$$U=1.4D$$
$$U=1.2D+1.6L+0.5(L_r\text{ or }S\text{ or }R)$$
$$U=1.2D+1.6(L_r\text{ or }S\text{ or }R)+(L\text{ or }0.5W)$$
$$U=1.2D+1.0W+L+0.5(L_r\text{ or }S\text{ or }R)$$
$$U=1.2D+1.0E+L+0.2S$$
$$U=0.9D+1.0W$$
$$U=0.9D+1.0E$$
$$A_{s,min}=\frac{0.25\sqrt{f'_c}}{f_y}b_wd$$
$$A_{s,min}=\frac{1.4}{f_y}b_wd$$
$$A_{s,min}=\text{larger value of the two equations above}$$
$$\rho_b=0.85\beta_1\frac{f'_c}{f_y}\left(\frac{600}{600+f_y}\right)$$
$$\rho_{max}=0.75\rho_b$$
$$f_s=\frac{600(d-c)}{c}$$
$$\epsilon_t=0.003\frac{d-c}{c}$$
$$\phi=0.75+0.15\left(\frac{f_s-f_y}{1000-f_y}\right) \quad \text{for spiral members}$$
$$\phi=0.65+0.25\left(\frac{f_s-f_y}{1000-f_y}\right) \quad \text{for other tension-controlled members}$$
$$M_n=0.85f'_cab\left(d-\frac{a}{2}\right) \quad \text{when steel does not yield}$$
Problem 1: Design of a Reinforced Concrete Beam
Design a reinforced concrete beam to carry a service dead load of 20kN/m (including its own weight) and service live load of 25kN/m plus a concentrated service live load of 30kN shown. Use f'c=21MPa, fy=276MPa, b=d/2, and ⌀=28mm main bars. The beam is to be reinforced in tension only.
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Problem 2: Triangular Beam | Investigation Problem
For the beam shown below, f'c=27MPa, fy=270MPa, steel cover to centroid of bars = 100mm. As=4-32mm diameter bars.
a. Determine the depth of the compression block.
b. What is the compressive strength of concrete?
c. What is the nominal moment capacity of the beam?
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Problem 3: Rectangular Beam | Investigation Problem
The beam shown is reinforced with 3-28mm⌀ and its width is 300mm. The total height of the beam is 600mm. Assume that the clear cover is 40mm and 10mm⌀ stirrups are used. Use f'c=27.5MPa and fy=414MPa.
a. Compute the depth of the compression block in mm.
b. Determine the ultimate moment capacity of the beam section.
c. What additional service live load at the midspan can the beam carry in addition to a service dead load of 20kN/m (including its own weight)?
Beam Section and Ratio and Proportion based on strain converted to stresses:
Zoomed-in View of the computation of the centroidal cover:
Compute c and check fs if steel yields. If fs > fy, steel yields and we can proceed computing the nominal moment capacity. However, if fs < fy, we must recompute c and express C=T in terms of c.
Since steel yields, we keep the value of a and compute the nominal moment capacity by taking the couple moment: $Force\times Distance$. Note that C and T are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction, so they induce a couple moment equivalent to any one of the forces multiplied by the distance between them.
To compute the additional service live load at the midspan that the beam can carry in addition to a service dead load of 20kN/m, we first compute Mu since we must analyze beams at ultimate condition. To obtain Mu, simply multiply the nominal moment Mn by the reduction factor, Φ. Since fs exceeds 1000MPa, Φ=0.9 (tension-controlled). At ultimate condition, we also use the factored load combination: $1.2DL + 1.6LL$. Since the loadings are common, we can use the formulas: $\frac{PL}{4}$ and $\frac{w\cdot L^2}{8}$ for the maximum moments.
Problem 4: Rectangular Beam | Investigation Problem
A reinforced concrete beam with width of 300mm and d=410mm is reinforced for tension with a reinforcement area of 3700mm2. Use f'c=27MPa and fy=415MPa.
a. Determine the distance (mm) of the steel reinforcements to the neutral axis.
A. 248
B. 162
C. 262
D. 148
b. Compute the tensile strain in the reinforcements.
A. 0.00196
B. 0.00169
C. 0.00122
D. 0.00244
c. If the beam is 8m long and is simply supported, find the concentrated service live load acting at the midspan that can be supported by the beam if it already carries a total service uniform dead load of 24kN/m.
A. 32.33
B. 52.32
C. 17.78
D. 66.13
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Problem 5: Singly Reinforced Beam Investigation | Two Layers (3 along first row and 2 along second row)
The beam section shown has the following properties:
bar diameter, db = 25mm
total height, h = 600mm
center to center distance between first and second row bars, a = 27mm
f'c = 32MPa
fy = 414MPa
beam width, bw = 300mm
diameter of stirrups, ds = 12mm
clear cover, cc = 40mm
Determine the following:
a. The ultimate moment, Mu, that the beam can carry
b. The ultimate uniform load that the beam can carry if it has a simply supported span of 7m
c. The ultimate uniform dead load (wuDL) carried by the beam if the service live load is 10kN/m
d. What additional concentrated service live load at the midspan (PLL can the beam carry if it has a service dead load of 20kN/m (including its own weight) and a service live load of 12kN/m?
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Problem 6: Investigation — Design Moment Capacity φMn
A singly reinforced rectangular beam has the following properties:
b = 280 mm, total height h = 500 mm, 4 – 22 mm ∅ bars (single row)
f'c = 21 MPa, fy = 414 MPa, clear cover = 40 mm, stirrups = 10 mm ∅
Determine the effective depth d.
Find the depth of the stress block a and the neutral axis depth c.
Check whether the section is tension-controlled and determine φ.
Design a simply supported singly reinforced rectangular beam to carry a factored moment Mu = 240 kN·m.
Use b = 400 mm, f'c = 28 MPa, fy = 414 MPa, and design for ρ = 0.5ρmax.
Use 25 mm ∅ bars.
Spacing check (4 – 25mm bars, b = 400 mm, cc = 40, ds = 12): clear width used = 2(40)+2(12)+4(25)+3(26.67) = 284 mm < 400 mm ✓
Check As,min = larger of $\frac{0.25\sqrt{28}}{414}(400)(440)=566$ mm² and $\frac{1.4}{414}(400)(440)=598$ mm² → 598 mm² < 1613 mm² ✓
Problem 8: Investigation — Maximum Concentrated Live Load at Midspan
A simply supported beam has a span of 6 m and the following section properties:
b = 300 mm, d = 460 mm, 3 – 25 mm ∅ bars (single row).
f'c = 27.5 MPa, fy = 414 MPa.
The service dead load (including self-weight) is 12 kN/m.
Determine the maximum service concentrated live load P that can be applied at midspan.
Problem 9: Design — ω Method (Uniform Dead + Live Load)
A simply supported beam has a span of 6 m and carries a service dead load of 16 kN/m (including self-weight) and a service live load of 20 kN/m. Use f'c = 27.5 MPa, fy = 414 MPa, b = 300 mm, and design for ρ = 0.5ρmax.
Determine the factored design moment Mu.
Find the required effective depth d.
Find the required steel area As and the number of 20 mm ∅ bars needed.
A rectangular beam has b = 300 mm, total height h = 500 mm, and is reinforced with 4 – 22 mm ∅ bars. Clear cover = 40 mm, stirrups = 10 mm ∅. Use f'c = 28 MPa, fy = 414 MPa.
Compute the depth of the compression block a and neutral axis depth c.
Compute the design moment capacity φMn.
Is the beam adequate for a 6 m simply supported span carrying service DL = 14 kN/m (including self-weight) and service LL = 18 kN/m?
#1 — Compression Block and Neutral Axis
Effective depth: d = 500 − 40 − 10 − 11 = 439 mm (cc + stirrup + half bar dia)
The beam IS adequate. The capacity exceeds the demand by 18.4 kN·m.
Problem 11: Investigation — Maximum Allowable Live Load
A simply supported beam spanning 8 m has b = 350 mm, h = 500 mm, and is reinforced with 3 – 28 mm ∅ bars at the bottom. Clear cover = 40 mm, stirrups = 10 mm ∅. Use f'c = 21 MPa, fy = 414 MPa. The service dead load (including self-weight) is 10 kN/m.
Compute the design moment capacity φMn of the beam.
Determine the maximum allowable service live load (kN/m) the beam can carry.
#1 — Moment Capacity
d = 500 − 40 − 10 − 14 = 436 mm | As = 3 × π/4(28)² = 1847.3 mm² | β1 = 0.85
Note: Using φ = 0.9 would give 328.2 kN·m — a 4.1% overestimate. Always check εt against 0.005.
Problem 13: Design — Given Mu Directly
Design a singly reinforced rectangular beam to resist a design moment of Mu = 300 kN·m. Use f'c = 21 MPa, fy = 415 MPa, b = 300 mm. Design for ρ = 0.6ρmax.
An overreinforced beam is not permitted by NSCP for new designs (ρ must not exceed ρmax). This problem illustrates the analysis procedure when such a section is encountered in investigation.