Calculation of serviceability deflections for non-sway frames with semi-rigid connections

A relatively simple method for calculating the deflections of beams in non-sway frames provided with semi-rigid beam-to-column connections is developed, It assumes elastic behaviour of the frame members and approximates the true nonlinear connection response with a simplified linear connection stiffness, Comparisons against deflection measurements taken in a series of full-scale frame tests show the proposed method to be of acceptable accuracy and to be comparatively insensitive to the exact simplifications made concerning connection characteristics.