Faculty of

Environment and
Technology

Academic Year: 2012/2013

Examination Period: February

Module Leader: Ruwan Weerasekera

Module No: UBGLV5-10-2
Title of Module: STRUCTURES A

Examination Date: Sunday 24th February 2013

Examination Start time: 09.30 a.m.
Duration of Examination: 01 Hour

Instructions to Students
Candidates must answer ANY TWO of the three questions provided.

Materials supplied to the students will be:

Number of Examination Booklets (+any continuation booklets as 1
required) per Examination

Number of sheets of Graph Paper size G3 (Normal) 0

Additional Instructions to Invigilators:

Calculators may be used subject to University regulations Yes

Students are allowed to keep Examination Question Paper Yes

Material supplied to the students: Yes

Extracts of Text book: Understanding Structures, by Derek Seward.
Extracts of British Standard Codes: BS 8110, BS 5950
(must be collected with answer booklet)

Additional Specialized Material: NONE

Treasury tags will be supplied

UBGLV5-10-2 Page 1 of 5
Question 1

A simple beam with overhangs on both ends is to be designed for a school

building as shown in Figure 1. The beam has a rectangular cross section with
reinforced concrete as the material of construction. The dimensions are
300mm X 450 mm. The total length of the beam is 6m.

a) It is required to optimize the beam by minimizing the maximum

moment. Hence determine the critical moment indicating the locations
clearly.
(25 Marks)

b) Calculate the main reinforcement requirement and illustrate the answer

by drawing a suitable sketch of the cross – section. Assume suitable
diameter for main steel reinforcements.
(25 Marks)

Design Data
Concrete cube strength (fcu) - 30 N/mm2
Concrete cover - 25 mm
Shear link diameter - 10 mm

30 kN/m

A B

x x
6m

Figure 1

UBGLV5-10-2 Page 2 of 5
Question 2

A reinforced concrete column of square cross – section has dimensions

300mm X 300mm. The column supports a characteristic dead load of 300kN
and characteristic imposed load of 450kN. Using grade 25 concrete and high
yield reinforcement of 460 N/mm2 to suit local conditions

a) Determine the amount of longitudinal reinforcement requirement. Also

specify transverse reinforcement requirement.
(25 Marks)

b) Assuming medium dense sand and gravel mix soil condition, determine
the dimensions of a suitable pad foundation. (Round up to the first
decimal point)
(15 Marks)

c) It was identified that the soil bearing capacity is reduced by 20% due to
the high level of water table during the rainy season. Determine the
carrying capacity of the column with the same pad footing size
calculated in section b) above.
(10 Marks)

UBGLV5-10-2 Page 3 of 5
Question 3

A simple steel – steel joint consists of plate – bolt connection as shown in

Figure 2. The dead load and live load are 10kN/m 2 and 7.5 kN/m2 respectively,
acting on panels of 3m X 5m. (Assume the panel is spanning one way)

a) Using a steel beam of UB 406 X 140 X 39 check whether deflections

are within the allowable limits.
(20 Marks)

b) Determine the shear condition (Single shear / Double shear) and

calculate the bolt layout, and number of bolts required using Grade 4.6,
16 mm diameter bolts. (Assume steel grade of S 275 and the plate
thickness of 10 mm)
(30 Marks)

a) Column – Beam Connection

5m

3m

b) Plan view

Figure 2

UBGLV5-10-2 Page 4 of 5
 END OF QUESTION PAPER

UBGLV5-10-2 Page 5 of 5