WSD (WORKING STRESS DESIGN) METHOD

Working Stress Method is the traditional method of design not only for
Reinforced Concrete but also for structural steel and timber design. The conceptual
basis of the WSM assumes that the structural material behaves in a linear elastic
manner and that appropriate safety can be ensured by suitably limiting the stresses in
the material due to the presumed working loads (service loads) on the structure.

WSM also assumes that both the steel reinforcement and concrete act
together and are perfectly elastic at all stages, and hence the modular ratio can be
used to determine the stresses in steel and concrete.

The stresses under the working loads are obtained by applying the methods of
‘strength of materials’ like the simple bending theory. The limitations due to non-
linearity and buckling are neglected.

The stresses caused by the ‘characteristic’ or service loads are checked

against the permissible (allowable) stress, which is a fraction of the ultimate or yield
stress. The permissible stress may be defined in terms of a factor of safety, which takes
care of the overload or other unknown factors.

Allowable (or working) stress design: AISC ASD, ACI WSD

Design basis: Required forces are based on frequently occurring service load
levels (i.e., 50% chance of recurrence in 50 years).
Required stresses are found from these forces Nominal allowable stresses
represent allowable limit of behavior under these everyday service conditions:
generally set to ensure material remains elastic (i.e., allowable stress = yield
stress/safety factor).

Assumptions of Working Stress Design Method

1. A Section which is plane before bending remain plane after bending (

based on theory of bending, Bernoulli’s equation).
2. Bond between steel and concrete is perfect with in elastic limit of steel.
3. All tensile stresses are taken by reinforcement and none by concrete,
except as otherwise specifically permitted.
4. The stress-strain relation ship of steel and concrete under working loads , is a
straight line i.e modulus of elasticity is constant.
5. The modular ration ‘m’ has the value (280/sigmacbc), where (sigmacbc) is
the permissible compressive stress due to bending in concrete in N/mm2.

Limitations of Working Stress Method

1. The main assumption of a linear elastic behavior and the implied assumption
that the stresses under working loads can be kept within the ‘permissible stresses’
are found to be unrealistic. Many factors are responsible for this, such as the long-
term effects of creep and shrinkage and other secondary effects.
2. The use of the imaginary concept of modular ratio results in larger percentage
of compression steel and generally larger member sizes than the members
designed using ultimate load or limit states design. However, as a result of the
larger member sizes, they result in better performance during service.

3. The stress–strain curve for concrete is non-linear and is time dependent. Thus, the
elastic modulus is a function of the stress level (it may also change with age) and
hence the modular ratio is not really constant. This method does not consider the
consequences of this material non-linearity.
4. WSM does not discriminate between the different types of loads that act
simultaneously but have different degrees of uncertainty. This may result
in unconservative designs, particularly when two different loads (say, dead loads
and wind loads) have counteracting effects.

The Difference between Working Stress Design and Ultimate Stress Design method of
Reinforced Concrete
USD(Ultimate Stress Design) Method WSD(Working Stress Design) Method

Its primarily based on strength concept Its based on the linear theory or elastic
of Concrete theory .

Its Consider to Design Critical

Its Consider to Design carrying load
Combination of load

Its Designing to elastic behavior of Its Designing to plastic behavior of

materials . materials

Materials strength to be used for

Modular Ratio used for member Design
member Design .

Stability of Structure is more then WSD Stability of Structure is less then USD

Low Cost Design Method High Cost Design Method

Advantages of Using Allowable stress design method

Following are some advantages of Allowable stress design method

1. Elastic analysis for loads become compatible for design.

2. Old famous books are according to this method.
3. Experienced engineers are used to this method.
4. In past it was the only method for design purposes.
5. This method is included in AISC-05 specifications as an alternate method.

Disadvantages of Using Allowable stress design method

1. Latest research and literature is very limited.

2. Same factor of safety is used for different loads.
3. Failure mode is not directly predicted.
4. With some overloading, the material stresses increase but do not go to collapse.
5. The failure mode can not be observed.
6. The warning before failure cannot be studied precisely.
7. Results cannot be compared with experimental tests up to collapse.