DESIGN OF BEAM USING ULTIMATE STRENGTH DESIGN (USD)

METHOD BASED ON THE NSCP2015

Singly Reinforced Rectangular Beams

a  β 1c

The value of β1 has been established by the NSCP as follows:

(NSCP 2015 Sec 422.2.2.4.3)

F x  0
C c  Ts
'
0.85f c A c  A s fy
'
0.85f c ab  A s f y

M  0
 a
M n  (C c or T s ) d  
 2

According to the NSCP(Table 421.2.2), the usable portion of the nominal moment
capacity is only 90% or a reduction factor  = 0.90. This is applicable to tension
controlled classification where the tensile strain of the rebar exceeds 0.005
Also, USD requires that Mu (ultimate moment)

Mu  φMn
Flexural members are required to be ductile. These members are designed to
undergo ductile failure when their ultimate capacities are reached. Ductile failure
is preferred over brittle failure because failure for the former is slow in developing
and more than adequate tell-tale manifest before the section collapses. In
contrast, brittle failure is sudden with little or no warning leading to disastrous
consequences.

Maximum steel ratio, ρmax:

In order to ensure that the flexural member will be ductile, the amount of the
tension reinforcement is controlled. The NSCP ensures that the flexural member
will be under reinforced by prescribing a minimum strain of 0.004 for the tensile
Reinforcement(NSCP 2015 Sec 409.3.3.1). It must be noted that under reinforced
beam sections will have larger strains in the tensile rebars.

From the stress strain diagram:

c 0.003 3
 
d 0.003  0.004 7

From equilibrium equation:

C c  Ts
'
0.85f c ab  A s f y
0.85f c ab
'
A s fy

bd bd

As
Introducing the notation ρ 
bd

0.85 β 1fc '  c 

ρ   
fy d

0.85 β 1 fc '  3 
ρ max   
fy 7
Minimum steel ratio, ρmin:

Also, the code has a minimum steel ratio with the same objective of making the
beam section ductile. If the steel reinforcements are too few, then the effect of
the steel reinforcements is no longer felt as if the section is pure concrete only.
Concrete being a brittle material, will lead to brittle failure if the amount of
tension reinforcement is negligible. Therefore, there is a need to provide a
minimum amount of steel reinforcements. This is specified in NSCP 2010 410.6.1.
where

0.25 fc ' b w d
Minimum Area of steel, As min 
fy

0.25 fc '
ρ min 
fy

However the NSCP stipulates further that this steel ratio should not be lower than
1.4/fy.
Analysis of a Singly Reinforced Rectangular Beam

The analysis procedure is outlined below:

1. Determine the ρmin and ρmax

2. Determine the actual steel ratio ρact

3. Compare the actual steel ratio ρact with ρmin and ρmax
if ρact > ρmax then use ρ = ρmax
in this situation the existing reinforcement exceed the NSCP maximum limit. Thus,
only the amount of reinforcements corresponding limit is valid
if ρact < ρmin then use ρ = ρmin
in this situation, the existing reinforcement also are below the NSCP minimum limit.
However the NSCP has a provision (Art. 409.6.1.3) that states that the minimum
steel requirement can be waived if an additional 1/3 of the required
reinforcement is provided. Conversely, for an existing beam section with
reinforcements below the NSCP limit, then only the reciprocal 3/4of the actual
reinforcements will be counted
if ρmax > ρact > ρmin then use ρ = ρact
this is the case where the NSCP steel reinforcement limits are complied
with and thus no reduction in the actual reinforcements is made

4. solve for area of steel, A s  ρbd

5. C = T and solve for “a” (with assumptions, if steel will yield(fs < fy) or steel does
not yield(fs ≥ fy)

6. Check assumptions

7. Solve for reduction factor 

8. Determine the moment capacity

Design of a Singly Reinforced Rectangular Beam

The design of beams to resist the factored moment is made up of two parts:

1. Determining the required section size defined by bd2 which is similar to

the section modulus
2. Determining the amount of reinforcements

The NSCP requires that

Mu  φMn

Mu  φMn

Mu
 Mn
φ

Mu  a
 Ts  d  
φ  2 

Mu  a
 As fy  d  
φ  2

Mu  As fy 
 As fy  d  
φ  1.7fc' b

Mu  As fy 
 As fy  1  d
φ  1.7fc' bd 

Mu As fy  As fy  2
 1   bd
φ bd  1.7fc' bd 

Mu  ρ fy  2
 ρfy  1   bd
φ  1.7fc' 

 ρ fy 
R n  ρfy  1  
 1.7fc'  …………coefficient of resistance

2
Mu  φRnbd

0.85fc'  2Rn 
ρ  1  1 
fy  0.85fc' 
 
The design procedure can be formulated as follows:

1. Solve for Rn
2. Solve for ρ, ρmin, ρmax
3. Solve for As
4. Compute for a and c
5. Check if tension controlled
6. If no, designed as DRB
7. If yes, designed as SRB and compute the number of bars
Calculate the ultimate moment capacity of a rectangular beam with b = 300mm,
d = 500mm, As = 9-28mm. Assume fc’ = 34 MPa, fy=414 MPa. USE 2015 NSCP
A reinforced concrete beam has the following properties
Beam width, b = 320 mm
Effective depth, d = 640 mm
fc’ = 25 MPa
fy = 400 MPa
Service dead load moment, Mdl = 350 kN-m
Determine the service live load moment if the beam is to be designed as singly
reinforced. USE 2015 NSCP
A simply supported beam shown is to support a total dead load of 15kN/m.
Determine the live load that the beam can resist in accordance with the
requirements of NSCP2015. Use fc’ = 35Mpa and Grade 40. The reinforcements
shown are 5-16mm bars.
A 350mm x 500mm rectangular beam is reinforced for tension only with 5-28mm
bars. The beam has an effective depth 0f 446mm. The beam carries a uniform
dead load of 4.5kN/m including its own weight, a uniform live load of 3kN/m and
a concentrated dead load of P and 2P as shown below. Assume fy=414MPa,
fc’=34.5MPa. Calculate the following
A. The ultimate moment capacity of the section in kN-m
B. The maximum value of P in kN.

2P P

2m 2m 2m
A reinforced concrete beam has a width of 300mm and an effective depth to
tension bars of 600mm. Compression reinforcement if needed will be placed at a
depth of 60mm below the top. If fc’=30MPa and fy=414MPa, determine the
tension steel area if the beam is to resist an ultimate moment of 650 kN-m.
A rectangular concrete beam has a width of 300mm and an effective depth of
550mm. The beam is simply supported over a span of 6m and is used to carry a
uniform dead load of 25 kN/m and a uniform live load of 4o kN/m. Assume
fc’=21MPa and fy=312MPa
A. Determine the maximum tension steel area for singly reinforced condition
B. Determine the required tension steel area
C. Determine the required number of 25mm diameter tension bars.