Sample Problems for Examinations*

H d

H–d=
b
cover + radius of bar
CIVIL, ENVIRONMENTAL AND SUSTAINABLE ENGINEERING
SCHOOL OF SUSTAINABLE ENGINEERING AND THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT
ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY
CEE 421 and CNE 421: Concrete Structures
Fall 2019
*Note: This is not an exhaustive list of topics or calculations that are able to be
asked!
 Short Answer Questions:
1)  What is the maximum usable compressive strain in concrete?
2)  What is the strength reduction factor φ for a compression
controlled cross section?
3)  What shape is the Whitney Stress Block?
4)  Is the magnitude of the maximum stress in the Whitney Stress
Block independent? If not, what does it depend on?
5)  What is the difference between fc and f’c? Are they ever the
same? If so, under what conditions?
6)  What is the relationship between the depth of the neutral axis
(from the compression side of the beam) and the height of the
Whitney Stress Block, (assuming ultimate analysis)?
7)  Sketch a typical stress diagram across a cross section
subjected to bending (assume ultimate analysis and do not use
the Whitney Stress Block). Show where the resultant
compressive and tensile forces would be (approximately) and
label all necessary dimensions (use the assumption that the
concrete can’t take tension).
 Longer Questions:
1)  Assume you are reading an inspection report that discussed a
particular concrete beam in a stadium. The inspector
measured all they could, but they are missing the area of steel.
However, the inspector said the beam was yielding, so what
must have been the maximum area of steel? (I am not
concerned with actual bar sizes here, just find As)
Givens:
1)  b = 8 in
2)  d = 20 in
3)  fy= 60 ksi
4)  f’c = 4000 psi
 Longer Questions:
2)  For a singly reinforced yielding concrete beam, the tension
strain in the steel was found to be 0.007. Without knowing any
of the material properties, what then must be the relationship
between the depth of the neutral axis and the depth of the
reinforcement? (hint: think similar triangles)
 Longer Questions:
3)  Assuming the largest area of steel possible, what is Mu of the
beam discussed in question 1?
 Longer Questions:
4)  What is the capacity of the beam in question 1 assuming the
beam did not crack (when analyzed with the “short-cut”
method), assume the cover + bar radius is 2 inches?
 Longer Questions:
5)  Can the beam in question 3 support a dead load of 350 lb/ft if it
is simply supported with a length of 20 feet? (include the self
weight of the beam assuming the weight of concrete is 145 lb/
ft3 and that the cover + bar radius is 2 inches) If so, what is the
factor of safety for this beam?