Example Analysis of a Portal Frame Dr M Gillie

There are many ways to analyse portal frames with a broad distinction being made between elastic analyses (commonly used in most parts of the world) and plastic analyses (commonly used in the UK). This document presents an analysis of a basic portal frame under solely gravity loads using a simple plastic analysis. Other courses will cover plastic analysis of more complex frames and other structures later in your degree programme. The structure analysed is shown in Fig. 1. It is a single-bay portal and has symmetry about mid-span. This symmetry means that 1. It is possible to analyse just one half of the frame (as indicated in the gure). 2. In total, four plastic hinges are required to form a collapse mechanism. This is a slightly unusual situation; any asymmetry in loading or the structure would mean that only three hinges would be needed for collapse to occur. It is assummed that the columns have full plastic moment Mp and rafters full plastic moment Mp . In a typical portal frame the rafters are lighter members and the value of is between 0.6 and 0.8. The analysis determines the required value of Mp for a uniform load of . It is further assumed here that as the uniformly distributed vertical load, , on the structure is increased, a point will be reached at which a rst plastic hinge forms in the column just below the haunch1 . Taking moments about this hinge gives (Fig. 1) Mp = Hy (1)

As the load is further increased, the moments in the rafter will rise to a point where a second plastic hinge forms at some (currently unknown) distance, x, from the column (Fig. 1) and the collapse mechanism forms. Taking moments about this second hinge: MP = L x2 2xf x H h+ 2 2 L (2)

eliminating H from the above two equations gives

L 2 x

Mp =

x2 2 2xf Ly

h y

(3)

Thus, the required value of Mp varies as the position of the hinge in the rafter changes. In reality the hinge will form at the point of maximum moment and Mp will be a maximum at this point. So, to nd the value of x at which the hinge forms, dierentiate Mp wrt x and equate to zero. (Note this process will nd the maximum sagging moment capacity required in the rafter, which will occur near the apex. Higher hogging capacity may be needed near the rafter/column connection but this will be accommodated by the haunch.) h 2xf dMp =0=y + + dx y Ly f = x2 Ly L L x2 x x 2 2 2 L hL h x + y 2 2y 2f Ly (4) (5)

1 Assumptions such as this need to be made in plastic analysis but should be checked full details in later plastic analysis courses.

solving this quadractic in x gives (y + h) (h + y ) + 2f (y + h)

2f L 2

x=

(6)

for x to be in the rafter, the positive root must be taken. It is now possible to determine the required Mp from Eqn. 3 and hence H from Eqn. 1. It is also now possible to draw the bending moment diagram for the whole frame. With the required Mp known, it is possible to obtain preliminary sizes for the members of the portal frame using data in section tables. Further checks are then necessary to ensure that the various buckling modes that frames are susceptible to are prevented, either by the chosen members having sucient resistance or by providing restraint to buckling. This restraint will often be provided by the purlins that attach the roong and cladding to a portal frame. To speed up the initial sizing of portal frames, very often design charts based on the above equations are used. These are normally presented in a normalized form so that they are applicable to frames of any dimensions and subject to any loading. A spreadsheet is available on WebCt with the calculations presented above used to produce such charts, which are also available in many design guidance documents.
uniform load PLastic hinges

Haunch

pinned bases

Frame Analysed

Assumed Collapse Mechanism

h y

H L/2

V Notation used in analysis

Figure 1: Portal frame analysed.