CSE 212: THEORY OF STRUCTURES II

LECTURE 5: MOMENT DISTRIBUTION METHOD

MOMENT DISTRIBUTION METHOD

Introduction
The moment distribution method is a structural analysis method for statically indeterminate
beams and frames developed by Hardy Cross in 1932.
The method only accounts for flexural effects and ignores axial and shear effects. From the
1930s until when computers began to be widely used in the design and analysis of structures,
the moment distribution method was the most widely used method in practice.
In order to apply the moment distribution method to analyze a structure, the following
parameters must be established:
a) Fixed end moments
Fixed end moments (FEM’s) are the moments produced at member ends by external loads
when the joints are fixed. A summary of FEM’s based on different applied loads is given in
Table 1.
b) Member stiffness Factor (K)
The member stiffness factor, K, of a member is represented as the product of the modulus of
elasticity (E) and the second moment of area (I) divided by the length (L) of the member.
When determining the stiffness of a beam at supports, the following factors should be noted:

 Far-end member pinned or roller end support:



 Internal members and far-end member fixed at end support:



c) Distribution Factors (DF)

Distribution factor is the ratio according to which an externally applied unbalanced moment
M at a joint is apportioned to the various members meeting at the joint. It is determined as:


 ∑
. It should be noted that for fixed end support K = 0 and for pin or roller end support
K=1

LECTURER: DR. B. OMONDI SECOND SEMESTER: 2018/2019 1

CSE 212: THEORY OF STRUCTURES II
LECTURE 5: MOMENT DISTRIBUTION METHOD

d) Carryover factors
The carry over factor represents the fraction of M that is carried over from hinge to fixed
end. Unbalanced moments are carried over to the other end of the member when the joint is
released. The ratio of the carried-over moment at the other end to the fixed-end moment of
the initial end is the carryover factor.
 COF = 0.5 for opposite end fixed
 COF = 0.0 for opposite end pinned or cantilevered
e) Sign convention
Once a sign convention has been chosen, it has to be maintained for the whole structure. For
the sake of this lecture, any moment acting counter clockwise is considered to be positive.
Table 5.1: Fixed End Moments (not the sign convention adopted for moments)

LECTURER: DR. B. OMONDI SECOND SEMESTER: 2018/2019 2

CSE 212: THEORY OF STRUCTURES II
LECTURE 5: MOMENT DISTRIBUTION METHOD

Example 5.1
Using Moment Distribution Method, determine all the reactions at supports, and also draw
shear and moment diagrams for the structure shown.

80kN
20kN/m

Solution:
Step1: Calculate the free end moments (FEM’s):
   
For member 1-2: FEM    15; FEM      15
   
   
For member 2-3: FEM      40 ; FEM   
  
 40
Step2: Calculate the stiffness factors:
 
For member 1-2:
      1.33"#
 
For member 2-3:
      "#
Step 3: Calculate the Distribution Factor (DF):
$ .
For member 1-2:
  0 (Fixed end support);
    0.571
$ %& .%
& 
For member 2-3:
    0.429;
  0 (Fixed end support)
$ %& %.

Step 4: Moment Distribution (iteration in tabular form):

JOINT 1 2 3
Member 1-2 2-1 2-3 3-2
Distribution Factor 0 0.571 0.429 0
FEM +15 -15 +40 =+25 -40 Should multiply by -1

Distribution 0 -14.275 -10.725 0

Carry-over moments -7.14 -5.36
Final moments +7.86 -29.275 +29.275 -45.36

Step 5: Calculate the reactions

Using equilibrium equations on free-body diagrams of each span
80kN
20kN/m

-29.275 -29.275 -45.36

7.86
R RJ RJJ R

Span 1-2:
Taking moments about support 1: ∑ D  7.86 + E20F3 G⁄2 + 29.275  3IJ  0

LECTURER: DR. B. OMONDI SECOND SEMESTER: 2018/2019 3

 CSE 212: THEORY OF STRUCTURES II
LECTURE 5: MOMENT DISTRIBUTION METHOD

∴ IJ  37.14 and I  22.86

Span 2-3:
Taking moments about support 2: ∑ D  29.275 + 80F2 + 45.36  4I  0
∴I  44.02 and IJJ  35.98
∴ R2 = 37.14 +35.98 = 73.12kN
Step 6: Calculate the span moments
Using equilibrium equations on free-body diagrams as shown for each span

20 kN/m Mx
∑ D  D  E20F  G⁄2  7.86 + 22.863F  0
7.86 D  10F  + 22.86F  7.86
22.86 O
At max. moment, MDNMF  0  20F + 22.86;
x
∴ x = 1.143m from 1

Max moment along span 1-2 is +5.2kNm

80kN
Mx
∑ D  D  80EF  2G  29.275 + 35.98F  0

29.275 D  44.02F + 130.725

35.98 O
x At x = 2, max. moment is +42.685kNm

Step 7: Draw the shear force and bending moment diagrams

35.98kN

22.86kN
+
SFD +

-
-

37.14kN

44.02kN
45.36kNm

29.275kNm

BMD -
7.86kNm -
-
+
5.2kNm +

42.685kNm

LECTURER: DR. B. OMONDI SECOND SEMESTER: 2018/2019 4

CSE 212: THEORY OF STRUCTURES II
LECTURE 5: MOMENT DISTRIBUTION METHOD

Example 5.2
Using Moment Distribution Method, determine all the reactions at supports, and also draw
shear and moment diagrams for the structure shown. Take E = 200 GPa, I = 50x106 mm4.

Solution:
Step1: Calculate the free end moments (FEM’s):
 S
For member A-B: FEMPQ  0 ; FEMQP   R   R  30
   
For member B-C: FEMQT      16 ; FEMTQ   


 16
Step2: Calculate the stiffness factors:
 
For member A-B:
PQ     0.375"#

EG 
For member B-C:
QT      "#
Step 3: Calculate the Distribution Factor (DF):
UV .XY
For member A-B:
PQ  1 (Pinned end support);
QP    0.273
UV %UW .XY%
UW 
For member B-C:
QT  UW %UV
 %.XY
 0.727;
TQ  0 (Fixed end support)
Step 4: Moment Distribution (iteration in tabular form):

JOINT A B C
Member A-B B-A B-C C-B
Distribution Factor 1 0.273 0.727 0
FEM 0 -30 +16 =-14 -16 Should multiply by -1
Distribution 0 +3.82 +10.18 0
Carry-over moments 0 +5.09
Final moments 0 -26.18 +26.
26.18 -10.
10.91

Step 5: Calculate the reactions

Using equilibrium equations on free-body diagrams of each span

26.18
26.18 10.91
` RP RJQ
R′JQ RT

Span A-B:
Taking moments about support A: ∑ DP  20F4  IQJ F8 + 26.18  0
∴ IQJ  13.27 and IP  6.73
Span B-C:
Taking moments about support B: ∑ DQ  26.18 + 24F4 + 10.91  8IT  0

LECTURER: DR. B. OMONDI SECOND SEMESTER: 2018/2019 5

 CSE 212: THEORY OF STRUCTURES II
LECTURE 5: MOMENT DISTRIBUTION METHOD

∴IT  10.09 and IQJJ  13.91

∴RB = 13.27 + 13.91 = 27.18kN

Step 6: Calculate the span moments
Using equilibrium equations on free-body diagrams as shown for each span
20 kN
Mx
∑ D  D  20EF  4G + 6.73F  0
D  13.27F + 80
6.73 O
x At x = 4, max. moment is +26.92kNm

Mx
3kN/m  
∑ D  D   26.18 + 13.91F  0

26.18
13.91 O D  1.5F  + 13.91F  26.18
x
At max. moment, MDNMF  0  3F + 13.91; ∴ x = 4.637m from B

∴ Max Moment along span B-C is +6.07 kNm

Step 7: Draw the shear force and bending moment diagrams

13.91kN

6.73kN
SFD +
+

-
-

10.09kN
13.27kN

26.18kNm

10.91kNm
BMD -
-

+
+ 6.07kNm

26.92kNm

LECTURER: DR. B. OMONDI SECOND SEMESTER: 2018/2019 6

CSE 212: THEORY OF STRUCTURES II
LECTURE 5: MOMENT DISTRIBUTION METHOD

Example 5.3:
Draw moment diagram of the given structure (supports E and D are pinned while A is fixed.)
take EI as constant

LECTURER: DR. B. OMONDI SECOND SEMESTER: 2018/2019 7

CSE 212: THEORY OF STRUCTURES II
LECTURE 5: MOMENT DISTRIBUTION METHOD

Example 5.4:
The figure below shows a rigid-jointed frame with the relative EI values and the applied
loading. Using moment distribution method, determine the bending moments at the
supports and sketch the bending moment diagram indicating the critical values.
-32.0
25kN

B -11.0
C
E, 2I
-11.0


5m E, I +28.5




A

4m 4m +5.5

Solution:
Fixed end moments (FEM):
ab E25GE8G
DQT      25
8 8
ab E25GE8G
DTQ  +  +  +25
8 8
Distribution factors:
 
Joint B:
QP    0.2#
 Y
 

TQ    0.25#
 

cdefg  0.2# + 0.25#  0.45#
UV . UW .Y
∴
QP    0.44 and
QT    0.56
hijkl .Y hijkl .Y

JOINT A B C
Member AB BA BC CB
Distribution Factor 0 0.44 0.56 0
FEM -25 25
Distribution 11 14
Carry-over moments 5.5 7
Final moments 5.5 11 -11 32

ng EYGEG
Maximum BM at member BC: DQT    50
 
∴ BM at the point load D  p0.5FE11 + 32Gq + 50  +28.5

LECTURER: DR. B. OMONDI SECOND SEMESTER: 2018/2019 8