Nominal Flexural Moments

it is assumed that the tensile reinforcing bars are stressed to their

yield point before the concrete on the compressive side of the beam is
crushed. After the concrete compression stresses exceed about 0.50fc’,
they no longer vary directly as the distance from the neutral axis or
as a straight line. Rather, they vary much as shown in Figure (a). It
is assumed for the purpose of this discussion that the curved
compression diagram is replaced with a rectangular one with a constant
stress of 0.85fc’, as shown in part (b) of the figure.

(a) Actual compression (b) Assume compression

variation variation

Beam cross-section

The rectangular diagram of depth a is assumed to have the same c.g.

(center of gravity) and total magnitude as the curved diagram. These
assumptions will enable us to easily calculate the theoretical or
nominal flexural strength of reinforced concrete beams. Experimental
tests show that with the assumptions used here, accurate flexural
strengths are determined.
To obtain the nominal or theoretical moment strength of a beam, the
simple steps to follow:
1. Compute total tensile force T = Asfy.
2. Equate total compression force C = 0.85fc’ab to Asfy and solve
for a. In this expression, ab is the assumed area stressed in
compression at 0.85fc’. The compression force C and
the tensile force T must be equal to maintain equilibrium at the
section.
3. Calculate the distance between the centers of gravity of T and
C. (For a rectangular beam cross section, it equals d − a/2.)
4. Determine Nominal Moment (Mn), which equals T or C times the
distance between their centers of gravity.
 EXAMPLE

1. Determine Mn, the nominal moment strength of the beam section shown in Figure , if fy = 420
MPa and fc’ = 28 MPa.

Given:
Effective depth ,d= 430 mm
Beam width ,b = 300
fc’= 28 N/mm2
fy = 420 N/mm2
Solution:
Compute the compressive and tensile force C and T:

C = 0.85fc’ab
𝑵 𝑵
𝑪 =. 𝟖𝟓 × 𝟐𝟖 𝟐
× 𝒂 × 𝟑𝟎𝟎𝒎𝒎 = 𝟕𝟏𝟒𝟎𝒂
𝒎𝒎 𝒎𝒎
T = AS fy
𝝅 × (𝟐𝟓 𝒎𝒎)𝟐 𝑵
𝑻=𝟑× × 𝟒𝟐𝟎 = 𝟏𝟗𝟔𝟖𝟕𝟓𝝅 𝑵
𝟒 𝒎𝒎𝟐

Equating T and C and Solving for a:

𝐹𝑥 = 0
𝐶=𝑇
𝑁
7140𝑎 = 196875𝜋 𝑁
𝑚𝑚
𝑎 = 𝟖𝟔. 𝟔𝟐𝟓 𝒎𝒎

Computing the Internal Moment Arm and Nominal Moment Capacity:

𝑎 86.625
𝑑 − = 430 − = 386.6875 𝑚𝑚
2 2
 𝑎 𝑎
𝑀 =𝑇 𝑑− 𝑜𝑟 𝐶(𝑑 − )
2 2

𝑀 = 196875𝜋 𝑁 × 386.6875 𝑚𝑚 = 239166626.2 𝑁. 𝑚𝑚 𝑜𝑟 𝟐𝟑𝟗. 𝟏𝟕 𝐾𝑁. 𝑚

𝑁
𝑜𝑟 𝑀 = 7140 × 86.625𝑚𝑚 × 386.6875 𝑚𝑚 = 239167185.5 𝑁. 𝑚𝑚 𝑜𝑟 𝟐𝟑𝟗. 𝟏𝟕 𝐾𝑁. 𝑚
𝑚𝑚

EXERCISE PROBLEM:

Compute the Nominal Moment Capacity of the following:

1.

2.