Moment Distribution
FRAMES WITH SWAY – PART 1
Dr Wei Yuen Loo
30 March 2021
Contents
1. Identifying sway frames
2. Fixed end moments for sway
3. Moment distribution of frames with only sway induced moments
1.1 Identifying sway frames
compared with
1.2 Which are the sway frames?
(a) (b)
(c)
(d)
1.2 WHICH ARE THE SWAY FRAMES?
(a) (b)
(c) (d)
2.1 fixed end moments for sway
Sway frame bending moments (and other actions) arise from two sources:
1. Moments from the load itself, assuming there is no sway (we already know how to do this)
2. Moments induced from the sway itself:
We now look at how to calculate FIXED END MOMENTS from sway
2.2 fixed end moments for sway
Fixed end moments are calculated from the amount of sway, ∆
2.3 fixed end moments for sway, Example
With sway fixed end moments we typically do now know the deflection ∆ in advance
Instead we ‘guess’ a fixed end moment at one location, and then based on that guess, we
calculate the remainder of the moments:
Question
If we adopt for BA a FEM of 20 kNm, what are the fixed moments for AB, CD, and DC?
2.3 fixed end moments for sway, answer
Answer
MBA = 20 kNm. Therefore MAB is also 20 kNm
Because the end conditions and EI and L are all the same for both columns of the
portal, then MCD and MDC are also 20 kNm
ie. MBA = MAB = MCD = MDC = 20 kNm
2.4 fixed end moments for sway, Example
With sway fixed end moments we typically do now know the deflection ∆ in advance
Instead we ‘guess’ a fixed end moment at one location, and then based on that guess, we
calculate the remainder of the moments:
Question
• If we adopt a fixed end moment for AB of 30 kNm, what are the fixed end
moments for BA and CD?
2.4 fixed end moments for sway, answer
Answer
MAB = 30 kNm. Therefore MBA is also 30 kNm
EI and L are all the same for both columns of the portal.
However the joint at D is a pin. Therefore M CD will be half of MAB and MBA
MCD = ½ MAB = ½ MBA = 15 kNm
2.5 fixed end moments for sway, Example
Question
• For the frame shown below, if the fixed end moment for adopted for BA is 50 kNm, what is
the FEM for CD
2.5 fixed end moments for sway, answer
Answer
The FEM for MBA is assumed to be 50 kNm
The FEM for MCD is a multiple of the FEM for MBA as follows:
= 4.167
Therefore MCD = 4.167 x 50 kNm = 208.3 kNm
2.6 fixed end moments for sway, Example
Question
• For the frame shown below if AB is assumed to be 20 kNm, what is the FEM for AB, BA,
CD, DC, and EF
2.6 fixed end moments for sway, answer
Answer
MAB = 20 kNm, so MBA = 20 kNm
Multipliers for MCD (and MDC) are: = 1.5
So MCD = MDC= 1.5 * MAB = 1.5 * 20 = 30 kNm
Multiplier for MEF : = 0.34
So MEF = 0.34 * MAB = 0.34 * 20 = 6.8 kNm
3.1 example: Pinned based portal
This frame will sway:
We start on this problem by moment distribution.
The first part of the table as follows:
3.1 example: Pinned based portal – fixed end moments
The fixed end moments, FEM, relate to the deflection, ∆
However we don’t know, ∆
Therefore we have to ‘guess’ the fixed end moment for BA and CD.
In this case we will assume 20 kNm:
3.1 example: Pinned based portal – entire moment distribution
Remember the 12.7 kNm is based on an assumed fixed end moment
3.1 example: Pinned based portal – obtain multiplier
• Remember though the 12.7 kNm is based on an assumed fixed end moment.
• To find the actual values we do the following:
• Work out the horizontal force on the frame.
• This of course, will be the same as the total of the horizontal reactions at A and D:
The force on the frame is thus calculated as 2 x 3.63 = 7.26 kN. However the actual force is 10 kN.
Therefore, we multiply all of the moments we have calculated by:
Actual Force / Force based on assumed moment. Therefore we obtain the actual actions by multiplying by:
10 kN / 7.26 kN = 1.38
3.1 example: Pinned based portal – final bending
moment diagram
3.2 example: fixed base portal
This frame will sway:
We start on this problem by moment distribution.
The first part of the table as follows:
3.2 example: fixed base portal – fixed end moments
The fixed end moments, FEM, relate to the deflection, ∆
However we don’t know, ∆
Therefore we have to ‘guess’ the fixed end moment for AB, BA, CD, and DC.
In this case we will assume 20 kNm:
3.2 example: Fixed base portal – entire moment distribution
Remember the moments calculated here are based on assumed fixed end moments
3.2 EXAMPLE: Fixed base portal – obtaining multiplier
• Remember though these moments are based on an assumed fixed end moment.
• To find the actual values we do the following:
• Work out the horizontal force on the frame.
• This of course, will be the same as the total of the horizontal reactions at A and D:
The force on the frame is thus calculated as 7.74 kN x 2 = 15.48 kN.
However the actual force is 10 kN.
Therefore, we multiply all of the moments we have calculated by
Actual Force / Force based on assumed moment
Therefore we obtain the actual actions by multiplying by:
10 kN / 15.48 kN = 0.646
3.2 example: fixed base portal – final bending moment
diagram
3.3 example: mixed base portal
This frame will sway:
We start on this problem by moment distribution.
The first part of the table as follows:
3.3 example: mixed base portal – fixed end moments
The fixed end moments, FEM, relate to the deflection, ∆
However we don’t know, ∆. Therefore we have to ‘guess’ the fixed end moments for AB, BA and CD.
However unlike the previous examples, we cannot assume the same FEMs for both columns.
If we assume say 50 kNm for AB and BA, then we assume 25 kNm for CD. This is because the FEMCD is half of FEMBA (or
FEMAB), given the same L, EI, and ∆
3.3 example: mixed base portal – entire moment
distribution
Remember the moments calculated here are based on assumed fixed end moments
3.3 EXAMPLE: mixed portal – obtaining multiplier
• Remember though these moments are based on an assumed fixed end moment.
• To find the actual values we do the following:
• Work out the horizontal force on the frame.
• This of course, will be the same as the total of the horizontal reactions at A and D:
The force on the frame is thus 18.03+5.26 = 23.29 kN. However the actual force is 10 kN.
Therefore, we multiply all of the moments we have calculated by
Actual Force / Force based on assumed moment
Therefore we obtain the actual actions by multiplying by: 10 kN / 23.29 kN = 0.43
3.3 example: mixed base portal – final bending moment
diagram
Multiplication factor is 10 kN / 23.29 kN = 0.43
