Moment Distribution for Frames:

Frames Without Sidesway:

Analysis of statically indeterminate frames without sidesway or joint movement is similar to
that for analysis of beams. In the case for frames, three or more members may meet at the joint, and
the unbalanced moment is distributed to the ends of the members in proportion to their relative
stiffness and distribution factors just like for the analysis of beams.
Frames With Sidesway:
Analysis of Frames With Sidesway:
1. Assume that sidesway is prevented. Distribute the fixed-end in the usual manner to obtain
the first set of balanced end moments.
2. Disregarding the loads, assume the unloaded frame to undergo a certain amount of
sidesway which will cause fixed-end moments calculated using the equation M = or

M= . Distribute these fixed-end moments obtaining a second set of balanced moments.

3. The actual values of the end moments are determined by combining the first set of
balanced moments from step 1 and the product of a certain ratio and the second set. This
ratio is obtained from a shear condition.
When two or more unknown amounts of sidesway are present, consider each
sidesway separately. Add to the sum in step 1 and the product of a ratio and an additional set
of balanced moments due to a second joint movement and so on. Values of the ratios are
calculated from shear conditions.
Example. Determine the end moments of each member of the frames loaded as shown in the
figures. Round off distribution factors to 3 decimal places and the rest to 2 decimal places. Stop the
iteration if all the values are less than 0.20 or if the number of distribution reaches the 7 th,
whichever comes first.
a) 75 KN Solution:
Moment of inertia (I) / Relative I
3.5m 3.5m = (0.3)( ) = 6.75 x / 6.75
25 = (0.3)( ) =22.78 x / 22.78

B 7.0m Relative stiffness: K =I/L

= = 1.125

Beam: 0.3m x 0.45m = = 3.254

6.0m olumn: 0.3m x 0.3m Distribution factors:
D = D = 0 ( Fixed support)
D = =0.257
D = 1 – 0.257 =0.743
A Fixed-end moments: (Absolute values)
( ) ( )
60 = = 108 KN-m; = = 72 KN-m
( ) ( )( )
= = + = 167.71 KN-m

Joint A B C
Member AB BA BC CB
DF 0 0.257 0.743 0
FEM 108 −72 167.71 −167.71
1st Distribution 0 −24.60 −71.11 0
Carry-over (CO) −12.30 0 0 −35.56
2nd Distribution 0 0 0 0
Moment (KN-m) 95.70 −96.60 96.60 −203.27
 b) 75 KN 82 KN

28
22
1.00m B 3.00m 3.00m C 2.50m 2.50m E

Beams: 0.25m x 0.45m

3.00m
0.30m
A D 0.25m
29.83

Solution: Moments of inertia / Relative moment of inertia:

( Note: The height of the column is the dimension parallel to the moment. For the
shown arrangement of the columns, the height is 0.25m and the width is 0.30m).
= = (0.3)( ) = 3.906 x / 3.906
= = (0.25)( ) = 18.984 x / 18.984

Stiffness:
= = 0.9765 = =

= = 3.164

= = 3.797

Distribution factors: D =D =D = 0 ( Fixed support)

D = = 0.236; D = 1 – 0.236 = 0.764

D = = = 0.399

D = = 0.478
D =1– 99 − 78

Fixed-end moments: (Absolute values) =− ( − + )

= [ − + ]; kL =3; k = 0.75
( )
= ( 7 ) [ − ( 7 ) + ( 7 ) ] = 18.74 KN-m
( )
= [ − ]= ( 7 ) [ − ( 7 )] = 9.23 KN-m
( ) ( )( )
= = + = 122.25 KN-m
( ) ( ) ( )( )
= + + = 102.08 KN-m
( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
= + + = 104.58 KN-m
 Joint A B C D E
Member AB BA BC CB CE CD DC EC
DF 0 0.236 0.764 0.399 0.478 0.123 0 0
FEM 18.74 −9.23 122.25 −122.25 102.08 0 0 −104.58
1st Distribution 0 −26.67 −86.35 8.05 9.64 2.48 0 0
Carry-over (CO) −13.34 0 4.03 −43.18 0 0 1.24 4.82
2nd Distribution 0 −0.95 −3.08 17.23 20.64 5.31 0 0
Carry-over (CO) −0.48 0 8.62 −1.54 0 0 2.66 10.32
3rd Distribution 0 −2.03 −6.59 0.61 0.74 0.19 0 0
Carry-over (CO) −1.02 0 0.31 −3.30 0 0 0.10 0.37
4th Distribution 0 −0.07 −0.24 1.32 1.58 0.41 0 0
Carry-over (CO) −0.04 0 0.66 −0.12 0 0 0.21 0.79
5th Distribution 0 −0.16 −0.50 0.05 0.06 0.01 0 0
Carry-over (CO) −0.08 0 0.03 −0.25 0 0 0.01 0.03
6th Distribution 0 −0.01 −0.02 0.10 0.12 0.03 0 0
Moment (KN-m) 3.78 −39.12 39.12 −143.28 134.86 8.43 4.22 −88.25

c) 45 KN 55 KN Dimensions:
1.8m 2.6m 1.8m 1st Floor Columns: 0.30m x 0.30m
22 2nd Floor Columns: 0.25mx0.30m
G H (Width = 0.25m)
nd
2 Floor Beams: 0.30 x 0.50m
Roof Beam: 0.25m x 0.45m

3.2m
75 KN 82 KN 65KN

1.8m 2.6m 1.8m 2.75m 2.55m

28 28

D 6.2m E 5.3m F

4.8m

A B C

Solution: Moments of inertia / Relative moment of inertia:

First floor columns: I = (0.3)( ) = 6.75 x / 6.75

Second floor columns: I = (0.25)( ) = 5.625x / 5.625

Beams: = (0.3)( ) = 31.25 x / 31.25

= (0.25)( ) = 18.98 x / 18.98

Stiffness:
= = = 1.406 ( 1st Floor Columns)

= = = 1.758 (2nd Floor Columns)

= = 5.040 (Longer 2nd Floor Beam)

= = 5.896 ( Shorter 2nd Floor Beam)

= = 3.061(Roof Beam)

Distribution factors: D =D =D = 0 ( Fixed support)

D = = = 0.171

D = = 0.614; D = 1 – 0. 7 − 6

D = = = 0.357

D = = 0.418; D = = 0.100; D = = 0.125

Or: D = 1– 7− 8 −0.100 = 0.125

D = = 0.807; D − 8 7 9

D =D = = 0.365; D =D = 1 – 0.365 = 0.635

Fixed-end moments: (Absolute values)

( ) ( )( ) ( )( )
= + + = 188.10 KN-m

( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
= + + = 191.85 KN-m

( ) ( )( )
= + = 106.92 KN-m

( ) ( ) ( )
= + = 110.17 KN-m

( ) ( )( ) ( )( )
= + + = 131.67 KN-m

( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
= + + = 137.02 KN-m
Distribution of moment on the figure of the frame itself:
The distributions arranged vertically are for the beams while those arranged horizontally are
for the columns. Just like in the tabulated form, the first figures are the respective distribution
factors, followed by the fixed end moments, then the first distributions, the carry-over moments,
then the second distributions, the carry-over moments and so on. The iteration ends with the
distribution of moments. The last values are the respective moment of the beams and columns which
are the algebraic sum of the values excluding the distribution factors. Take note that the algebraic
sum of the moments at each joint = 0. Any discrepancy is due to rounding off of values.

−72.56
0.39
− 0.51
0.84
− 1.04
2.62
− 3.99
5.17
− 7.40
23.18
− 41.81
87.01
−137.02
G 0.635 H
0.635
− 81.26

−20.22
−48.06

72.56
− 0.58
− 0.21

−1.19

−4.58

− 8.50

− 0.11

− 0.28

− 0.14

− 0.74
13.32

50.01
0.15

0.29

0.68

0.96

0.23

0.48

1.51

2.97

5.31
0.365

0.365
131.67 0.40
−83.61
43.51
−14.79
11.59
−220.91 −18.66
−7.97
− 0.37 0.29
2.59
0.43 − 0.37
−2.08
− 0.64 0.75
1.31
0.83 − 0.93
−1.02
− 1.50 0.37
0.42
1.95 − 0.47
−0.36
− 0.80 1.98
81.26
2.73 − 2.45
− 4.18 − 14.32
− 57.75 17.75
30.32 88.91
−67.63
−40.44
−24.03

−2.29
− 4.25

−0.60

−0.29

42.13
1.91

1.36

0.58

0.30

0.12

10.62
25.01
− 1.47

− 0.28

− 0.55

− 0.22

− 0.13
6.66

1.49

0.76

0.24
0.215

0.125

−191.85 −110.17
0.357 0.807
D E F
0.614 0.418
− 28.77

−32.17

18.65
0.171
0.24
0.10
0.00

0.00
0.46
0.00
1.08
0.00
1.52
0.00

− 3.43

21.26
0.193
0.00
− 0.18

0.07
0.00
0.18
0.00
0.10
0.00
0.47
0.00
− 0.11

− 0.44

− 0.22

− 1.17

188.10
8.49
0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.10
6.37

106.92
−115.49 35.50
15.16 44.46
5.45 − 4.90
− 2.09 − 7.16
3.89 −0.93
− 0.40 0.99
1.65 −1.85
− 0.79 0.19
0.85 −0.74
− 0.32 0.38
0.34 −0.44
96.35 172.42
−14.43
−16.08
0.00
0.00

0.00
0.76
0.00
0.54
0.00
0.23
0.00
0.12
0.00

9.29 − 0.59

0.09 −0.11

0.05 −0.22

0.24 −0.09

3.24
0.00
0.00
4.25
0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

A B C
10.63
− 1.72
0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00
0.00
Practice solving problems:
Determine the end moments of each member of the frames loaded as shown in the figures.
Round off distribution factors to 3 decimal places and the rest to 2 decimal places. Stop the iteration
if all the values are less than 0.20 or if the number of distribution reaches the 7th, whichever comes
first.
a) 85 KN
3.5m 3.5m

25

B 7.0m

6.0m
Beam: 0.30m x 0.50m

Column: 0.30m x 0.30m

A
60 68 KN 85 KN

b) 26
20
1.00m B 3.00m 3.00m C 2.50m 2.50m E

Beams: 0.25m x 0.45m

3.00m

0.30m
A D 0.25m
30
55 KN
65 KN 75 KN
c) 2m 2m
2m 2.4m 2.2m 2.2m 25
25
B C E

5m 5m 4m

Beams: 0.30m x 0.45m

Columns: 0.30m x 0.30m F
A D
d) 55 KN 65 KN Dimensions:
1.8m 2.6m 1.8m 1st Floor Columns: 0.30m x 0.30m
20 2nd Floor Columns: 0.25mx0.30m
G H (Width = 0.25m)
2nd Floor Beams: 0.30 x 0.50m
Roof Beams: 0.25m x 0.45m

4.2m
68 KN 85 KN 75KN

1.8m 2.6m 1.8m 2.75m 2.55m

26 26

D 6.2m E 5.3m F

5.0m

A B C