1

Moment Distribution
Struct Notes
A.W.C. Oreta
DLSU-Manila
Basic Concept
M
AB
M
BA

A
M
AB
=
4EI
L



(

(

A
M
BA
=
1
2
M
AB
=
2EI
L



(

(

A
For a span AB which is hinged at A and fixed at B, a
clockwise rotation
can be effected by applying a clockwise moment at A:
This moment induces a clockwise moment at B whose
magnitude is one-half of that at A:
2
Member Sitffness
Bending Stiffness Factor (k): Moment
required to be applied at the hinged joint to
cause a rotation of one radian at that joint of
a span hinged at one end and fixed at the
other end.
k =
4EI
L
Carry-Over Factor
Carry-over Factor (c): The ratio of the
moment induced at the fixed end to
moment at the hinged end.
c =
M
BA
M
AB
=
1
2
3
Distribution Factor
+ ve moment M
A
C
B
D
At joint B: M - M
BA
-M
BC
-M
BD
= 0
I
1
L
1
I
3
L
3
I
2
L
2
A
D
B
C
M
BA
M
BC
M
BD
M
( )
( )
M F D M
K
K
M
M F D M
K
K
M
Similarly
M F D M
K
K
K M
K
M
K K K
M
K K K
L
I E
L
I E
L
I E
BD
BD
BD
BC
BC
BC
BA
BA
B BA BA
BD BC BA
B
B BD BC BA
B
) . (
) . (
) . (
4 4 4
3
3 3
2
2 2
1
1 1
=
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
=
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
=
|
|
.
|

\
|
= =
=
+ +
=
+ + =
(

|
|
.
|

\
|
+
|
|
.
|

\
|
+
|
|
.
|

\
|
=

Distribution Factor
Distribution Factor (DF):The ratio of the
stiffness of the member to the sum of the
stiffnesses of all members at a joint.
k
1
k
2
k
3
k
4
DF
1
=
k
1
k
1
+ k
2
+k
3
+k
4
4
Fixed End Moments
Fixed-End Moments: The end moments
induced in a fixed beam.
L
P
Pab
2
/ L
2
Pa
2
b/ L
2
Pb
2
(3a+b) / L
3
Pa
2
( a+3b)/ L
3
a b
w
wL/12
2
wL/12
2
wL/2 wL/2
L
Moment Distribution Method
1. Fixed End Moments (FEM) Lock all joints by applying
fixed end moments (FEM)
2. Unbalance Moment - Release the joint and compute the
unbalance moment at each joint due to FEM
3. Distributed Moment - Distribute the unbalance moment at
each end based on the distribution factor. Apply the distributed
moment opposite in direction to the unbalance moment.
4. Carry-Over Moment Apply the carry-over moment for each
distributed moment
5. Repeat steps 3 & 4 until the distributed moments become
small or after several cycles.
6. End Moments :Sum up all moments at each joint to get the
end moments.
5
Problem No. 1
15 kN/m 10 kN/m
8 m 6 m 8 m
A
B C
D
I I I
3 m
150 kN
EI
EI
K
EI EI
EI
K
EI
EI
L
EI
K K
EI
EI
L
EI
K K
DC
CD
CB BC
BA AB
5 . 0
8
4
5 . 0
8
4
8
4
667 . 0
6
) )( 4 ( 4
5 . 0
8
) )( 4 ( 4
= =
= =
(

=
= = = =
= = = =
Stiffness Factors (Unmodified Stiffness)
Problem No. 1
Fixed end moments
m kN
wl
M M
m kN
wl
M M
m kN
wl
M M
DC CD
CB BC
BA AB
. 333 . 53
12
) 8 )( 10 (
12
. 5 . 112
8
) 6 )( 150 (
8
. 80
12
) 8 )( 15 (
12
2 2
2 2
= = = =
= = = =
= = = =
8 m
-80 kN.m
-80 kN.m
15 kN/m
A
B
6 m
-112.5kN.m
112.5 kN.m
B
C
8 m
-53.33 kN.m
10 kN/m
C
D
150 kN
53.33 kN.m
3 m
6
Distribution Factors
00 . 1
4284 . 0
500 . 0 667 . 0
500 . 0
5716 . 0
500 . 0 667 . 0
667 . 0
5716 . 0
667 . 0 5 . 0
667 . 0
4284 . 0
667 . 0 5 . 0
5 . 0
0 . 0
) ( 5 . 0
5 . 0
= =
=
+
=
+
=
=
+
=
+
=
=
+
=
+
=
=
+
=
+
=
=
+
=
+
=
DC
DC
DC
CD CB
CD
CD
CD CB
CB
CB
BC BA
BC
BC
BC BA
BA
BA
wall BA
BA
AB
K
K
DF
EI EI
EI
K K
K
DF
EI EI
EI
K K
K
DF
EI EI
EI
K K
K
DF
EI EI
EI
K K
K
DF
stiffness wall
EI
K K
K
DF
15 kN/m 10 kN/m
8 m 6 m 8 m
A
B C
D
I I I
3 m
150 kN
Joint A B C D
Member AB BA BC CB CD DC
Distribution Factors 0 0.4284 0.5716 0.5716 0.4284 1
Computed end moments -80 80 -112.5 112.5 -53.33 53.33
Cycle 1
Distribution 13.923 18.577 -33.82 -25.35 -53.33
Carry-over moments 6.962 -16.91 9.289 -26.67 -12.35
Cycle 2
Distribution 7.244 9.662 9.935 7.446 12.35
Carry-over moments 3.622 4.968 4.831 6.175 3.723
Cycle 3
Distribution -2.128 -2.84 -6.129 -4.715 -3.723
Carry-over moments -1.064 -3.146 -1.42 -1.862 -2.358
Cycle 4
Distribution 1.348 1.798 1.876 1.406 2.358
Carry-over moments 0.674 0.938 0.9 1.179 0.703
Cycle 5
Distribution -0.402 -0.536 -1.187 -0.891 -0.703
Summed up -69.81 99.985 -99.99 96.613 -96.61 0
moments
Moment Distribution Table
7
Shear Force and Bending Moment Diagrams
56.23
3.74 m
75.563
63.77
52.077
74.437
27.923
2.792 m
-69.806
98.297
35.08
126.704
-96.613
31.693
M
max
=+38.985 kN.m
Max=+ 35.59 kN.m
3.74 m
84.92
-99.985
48.307
2.792 m
S. F. D.
B. M. D