Flexible Moment Connections for Unbraced Frames Subjected to Lateral Forces—A Return to Simplicity

The authors are to be commended for presenting a very well documented discussion and application example of the flexible moment connection (FMC) approach for low-rise steel building frames. The authors provide the reader with an excellent history of the approach and theoretical basis for its development in addition to providing a clear example illustrating application. This discussion aims to give further support to the authors’ approach through providing the results of a series of nonlinear static analyses of the partially restrained frame designed in the original manuscript. The discussion results will further justify the flexible moment connection approach for low-rise frames in zones of low to moderate seismicity. Furthermore, the inelastic analysis results provided will give support to use of the FMC methodology for