The simple construction method refers to steel frames in which the external horizontal forces are resisted only

by stiff cores or panels. These lateral restraint systems are made of either steel sections (bracings) or reinforced concrete. All the beams are simply supported to the columns and transmit to them an axial compression load and nominal moments. Since the beam-tocolumn connections have no stiffness, the lateral stability of the structure is provided only by the bracing system.

BS EN 1993-1-8 requires that all joints must be classified; by stiffness, which is appropriate for elastic global analysis, or by strength, which is appropriate for rigid plastic global analysis, or by both stiffness and strength, which is appropriate for elastic-plastic global analysis.