Chapter 1:

Approximate Analysis of Statically

Indeterminate Structures
 Learning Outcomes Weeks 1 and 2
This topic is designed to assess student ability’s on:
 Analyse building frames by the Portal method for lateral loads
 Analyse building frames by the Cantilever method for lateral
loads (CO1PO2, CO2PO2)
Contents:
Use of approximate methods - Introduction

Rigid-jointed multistory multibay unbraced frames

for lateral loads

Portal Method Cantilever Method

 Introduction

Concrete Portals

Masonry Portals
Introduction

Steel Portals
 Introduction

Plan
Sectional elevation along C1-C3
Introduction

Idealized frame for

analysis
 Introduction - Use of approximate methods
 The analysis when using a model must satisfy both the conditions
of:
Equilibrium
Compatibility of displacements at joints
 During preliminary design and analysis, actual member sizes are
not known & statically indeterminate analysis cannot be done
 A simpler model must be developed such as a statically
determinate analysis
 The analysis of this model is known as an approximate analysis
 The preliminary design of the members can be made
 After which, the more exact indeterminate analysis can be
performed & the design can be refined.
 Approximate analysis is conducted by making realistic
assumptions about the behaviour of the structures.
 Portal Frames
Case 1: Pin-supported
 Portal Frames
Case 1: Fixed supported
 Lateral loads on building frames:
Portal method
The portal method for analyzing rigid-jointed multistory
multibay unbraced frames requires the following assumptions:

A hinge is placed at the center of each girder (a point of

zero moment - assumption)
A hinge is placed at the center of each column (a point of
zero moment - assumption)
At a given floor level, the shear at the interior column
hinges is 2x that at the exterior column hinges/ based on
effective bay length consideration.

These assumptions provide an adequate reduction of the

frame to one that is statically determinate and yet stable under
loading.
 Portal method
Steps required for analysis:

1) Locate the inflection point for girders and columns

2) Calculate the column shear
3) Determine the other reactions (axial force and moment)
for each section
4) Draw shear force and bending moment diagrams (SFD
and BMD)
 Example 1: Portal method
A rigid-jointed plane building frame with three built-in supports
at A,B and C is shown in Figure 1. Horizontal point loads of
20kN and 30kN are applied at points G and D, respectively.
Estimate, using the portal method, the reactions at the base of
the columns of the frame.

Figure 1
 Solution
Step 1: Locate the inflection points of beams and columns

Level 2

Level 1

Step 2: Calculate the column shear (apply equilibrium equation)

 Solution
Step 2: Calculate the column shear (apply equilibrium equation)
– cont…
 Solution
Step 3: Determine the other reactions for each part of the frame
 Exercise
A rigid-jointed plane building frame with four built-in supports at A, B,
C and D is shown in Figure 2. A horizontal point load of 25 kN and 40
kN are applied at point J and H, respectively.
a) Estimate the reactions at support D and the axial force in column
CG using the portal method.
b) Draw the bending moment diagram for the column CGJ, showing
the approximate values at the salient points.

Figure 2
 Lateral loads on building frames:
Cantilever method

This method is based on the same action as a long

cantilevered beam subjected to a transverse load.

This causes a bending stress that varies linearly from the

beam’s neutral axis.

In a similar manner, the lateral loads on a frame tends to tip

the frame over or cause a rotation about a neutral axis lying in
the horizontal plane that passes through the columns at each
floor level.
 Cantilever method
To counter this, the axial forces in the columns will be
tensile on one side of the neutral axis & compressive on the
other side.
It is reasonable to assume this axial stress has a linear
variation from the centroid of the neutral axis.
 Cantilever method
The following assumptions apply for a fixed support frame:

A hinge is placed at the center of each girder.

A hinge is placed at the center of each column.
The axial stress in a column is proportional to its distance
from the centroid of the cross-sectional areas of the columns
at a given floor level.
Since stress = force per area, then in the case of equal
cross-sectional areas, the force in a column is proportional to
its distance from the centroid of the column areas.

These assumptions reduce the frame to one that is both stable &
statically determinate
 Cantilever method
Steps required for analysis:

1) Locate point of inflection (mid-span of girders and

columns)
2) Locate the centre of gravity
A1X1  A2X2  A3X3  A4X4
X
A
3) Determine the axial force in each column
4) Determine shear force of each part of the frame and
determine member end moments
5) Draw bending moment diagrams (BMD)
 Example 2: Cantilever method
A rigid-jointed building frame with four built-in supports at W,
X, Y and Z is shown in Figure 3. Horizontal point loads of
10kN are applied at points A and L, respectively. Analyse the
frame and draw bending moment diagram using the cantilever
method

Figure 3
 Solution
Step 1: Locate point of inflection

Step 2: Locate the centre of gravity

 Solution
Step 3: Determine the axial force in each column
Solution
 Solution
Step 4: Determine shear forces of each part of the frame and
calculate member end moments
Solution
Solution
Solution
 Solution
Step 5: Draw bending moment diagram (BMD ACEG)
 Example 3: Cantilever method
Determine (approximately) the reactions at the base of the
columns of the frame shown (Figure 4) by using cantilever
method. The columns have the cross-sectional areas as
indicated in Figure 4.

Figure 4
Solution
 Solution

+ M  0: 35(2)  Ly(8.48)  My(2.48)  Ny(1.52)  Oy(9.52)  0(1)

NA
 Solution

+ M NA  0 : 45(3)  35(7)  Ey(8.48)  Fy(2.48)  Gy(1.52)  Hy(9.52)  0(5)

Solving Eqn. (5)-(8) yields;

Solution
 Exercise
For the three-storey frame
as shown in Figure 5:
a) Calculate the
approximate member
end moments in
column AE and beam
EF using the
cantilever method, and
b) Draw the
corresponding
bending moment
diagrams for the
column and beam,
highlighting the end
values.

The areas of the columns

from right to left are A, Figure 5
2A, 3A and 1.5A. E is
constant