FACTOR METHOD

FACTOR METHOD
Example. Analyze the frame shown and determine the girder moments, girder shears,
column moments and column shears.
60 kN I k=50 J k=90 K k=70 L
k=25

3m

k=40

k=45

k=30
30 kN E k=60 F k=100 G k=80 H

4m
k=30

k=45

k=50

k=35
A B C D

4m 8m 5m
 FACTOR METHOD
Procedure:
1. Compute the girder factor (g) for each joint.
g = ∑kc/∑k
Where: ∑kc – sum of relative stiffness k for all columns meeting at
the joint.
∑k – sum of relative stiffness k for all columns and girders meeting at the
joint
2. Compute the column factor c for each joint.
c=1-g
3. From step (1) and (2), there is now a number at the end of each member of the frame.
To each of these number of the frame, add half of the number at the other end of the
member.
4. Multiply each sum obtained from step (3) by the relative stiffness k of the members for which
the sum occurs. For columns, the product is called the column moment factor (C); for girders,
the product is called the Girder moment factor (G).
 FACTOR METHOD
Procedure:
5. Compute the column moments.
The column moment in the nth storey is equal to the column moment factor (C) of that
storey
multiplied by SC, the storey constant
SC = Hh/∑C
Where: H - Total horizontal shear on the nth storey
h – storey height on the nth storey
∑C – sum of column moment factor of the nth storey
6. Compute the girder moments.
At a joint having one girder and one column
The girder moment = column moment
At a joint having one girder and two columns
The girder moment = sum of column moments
 FACTOR METHOD
Procedure:
At an interior joint (joint having two girders and two columns)
Girder moment of a member = girder moment factor of this member times the
sum of the column moments at joint J divided by the sum of the girder moment
factors at joint J.
Ex. Girder moment of a member MJA
At joint J B MJA = GJA(MJB + MJD)/( GJA+ GJC)
Girder moment of a member MJC
J MJC = GJC(MJB + MJD)/( GJA+ GJC)
A C

D
 FACTOR METHOD
Procedure:
7. Compute girder shears.
The girder shear is equal to the sum of the girder end moments divided by length
of girder
8. Compute column shears.
The column shear is equal to the sum of the column end moments divided by length of
column
 FACTOR METHOD
Example. Analyze the frame shown and determine the girder moments, girder shears,
column moments and column shears.
60 kN I k=50 J k=90 K k=70 L
k=25

3m

k=40

k=45

k=30
30 kN E k=60 F k=100 G k=80 H

4m
k=30

k=45

k=50

k=35
A B C D

4m 8m 5m
 1.022 0.928
0.500 0.261

A
k=30 0.522 k=25 0.667
1.000 0.522 I
0.261 0.334

0.444
0.111
0.333

0.652
0.174
0.478
1.261 0.856

k=60
k=50

1.153 1.104
0.500 0.326
0.239
0.586
0.222
0.167
0.389

B
0.347 F
k=45 0.653 k=40 0.778
J

1.000 0.653
0.327 0.389

0.519
0.332

0.172
0.110

0.347
0.222

1.327 1.042
k=100
k=90

1.155 1.108
0.500 0.328
0.220
0.111
0.331

0.345
0.174
0.529

k=50 0.655 k=45 0.780

K

1.000 0.655
0.328 0.390
0.370
0.150
0.220

0.569
0.224
0.345

1.328 1.045
L
k=70
Steps 1, 2 & 3 (Girder Factor, Column Factor)

k=80

1.052 0.976
0.300

0.276
0.410
0.110

0.500
0.448
0.173
0.621

k=35 k=30 0.700

D

0.552
L

1.000 0.552
0.276 0.350
1.276 0.902
Step 4. Determine Girder M Factor, G and Column M Factor,
C
I 22.2 19.45 J 29.88 29.79 K 25.9 28.7 L

44.16

49.86

29.28
23.2

27.06
47.03
41.68
21.4

39.12 35.16 F 51.9 52.9 G 45.52 49.68

E H

36.82
51.89

57.75
30.66
37.83

59.72

44.66
66.4
A B C D
Step 5. Determine column moments, girder moments and
shears
I 14.72 (6.44) 11.04 J 16.96 (4.23) 16.91 K 14.7 (6.654) 18.57 L

28.00

31.61
14.72

(11.91) 18.57
(20.48)
(18.14)
(9.43)

17.16
29.82
26.43
13.57

42.18 (18.10) 30.23 F 44.63 (11.20) 44.99 G 38.72 (18.05) 51.52

E H

34.36
48.43

53.89
28.61
(15.98)

(19.01)
(28.97)
(26.04)
35.31

55.74

61.97

41.69
A B C D