UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

SIN 773 REINFORCED CONCRETE STRUCTURES I

HOMEWORK: SERVICEABILITY
26 April 2007

Problem 1
Show that the following minimum reinforcement ratio is required to ensure that the ultimate moment will be greater than the cracking moment for a rectangular section
As
f h
t
b h 6 fy z
As = Required reinforcement

where

b = Width of section
h = Height of section
ft = Tensile strength of concrete
fy = Yield strength of reinforcement
z = Internal lever-arm

Problem 2
The reinforced concrete beam shown below is used in a building structure and supports a nominal dead load
of 20 kN/m, and a nominal live load of 15 kN/m. Calculate the maximum crack width at the extreme
tension fibre of the section at support B. For this purpose, use:
(a)

BS 8110-2002. To allow for the effects of creep, assume E eff = E c /2.

(b)

ACI 318-1995.

Take the short-term modulus of elasticity of the concrete E c as 26 GPa, and for the steel take it as
200 GPa for all calculations.
60
2Y40
10.5 m
A

10.5 m
B

C
750

2Y40
60

180
60

300

60

Typical section