Note on Beam-Column Moment

Amplification Factor

NESTOR R. IWANKIW

This short note has been prepared to clarify and explain the This table shows suggested bending moment
theoretical derivation of the expressions shown in Table amplification factor coefficients, ψ and Cm, for braced
C1.6.1 of the AISC Specification Commentary. transversely loaded beam-columns which are to be used in
conjunction with the Specification stability interaction
Formula 1.6-1a. This Cm moment reduction factor may be
Table C1.6.1.
written as
fa
Cm = 1+ψ (1)
Case ψ Cm F′e

where
0 1.0
fa = computed axial stress
Fe′ = Euler buckling stress, divided by factor of safety
As the Commentary states, ψ for single curvature simply
supported members may be approximated by
fa
– 0.4 1 – 0.4
F ′e π 2δ o EI
ψ= (2)
Mo L2

where
f
– 0.2 1 – 0.2 a δo = maximum deflection due to transverse loading
F ′e
Mo = maximum moment between supports due to
transverse loading
In the previous 7th Edition of the AISC Manual, Eq. 2
fa was erroneously used to also determine ψ values for the four
– 0.3 1 – 0.3 indeterminate end restrained cases.
F ′e
Prof. J. A. Yura, University of Texas at Austin,
calculated the correct values for amplified moments on the
basis of exact theoretical solutions presented by Timoshenko
fa and Gere. He then developed approximate expressions for ψ
– 0.2 1 – 0.2 and Cm that are contained in the current Manual edition. A
F ′e
brief summary of this derivation is presented in Table 1 (see
next page). The two simply supported cases shown in
Commentary Table C1.6.1 were not affected by the changes.
It is hoped this will resolve some of the common
Nestor R. Iwankiw is Assistant Director of Engineering, inquiries relative to ψ and Table C1.6.1.
American Institute of Steel Construction, Chicago, Illinois.

FIRST QUARTER / 1984 21

© 2003 by American Institute of Steel Construction, Inc. All rights reserved. This publication or any part thereof must not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publisher.
 Table 1. Derivation of ψ Factors for End-Restrained Members

CASE

M DIAGRAM
without P

EXACT
SOLUTION
with P (1)

L P
µ=
2 EI
OR
π
µ= d
2K
Amplified Moments × wL2/24 Amplified Moments × wL2/8

MEND MEND
α = P / Pcr M *END MC.L. M *END
MC.L. (APPROX.) (APPROX.)
0.0 1.000 2.000 2.00 1.000 1.00
0.1 1.129 2.146 2.14 1.074 1.07
0.2 1.291 2.324 2.30 1.166 1.15
0.3 1.501 2.554 2.52 1.282 1.26
0.4 1.782 2.854 2.80 Does not 1.434 1.40
0.5 2.179 3.272 3.22 control 1.645 1.61
0.6 2.778 3.892 3.83 1.959 1.92
0.7 3.782 4.922 4.85 2.475 2.42
0.8 5.798 6.960 6.88 3.493 3.44
0.9 11.87 13.08 12.98 6.481 6.49
*always max. *always max.
 1 − 0.39 P   1 − 0.39 P 
APPROXIMATE wL2  Pcr  wL2  Pcr 
MEND=   MEND=  
SOLUTION 12  1 − P  8  1− P 
 Pcr   Pcr 
K = 0.5 K = 0.7
∴ ψ = –0.4 ∴ ψ = – 0.4
(1) Timoshenko &Gere, Theory of Elastic Stability, Chapter 1

22 ENGINEERING JOURNAL / AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF STEEL CONSTRUCTION

© 2003 by American Institute of Steel Construction, Inc. All rights reserved. This publication or any part thereof must not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publisher.
 CASE

M DIAGRAM
Without P

EXACT
SOLUTION
with P

L P 5WL  tanµ λ (µ) 

µ=
2 EI M¢ = 1.6 − 0.6 secµ 
32  µ ψ (µ) 
OR 3 λ (µ )
MEND = WL
16 ψ (µ )
π WHERE: λ (µ ) = 2(1 − cos µ )/ µ 2 cos µ
µ= d
2K
3  1 1 
ψ (µ ) =  − 
2µ  2µ tan 2µ 
3
α = P / Pcr Amplified Moments × wL/8 Amplified Moments × WL
16
MEND MEND
M *END MC.L. M *END (APPROX.)
MC.L. (APPROX.)
0.0 1.000 1.00 .833 1.00 1.00
0.1 1.091 1.09 .900 1.083 1.08
0.2 1.205 1.20 .982 1.186 1.17
0.3 1.351 1.35 1.086 1.317 1.30
0.4 1.543 1.54 1.222 1.488 1.47
0.5 MC.L. = MEND 1.817 1.81 1.412 1.725 1.70
0.6 2.224 2.21 1.908 2.076 2.05
0.7 2.901 2.89 2.152 2.653 2.63
0.8 4.254 4.24 3.059 3.790 3.80
0.9 8.308 8.29 5.722 7.122 7.30
*equal to M¢ *always max.
 1 − 0.19 P   1 − 0.30 P 
WL  Pcr   Pcr 
M END = M C.L. =  
3
WL 
8  1− P 
MEND= 
 Pcr  16  1− PP 
 cr 
K = 0.5 K = 0.7
∴ ψ = –0.2 ∴ ψ = – 0.3

FIRST QUARTER / 1984 23

© 2003 by American Institute of Steel Construction, Inc. All rights reserved. This publication or any part thereof must not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publisher.