11/8/2013

Analysis of Singly reinforced concrete beam

Concrete is weak in tension therefore steel is added in
tension zone of the section to provide strength in
tension. The figure given below shows a typical
section of singly reinforced concrete with strain
distribution and equivalent stress distribution
(proposed by Whitney).

The actual stress distribution of concrete is

parabolic. Whitney (1930) proposed an
equivalent rectangular stress distribution, which
is adopted by ACI - 318.
This rectangular stress block has made the
calculations easy.
It has an average stress of 0.85fC' and the depth
"a" equal to 1 times neutral axis of section.
The value of 1 is taken as 0.85 for fC' upto
4000 psi (30 MPa), and 0.05 less for each 1000
psi (7 MPa) of fC' in excess of 4000 psi (30 MPa),
but not less than 0.65.

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The nominal strength is obtained by applying

static equilibrium and compatibility of stress and
strain. The design strength is calculated by
dividing nominal strength by strength reduction
factor .
With reference to the equivalent stress diagram
as per Whitney
Force of tension due to tension rebar;
T = (area tension rebar) * (stress of steel)
T = As fy
It is required that tension steel has yielded when
failure takes place. This makes sure that the
section is not controlled by concrete.

Foce of compression (due to concrete);

Cc = (average compressive stress) * (equivalent area of concrete)

Cc = (0.85fC' ) * (b a)
For equilibrium, the force of tension equals the force of
compression.This gives the values of "a";
a = (As fy ) / (0.85fC' b)
The depth of neutral axis; x = a/1
The nominal moment strength of the section is
calculated by taking the moment of compressive force
about the centroid of tension steel area.
Mn = Cc (d - a/2)
effective depth "d" is the distance from extreme
compression fibre to the centroid of tension rebar.

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Example 1
Compute the nominal flexural strength Mn of
the reinforced concrete rectangular section
given below in (a). Take fc = 5000 psi, fy =
50,000 psi, b = 15 in., d = 22.5 in., and As = 4-
#9 bars.

Solution:
The given section is singly reinforced. The
computation of nominal flexural strength Mn is
based on the guidelines of ACI-318. The
maximum value of usable strain at the extreme
concrete fiber is assumed to be 0.003.
For fc greater than 4000 psi the value of 1 is
calculated as given below;
1 = 0.85 - 0.05 {( fc -4000)/1000} = 0.8
Given that tension steel consists of 4 bars of #9
(dia 1.128 in.) .

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Area of one bar of #9 = 1 in2.

As = 4-#9 bars. = 4 (1.00) = 4 in2.
The internal forces acting on the section shown in
figure (c) are calculated as given below;
Cc = 0.85 fc ba = 0.85 (5) (15) a = 63.75 a
T = As fy = (4) (50) = 200 kips
Applying static equilibrium, we get Cc = T;
therefore 63.75 a = 200
Depth of Whitney stress block, a = 3.14 in.
Depth of neutral axis x = a / 1 = 3.14/0.8 = 3.93 in
Now Cc = 63.75 (3.14) = 200.18 kips

By straight line proportion [figure (b)] we can

calculate the strain in tension steel when the
extreme concrete fiber has a compressive strain
of 0.003.
s = (d - x ) (0.003) / x = (22.5 - 3.93) (0.003) / 3.93
= 0.014
y = fy /Es = 50 / 29000 = 0.00172

s is greater than y , this means that steel has

yielded before crushing of concrete, which is a
safe condition as it gives warning before failure.
The section is Tension-Controlled because the
strain is more than 0.005

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The nominal flexural strength is computed

below;
Moment = (force) (lever-arm)
Mn = Cc (d - a/2)
= 200.18 (22.5 - 3.14/2) = 4189.77 in-kips

Mn = 349.15 ft-kips
Mn can also be calculated by ; Mn = T (d - a/2)

Doubly Reinforced Concrete

Although concrete has high compressive
strength, there might be a need to provide
steel in the compression zone also in some
circumstances e.g. reducing the size of cross-
section, deflection control, difficulty in placing
all the tension rebar within the width.

A beam which has steel rebar in tension as

well as compression zone is known as doubly
reinforced concrete section. The compression
reinforcement will do the following;

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(i) increase in the ductility of the beam .

(ii) raise the neutral axis and the depth of
compression stress block
(iii) increase in the strain of tension reinforcement.

The nominal moment strength of a doubly

reinforced concrete beam can be found in the
manner given below;
With reference to the equivalent stress diagram as
per Whitney,
Force of tension due to tension rebar;
T = (area tension rebar) * (stress of steel)
T = As f y

It is required that tension steel has yielded when

failure takes place. This makes sure that the
section is not controlled by concrete.

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Force of compression due to concrete;

CC = 0.85fC' b a acting at a/2 from the top edge

Force of compression due to compression rebar;

CS = AS' (fs' - 0.85fc' ) acting at distance "d' " form
the top edge.
For equilibrium of the section; Compression = Tension.
T = CC + CS
The above equation will give the value of "a", and
hence the nominal moment strength is calculated
by taking the moment of both the compressive
forces about the centroid of tension rebar area.

Mn = Cc (d - a/2) + CS (d - d')

Example-2
Compute the nominal flexural strength Mn of the reinforced
concrete rectangular section given below in figure (a). Take
fc = 5000 psi, width b = 13 in., effective depth d = 25 in.
The beam has tension steel of As = 8-#9 bars placed in two
layers with a spacing of 1 in. between them, fy = 40,000 psi,
and compression steel of As = 2-#8 bars, fs = 40,000 psi,
effective cover d of 3 in.

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Solution:
The given section is doubly reinforced with steel
in tension as well as compression zone of the
section.
In the case of two layers of tension steel, the
effective depth is taken from the centroid of
tension steel to the top edge of the section.
For fc greater than 4000 psi the value of 1 is
calculated as given below;
1 = 0.85 - 0.05 {( fc -4000)/1000} = 0.8

Assume that the compression steel has yielded when the

strength is reached (strain in concrete is 0.003).
Given that tension steel consists of 8 bars of #9 .
Area of one bar of #9 = 1 in2.
As = 8-#9 bars. = 8 (1.00) = 8 in2.
Area of compression steel , As = 2-#8
= 2(0.79) = 1.58 in2.
The internal forces acting on the section shown in figure
(c) are calculated as given below;

Cc = 0.85 fc ba = 0.85 (5) (13) a = 55.25 a

Cs = (fs - 0.85 fc) As = (40 - 0.85*5) 1.58 = 56.48 kips

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T = As fy = (8) (40) = 320 kips

Applying static equilibrium, we get Cc + Cs = T;
55.25 a + 56.485 = 320
Therefore depth of stress block,
a = (320 - 56.485) / 55.25 = 4.77 in
Depth of neutral axis x = a / 1 = 4.77/0.8 = 5.96 in
Cc = 55.25 (4.77) = 263.54 kips
Now from figure b
s = ( x - d ) (0.003) / x = (5.96 - 3) (0.003) / 5.96
= 0.00149
yield strain of steel, y = fy /Es = 40 / 29000 = 0.00138
s is greater than y , this means that compression
steel has yielded before crushing of concrete, hence
the assumption is verified and the value of x is valid.