RC14-1334 Concrete Structures 1

Lecture 7 - Design
Reinforced Beams
8 October 2015
RC14-1334: Concrete Structures 1

Prof. Tavio, Ph.D 1

Lecture Goals
Examples of Singly Reinforced
Rectangular Beam
 Known section dimensions
 Unknown section dimensions
Design of Doubly Reinforced Beams
 Known section dimensions
 Unknown section dimensions

Prof. Tavio, Ph.D 1

RC14-1334 Concrete Structures 1

Example - Singly RC Beam

(Unknown Dimensions I)

Design a singly reinforced beam, which has a

moment capacity, Mu = 250 k-ft, fc = 4.5 ksi,
and fy = 50 ksi.
Use a b = 0.55d and determine whether or not
it is sufficient space for the tension steel.

Example - Singly RC Beam

(Unknown Dimensions I)
Select a c/d ratio
for the tension
component to
dominate. Chose
c/d=0.25

Prof. Tavio, Ph.D 2

RC14-1334 Concrete Structures 1

Example - Singly RC Beam

(Unknown Dimensions I)
Calculate Ru for the beam

Example - Singly RC Beam

(Unknown Dimensions I)
Calculate the b d 2

Prof. Tavio, Ph.D 3

RC14-1334 Concrete Structures 1

Example - Singly RC Beam

(Unknown Dimensions I)
Calculate d, if b = 0.55d

If b = 0.55(20.46 in.) = 11.25 in., so use b = 12 in.

and d = 20.5 in. and h = 23 in.

Example - Singly RC Beam

(Unknown Dimensions I)
Calculate As for the beam

Prof. Tavio, Ph.D 4

RC14-1334 Concrete Structures 1

Example - Singly RC Beam

(Unknown Dimensions I)
Look at a series of bars and calculate As for the
beam for a single layer.

The cover is 1.5 in. and use d = 3/8 in. stirrup.

Example - Singly RC Beam

(Unknown Dimensions I)
Look at a series of bars and calculate As for the
beam for a single layer.

Prof. Tavio, Ph.D 5

RC14-1334 Concrete Structures 1

Example - Singly RC Beam

(Unknown Dimensions I)
Check whether or not the bars will fit into the beam.
The diameter of the #11 = 1.41 in.

So b =12 in. works for 3#11 or 3#10 or 4#9 to fit

into the beam.

Example - Singly RC Beam

(Unknown Dimensions I)
Check the height of the beam.

To be exact, use d = 20.5 in –0.08 in. = 20.42 in.,

but in reality use d = 20.5 in.

Prof. Tavio, Ph.D 6

RC14-1334 Concrete Structures 1

Example - Singly RC Beam

(Unknown Dimensions I)
Find a

Find c

Example - Singly RC Beam

(Unknown Dimensions I)
Compute 

Prof. Tavio, Ph.D 7

RC14-1334 Concrete Structures 1

Example - Singly RC Beam

(Unknown Dimensions I)

Calculate min for the beam

The beam is OK for

the minimum 

Example - Singly RC Beam

(Unknown Dimensions I)
Check the strain in the steel

Therefore,  is 0.9

Prof. Tavio, Ph.D 8

RC14-1334 Concrete Structures 1

Example - Singly RC Beam

(Unknown Dimensions I)
Compute the Mn for the beam

Calculate Mu

Example - Singly RC Beam

(Unknown Dimensions I)
Check the beam Mu = 250 k-ft*12 in/ft =3000 k-in

Over-designed the beam by 26%

Prof. Tavio, Ph.D 9

RC14-1334 Concrete Structures 1

Example - Singly RC Beam

(Unknown Dimensions I)
Check out the other bars

Choosing between the #9 an #10 depend on the

selection of development length, availability,etc.

Example - Singly RC Beam

(Unknown Dimensions II)
Select a b,d and h and the reinforcement for a
24 ft. span continuous beam. The beam will
support its own dead load plus a superimposed
serve deal load of 1.25 k/ft plus uniform service
load of 2 k/ft. Design for the negative moment
of an interior beam with multiple spans (>2).
Use fc = 4 ksi, and fy = 60 ksi.

Prof. Tavio, Ph.D 10

RC14-1334 Concrete Structures 1

Example - Singly RC Beam

(Unknown Dimensions II)
Assume that depth of the beam to be 8 to 10
percent of the L and b = 0.5 d.

Example - Singly RC Beam

(Unknown Dimensions II)
Compute the weight of the beam = 0.150 k/ft3.

Prof. Tavio, Ph.D 11

RC14-1334 Concrete Structures 1

Example - Singly RC Beam

(Unknown Dimensions II)
Chose w = 0.438 k/ft

From ACI –318 02, look at 8.3.3

Example - Singly RC Beam

(Unknown Dimensions II)
Calculate Ru for the beam, assume a c/d =0.275

Prof. Tavio, Ph.D 12

RC14-1334 Concrete Structures 1

Example - Singly RC Beam

(Unknown Dimensions II)
Calculate the bd2

Example - Singly RC Beam

(Unknown Dimensions II)
Calculate d, if b = 0.5d

If b = 12 in., then d = 22.5 in. and we would need

to use a single layer of steel. h=25 in.

Prof. Tavio, Ph.D 13

RC14-1334 Concrete Structures 1

Example - Singly RC Beam

(Unknown Dimensions II)
Check the weight of the beam.

You would go back and re-compute the problem

with the new weight. Assume that the beam will
work.

Example - Singly RC Beam

(Unknown Dimensions II)
Chose w = 0.3125 k/ft

Prof. Tavio, Ph.D 14

RC14-1334 Concrete Structures 1

Example - Singly RC Beam

(Unknown Dimensions II)
Calculate Ru for the beam, assume a c/d =0.275

Example - Singly RC Beam

(Unknown Dimensions II)
Calculate the bd2

Prof. Tavio, Ph.D 15

RC14-1334 Concrete Structures 1

Example - Singly RC Beam

(Unknown Dimensions II)
Calculate d, if b = 0.5d

If b = 12 in., then d = 22.5 in. and we would need

to use a single layer of steel. h=25 in.

Example - Singly RC Beam

(Unknown Dimensions II)
Calculate As for the beam

Prof. Tavio, Ph.D 16

RC14-1334 Concrete Structures 1

Example - Singly RC Beam

(Unknown Dimensions II)
Look at a series of bars and calculate As for the
beam for a single layer.

The cover is 1.5 in. and use d = 3/8 in. stirrup.

Example - Singly RC Beam

(Unknown Dimensions II)
Look at a series of bars and calculate As for the
beam for a single layer.

Prof. Tavio, Ph.D 17

RC14-1334 Concrete Structures 1

Example - Singly RC Beam

(Unknown Dimensions II)
Check whether or not the bars will fit into the beam.
The diameter of the #8 = 1.00 in.

So b =12 in. works.

Example - Singly RC Beam

(Unknown Dimensions II)
Check the height of the beam.

Use d = 22.5 in. and h = 25 in.

Prof. Tavio, Ph.D 18

RC14-1334 Concrete Structures 1

Example - Singly RC Beam

(Unknown Dimensions II)
Find a

Find c

Example - Singly RC Beam

(Unknown Dimensions II)
Check the strain in the steel

Therefore,  is 0.9

Prof. Tavio, Ph.D 19

RC14-1334 Concrete Structures 1

Example - Singly RC Beam

(Unknown Dimensions II)
Compute the Mn for the beam

Calculate Mu

Example - Singly RC Beam

(Unknown Dimensions II)
Check the beam Mu =3189 k-in

Over-designed the beam by 8 %

Prof. Tavio, Ph.D 20

RC14-1334 Concrete Structures 1

Example - Singly RC Beam

(Unknown Dimensions II)

Calculate min for the beam

The beam is OK for

the minimum 

Doubly Reinforced
Concrete Beams

Prof. Tavio, Ph.D 21

RC14-1334 Concrete Structures 1

Doubly Reinforced Beams Design

Procedure when section dimensions
are known
1 Calculate controlling value for the design
moment, Mu.

2 Calculate d, since h is known

For one layer of reinforcement.
For two layers of reinforcement.

Doubly Reinforced Beams Design

Procedure when section dimensions
are known

3 Estimate a c/d value, which will cause a

strain, t >0.005 and find the area As1 for a
singly reinforced section. Compute c from d

Prof. Tavio, Ph.D 22

RC14-1334 Concrete Structures 1

Doubly Reinforced Beams Design

Procedure when section dimensions
are known
4 Find nominal moment capacity provided by As1

Doubly Reinforced Beams Design

Procedure when section dimensions
are known
5 Find nominal moment capacity that must be
provided by the web.

Prof. Tavio, Ph.D 23

RC14-1334 Concrete Structures 1

Doubly Reinforced Beams Design

Procedure when section dimensions
are known

If , compression steel is not

required to resist Mu /
If , go to step 6.
Note: Use 0.9 for flexure without axial
load, which will be dependent on
the strain in the tension steel.
(ACI 318-02 Sec. 9.3)

Doubly Reinforced Beams Design

Procedure when section dimensions
are known
6 Determine A’s required to resist M
(assume s y)

Prof. Tavio, Ph.D 24

RC14-1334 Concrete Structures 1

Doubly Reinforced Beams Design

Procedure when section dimensions
are known

7 Calculate total tension reinforcement

required.

Doubly Reinforced Beams Design

Procedure when section dimensions
are known

8 Select reinforcing bars so As(provided) As(req’d)

and A’s A’s(req’d). Confirm that the bars will fit
within the cross section.

Prof. Tavio, Ph.D 25

RC14-1334 Concrete Structures 1

Doubly Reinforced Beams Design

Procedure when section dimensions
are known

9 Confirm that ’s y. If not go back to step

6 and substitute f’s = Es ’s for fy to get correct
value of A’s(req’d)

Doubly Reinforced Beams Design

Procedure when section dimensions
are known

10 Calculate the actual Mn for the section

dimensions and reinforcement selected.
Check strength,  Mn Mu. (keep
overdesign within 10 % )

Prof. Tavio, Ph.D 26

RC14-1334 Concrete Structures 1

Doubly Reinforced Beams Design

Procedure when section dimensions
are known

11 Check whether  provided is within

allowable limits.

Prof. Tavio, Ph.D 27