UNBRACED COMPOSITE FRAMES: APPLICATION OF THE WIND MOMENT METHOD DA Nethercot! and J S Hensman* ‘School of Civil Engineering, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK ?Caunton Engineering Limited, Moorgreen Industrial Park, Moorgreen, Nottingham NG16 3QU, UK ABSTRACT Proposals are given to extend the simplified design technique known as the Wind Moment Method to cover a limited range of composite frames. ‘The range represents that of most interest in practice in the UK. Justification is by comparison with the findings from an extensive numerical study KEYWORDS : Composite Construction, Connections, Frames, Joints, Steel Structures, Structural Design INTRODUCTION The Wind Moment Method (WMM) has long been established as a simple, intuitively based, design approach for unbraced frames. More recently, it has been the subject of scientific study, designed to provide a more fundamental understanding of the link between actual frame behaviour and the inherent design simplifications. This work has, until now, been restricted to bare steel construction. In a recent study Hensman, (1998), the authors have examined the case for an extension of the WMM to cover composite steel/conerete frames. Although the approach adopted resembles that used for bare steelwork, a number of particular features have had to be addressed. This paper summarizes the main outeomes from that study. The basis for the extension was numerical modelling, utilising the available body of knowledge on the performance of composite connections, the previous application of the WMM to bare steelwork and the capabilities of the ABAQUS package. It was also found necessary to conduct a detailed examination of the role of column bases — a feature not previously addressed in WMM