Proc. Instn Ciu. Engrs, Part 2, 1981.

71, June, 523-527

TN 284 Interactionequationforsymmetrically
reinforced concrete beams in biaxial
bending, axial compression and torsion

A. SHARMA, PhD*

Introduction
In spite of extensiveresearch' intothe torsion of structuralconcrete, no
theoretical or experimental data on concrete beams in torsion combined with
biaxial bending moments with or without axial compression have as yet been
reported. This load combination is not infrequent in concrete structures. Biaxial
bending moments combine with torsion in columns of building frames, pylonsof
garages, girders of curved and skew bridges, bridge piers, central columns of
spiral staircases and shear walls of high-rise buildings, particularly when lateral
loads and seismic effects are taken into consideration. The Author has tested 91
reinforcedconcretebeamsunderbiaxialbendingmoment,axialcompression
and torsion." '
2. In this Paper equations are developed based on a truss analogy approach
to define an interaction relationship which can be used for designing reinforced
concrete beams under combined loading. Test results of 91 beams are used to
check the validity of the proposed equations and an example is given to show
the use of the equations.

Interaction equation
3. The equations defining the interaction relationship have been derived by
extendingthespacetrusstheory8-" andare subjected to thefollowing
limitations.
(a) The reinforcement is not so excessive as to cause a shear-compression
failure.
( b ) The level of prestress due to axial compression is not so high as to cause
compression failure. Earlier tests have shown4*' that compression
'S'*

failure can be avoided by restricting the intensity of axial compressive

stress to 0.6f,, where f , is the cylinder strength of concrete.
( c ) The member is so short that failure due to buckling does not occur.
4. According to the space truss theory the ultimate strength in pure torsion
of a symmetrically reinforced rectangular beam is given by

Written discussion closes 17 August, 1981, for publication in Proceedings, Part 2.

* University of the West Indies, Trinidad.
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 SHARMA

which may be expressed as

in which To is the ultimate strength in pure torsionof a symmetrically reinforced

rectangular beam,x1 and yl are the shorter and longer dimensions respectivelyof
the centre line of the stirrup, A, is the total area of the longitudinal steel,fi, is the
yield stress of the longitudinal steel, A , is the area of one leg of web steel,fwyis
the yield stress of the web steel, S is the centre to centre spacing of the stirrups,
and FI ( = A l fi,/4) is the yield force of one stringer.
5. Incombinedloadingit is reasonablyconservative to assume thatthe
ultimate torque is governed by the yielding of the weakest stringer and the ties.
It follows from equation ( 2 ) that the ultimate torque in combined loading is
expressed as

in which T, is the ultimate torque in combined loading and Fl,min is the mini-
mum net force available for resisting torsion in the weakest stringer.
6. Assuming a linearinteractionbetween M and M O in both the X and y
axes,. the minimum stringer force available for resisting torsion in biaxial bend-
ing is

in which M , and M , are the ultimate bending couples about the X and y axes
respectively in combined loading, and M x Oand M y oare the ultimate strengths in
simplebending about the X and y axes,respectively. The strengths in simple
bending M x Oand M y o were based on the ultimate load theory for simple bend-
ing with the internal lever arm taken as 0.9 X effective depth of the beam.
7. If a concretemember is subject toanaxialcompression in addition to
biaxial bending and torsion equation (4) is expressed as

in which p = PIA, A, and P is total axial compression.

8. Equation ( 5 ) 1s alsoapplicable to eccentricallyloadedmembers asthe
loading can be reduced to the case of an axial loading by adding algebraically
the bending moment due to eccentricity to the external bending moment. The
compressive strength of concrete is not included in the B term as at ultimate
torque the concrete would have cracked. Combining equations ( 2 ) , (3) and ( 5 )
gives

Equation (6) can be rearranged as

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 I N T E R A C T I O NE Q U A T I O NF O RR E I N F O R C E DC O N C R E T EB E A M S
9. Equation (7) representstheinteractionrelationship for asymmetrically
reinforced section subject to torsion in combination with axial compression and
biaxial bending couples. It can readily be reduced to the limiting cases of load-
ing. Putting M , = 0 and = 0 (i.e. considering members subjected to uniaxial
bending and torsion), equation (7) reduces to

10. Equation (8) has been supported by various investigator^.^.^*'^.'^ Put-

ting Tu= 0 and B = 0 (i.e. considering members under biaxial bending), equa-
tion (7) reduces to

11. Equation (9) gives the lower bound solution for computing strengths of
members under biaxial bending.15 The effect of axial compression is to increase
the strength of the member in bending and torsion and is reflected by the term B
in equation (7).
12. Inthetheoryproposed, it is assumed thattheultimatetorque is con-
trolled by the yielding of the weakest stringer. The theory ignores the possible
redistribution of stress between the four stringers; hence the calculated torques

5 x10'
20 X 105 40x1 O5
T/x2y (calculated): N/m2

Fig. 1 . Comparison of experimental with calculatedultimate torques

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 SHARMA

based on equation (7) may be expected to be conservative. This is reflected in

Fig. 1, which shows the calculated and experimental values of ultimate torque
under combined loading.
13. The values of experimental torque were obtained from test results
reported e l ~ e w h e r e '
. ~In order to include test specimens of different sizes in one
plot, the ultimate torques were divided by x 2 y , where X and y are the shorter
and longer dimensions of the specimens. Fig. 1 shows that equation (7) is rea-
sonably justified by the test results. Theratio of experimental to calculated
torque was equal to 1.186 with a mean deviation of 0.202.

Example
14. A reinforced concrete column of a building frame has a cross-section of
300 mm X 300 mm. The member is reinforced with fourlongitudinal bars
32 mm in diameter, one at each corner. The concrete cover on all the faces is
75 mm from the centre of the longitudinal bars. The column also has 12 mm
stirrups spaced at 95 mm. The yield strength of the longitudinal and web steels
may be assumed to be 250 N/mm2. The column carries an axial compression P
of 1000 kN, biaxial bending moments M , of 80 kNm and M , of 25 kNm, and an
ultimate torsional moment T, of 40 kNm.
15. The strength of the cross-section is to be checked.

The centre to centre dimensions of the web steel are

X, = y , = 300 - 2 X 75 + 44
= 194 mm
Using equation (1) gives
4 X 804 X 250
To = 2 X 194 X 194
2(194 + 194) 95
= 41.78 X 106 Nmm
= 41.78 kNm
The pure bending strengths of the sections are
MxO = M Y o = 2 X804 X 250(0.9 X 225)
= 81.41 X 106 Nmm
= 81.41 kNm
The interaction of axial compression, biaxial bending and torsion on the given
column cross-section can then be checked using equation (7). Hence

25 < 1 + 1.244
81.41 81.41
+p+-

2.207 < 2.244

The cross-section is therefore adequate to resist thecombinedaction of axial
compression, biaxial bending and torsion.
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 I N T E R A C T I O NE Q U A T I O NF O RR E I N F O R C E DC O N C R E T EB E A M S
Acknowledgement
16. The Author acknowledges the suggestions of Professor G. S. Pandit,
Department of Structural Engineering, Malaviya Regional Engineering College,
Jaipur, who encouraged the work described.

References
1. ACI COMMITTEE 438. Torsion of structural concrete. American ConcreteInstitute,
Detroit, 1968, SP 18.
2. ACI COMMITTEE 438. Analysis of structural systems for torsion. American Concrete
Institute, Detroit, 1973, SP 35.
3. ACI COMMITTEE 438. Torsion in concrete. American Concrete Institute, Detroit, 1978,
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biaxial bending and torsion. PhD thesis, University of Rajasthan, 1976.
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6. SHARMA A. K. and PANDIT G . S. Torsion tests on concentrically prestressed beams.
Indian Concr. J . , 1979, 53, No. 2, Feb., 54-59.
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8. ELFGREN L. Reinforced concrete beams loaded in combined torsion, bending and shear.
PhD thesis, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, 1972.
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Mar., 15-24.
10. LAMPWTP. andTHURLIMANNB. Torsiontests on reinforced concrete beams (in
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IS. BRITISHSTANDARDSINSTITUTION. The structural use of concrete. British Standards
Institution, London, 1972, CP 110, Part 1.

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