 4 𝟑

Fixed End Moments: Span AB

2 2
̅𝑎𝑏 = − 𝑤×𝑙 = − 12×3 = −9 (Note: Negative because of anticlockwise moment)
𝑀 12 12
2
̅𝑏𝑎 = 𝑤×𝑙 = 9 (Note: Positive because of clockwise moment)
𝑀
12

6𝐸𝐼𝛿 6×200×2×107 ×2 1
𝑀𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑑𝑢𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑔 𝑠𝑢𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡 = 𝑙2
= 30002
× 1000 = 5.33 𝑘𝑁𝑚

Support A is at higher => Fixed end moment is hogging => Anticlockwise => Negative moment
̅ 𝒂𝒃 = −𝟗 − 𝟓. 𝟑𝟑 = −𝟏𝟒. 𝟑𝟑 𝒌𝑵𝒎
𝑻𝒉𝒖𝒔, 𝑴

Support B is at lower => Fixed end moment is sagging => Anticlockwise => Negative moment
̅ 𝐚𝐛 = 𝟗 − 𝟓. 𝟑𝟑 = +𝟑. 𝟔𝟕 𝐤𝐍𝐦
𝐓𝐡𝐮𝐬 𝐌

Fixed end moments : Span BC

2 2
̅𝑏𝑐 = − 12×4 = −16 𝑘𝑁𝑚 𝑀
𝑀 ̅𝑐𝑏 = 12×4 = 16 𝑘𝑁𝑚
12 12

6 × 200 × 4 × 107 × (7 − 2) 1
𝑀𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑑𝑢𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑙𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑙 𝑑𝑖𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑖𝑠 2
× = −15 𝑘𝑁𝑚
4000 1000
Support B is at higher => Fixed end moment is hogging => Anticlockwise => Negative moment
̅ 𝒃𝒄 = −𝟏𝟔 − 𝟏𝟓 = −𝟑𝟏 𝒌𝑵𝒎
𝑻𝒉𝒖𝒔, 𝑴

Support C is at lower => Fixed end moment is sagging => Anticlockwise => Negative moment
̅ 𝐜𝐛 = 𝟏𝟔 − 𝟏𝟓 = +𝟏 𝐤𝐍𝐦
𝐓𝐡𝐮𝐬 𝐌

Dr. Utpal K Nath, CED, AEC, Guwahati-13, Assam Page 4 of 5

 MOMENT DISTRIBUTION METHOD
Fixed end moments : Span CD
2 2
̅𝑐𝑑 = − 12×3 = −9 𝑘𝑁𝑚 𝑀
𝑀 ̅𝑑𝑐 = 12×3 = 9 𝑘𝑁𝑚
12 12

6 × 200 × 4 × 107 × (−7) 1

𝑀𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑑𝑢𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑙𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑙 𝑑𝑖𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑖𝑠 2
× = 18.67 𝑘𝑁𝑚
4000 1000
Support C is at lower => Fixed end moment is sagging => Clockwise => Positive moment
̅ 𝒄𝒅 = −𝟗 + 𝟏𝟖. 𝟔𝟕 = 𝟗. 𝟔𝟕 𝒌𝑵𝒎
𝑻𝒉𝒖𝒔, 𝑴

Support D is at higher => Fixed end moment is hogging => Clockwise => Positive moment
̅ 𝐝𝐜 = 𝟗 + 𝟏𝟖. 𝟔𝟕 = +𝟐𝟕. 𝟔𝟕 𝐤𝐍𝐦
𝐓𝐡𝐮𝐬 𝐌

Moment Distribution Table

A B C D
DF 1/3 2/3 2/3 1/3
FEM -14.33 +3.67 -31.00 +1.00 +9.67 +27.67
Balancing +14.33 -27.67
Carryover +7.17 -13.84
Total 0 +10.84 -31.00 +1.00 -4.17 0
Distribution +6.72 +13.44 +2.11 +1.06
Carryover +1.05 +6.72
Distribution -0.35 -0.70 -4.48 -2.24
Carryover -2.24 -0.35
Distribution +0.75 +1.49 +0.23 +0.12
Carryover +0.12 +0.75
Distribution -0.04 -0.08 -0.50 -0.25
Carryover -0.25 -0.04
Distribution +0.08 +0.17 +0.03 +.0.01
Carryover +0.02 +0.09
Distribution -0.01 -0.01 -0.06 -0.03
Final 0 +17.99 -17.99 +5.50 -5.50 0

Dr. Utpal K Nath, CED, AEC, Guwahati-13, Assam Page 5 of 5