Energy evaluation in

reinforced concrete hollow

circular sections under
bending
Zamil A.R. Mokrin
Civil Engineering Department, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, Dhahran,
Saudi Arabia
(Received November 1987; revised May 1988)

Four specimens were tested for monotonically increasing bending.

Another four identical specimens, except for possible variations in
concrete strength, were tested for reversed cyclic bending. The hollow
cylindrical specimens were 128 inches (3.25 m) long and 16 inches
(406 mm) in outside diameter with wall thickness of two inches (50.8
mm) and reinforced by both longitudinal and circumferential steel.
Two parameters were varied, the axial load and the longitudinal steel
ratio. The effects of the axial load and the longitudinal steel ratio on
the specimens stiffness, curvature ductility and energy absorption were
quite apparent.
The test results confirmed that the use of ductility factors in evaluating
energy absorption or dissipation in reinforced concrete hollow circular
sections under bending does not take into account the effect of the
stiffness degradation or the pinching effects that are found in the
hysteretic behaviour of sections subjected to cyclic bending coupled
with high axial forces.

Keywords: bending, circular concrete sections, energy evaluation

When evaluating energy absorption or dissipation, researchers normally resort to the use of ductility factor,
which is generally taken as the ratio of the deformation
at maximum load to the deformation at yielding. The
ductility factor, however, does not account for stiffness
degradation or pinching effect found in hysteretic behaviour.
In this paper, the author evaluates the energy absorption/dissipation of eight specimens of hollow circular
sections subjected to both transverse and axial loads.
Four of the specimens were monotonically loaded to
failure and four other identical specimens were cyclically
loaded before loading them to failure.

Test results
The eight test specimens that are described in detail
in reference 1 were all 128 inches (3.25 m) long and 16
inches (406 mm) in outside diameter and with a wall
thickness of two inches (50.8 mm). The specimen designations, the axial load ratio and longitudinal steel ratio are
tabulated in Table 1. The circumferential steel ratio in all
0141-0296/88/04281-06/$03.00
1988 Butterworth & Co (Publishers) Ltd

specimens was 0.0038 and the bars were spaced at four

inches (102 mm) centre to centre. The ultimate capacity
of these specimens has been discussed in reference 2.
Table 2 gives a summary of the values of the test
parameters and the test results of the eight specimens.
Also included in Table 2 are calculated values for
comparison with experimental values.

Ductility
The ductility factor, which is usually defined as the ratio
of deformation at maximum load to deformation at
yielding, is a measure of the member's ability to undergo
large inelastic deformations before failure. The curvature
ductility was the only measured deformation ductility
and is expressed as the ratio of maximum curvature to
that of the curvature at yield (l~max/l~Iy).For reversed cyclic
loading, the maximum curvature, ~b. . . . was taken as the
absolute value of either the maximum positive or negative
curvature, whichever was greater. The curvature at yield,
~by, was taken as the average of the absolute values of
positive and negative curvatures at yield.

Eng. Struct. 1988, Vol. 10, October

281

Bending of reinforced concrete hollow circular sections." Z. A. R. Mokrin

Table 1
ratio

Monotonic

Specimen designations, axial loads and longitudinal steel

Axial
load

__N

Longitudinal

Pfy

Testtype designations (Kips)

rtfc

steel ratio

fc

0.0315
0.4807
0.0996
0.3315

0,005
0,005
0.010

0.0509
0.0729
0.1348

3.0
32.3
8.3
33.0

0,010

0.1128

E
F
G
H

8.8
33.0
9.4
33.7

0.0987
0.3461
0.0998
0.3405

0.005
0,005
0,010
0,010

0.0549
0.0514
0.1192
0.1134

Specimen

A
B
C

Monotonic

Reversed
cyclic

As noted in Table 2 and Figure 1, the axial load

showed a noticeable effect on curvature ductilities. For
example, increasing the axial load from 0.10 for specimen
C to 0.33 for specimen D resulted in a reduction in
curvature ductility by more than 31%.
Also notable in Table 2 is that increasing the longitudinal steel ratio from 0.005 (specimens A and B) or 0.01
(specimens C and D) decreased the curvature ductility
factor by 15 % between A and C and by 7 % between B
and D.
Reversed cyclic
Table 2 demonstrated that increasing the axial load or
the longitudinal steel ratio decreased the curvature ductility factors in the reversed cyclic tests, as was observed
for monotonic tests.

N = axial load, r = mean radius, t = thickness, fc = concrete strength,

fy = yield stress of steel, p = longitudinal steel ratio

Table 2

Test results and comparison w i t h computed values

At Yield

1st Cracking
Type of

Specimen

Axial load

Longitudinal

Mc

loading

method

(Kips)

steel ratio

(K-ft)

Measured
A

3.O

Measured
32.3

Measured
83

Measured
33.0

Measured
F
Calculated

8.8

330

~u

Mu

~u

(k-ft)

rad/in(xl06)

My

~by

11.8

19

16.0

1 50

26.8

1 501

1.68

10.01

15.0

18

14.1

191

19.2

2050

1.36

10.73

22.1

38

35.6

187

42.0

1181

1.18

6.32

20.3

29

28.6

216

35.2

1300

1.23

6.02

11,8

25

37.6

205

50.9

1749

1.35

8.53

15.2

20

30.2

21 5

41.6

1480

1.38

6.88

23.3

38

43.2

226

63.3

1323

1.47

5.85

23.1

27

42.4

228

54.9

1250

1.29

5.48

13.8

21

20.5

171

29.5

1900

1.44

11.11

16.0

20

1 5.2

164

22.4

1949

1.47

11.88

20.2

47

27.8

179

36.4

1250

1 31

6.98

22.8

26

27.5

178

357

1593

1.30

8.95

0.005

0.005

o_
Measured

15.9

27

35.3

199

50.3

1983

1.42

9.96

Catcutated

16.5

20

259

170

42.2

t 555

1.63

9.15

Measured

26.1

53

45.8

223

66.2

1444

1.45

6.48

32.2

27

377

1 83

54.9

1311

1.46

716

9.4

33.7
Calculated

282

dissipation
(in k/in) ( x l O
285

578

632

785

0.01

Calculated

Measured
E
Calculated

rad/in( x 106) (K ft) rad/in( x 106)

Mu

0.01 0

Calculated

Ductility ratios Energy absorption/

At Ultimate
~v

0.005

Calculated

My

0.005

Calculated

q~c

0.01

0.01

Eng. Struct. 1988, Vol. 10, October

Cycle
No. 3 5
4 2
6 27
6 27
7 135
3 9
4 4
5 82
6 48
7 t45
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

13
11
40
16
223
244
389

3
4
5
6
7
8

22
10
39
29
418
344

3)

Bending of reinforced concrete hollow circular sections: Z. A. R. Mokrin

70

The increase of the axial load between the similarly

reinforced specimens A and B has increased the moment
capacity by more than 57 %, and, as a result, the amount
of energy absorbed by specimen B exceeded that of A by
more than 100%. It should be kept in mind that the
cut-off curvature of 0.0012 rad/in was the same for both
specimens. Similarly, the increase in the axial load
between specimens C and D has increased the moment
capacity by 24 % and also increased the energy absorption by more than 24 %.

-Experimental
-- - Theoretical

52.5

'

35-

17.5-

//"
/"
0

0.025

0.05

0.075

Curvature

0.10
(cad/in)

0.125

0.15

0.175

0.20

(x 1021

Figure I

Comparison of the moment curvature diagram of specimen A through D at pure moment region

Reversed cyclic loading with gradually increasing load

is seen to improve the performance of the specimen, in
that higher ductilities can be developed. Comparing the
curvature ductilities of specimens B, C, and D with the
comparable specimens F, G, and H one observes that
specimens subjected to reverse cyclic loads with slowly
increasing load increments exhibited higher ductilities
than those subjected to monotonically increasing loads.
Another beneficial effect from the reversed cyclic
loading with gradually increasing loading is the elimination of spalling of concrete on the compression zone. An
example of that is that specimen G, which is comparable
to specimen C in terms of steel ratio and axial load, failed
after the specimen was subjected to severe tension
cracking and was thus able to undergo a higher curvature
ductility factor without crushing of the concrete. On the
other hand, the monotonic specimen C failed by crushing
of the concrete in compression.

Energy absorption dissipation

Energy absorption/dissipation capacity is defined as the
area under the moment-curvature curve. Table 2 shows
the energy absorption/dissipation for each specimen as
measured by a planimeter.
Monotonic
Figure 1 compares the moment-curvature diagrams of
specimens A through D. To study the influence of the
steel and axial load parameters on the energy absorption
capacity and to make meaningful comparisons, a maximum curvature of 0.0012 rad/in was selected as the
maximum possible curvature common to all specimens.
The area under the moment-curvature diagrams was then
determined up to this curvature level. The energy absorption in monotonically increasing load is obviously related
to the amount of longitudinal steel as well as to the
amount of axial load.
The increase in the energy absorption as the steel ratio
increases is illustrated by comparing specimens B and D
for which the axial load was the same. The energy
absorption of specimen D with a steel ratio of 0.010 was
36 % higher than that of specimen B, which had a steel
ratio of 0.005.

Reversed cyclic
Table 2 shows the energy dissipation values in each
cycle beyond yielding for specimens E, F, G and H that
were tested cyclically. The results of the tests are drawn
as shown typically in Figure 2. The energy dissipation for
cycles below the yielding level is practically negligible
when compared to the energy dissipated by cycles beyond
yielding.
The axial load had affected the behaviour of specimens
differently. It was observed that when a specimen with
small axial load was subjected to two cycles beyond
yielding, having the same load level, the second cycle
dissipated energy that was equal to (specimen E) or
greater (specimen G) than that dissipated in the first cycle.
However, for a specimen under high axial load, the energy
dissipated in the second cycle was much less than that
dissipated in the first (specimen F and H). The two cycles
of specimen E were cycles 5 and 6 with energy dissipation
of 27 in-lb/in and 27 in-lb/in respectively. For specimen
G the two cycles were cycles 7 and 8 with energy
dissipation of 223 in-lb/in and 244 in-lb/in respectively.
For specimen F the two cycles were 5 and 6 with energy
dissipation of 82 in-lb/in and 48 in-lb/in respectively, and
for specimen H the two cycles were 7 and 8 with energy
dissipation of 418 in-lb/in and 344 in-lb/in respectively.
Comparing specimens with similar curvature peaks
beyond the yield, one notes that specimens with higher
longitudinal steel ratio or greater axial load dissipated
more energy than comparable specimens with lesser steel
ratio or lesser axial load. For example, the energy
dissipations for specimens E (8.8 K axial load, and
p = 0.005), F (33 K axial load, p = 0.005), G (9.4 K load,
p = 0.01) and H (33.7 K axial load, p = 0.01) at curvatures
500 10 - 6 rad/in were 135.2, 289, 240 and 418 in-lb/in,
respectively.
70
35

Pure moment
reglon
Specimen

-35

-70
i
-0.20 -0.15

-0.10 -0.05

0.00

0 .i05

0.10

0.15

0.20

Curvature [radlin) (x 102 )

Figure 2 Moment-curvature diagrams

in the pure m o m e n t region

for specimens H and D

Eng. Struct. 1988, Vol. 10, October

283

Bending of reinforced concrete hollow circular sections." Z. A. R. Mokrin

70,

Pure
moment

W = 33.7 KIPS

P= 0 . 0 1

v
.~- 1.6

///

cc~
-0

..F
i

i./.

-70;

.E

-0.20

-0.15

-0.10

-0.05

Curvature

I
q
Curvature

I
8

ductility

12

Figure 3 shows the cumulative energy dissipated versus

the ductility factors for the four specimens tested under
reversed cycle loading. The ductility factor refers here to
the average of the positive and negative curvature for
each cycle divided by the average yield curvature. Results
for specimens E and H form the respective minimum and
maximum boundaries of the dissipated energy curves
shown in Figure 3.
At ductility factor equal to 1 (Figure 3), the specimens
exhibited similar behaviour. In other words, the relation
between the cumulative dissipated energy versus ductility
is linear when the cycles are below the first yielding.
Comparison of the last cycles of specimens G and H
with Clough degrading model
A comparison between the last cycles of specimens
G and H with the degrading model suggested by Clough
and Johnson 3 is illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 (a detailed
description of the degrading model (referred to herein as
Clough's model) is found in reference 1). As Figure 4
illustrates, the measured cycle and Clough's idealization
are reasonably close, while the idealization in Figure 5 is
far different from the measured cycles, especially around
Pure
moment
region

W = 33.7 KIPS
P = 0.01

Figure 5
model

0.00

0.05

(rad/in)

0.I0

0.15

0.20

(x 102 )

Comparison of specimen H last cycle and the degrading

~/,;,v

Figure 3 Cumulative dissipated energy versus ductility factor

70'

E
~ '

-35 "

I
//

iii1/11

.~ 0.8

35.

////

o~

f-Elastic-plastic
/

the origin. The reason is that the degrading model does

not simulate the pinching effect caused by the axial load.
In view of the above, it is reasonable to use Clough's
idealization for sections under small axial load. However,
for higher axial loads the model could be used with the
suggested modification discussed below.

General trend
Monotonic
A schematic drawing of the three segments that would
represent the moment-curvature response of the monotonic test is shown in Figure 6. A well-defined break
in the moment-curvature curve was formed after the
flexural cracks occurred. This po!nt was formed at higher
moments for specimens with higher axial loads. Beyond
this point deformations continued to increase with
moment up to the beginning of yielding in the tension
steel. As the yield of the member was reached, a considerable drop in stiffness was observed. The yield point
was higher for specimens with either higher axial loads
or higher longitudinal steel ratio. Following yielding of
the steel, curvatures continued to increase linearly until
crushing of concrete or fracture of tension steel.
The monotonic tests have shown that these points can
be predicted accurately from basic reinforced concrete
theories outlined in reference 1. Further refinements can
be made as more experimental data becomes available.

ELastic-plastic
/

_______/

35
t

~ i o u g

-35

-70
-0.20

'
-0.15

'
-0.10

'
-0.05

Curvature

Figure 4
model

284

'
0.00

h' s degrading

model

'
0.05

(rad/in)

'
0.10

'
0.15

'
0.20

(x 102 )

Comparison of specimen G last cycle and the degrading

Eng. Struct. 1988, Vol. 10, October

Curvature

Figure 6 Generalized moment-curvature relationship for specimens tested monotonically

Bending of reinforced concrete hollow circular sections: Z. A. R. Mokrin

Reversed cyclic
From the available data, there is only a slight deterioration in the specimen when it is subjected to reversed cyclic
loads having peak values at or below the yield level. The
behaviour of the specimen is essentially elastic.
When the specimen is subjected to cycles beyond
yielding, after some plastic deformation, quite noticeable
deterioration in stiffness and an increase in residual
deformation occurs. Therefore, reversed cycles that are
at or below yield will be ignored in discussing the reversed
cycles trend.
The representation of the general trend when the
specimen is subjected to reversed cycles is drawn schematically in Figure 7.
If a specimen is loaded initially beyond yielding and
unloaded after being subjected to some plastic deformation, the moment-curvature diagram of the specimen is
expected to develop the first two break points, as shown
in Figure 7, which is similar to monotonic specimens.
When unloading from point 3, the curve is found to follow
a line which is parallel to the dotted line joining the origin
to break point 2. The curve will continue at this slope to
point 4, which has a moment capacity of about half that
of point 3. Beyond point 4 the curve will have a reduced
slope and will continue at this slope to point 5. From the
available test results (i.e. limited data), the slope of the
line joining points 4 and 5 seems to depend on the amount
of axial load; the larger the axial load the smaller is the
slope of the line 4-5 (see Figures 4 and 5 for comparison).
For specimens E and G tested under small axial load
(N/rtf" = 0.10), the slope of the line 4-5 is about 60% that
of line 3 4 , and for specimen F and H tested under high
axial load (N/rtf" = 0.34), it is about 50%. Linear interpolation can be used for other values of N/rtf'c.
When the first reversal is applied, a further reduction in
stiffness is attained as represented by the line joining
points 5 and 6. At this stage some of the cracks on the
compression side are still open. Takayangi and Schnobrich 4 in their mathematical model, which is a modificaMoment

lo/

ature

Figure 7 Generalized moment-curvature for specimens tested

Figure 4.
However, for specimens with N/rtf'c > 0.10, modifying
Clough's model may lead to a better idealization. The
suggested modification is dividing the unloading line into
two segments; the first unloading segment will be parallel
to the yield line and the second will be reduced by a
factor related to the amount of axial load. For
N/rtf'~>O.lO the second line slope will be 60% of the
yield line and for every additional 0.10 of N/rtf'c, a further
reduction of 5 % will be used. Further research is needed
to refine the reduction factor. As shown in Figure 5,
Clough's model was used directly, which resulted in
overestimation of the energy dissipation. It is expected
that the overestimation will be reduced if the suggested
modification is employed, as shown in Figure 8.

Conclusions

versed cyclically

tion of Takeda's model 5'6, have accounted for the pinching effect that results from the compression reinforcement yielding before the closing of concrete crack.
Once all the cracks are closed, the stiffness will be
increased, as represented by the line joining 6 and 7. The
increase in the amount of axial load is seen to increase
the slope of the line 6-7.
After the start of the first yielding in the negative
direction, the line joining points 7 and 8 will be parallel
to the line joining points 2 and 3 in the positive direction.
Upon unloading and reloading, points 8, 9, 10, 11 and
12 will be similar to points 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, respectively.
It was observed from the tests that points 3 and 13 shown
in Figure 7 were closer to each other for specimens under
higher axial load.
If another cycle is applied from the same peak, further
reduction in stiffness during reloading is encountered, but
not during unloading. The reduction in stiffness is related
to the amount of axial load in a specimen. This reduction
increases with the increase in the axial load.
If unloading occurs at a much higher plastic deformation, the unloading still follows the trend represented by
the line joining points 3-4-5 or 8-9-10 with no appreciable deterioration. However, during reloading in the
positive or negative sense (10-11-12 or 5~-7) the deterioration stiffness is quite large and the cracks on the
compression zone stay open throughout the cycle. Thus
the behaviour of the specimen would be governed by
stress-strain characteristics of the reinforcement.
To obtain the theoretical moment--vurvature relationship as suggested by the multilinear trend shown in
Figure 7, a great deal of computer time would be involved.
For this reason it is recommended that for hollow circular
cross sections a reasonably accurate idealization such as
Clough's degrading stiffness model 3 should be established rather than the inaccurate linear elastic-perfectlyplastic idealization. For a section with an axial load ratio
(N/rtf') of 0.10 or smaller, this model could be used
directly, which would result in very little error as seen in

re-

(1) The increase in the axial load or the longitudinal

steel ratio has resulted in an increase in the energy absorption/dissipation.
(2) The effect of varying the steel reinforcement on the
shape of the moment-curvature diagram was minor;
however, the amount of axial load had a significant effect.
Under large deformations, specimens with the smaller
axial load had a moment-curvature diagram shape

Eng. Struct. 1988, Vol. 10, October

285

Bending of reinforced concrete hollow circular sections. Z. A. R. Mokrin

70

W= 33.7
P= 0,01

KIPS

35

Pure
moment
reg~

~-Elastic-plastic

/'

~
-35

~
Clough s degrading model
"~Modified degrading model
~ Cycle No.8

For sections under high axial load a modification of

Clough's model as proposed in this paper may be used.
(4) The use of ductility factors in evaluating the energy
absorption or dissipation in reinforced concrete hollow
circular sections under bending does not take into
account the effect of the stiffness degradation or the
pinching effect that are found in the hysteretic behaviour
of sections subjected to cyclic bending coupled with high
axial forces.

References
-70

-0.20 -0.15 -0.10 -0.05 0.00 0.05

0.10 0.15 0.20

Curvature (rad/in)(x 102)

Figure 8 Modified stiffness degrading model as compared to

specimen H last cycle

similar to a parallelogram, while those with the higher

axial loads had a spindle-shaped diagram.
(3) The reversed cycle of the moment-curvature relationship for the hollow circular cross section compared
very well with Clough's idealization, especially for specimens tested under small axial load. Because of the large
computer time involved using the multilinear trend for
analytical procedures for design, it is reasonable to use
Clough's idealization for sections under small axial load.

286

Eng. Struct. 1988, Vol. 10, October

1 Mokrin,Z. Reinforcedconcretemembersof hollowcircular section

under monotonic and cyclicbending, Doctoral Dissertation, University of Michigan, 1978

2 Mokrin, Z. and Rumman, W. S. Ultimate capacity of reinforced

concrete members of hollow circular sections subjected to monotonic and cyclicbending, ACIJI, Proceedings 1985,82 (5) 637-656
3 Clough, R. and Johnson, S. Effect of stiffness degradation on
earthquake ductility requirements, Proc. Japan Earthquake Eng.
Symp., Tokyo, Japan, 1966, 227-232
4 Takayangi,T. and Schnobrich,W. Computedbehaviourof reinforced concrete coupled shear wall, Structural Research Series No.
434, University of Illinois, Urbana, 1976
5 Omote, Y. and Takeda, T. Theoretical and experimental study on
the moment-curvature characteristics of reinforced concrete
cylinders subjected to reversal of bending moment under constant
axial load, Rep. Tech. lnst. Ohbayashi, Gumi Ltd., No. 10, 1975
6 Omote, Y. and Takeda, T. Experimental and analytical study on
reinforced concrete chimneys, Proc. US-Japan Cooperation Research Program in Earthquake Engineering, Honolulu, Hawaii,
August, 1975