3 DESIGN OF RECTANGULAR BEAMS

3.1 Singly Reinforced Rectangular Sections

Consider the stress & strain distribution for a rectangular cross section of singly reinforced
concrete beam shown below.

c f cd = 0.85f ck/c f cd

x C 0.8x C
NA
D d
As s Asf s Asf s
d'
b Simplified Stress
Cross section Strain Stress Distribution (EBCS-2)

Figure 3.1 Flexural Stress distribution in singly reinforced rectangular RC beam

In accordance with LSD method, at ULS of collapse:-

 εc approaches εcu = 0.0035
f yd
 The reinforcing steel shall yield first (  y d  )
Es

 Ductility is ensured by means of under reinforcement.

 At balanced failure simultaneous failure of the two materials (Concrete & Steel)
occurs.
Let x b be the depth to the NA at balanced failure. From the strain relation,
xb d  xb  cu * d
  xb 
 cu  yd  cu   yd

 If x < x b  Steel yields first

 If x > x b  Crushing of concrete takes place first.
 FH = 0  Ts = CC  As fyd = 0.8 xb b fcd
Substituting for xb and simplifying,
0.8 *  cu f
b  * cd (a steel ratio for balanced case)
 cu   yd f yd

1
However, for ductility purpose the steel ratio ρ may range b/n 0.75 ρb to 0.9 ρb, and in some
cases as low as 0.5 ρ b in ACI code, but in EBCS-2 ductility is ensured by keeping kx max =
0.448 for 0% redistribution or even less for redistribution > 0% .

Rewriting the force equilibrium

byfcd = As fyd  b * 0.8x fcd = ρbd fyd
x  * f yd f yd
kx    m, where m 
d 0.8 * f cd 0.8 * f cd
 Mc = 0  Md = As fyd (d - 0.4x)
Substituting the value of x and simplifying
Md = 0.8 bd2 fcd kx (1-0.4 kx)
 4M d 
k x  0.5c1  c1    k x max
2
When the above equation is solved for kx,
 bd 2 c2 

where c1 = 2.5 , c2 = 0.32fcd , kx max = 0.448 for 0% redistribution.

The section capacity for single reinforcement case may be computed from  Mt = 0, when
kx > kx max
 Md = 0.8bx fcd (d-0.4x) x = kx max d
= 0.8bd2 fcd kx max (1 -0.4 kx max)
If kx < kmax  0.8bd2 fcd kx(1 -0.4 kx )

Example 3.1.1
A simply supported beam spans 8m and is subjected to a LL = 30 kN/m in addition to self
weight. Materials C-25, S-300, class I are used. If b = 250mm, determine the depth required
to satisfy singly reinforced section at mid-span and the corresponding flexural
reinforrcement.

Solution:
Depth for deflection:
 0.6 f yk  Le
d   0.4  
 400   a
8000
 d  0.85  340mm
20
 D  d   l 2   s  cov er
 340  20 2  6  25  381

2
 Say D = 400mm
Load on beams: Dead load, gk = 0.4*0.25*25 = 2.5 kN/m
Live load, qk = = 30 kN/m
Design load, d = 1.3DL + 1.6LL
= 1.3*2.5 + 1.6*30 = 51.25
pd L2 51.25 * 8 2
Analysis: M max  M d    410 kN
8 8
Design constants:
25 0.85 f ck
C  25  f cu  25MPa, f ck   20MPa, f cd   11.3MPa
1.25 1.5
300
S  300  f yk  300MPa, f yd   260.87MPa
1.25
fyd 260.87
m   28.78
0.8 fcd 0.8 * 11.3
C1 = 2.5 , C2 = 0.32fcd = 3.616 Mpa
Check depth: Md = 0.8bd2fcdkx(1 – 0.4kx)
kx = kxmax = 0.448 for 0% redistribution.

M d max
d   702.4mm
0.8bf cd k x max 1  0.4k x max 
D  702.4  60 (two layersassumed)  762.4mm  Dused  not safe

Revise using D = 800mm

pd = 51.25 + 1.3(0.8 – 0.4)*0.25*25 = 54.5 kN/m
p d L2 54.5 * 8 2
Md max    436 kNm
8 8

436
Rechecking d  702.4 *  724.3 mm
410
 D = 724.3 + 60 = 784.3mm < 800mm  safe
 Use d = 800 - 60 = 740mm
Reinforcement:

1  4M 
kx  C1  C1  2
2

2  bd C 2 
1 4 * 436 * 106 
 2.5  2.5 2  
2 250 * 7402 * 3.616 

3
 = 0.424 < 0.448  Ok!
k x 0.424
   0.015
m 28.78
 As = bd = 0.015 * 250 * 740 = 2728 mm2
2728
# 20 = = 8.7  use 920 in two rows.
314

1st row , d1’ = 25+6+10 = 41mm

d=740mm
2nd row , d2’ = 25+6+20+10+10 = 81mm
920
5 * 41  4 * 81
d’ = 58.8mm
9
d1
d’ 58.8mm<60mmsafe!
b=250mm

Example 3.1.2 (analysis of singly reinf.rect.beam)

A tensile reinforced beam has b = 250mm and d = 500mm to the center of bars. If fy =
400MPa and C-30, find the design flexural strength Md for (a) As = 224 bars (b) As = 432
bars.
Solution
Design strength of materials assuming class I work.
30 0.85 * 24
C-30 fck =  24MPa  f cd  = 13.6MPa.
1.25 1 .5
400
fyk = fy = 400MPa fyd = = 348MPa
1.15
(a)

 * 242
As = 2*  905mm 2
4
d=500mm As 905
224 =   0.00724
bd (250(500)
f yd 348
1
d =45m m=   32
0.8 f cd 0.8 *13.6
250mm m

kx = m = (0.00724)(32) = 0.232 < kxmax(0.448) (steel is yielding)

Section capacity (flexural strength)

4
 Md = 0.8bd2fcdkx(1-0.4kx)
Md = 0.8*250*5002*13.6*0.232*(1-0.4*0.232)*10-6
= 143.12kNm
(b)

432
d=500mm l = 32mm , s = 8mm(assumed)
d11= 32 + 8 32  56mm
2
d2 = 32 + 8 + 32 + 32 + 32  120mm
1
d1 2
32 45 45 32 3 * 56  120
250mm d1 =  72mm
4

D  500 + 75 = 575mm
  * 32 2 
As = 4*   = 3217mm2
 4 
As 3217
=  = 0.026
bd 250 * 500
kx = m = 0.026 * 32 = 0.824 >> 0.448 (concrete is crushing)
Md = 0.8bd2fcdkxmax(1-0.4kxmax)
= 0.8*250*5002*13.6*0.448*(1-0.4*0.448)*10-6
= 250.05kNm.

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Assignment 1.1
A singly reinforced rectangular beam made using concrete of grade C-30 and steel of grade
S-400 has width b = 500mm and gross depth D = 600mm. Determine the capacity of the
section for flexure if the tensile steel area is As = 5 30.

Assignment 1.2
A rectangular singly reinforced beam is to be designed for dead load of 7.3 kN/m plus self
weight and live load of 17.5kN/m , with a 6.7m simple span material strengths will be S-400
and C-25 for steel and concrete respectively. The total beam depth must not exceed 600mm.
calculate the required beam width and tensile steel requirement.

Procedure in design.
- Assume b&d ( use deflection requirement )
D = d + cover + s +  l (s = dia.of stirrup)
2

(l = dia. of long bars)

- with this D, find dead load and together with live load determine M max.
- Find constants kxmax , m
M
-Find R (R = 0.8fcdkxmax(1-0.4kxmax))  d = , hence new D = d + cover + s +  l
Rb 2

- If new D is greater than the first D, use D slightly larger than new D to find the dead load.
Together with live load determine Mnew.

M new
- Find dnew =  Dnew = dnew + cover +s + l
Rold bold 2

- If Dnew  Dold  D = Dold otherwise repeat your cycle.

- For Dnew  Dold , d = Dold-cover -s -  l
2

kx 1  4M dnew 
As  bd , where k x  c1  c12   c1  2.5, c 2  0.32 f cd 
m 2  c 2 bd 2 