Extra thickening, ca ntilevers, etc.

, added to the edge

beam, are treated by calculating the second moment of
area of the whole cross-section and dividing this value
amongst the longitudinal beams proportionately to the
width of deck they correspond to. But, if the additions
are symmetrical about the neutral axis, they are added
to the beam in their vicinity. This approach is justified
by considerationof shear transferinthehorizontal
plane.
The typeo f variation in depth shown in Fig1 is treated
by calculating the second moment of area and neutral
and dividingthis
axis of thecompletecross-section
between the beams as for the edge beams. This can
bejustified by consideringthe ability of thesloping
bottomflangeto
carry verticalforces when incompression. The sloping flange will
greatlyincrease the
transverse shear stiffness of the section.
The same configuration as the lattice but without the
diagonals was solved as a simple grillage for the same
load case. The properties of the remaining members are
different as theirflexuralpropertiesmustsum
to the
total flexural rigidity of the cross-section and the torsional stiffness must be included. Thetransverse shear
stiffnessisthe
same. Fig 12 comparesthe vertical
deflections and longitudinal soffit stresses of.the.lattice
and
simple
grillage
solutions.
The
correspondence
between the two solutions can beseen to be very good.

Acknowledgements
Theauthors are gratefulforthe
assistancegiven to
them by Mr. D. J. Lee, a partner of their firm, who was
responsible for the original concept
of the top-hatbeam.
They also wish to acknowledge the part played in the
development ofthedesign
by othermembers of the
firm, including Mr. P. F. Johnson and Mr. J. K. Goodall.

References
1. Standard beam sections for prestressed concrete bridges,
Data Sheets CSC l to 5. London, The Concrete Society, 1967.
of Practice, CP 117:Part 2: 1967.
2. BritishStandardCode

Compositeconstructioninstructuralsteelandconcrete.
for
bridges.
London, British
Standards
Part 2. Beams
Institution, 1967.

3. Argyris, J. H., Energytheoremsandstructuralanalysis.

London, Butterworths, 1960.
4. McHenry, D., A lattice analogy for the solution of stress
problems, Journal ICE, Vol. 21, December 1943, p. 59.
5. Argyris, J. H., Recentadvances in matrix methods of structural analysis. Oxford, Pergamon Press, 1964.
6. Pippard, A. J. S., Studiesinelasticstructures.
London,
Arnold, 1952, p. 177.
7. Resinger, F., DerdunnwandigeKastentrager
(Thin-walled
box girders). Koln, Stahlbau-Verlag, 1959, p. 21.
8. Sawko, F., Recent developments in the analysis of steel
bridges using electronic computers. BCSA Conference on
Steel Bridges, London, 1968.
9. Little G., The distribution of load in a box-section bridge
from tests on a xylonite model, M a g Con Research, Vol. 6,
No. 18, December 1954, p. 121.
UDC 625.711.3 : 624.21.74 : 624.072.2

w s m n nume ExTEnsm

-the analysis of
prestressedbeams
curved in plan with
torsional restraint at
the supports
and
R. J.R.Garrett
A. Cochrane
MA CEng
MAMICE

Synopsis

Notation

The general theory of beams curved in plan with torsional

restraint
at
thesupportsisexplained,withparticular
reference to prestress loading. It is proved that the torsional
moments due to prestress loading are solely dependent on
thesupportbendingmoments,andtheconditions
of
concordancy are formulated for a circularly curved beam.
It is suggested that for most practical cases the support
bending moments in circularly curved beams
can be calculated to sufficient
accuracy
assuming
the
beam
is
straight,andthe
order of accuracyis given. A similar
approximation can alsobe made when analysing the effects
ofloadsother
than prestress.

128

CEng

MICE

=radius of curvature of beaminplan;

l, a
=length and angle subtended by one span;
S, 8
=length and angle subtended by part of span;
I, GJ =bending and torsional properties of beam;
Y
=//GJ ;
W

P
e
[P]
;S]
fij

Xi

ut

=torsional rotation of beam;

=vertical deflection of beam;
=prestressing
force;
=eccentricity of prestressing force;
=prestressing cable force vector;
=stress resultant vector;
=torsional moment;
=flexibility coefficients;
=redundant bending moments;
=rotations of released structure due to external loading;

THE STRUCTURAL
ENGINEER

0 MARCH 7970 0 No 3 0 VOLUME 48

mr,Ti =bending and torsional moments in released structure

due to x t = l ;
mo, To =bending and torsional moments in released structure
due to external loading;
M I ,M ~ = s u p p o r t bending moments.

Thesolutionofthe
equations ofcircularly
curved
uniform beams with torsional restraint at the supports
hasbeenpresented
in tabular form, for the
cases of
uniformlydistributedandpoint
loads, by Wittfohtl.
The purpose of this paper is to provide a solution for
prestress loading.

Theory for determinate beams

Let us consider acurvedbeam of any form (variable
section,
rotated
axes, three
dimensional
curvature)
supported in a determinate manner and subject to the
action of a prestressing cable, which is not attached to
any point outside the beam (Fig 1).
Since the prestressing cable is in equilibrium under
theforces applied to it by the beam, the equaland
opposite forces on the
beam due to the prestressing
cable constitute an equilibrium set, and no external
forces are applied by the supports.
Now let us consider the equilibrium of
a section of the
beam through which the prestressing cable passes.
The external forces on this section consist
only of the
stress resultant vector [S] and the prestressing cable
equilibrium,
force vector [P]. Since this section is in
with no forces being providedby the supports,
[S] = - [P].
Hence the stress resultants on the end face are solely
those due to the components of the local prestressing
cable force on thatface.
In thegeneral case, the values of the stress resultants

can befound by resolutionofthelocalprestressing

cable force in the direction of the local
axes, care being
taken to refer torsional effects to the shear centre, not
the centroid of the section.
Next let us consider a beam of the form shown in
Fig 2. Thehorizontal
curvature is arbitrary butthe
section, which isnot necessarilyuniform, is laterally
symmetrical aboutthe vertical axis at any point. The
system of support is determinateand
the beam is
subjected to prestressingforceswhich
arelaterally
symmetrical at all points.
Sincethelocalprestressing
cable force vector [P]
does not have a component perpendicular to thevertical
axis of the beam at any section, there can be no lateral
shear force or bendingmoment, i.e. there is no bending
in plan. Similarly, since there is no component about
the shear centre ofany section, therecan be no torsional
moment.
In the general case deflections can be handled by a
matrixtechnique, but in the case of Fig 2 the elastic
beam equation can be used. This can be written:
l dy
TR
do - - --GJ
dB de R
where T is the torsional momentand R is the horizontal
radius of curvature at the section beingconsidered.
Since the torsional momentis zero at all points,
d
o
1 dY
- e (1)
de
For a beam of constant horizontal radius ofcurvature
equation l can be integratedto give

Ea

...

w + t:p = c

Fig 1. Generalised
determinate prestressed
beam.

P R E S T R E S S I N GC A B L EL O C A T E D
I NP L A N E
OF S Y M M E T R Y
P L A N E OF S Y M M E T R Y

-7
\

Fig 2. Prestressed beam

with lateral symmetry.

THE STRUCTURALENGINEER

0 MARCH 1970 0 No 3

VOLUME 48

129

where C i s an integration constant.

determinate support
Thisresult shows thatifthe
system consists of a pair of supports at one end of the
beam, andasinglesupport
at the other, the vertical
displacement being zero at both ends, the rotation of
the second end will be
zero with respect to the firstend.
Conversely, if a circularly curved beam is supported so
that free bending rotation is permitted at its ends but
torsionalrotations
are prevented, thenprestressing
cables which are laterally symmetrical will produce no
torsional moments in the beam.

Theory for continuous beams

Fromthe

analysiscarried

out above for determinate

SUPPORTS

PROVIDE

TORSIONAL RESTRAINT

EN

RADIUS=R

beams it can be concluded that i n a circularly curved,

continuous beam with torsional restraintat the supports,
the torsionalmoments due to prestressing cables which
are laterallysymmetrical
are dependentonly
onthe
supportbendingmomentsinduced
by thecontinuity
andcan be calculated from them.
The effect of an end momentonasingle
span,
circularly curved beam as shown in Fig 3 is given by the
formula
T,
= M
f (a, Q)
1
cos (a - I))
*
' (2)
where f (a, 0) = - sin a
,I

1 1 7

f (a, 0 ) is shown graphically in Fig 4 for the tenth points

of the span for values of a up to 30 degrees.
The analysis of continuous beams may be carried out
using the methodof influence coefficients, the structure
being released by applying moment releases at internal
supports. It is assumed that axial strains are dealt with
separately as prestressing is but one of several effects
producing axial strain, that have to be considered.
The method outlined below may be used for analysing
the effect of any loading system on the structure, but
the
fact
that
prestressing
the
released structure
produces no torsional moments, allows a considerable
simplification.
The basic equations are the standard ones as follows:
f1lxl

ftlx~
fnlx1

+
+
+

f12~2
fi2~2

+ ... +
+ . . 1+ . . . -t

fn2~2

fljxj
fijxj
fnjxj

+- . . +
+. .+
+ . . . -k

flnxn

u1

ui

finxn

fnn xn

= - Un

..

(3)

Assuming axial shortening is permitted

and
shear
deformations are small, we have

and

Fig 3. Notation for circulary curved beam.

0.20

0.1 5

. . (4)
m

Note that for prestress loading only To = 0

POSITIVE
TORSION
ROTATES
FIRST
E N D OF A S E C T I O N C L O C K W I S E
R E L A T I V ET OS E C O N DE N D
SAGGING
MOMENTS
POSITIVE

0.10

0.05

Fig 4. Graph of torsion

function f (a, Q)

-0.05

-0.1 0

130

THESTRUCTURAL ENGlNEER 0 MARCH 1970 0 No 3 0 VOLUME 48

8=

If the beam is singly connected, and freely supported

for bending at theends, the flexibility matrix reduces to
a band matrix of the form
0

f21

f22

f23

f32

f33

f34

ff1i r2

where

' '

...

0
0
0
fnn

fij = fii

100

The terms of the leading diagonal

equation:

are given by the

=IO

x=

i= 0

where
IO

l a and h = length of spans either side of release;

aa and a b = angle subtended by spans either side of

release.
The other non-zero terms are given by the equation

ANGLE

30

20

SUBTENDED
BY
SPAN

Fig 6. Graph of flexibility function

(DEGREES)
fB

Thetermsontheright-hand
equations are of the form

(a).

side oftheflexibility

l
EI

- fB(a)

where
fB(a) =

40

L[
2a

- 1)
sin a

(7

- a

cot Q (v
sin a

+ 1) +

"1

It is evident that ut will be zero if

la

I = length of span between releases i a n d j

(Pe) sin

a = angles subtended by span between releases i and j .

The functionsf A ( a ) and fB(a) are plotted in Fig 5 and 6

for various values of a and y.
'6

and

8 de

. . . (7)

= 0

(Pe) sin (a - e)de = 0

= 100

Hence, it can be shown that if

(Pe) sin 0 d 8 = 0

and
(Pe) c o s O d 8 = 0

-6

IO

5= I
'd= 0

. . . (8)

for each span, all ut will be zero, and hencethe redundant

bending momentsand
thetorsionmomentswillbe
zero. Therefore, equations 8 are the conditions of concordancy for a curved beam.
It is interesting to note thatas a tends to zero equations 8 become theconditions of concordancy for a
straight beam.
[I

(Pe) x dx = 0

(Pe) (l - x ) dx = 0

i,

. . . (9)

J
0

10

ANGLE
SUBTENDED

30

20

BY SPAN (DEGREES)

f i g 5. Graph of flexibility function f~ ( a )

THE STRUCTURAL
ENGINEER

40

Approximate methods
The method of analysis described above can involve a
large amount of computation for practical cases, and in

0 MARCH 1970 0 No 3 0 VOLUME 48

131

thatfreebendingrotation
and axial displacement i s
permitted
but
torsional
rotation
is prevented, then
prestressing cables which are symmetrically disposed
over the cross-section produce no torsional moments
in the beam.
y < 1 and a < 30"
Thetorsional moments inacontinuous,circularly
y < 5 and a < 20"
curved
prestressed beam, withtorsionalrestraints
at
y < 10 and a < 15"
thesupports,
are solelydependent
onthesupport
then the support bending moments calculated assuming bending moments, and can be calculated from t h e m
the beam was straight, were within 6 per cent of their
If the angles subtended by the individual spans of a
true value. Hence, for
most
practical
cases it is
continuouscircularly curved beam are small and the
sufficiently accurate to calculate the support bending
ratioofbendingtotorsionalstiffnessis
small, the
momentsassumingastraight
beam, and fromthese
support
bending
moments
may be calculated to
calculate the torsion moments from the equation
sufficient accuracy by assuming the beam is straight.
To = M1 f (a,8) - M2 f (a, -(a
8))
where f (a,8) is the function defined by equation 2 and
Acknowledgements
shown in Fig 4.
This paper is publishedwiththepermissionof
G.
It should be noted that this approximate method has
Maunsell & Partners, London, and Maunsell & Partners,
the same range of validity forloadings
other than
Melbourne.
prestress.

consequenceinvestigations have been made in order

to provide a simpler approximate method.
It was found that if a and y were small and within the
limits

Reference

Conclusions
The conclusions may be summarised as follows:
If a circularlycurved beam is supported at itsends so

1. Wittfoht,
H.
Kreisformig gekrummte Trager mit starrer
Torsionsein-spannung an den Auflagerpunkten, Theorie
und Berechnung. Springer-Verlag 1964.

Building Regulations
Amendment
The Minister of Housing and Local
Government formally laid beforeParliament on 5 February the Building (Fifth
Amendment) Regulations 1970. These regulations, if approved, will come into operation on 1 April 1970 but will not
apply to work that was: (a) completed before the date of the coming into operation of these regulations; or (b) completed after that date in accordance with plans deposited with the local authority
before that date, with or without any
departure or deviation from those plans.
On 6 February the Ministry of Housing and Local Government jointly with the Welsh Office issued Circular 10/70
drawing attention to the Building (Fifth Amendment) Regulations1970.
It will be noted that the published amendments are concerned with the structural stabilityof all buildings having
five or more storeys and thatthey specify measures to limit structural failure in theevent of accidental damage. That
part of the Ministry Circular62/68 which advised reference to BRS Digests 99 and 707 for the calculation of wind loads
on high-rise buildings may be taken as remaining effective.
The full texts of Circular 10/70 and the Building (Fifth Amendment) is set out below.
CROWN COPYRIGHT: Reproduced

by permission of the Controller H.M.S.O.

T E X T OF M I N I S T R Y C I R C U L A R 10/70
l. W e are directed by theMinister
of
ment) Regulations 1970, copies of which
Housing
and
Local
Government and
the
are
enclosed herewith.
2. These regulations come into operaSecretary of State for Wales to draw your
attention to the Building (Fifth Amendtion on l April 1970, but do not apply to

132

STRUCTURAL
THE

work completed before the operative date,

such work falling to be dealt with, so far
as necessary, on the basis of theBuilding
Regulations as in force atthe relevant

ENGINEER 0 MARCH 1970 0 No 3 0 VOLUME 48