Analysis of three-dimensional frames with flexible beam-column connections'

K. M . ANGAND G . A. MORRIS
Fac~lltyof Engineering, University of Mani~ohcl.Winnipeg. Man.. Canadcl R3T 2N2
Received July 8, 1983
Revised manuscript accepted November 30, 1983

A procedure is presented for analyzing three-dimensional rectangular steel frames that incorporate any of five commonly
used beam-column connection types. A method is described for expressing the moment-rotation behavior of all connections
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of a given type (for example all end plate connections) in terms of a single standardized Ramberg-Osgood function.
The method involves an examination of experimental information on the moment-rotation behavior of a given connection
type to determine the influence of various size parameters, such as end plate thickness. It has been used to generate standardized
moment-rotation functions for five common connection types and the functions are presented.
An iterative, successive approximation structural analysis procedure is described in which repeated approximations are made
to assumed stiffness characteristics of all connections in the structure. When the appropriate connection stiffnesses have been
determined, a single linear analysis is performed to determine the correct structural displacements and internal forces. Thus,
the nonlinear behavior of the connections is properly accounted for.
Examples are presented to demonstrate the influence of connection deformation on structural displacements and internal
forces.

L'article propose une mithode d'analyse des structures tri-dimcnsionnelles constituies d'kliments orthogonaux en acier
rCunis par l'un des cinq types d'assemblages poutre-colonne les plus utilisks. Les relations entre le moment et la rotation d'un
assemblage d'un type donnt (par exemple, les assemblages avec plaques d'extrimitks) peuvent Stre obtenues au moyen d'une
mithode utilisant une fonction simplifiie de Ramberg-Osgood.
La mithode comprend une Ctude expirimentale du comportement d'un assemblage d'un type donni afin de diterminer
For personal use only.

I'influencc des diffirents parambtres gComCtriques tels que les dimensions de la plaque d'extrimiti. Cette Ctude expirimentale
a permis de formuler des relations simples reliant les moments et les rotations des cinq types d'assemblages les plus usuels.
L'article dicrit une mCthode itirative d'une analyse structurale basie sur des approximations successives pour obtenir les
raideurs caractiristiques de tous les assemblages d'une structure. Dks que les raideurs sont connues, une analyse IinCaire permet
d'obtenir les valeurs exactes des diplacements et sollicitations internes. De cettc facon, on tient compte du comportement non
liniaire dcs assemblages.
Des exemples montrent l'influence des diformations de l'assemblage sur la valeur des dkplacements et des forces internes
de la structure.
[Traduit par la revue]
Can. I. Civ. Eng. 1 1 . 245-254 (1984)

Introduction connections of a given type in terms of a single dimen-

The deformations within the connections in a steel
frame sometimes contribute substantially to the frame
displacements or affect significantly the internal force
distribution. Nevertheless, although much research
work has been conducted on the force-deformation
behavior of steel framing connections, only a few at-
tempts have been made to incorporate the connection
deformations into the structural analysis of the frame
(Lightfoot and LeMessurier 1974; Globle 1963;
Romstad and Subramanian 1970; Monforton and Wu
1963; Jones et al. 1979). Perhaps one reason is that the
behavior of most steel framing connections is markedly
nonlinear.
Somner ( 1969) presented a procedure for expressing
the moment-rotation functions for all beam-column
'This papcr was presented at the 1983 Annual Confcrcncc
of the Canadian Society for Civil Engincering, Ottawa,
Ontario, June 1-3.
sionless "standardized" function. The latter function is
expressed in terms of several size parameters such as
connection depth and end plate thickness. Then, the
size parameters for any given connection can be sub-
stituted into the standardized function and the dimen-
sional moment-rotation function for the connection
obtained.
Frye and Morris (1975) used Somner's method to
d e v e l o ~standardized moment-rotation functions for
several connection types. They then developed a pro-
cedure and a computer program for performing the
statical structural analysis of planar steel frames that
incorporate any combination ofconnections of the types
considered.
This paper describes the generalization of that pro-
cedure to three-dimensional rectangular steel frames.
Whereas Frye and Morris used a series for the standard-
ized functions, the more accurate Ramberg-Osgood
function (1943) is used here. Recently published ex-
 246 C A N . J . CIV. ENG. VOL. I I . I9XJ
DOUBLE WEE ANGLE SINGLE WEB ANGLE
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" HEADER PLATE TOP PND SEAT ANGLE
For personal use only.
STRAP ANGLE
FIG. I. Connection types and standardization parameters.
perimental data have been used in updating the stan-
dardized functions. Also, the computer program has
been rewritten to facilitate the incorporation of new
connection types when experimental data on their
behavior becomes available and to include frame
moments due to the column P-A effect (Canadian
Standards Association 1978). A report, which includes
the program description and listing and a user's manual,
has been filed with the Depository of Unpublished
Data.'
Assumptions and limitations
The imposed assumptions and limitations are the
following.
(a) Axial and direct shearing deformations in con-
nections are ignored and connections are assumed to
have infinite torsional stiffness. Thus, only the bending
moment - rotation behavior of the connection is
modeled as a nonlinear function.
(b) All members are prismatic and straight and linear-
ly elastic.
(c) Possible buckling is ignored.
(d) Small deflection theory is employed.
his report is available, at a nominal charge, from the
Depository of Unpublished Data, CISTI, National Research
Council of Canada, Ottawa, Ont., Canada K I A OS2.
34 0 STRAP ANGLE CONNECTION
320 /'
"0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 1 8 2 0 2 2 2 4 2 6 2 8 3 0
ROTATION (RADIANS x 103
FIG.2. Typical moment-rotation curves for five common
connection types.
(e) The floors act as rigid diaphragms in resisting
in-plane forces. However, the beams act non-
compositely in resisting out-of-plane displacement.
(f) Connections are of negligible size. Hence, con-
nection deformations are concentrated at the ends of the
beams.
(g) Gravity loads may be concentrated or distributed
beam loads. Horizontal loading must be applied as a
three-component load vector, comprising two horizon-
tal force components and a moment about the vertical
axis. at each floor level.
The standardized moment-rotation function
The primary distortion of a steel beam - column
connection is the rotational deformation 4 caused by
the bending moment M. Because of the complexity of
connection behavior, the moment-rotation function is
virtually always determined experimentally. The five
common beam-column connection types considered in
this study are shown in Fig. 1 and typical moment-
rotation functions are presented in Fig. 2.
It is impractical to incorporate into a computer pro-
gram the individual moment-rotation functions for the
many possible sizes and geometries of the common
connection types. Fortunately, those for all connections
of a given type are similar. Hence, it is convenient to
develop a standardized moment-rotation function for
each connection type, expressed in terms of the con-
nection size parameters. Then, when the parameters for
a given connection are known, they can be substituted
into the standardized function in order to generate the
specific moment-rotation function for the connection.
In this study, a Ramberg-Osgood (1943) function
 ANG AND MORRIS 247

tions +, for every available combination of experi-

mental curves, such as I and 2, 1 and 3, and 2 and 3,
and the mean value is used.
When values have thus been calculated for all m of
the exponents a,, [2] is used to evaluate factor K . Then,
for a given 4 , values of K x M for the various conibi-
'#' - KxM nations of parameters are calculated and an average K
x M value is computed. The procedure is repeated for
+
several values. Then pairs of coordinates ( K x M and
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4 ) are input to a Ramberg-Osgood curve-fitting pro-

gram developed specifically for the project. which
evaluates +o, [KMI,. and n in [ I ] .
The standardized moment- rotation functions for the
five connection types shown in Fig. I are presented in
FIG. 3 . Standardized moment-rotation function. Table I. The maximum deviation of the connection
moment calculated using the standardized function
has been used to express the standardized moment-
from the experimentally measured moment is included
rotation behavior in the following form,
for each connection type. While large deviations are
cb - K X M K x M 11-1
'I' - I 1 + 1 shown for three of the connection types, they occurred
for one connection only. In all other cases, the devi-
ations were within 5 % .
As illustrated in Fig. 3, +,,,
[KMIo, and n are con-
stants that define the shape of the standardized function.
The constants and [KM],, define the position of point Structural idealization
For personal use only.

I, through which a family of Ramberg-Osgood curves
passes. Constant n defines the sharpness of the curva-
ture for any one of the curves and +
and M are the
rotational deformation of the connection and the mo-
ment resisted by it.
Dimensionless factor K scales the ordinates on the
curve, by accounting for their dependence upon the
connection size parameters. It has the forni
,,I
[21 K= n
]=I
q,($
where q, = numerical value of the jth size parameter,
= dimensionless exponent which indicates the effect
of the jth size parameter on the moment-rotation re-
lationship, and m = number of size parameters.
The evaluation of the exponents LZ, in [2] follows the
procedure described by Frye and Morris (1975). A pair
of experimentally obtained moment-rotation curves
for two connections that are identical except for param-
eter q, is considered.
The relationship between moments M , and M-,, for
connections I and 2. at a particular rotation is as-
sumed to have the form
where qll and q,? are the numerical values of parameter
q, for connections I and 2 respectively.
Rewriting [ 3 ] ,
log ( M I I M - , )
[4] LZ] =
log (q,?/Lz]l)
Parameters (zj are calculated from [4], for several rota-
Two different types of right-hand coordinate system
are used: a single global systeni for the entire structure
and a separate local system for each nieniber. The local
X ,axis is coincident with the meniber axis. Any vector
expressed in the global systeni is indicated with a
prime, while one expressed in the local system is not
primed.
The struct~~re is modeled as a three-dimensional rect-
angular array of beams and columns with rigid in-plane
floor diaphragms. The flexible connections are as-
sumed to be attached to the ends of the beams and to
form part of them.
As illustrated in Fig. 4, the six degrees-of-freedom
normally associated with a typical joint I can be ex-
pressed as two subsets: the out-of-plane coniponents 64,
0 ; , and 0 ; shown at I , and the in-plane components 6 ; ,
64, and 0 ; shown at m. Because the floor acts as a rigid
diaphragm in resisting in-plane forces, the in-plane
components at I can be expressed as linear functions of
those at "master joint" m. Consequently, the number of
degrees-of-freedom at the floor can be reduced from six
per joint to three per joint plus the three in-plane ones
at the master joint associated with the in-plane rigid
body displacement of the floor.
Assembly of structure stiffness matrix
The stiffness method of analysis is used and the struc-
ture stiffness matrix is formed by computing the beam
and column stiffnesses in their local systems, trans-
forming them to the global systeni, and then inserting
them into the structure stiffness matrix.
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For personal use only.
 ANG A N D MORRIS 249

A '4

-GLOBAL COORDINATE
SYSTEM

RIGID IN -PLANE
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ROOR DIAPHRAGM

FIG.5. End forces and displacements, column 11-1.

x;
FIG.4. In-plane and out-of-plane degrees of freedom.
Column stiffness
Consider the typical column u - I shown in Fig. 5 .
Master joints v and m lie on a common, arbitrarily
located, vertical axis in the floors at the upper and lower
ends, respectively, of the column. The force and dis-
placement vectors P' and D ' , acting at the upper and
lower ends, can be partitioned into in-plane and out-of-
plane components. Thus, the force-displacement re-
lationships for the column are
For personal use only.
matrices relating out-of-plane force and displacement
components have the form
where R = rotation transformation from the column
local system to the global system and KllCx,= local
system column stiffness submatrix relating out-of-plane
force and displacement components at I .
Similarly,
[71 K,:,,,, = T,,,IKill,Tb,,
where T,,,/ = combined rotation-translation trdns-

formation matrix from column local system at I to

In [ 5 ] ,subscripts i and o refer to in-plane and out-of-
plane components, respectively. The stiffness sub-
global system at m and K,,,, = local system column
stiffness submatrix relating in-plane force and displace-
ment components at I .
Beam stiffness
In Fig. 6 is shown a typical beam, a-b, whose
deformable end connections have linear flexural stiff-
nesses s,, and s/,. The out-of-plane force and displace-
ment components at a and 17 can be related by

-
I 12El
PI,? -PIL7

Inb l 0 Symmetrical

-
6El
mb3
' P 3
-
-

12El
Po 2 - -PIL'

m ,l 0

-
6E l
ma 3
i -
 C A N . J . CIV. ENG. VOL. I I. 1984

t GLOBAL COORDINATE SYSTEM

FLEXIBLE
-
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FIG. 6. Typical beam tr-b with flexible connections.

TABLE2. Example I-forces and stresses at tops of columns

Stresses (MPa)
Forces
Bentl~ng
Axial Momcnt s-s Moment y-y Bending
(kN) ( k N . m) (kN .ni) Axial .u-.r y-~1 Axial
For personal use only.

Upper floor
Corncr column, C1
Double angle I65
Header plate 163
Rigid 140
Side column, C4
Double angle 30 1
Hcadcr plate 302
R~gid 278
Lower floor
Corner column, CI
Double angle 426
Header plate 42 1
Rigid 363
Side column, C4
Double angle 510
Header plate 51 1
Rigid 486

where E = nlodulus of elasticity, G = shearing niodu-
lus, I = second moment of area of cross section, J =
torsion constant, and L = beam length.
Two different beam orientations are considered. For
those beams, such as a-0, parallel to the global
Xi-axis, the local coordinate system coincides exactly
with the global one, no transformation is necessary, and
the stiffnesses are inserted directly into the struct~lre
stiffness matrix. For the other orientation, fi-6, shown,
the local X, axis coincides with the global axis Xi and
 ANG AND MORRIS

E
OWSJ 0
I,
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E
P

F2
ROTATION, R = R O W BEAM
F =FLOOR BEAM
FIG.7. Modification of connection flexibility PLAN C =COCUMN

the beam stiffness matrices must be rotated to the global

system before insertion into the structure stiffness
matrix.

Iterative analysis procedure

For personal use only.

Because of the nonlinearity of the connection behav-

ior, an iterative analysis procedure is used. Its basis is
that the correct structural deflections and internal forces
can be obtained from a single linear analysis, provided
the correct stiffness is assumed for each connection. -3 4-
@ lorn = 3 0 m
Thus, repeated cycles of an iterative procedure are ELEVATION
performed to determine appropriate stiffness character-
istics for the various connections. When they have been FIG.8. Example I-two-storey braced frame.
determined with sufficient accuracy, they are en~ployed
in a linear analysis to calculate the correct structural If the moment at the connection originally considered
displacements and forces. is M I , the corresponding rotational deformation is
consider a structure whose member end connections
have nonlinear moment-rotation functions, as in Fig.
7, of the form
However, the rotation calculated from the correct non-
linear relationship, [2], is
where g ( M ) is a nonlinear function of the moment
acting on the connection.
This function is replaced by a linear one of the form A better approximation to the connection moment-
rotation function is, thus,
I
1131 4 = -M
S?
where S , is the slope of the initial tangent to the M - 4 where
curve.
The moment-rotation functions for all other con-
nections in the structure are similarly linearized, the Equation 1141 and similar relationships for the other
corresponding member force-displacement relation- connections are then used to calculate the new member
ships are determined, and a linear analysis is per- force-displacement relationships and a second linear
formed. The moments at all connections are then analysis is performed.
computed. The procedure is repeated until the rotation of each
 CAN. J. CIV. ENG. VOL. 1 1 . 1984
ALL BEAMS z W 5 3 0 1 123
PI r 2 7 0 kN
P2:315 kN
P 1 s 2 0 0 kN
w~zmkN.m
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For personal use only.
U NBRACED FRAME
FIG.9. Example 2-1
connection, calculated from the linear relationship for
the current cycle, is sufficiently close to the nonlinear
relationship of the form of [9]. The structural forces and
displacements calculated in the final linear analysis
cycle are then printed.
The iterative procedure recommended by the Canadi-
an Standards Association (1978) is used to account for
the frame moments produced by axial column forces.
Convergence for this latter effect is faster than that for
the former.
Applications
Two examples are presented to illustrate the effect of
connection deformation on the distribution of internal
forces and on the deflections of practical structures.
Exanzple 1
The braced steel frame for a two-storey office
building is shown in Fig. 8. Normally, the beam-
column connections would be assumed to act as pins
and the columns would be designed in the absence of
moments applied by the beams, or for only nominal
moments.
DRIFT WITHOUT DRIFT INCLUDING
P-A EFFECT P-A EFFECT
I-storey unbraced frames.
The frame was analyzed firstly assuming all
beam-column connections to be of the double web
angle type, then assuming them to be of the header plate
type, and, finally, assuming them to be rigid.
The computed axial forces and bending moments
about member axes x-x and y-y are presented in
Table 2 for the top ends of corner column CI and side
column C4, at the roof level and at the second floor
level. Also presented in the table are the elastic axial
and bending stresses corresponding to the axial forces
and bending moments, and the ratio of bending to axial
stress.
It can be seen that if the columns were to remain
elastic (which they would not), column bending stresses
an order of magnitude larger than the axial stresses
would occur. Obviously, the assumption of only nomi-
nal column moments would be highly unconservative in
this case.
Example 2
One of the transverse planar frames from an
11-storey unbraced steel frame loaded by gravity and
 ANC AND MORRIS
wind loads is shown in Fig. 9. The frame was analyzed
firstly assuming rigid beam-column connections, then
using top and seat angle moment connections. Admit-
tedly, the top and seat angle connections assumed are
perhaps more flexible than desirable for this applica-
tion. Nevertheless, the results demonstrate the some-
times dramatic contribution of connection deformation
to structural deflection.
As illustrated in Fig. 9, the transverse deflection of
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the frame with top and seat angle connections is more
than three times that for the frame with assumed rigid
beam-column connections. Moreover, it can be seen
that the combined effect of the connection deformations
and the P-A displacements is to greatly amplify the
drift of the structure.
As might be expected, the beam end-moments for the
analysis with the top and seat angle connections were
only about half as large as those calculated on the basis
of rigid ones. As well, the connection deformation af-
fected the axial column forces by as much as 35%.
Conclusions
A procedure has been presented for expressing the
For personal use only.
moment-rotation behavior of five common steel beam
- column connection types in a standardized form and
incorporating the standardized functions into a com-
puter program that performs a statical analysis of
three-dimensional rectangular frames. T o account for
nonlinear behavior of the connections, the program uses
an iterative analysis procedure that yields an accurate
prediction of the bending moment and rotational defor-
mation in each connection, as well as member end
forces and structural displacements.
Examples demonstrate that connection deformation
sometimes has a very significant effect on the internal
force distribution in, o r the deflection of, a structure.
Acknowledgement
This study was conducted at the University of
Manitoba, with financial support from the Natural
Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.
BATHO,C., and ROWAN,H. C. 1934. lnvestigations on beam
and stanchion connections. 2nd report of the Steel Struc-
tures Research Committee, Her Majesty's Stationery Of-
fice, London.
BEAULIEU, D., and GIROUX,Y.-M. 1974. Etude exptri-
mentale d'un joint rigide entre un poteau tubulaire et des
poutres en double-tC. Rapport GCT-74-06-02, DCparte-
ment de Gtnie Civil, Universitt Laval, Qutbec, Qutbec.
BRUN,P., and PICARD,A. 1976. Etude d'un assemblage
imparfaitement rigide et des effets de son utilisation dans
un multi-ttage. Rapport GCT-76-03, Dtpartement de
Gtnie Civil, Universitt Laval, Qutbec, Quebec.
CANADIAN STANDARDS ASSOCIATION. 1978. Steel structures
for buildings-limit states design. CAN3-S16.1-M78,
253
Rexdale, Ontario.
FRYE,M. J., and MORRIS,G. A. 1975. Analysis of flexibly
connected steel frames. Can. J. Civ. Eng. 2(3), pp.
280-291.
GLOBLE,G. G. 1963. A study of the behavior of building
frames with semi-rigid joints. A report submitted to the
American Institute of Steel Construction and the Ohio Steel
Fabricators Association, Case Institute of Technology,
Cleveland, Ohio.
HECHTMAN, R. A,, and JOHNSTON, B. G. 1947. Riveted
semi-rigid beam-to-column building connections. Progress
Report Number 1, American Institute of Steel Con-
struction, Research at Lehigh University, Bethlehem,
Pennsylvania.
JONES,S. W., KIRBY,P. A., and NETHERCOT, D. A. 1979.
The analysis of frames with semi-rigid connections-A
state-of-the-art report. Report prepared at the request of
Task Group 23 of the Structural Stability Research Council
of the U .S.A., University of Sheffield, Sheffield, England.
LEWITT,C. W., CHESSON, E., JR.,and MUNSE,W. H. 1966.
Restraint characteristics of flexible riveted and bolted
beam-to-column connections. Structural Research Series
No. 296, Department of Civil Engineering, University of
Illinois, Urbana, Illinois.
LIGHTFOOT, E., and LEMESSURIER, A. P. 1974. Elastic anal-
ysis of framewords with elastic connections. ASCE Journal
of the Structural Division, 100, pp. 1297- 1309.
LIPSON,S. L. 1968. Single-angle and single plate beam
framing connections. First Canadian Structural En-
gineering Conference.
MONFORTON, G. R., and WU, T. S. 1963. Matrix analysis of
semi-rigidly connected frames. ASCE Journal of the Struc-
tural Division, 89, pp. 13-42.
RAMBERC,W., and OSCOOD,W. R. 1943. Description of
stress-strain curves by three parameters. NACA Technical
Report, No. 902.
ROMSTAD, K. M., and SUBRAMANIAN, C. V . 1970. Analysis
of frames partial connection rigidity. ASCE Journal of the
Structural Division, 96(STI I), pp. 2283-2300.
SOMNER, H. S. 1969. Behavior of welded header plate con-
nections. Master thesis, University of oro onto,. Toronto,
Ontario.
List of symbols
Symbols are defined where first used and are sum-
marized below:
aj dimensionless exponent that gives influence of
j t h size parameter on connection moment-
rotation behavior
D' joint displacement vector, expressed in struc-
ture global coordinate system
E modulus of elasticity
G shearing modulus of elasticity
g ( M ) nonlinear moment-rotation function for a
connection
I second moment of area of beam about bending
axis
J beam torsion constant
 254 CAN. J . CIV. ENC. VOL. 1 1 . 1984
dimensionless scaling factor for ordinates on
moment-rotation curve
stiffness matrix relating force and displacement
at joint I , expressed in global system
local system column stiffness submatrix re-
lating in-plane force and displacement com-
ponents at 1
constant in standardized moment-rotation
function
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member length
bending moment acting on a connection
number of size parameters for a connection
constant in standardized moment-rotation
function
joint force vector expressed in global coordi-
nate system
shear force at end b of beam a-b, expressed in
local system
twisting moment at end b of beam a-b ex-
pressed in local system
bending moment at b of beam a-b expressed in
For personal use only.
local system
l t h connection size parameter
rotation transformation matrix from local sys-
tem to global system
slope of initial tangent to connection moment-
rotation curve
flexural stiffnesses of connections at ends a and
b of beam a-b
combined rotation-translation transformation
matrix from column local system at 1 to global
system at m
linear displacement in direction of global axis
x:
rotational deformation within a connection
constant in standardized moment-rotation
function
rotational displacement about global axis X;
shearing displacement at end b of beam a-b
rotation about beam axis at end b of beam a - b
flexural rotation at end b of beam a-b