MOMENT DISTRIBUTION

General Principles and Definitions

Developed by Hardy Cross, in 1930.
a method of successive approximations, may be carried out to any desired degree of accuracy
Initially, each joint is assumed rigid
then each joint is unlocked and locked in succession,
internal moments at the joints are distributed and balanced until the joints have rotated to their final

Sign Convention: Clock-wise Moments Positive

Member Stiffness Factor: Moment required to develop unit rotation at Near end (Assuming Far End Fixed).
For a beam with Near end Pin ended and Far end Rigid
4 EI
Moment Required to develop rotation N at the near end (pin end), M N ;
N
L
4 EI
Moment required at near end for unit rotation at near end, i.e. N = 1 M N 1 1 K Stiffness
L
Factor
Joint Stiffness Factor

If several members are rigidly connected at a joint with their Far end rigid
Moment required to develop the unit rotation at joint = Moment required to develop unit rotation in each
beam
If the Stiffness factor for the ith beam is Ki, Moment required to develop i at the joint = Mi = Kii
Total moment required at the joint, M = Mi = Kii = iKi i =M / Ki
Thus, if applied Moment is M, moment shared by ith member, Mi = Kii= Ki M / Ki = M(Ki / Ki)
Here the term, (Ki / Ki) Distribution factor, (DF), Thus DF = (Ki / Ki) Mi = MDF
Member Relative Stiffness Factor
K 4 Ei I i Li
DF i
K i 4 Ei I i Li
4 Ei I i Li I L KR
If, material for all the beams are same, then DF i i ;
4 Ei I i Li I i Li K Ri
here KR = Relative Stiffness factor

Carry-over Factor
As shown in Slope Deflection method,
4 EI 2 EI 1
From conjugate method, M M AB A ; M M BA A M ;
L L 2
M 1
Carry-over factor, COF
M 2
I BA 120 10 6
K R , BA 40 10 6 mm 4 / m
LBA 3
I BC 240 10 6
K R , BC 60 10 6 mm4 / m
LBC 4
 K BA 40 10 6 K BC 60 106
DFBA 0.4 DFBC 0. 6
K BA K BC 40 10 6 60 10 6 K BA K BC 40 106 60 10 6

Distribution factors for Fixed Supports:

Since walls are rigid, moment required to develop unit rotation in wall =
K AB 40 10 6
DFAB 0 ;
K wall K AB 40 106
K BC 60 106
DFBC 0
K wall K BC 60 106

Fixed End Moments:

wL2 600 4 2
F
M AB M BA
F
0 ; M AB
F
8000 Nm ; M BFA 8000 Nm
12 12
Joint A B C
Member AB BA BC CB
DF 0 0.4 0.6 0
FEM 0 0 -8000 +8000
Releasing B 0 +3200 +4800 0
Carry-over +1600 +2400
Final Moments +1600 +3200 - 3200 +10 400

Example

Moment Distribution at Successive Nodes

Joint A B C
Member AB BA BC CB
DF 0 0.4 0.6 1.0
FEM - 8000 + 8000
CO - 4000 - 8000
DIST +2400 +4800 + 7200 + 3600
CO - 1800 - 3600
DIST +360 +720 + 1080 + 540
CO - 270 - 540
DIST +54 +108 + 162 + 81
CO - 40.5 - 81
DIST +8.1 +16.2 + 24.3 + 12.15
CO - 6.08 - 12.15
DIST +1.22 +2.43 + 3.65 + 1.82
CO - 0.91 - 1.82
DIST +0.18 +0.36 + 0.55 + 0.273
CO - 0.137 - 0.273
 DIST +0.03 +0.06 + 0.08
Total 2823.53 5647.05 - 5647.05 0.0
Moment Distribution at Simultaneously at all Nodes

Joint A B C
Member AB BA BC CB
DF 0 0.4 0.6 1.0
FEM - 8000 + 8000
DIST +3200 +4800 -8000
CO +1600 - 4000 + 2400
DIST +1600 + 2400 - 2400
CO +800 - 1200 1200
DIST +480 + 720 - 1200
CO +240 - 600 +360
DIST +240 + 360 -360
CO +120 - 180 +180
DIST +72 + 108 - 180
CO +36 - 90 + 54
DIST +36 +54 - 54
CO +18 - 27 +27
DIST +10.8 + 16.2 - 27
CO + 5.4 - 13.5 +8.1
DIST +5.4 + 8.1 - 8.1
CO + 2.7 -4.05 +4.05
DIST +1.62 +2.43 - 4.05
CO +0.81 -2.025 + 1.215
DIST + 0.81 +1.215 - 1.215
CO +0.405 - 0.608 + 0.608
DIST + 0.243 +0.365 - 0. 608
CO +0.1225 -0.304 +0.182
DIST + 0.122 +0.182 -0.182
Total 2823.5 5647 - 5647 0.0
EXAMPLE:

KBA = 1.5I/6 , KBC= I/6

1 .5 I / 6 1I / 6 3 kN/m 5.4 kN/m
DFBA 0.6 ; DFBC 0. 4
1.5 I / 6 I / 6 1. 5 I / 6 I / 6
wL2 3 62 wL2 1.5 I I
F
M AB 9 kNm ; F
M BA 9 kNm
12 12 12 6m 6m
wL2
5. 4 6 2
wL 2
F
M BC 16.2 kNm ; F
M CB 16.2 kNm
12 12 12
Joint A B C
Member AB BA BC CB
DF 0 0.6 0.4 1
FEM -9 +9 -16.2 +16.2
Distribution +7.20.6 = 4.32 +7.20.4 =2.88 - 16.2
Carry-over +4.320.5 = 2.16 0.5 -16.2 = -8.1 0.52.88= 1.44
Distribution +8.10.6 = + 4.86 +8.10.4 = + 3.24 -1.44
Carry-over +4.860.5 = 2.43 0.5 -1.44 = -0.72 0.53.24= 1.62
Distribution +0.720.6 =0.432 +0.720.4 = + 0.288 - 1.62
Carry-over +0.4320.5 = 0.216 0.5 -1.62 = -0.81 0.50.288= 0.144
Distribute +0.810.6 =0.486 +0.720.4 = + 0.324 -0.144
Carry-over +0.4860.5 = 0.243 0.5 -0.144 = -0.072 0.50.324= 0.162
Distribute 0.0720.6 =0.043 +0.0720.4 = 0.0288 -0.162
Carry-over 0.0430.5 = 0.0215 0.5 -0.162 = -0.081 0.50.324= 0.162
Distribution 0.0810.6 =0.048 +0.0810.4 = 0.0324
Final Moments = -3.93 =+19.19 = -19.19 0.00
Stiffness-Factor Modifications
Earlier far end Assumed Fixed Stiffness Factor (4EI/L) and Carry-over Factor = 1/2
If Far end Hinged Need to modify the Stiffness factor and carry over factor
Member Pin Supported or Roller 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 in Fig. 1210a. Here the applied moment M rotates the end A by an amount To determine the shear in
the conjugate beam at must be determined, Fig. 1210b.We have

1 M 2 ML 3EI
M B 0 V A L L L 0 V A or M Stiff Factor
2 EI 3 3EI L
3EI
K
L
Due to far end Hinged, No Moment at Far End Carry over Factor = 0

Stiffness of the beam with Far end Pin = (3/4) Stiffness of beam with Far end Rigid
Thus, if for a End Span, having near end continuous and far end Pinned Take the Relative stiffness of
beam at near end as (3/4)(I/L).
Since the pinned end can not take any moment, Fixed end ,moment at Pinned end are to be made zero, First
and no moment will be carried over.
Alternatively, the Fixed end Moment for end span may be Taken from Table (which directly zero FEM at
Pinned end)
Example Making the use of Stiffness factor Modification:
KBA = 1.5I/6 , KBC= (3/4)I/6 = I/8
1.5 I / 6 1I / 6 3 kN/m 5.4 kN/m
DFBA 0.667 ; DFBC 0.333
1 .5 I / 6 I / 8 1. 5 I / 6 I / 6
wL2 3 62 wL2 1.5 I I
F
M AB 9 kNm ; F
M BA 9 kNm
12 12 12 6m 6m
wL2 5.4 6 2
F
M BC 24.3kNm ;
F
M CB 0
8 8
Joint A B C
Member AB BA BC CB
DF 0 0.667 0.333 1
FEM -9 +9 -24.3 0
Distribution 15.30.667=10.21 15.30.333 =5.09
CO 10.210.5=5.11
Final Moments = -3.89 =+19.21 = -19.21
Symmetric Beam with Symmetric Loading
For symmetric beam and loading BMD Symmetric Only half beam may be analyzed
Stiffness factor at center of beam may be modified to analyze only half beam (mid point becomes joint)
Due to Symmetry Moments at B = Moments at C = M (say)

M L ML 2 EI
For the conjugate beam (Fig. b) VB L L 0 VB M
EI 2 EI L
2 EI
K
L
Relative Stiffness for Symmetric beam with symmetric Loading = (1/2)Conventional stiffness (i.e. 4EI/L)
Symmetric Beam with Anti-symmetric Loading
For symmetric beam and anti-symmetric loading BMD anti-ymmetric Only half beam may be analyzed
Stiffness factor at center of beam may be modified to analyze only half beam (mid point becomes joint)
Due to Anti-symmetry Moments at B = Moments at C = M (say)
From Conjugate beam
1 M L 5L 1 M L L ML
M C 0 VB L
0 VB
2 EI 2 5 2 EI 2 6 6 EI
6 EI 6 EI
M K
L L
Relative Stiffness for Symmetric beam with symmetric Loading = (3/2)Conventional stiffness (i.e. 4EI/L)
Analysis of Frames with No Sway Same Procedure as in Beams
Analysis of Frames with Sway Analysis is performed in two steps
(i) First restrain the sway by putting a dummy roller support
Determine the moments at member ends using the moment distribution, say it is MI
Using the equilibrium of forces determine the reaction at dummy support, say Q
(ii) Now apply this dummy reaction Q in opposite direction Determine the moment in members
To determine the moment due to Dummy reaction, give some known sway to the frame, say
Determine the FEM and finally determine member moments
Determine the support reactions, from the equm of the free body diagrams of vertical members
 Using the Fx = 0, determine the New reaction, say Q
Multiply, all the moments by factor Q Q