R E C TA N G U L A R S E C T I O N I N

B E N D I N G AT U LT I M AT E L I M I T
S T AT E
(CEN 324)

P R E PA R E D B Y : TA R T E E L A W A D H A J A L I
Bending and the equivalent rectangular stress block:

For the design of most reinforced concrete structures it is usual to commence

the design for the conditions at the ultimate limit state, which is then
followed by checks to ensure that the structure is adequate for the
serviceability limit state without excessive deflection or cracking of the
concrete.
1. Singly reinforced rectangular section in bending:

Fig. 6 singly reinforced section with rectangular stress block

For equilibrium, the ultimate design moment (M), must be balanced by the moment
of resistance of the section so that:

M= Fcc * z= Fst * z → (10)

Where:

z ≡ the lever arm between the resultant forces Fcc and Fst.

Fcc = stress * area of action

Fcc = 0.45 fcu * b * s → (11)

𝑠
𝑧=𝑑− ⇒ 𝑠 = 𝑑−𝑧 ∗2 → (12)
2
Substitute eq (11) & (12) into eq (10):

M = 0.9 fcu * b * (d-z) * z → (13)

From eq (12) z = d-0.45 x

M= 0.9 fcu * b * (d-d+0.45x)*(d-0.45x) = (0.405 x) *(d-0.45x) * fcu *b

𝑥 𝑥 𝑥
M = (0.405 x) *d* (1-0.45 )* fcu *b = (0.405 ) * (1-0.45 )* fcu *b *d2 → (14)
𝑑 𝑑 𝑑

M = K* fcu *b *d2 → (15)

𝑀
𝑘 = 2 𝑓𝑐𝑢 → 16
𝑏𝑑
 𝑥 𝑥
K= (0.405 ) * (1-0.45 )
𝑑 𝑑

𝑑 −𝑧
z = d-0.45 x ⇒ 𝑥=
0.45

𝑑−𝑧 𝑑 −𝑧 𝑧 𝑧 2
𝑘 = (0.405 ∗ )* 1 − 0.45 ∗ = 0.9 − 0.9
0.45∗𝑑 0.45∗𝑑 𝑑 𝑑

𝑧 2 𝑧
0.9 − 0.9 +𝑘 =0
𝑑 𝑑

𝑧 2 𝑧 𝑘
− + =0
𝑑 𝑑 0.9

𝑧 𝑘
= 0.5 + 0.25 − → 17
𝑑 0.9

𝑘
𝑧 = 𝑑 ∗ (0.5 + 0.25 − )
0.9

The previous equation was mentioned in BS8110 to calculate the lever arm.
 𝑓𝑦
𝐹𝑠𝑡 = 𝐴𝑠
𝛾𝑚

At 𝛾𝑚 = 1.05

𝑓𝑦
𝐹𝑠𝑡 = 𝐴𝑠 = 0.95𝑓𝑦 ∗ 𝐴𝑠
1.05

From eq (10): 𝑀 = 𝐹𝑠𝑡 ∗ 𝑧 = 0.95𝑓𝑦 ∗ 𝐴𝑠 ∗ 𝑧

𝑀
∴ 𝐴𝑠 = → (18)
0.95 𝑓𝑦 ∗ 𝑧

The previous equations (17) & (18) can be used to design area of tension reinforcement
in concrete section to resist an ultimate moment M.
 Equation (17) for the lever arm z can be used to set up a table and draw a
lever-arm curve as shown in figure 4.5 in Mosley (page 59).

The upper limit of the lever-arm curve, z = 0.95, is specified by BS 8110.

The lower limit of z = 0.775d is when the depth of neutral axis x = d/2, which is
the maximum value allowed by the code for a singly reinforced section in order
to provide a ductile section which will have a gradual tension type failure as
already described.

at z = 0.775d from equation (13):

M = 0.9 fcu * b * (d-0.775d) * 0.775d

M= 0.156 fcu * b* d2 → (19)

𝑀
𝐼𝑓 = 𝑘 > 0.156 ⇒ 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑟𝑒𝑖𝑛𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑟𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑑.
𝑏 ∗𝑑 2 ∗𝑓𝑐𝑢
Analysis equation for a singly reinforced section:

The following equation may be used to calculate the moment of resistance of

a given section with a known area of steel reinforcement.

For equilibrium of the compressive force in the concrete and the tensile force
in the steel in figure 6.

Fcc = Fst

or

0.45 fcu b x s = 0.95 fy As

Therefore, depth of stress block is

s = (0.95 fy As) /(0.45 fcu b)

And

x = s/0.9

Therefore, moment of resistance of the section is

RECTANGULAR SECTION WITH COMPRESSION REINFORCEMENT AT
THE ULTIMATE LIMIT STATE (DOUBLY REINFORCED)
(a) Derivation of basic equations
• It should be noted that the equations in this section have been derived for the
case where the reduction in moment at a section due to moment redistribution
is not greater than 10 per cent. When this is not the case, reference should be
made to section 4.7 (Mosley) which deals with the effect of moment
redistribution.
• From the section dealing with the analysis of a singly reinforced section when
M > 0.156 fcu bd2
the design ultimate moment exceeds the moment of resistance of the concrete
and therefore compression reinforcement is required.
For this condition the depth of neutral axis, 𝑥 ≯ 0.5 𝑑 the maximum value allowed
by the code in order to ensure a tension failure with a ductile section.
Therefore
𝑠 0.9𝑥 0.9 ∗ 0.5 ∗ 𝑑
𝑧=𝑑− =𝑑− =𝑑− = 0.775 𝑑
2 2 2

Fig (1) Section with compression reinforcement

For equilibrium of the section in figure (1)
Fst = Fcc + Fsc
so that with the reinforcement at yield
0.95 𝑓𝑦 𝐴𝑠 = 0.45 𝑓𝑐𝑢 𝑏𝑠 + 0.95𝑓𝑦 𝐴′𝑠
or with s = 0.9 x d/2 = 0.45d
0.95 𝑓𝑦 𝐴𝑠 = 0.201 𝑓𝑐𝑢 𝑏𝑑 + 0.95𝑓𝑦 𝐴′𝑠 (1)
and taking moments about the centroid of the tension steel, As
𝑀 = 𝐹𝑐𝑐 × 𝑧 + 𝐹𝑠𝑐 𝑑 − 𝑑 ′
= 0.201 𝑓𝑐𝑢 𝑏𝑑 × 0.775𝑑 + 0.95𝑓𝑦 𝐴′𝑠 𝑑 − 𝑑 ′
= 0.156 𝑓𝑐𝑢 𝑏𝑑 2 + 0.95𝑓𝑦 𝐴′𝑠 𝑑 − 𝑑 ′ (2)
From equation (2)
𝑀−0.156𝑓𝑐𝑢 𝑏𝑑 2
𝐴′𝑠 = (3)
0.95𝑓𝑦 𝑑 −𝑑 ′

Multiplying both sides of equation (1) by: z= 0.775d and rearranging gives
0.156𝑓𝑐𝑢 𝑏 𝑑 2
𝐴𝑠 = + 𝐴′𝑠 (4)
0.95𝑓𝑦 ×𝑧

With z = 0.775d.
Hence the areas of compression steel 𝐴′𝑠 , and tension steel 𝐴𝑠 , can be calculated
from equations (3) and (4).
Substituting k' = 0.156 and k=M/bd2fcu into these equations would convert them into
the same forms as in the code of practice, BS 8110, which are
(𝑘−𝑘 ′ )𝑓𝑐𝑢 𝑏𝑑 2
𝐴′𝑠 = (5)
0.95𝑓𝑦 𝑑 −𝑑 ′

𝑘 ′ 𝑓𝑐𝑢 𝑏 𝑑 2
𝐴𝑠 = + 𝐴′𝑠 (6)
0.95𝑓𝑦 ×𝑧
In this analysis it has been assumed that the compression steel has yielded so that
the steel fsc= 0.95fy. From the proportions of the strain distribution diagram:
𝜀 𝑠𝑐 0.0035
= (7)
𝑥−𝑑 \ 𝑥

So that
𝑥 − 𝑑\ 𝜀𝑠𝑐
=
𝑥 0.0035
Or
𝑑\ 𝜀𝑠𝑐
=1−
𝑥 0.0035
At yield with fy= 460 N/mm2, the steel strain 𝜀𝑠𝑐 = 𝜀𝑦 = 0.00219. Therefore, for
yielding of the compression steel
𝑑\ 0.00219
≯1− ≯ 0.37 (8)
𝑥 0.0035

Or
𝑑\ 𝑑
≯ 0.185 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑥= (9)
𝑑 2
𝑑\
The ratio of for the yielding of other grades of steel can be determined by using
𝑑

their yield stain in equation (7), but for values of fy less than 460 N/mrn2. the
application of equation (9) will provide an adequate safe check.
If d'/d > 0.185, then it is necessary to calculate the strain 𝜀𝑠𝑐 from equation (7) and
then determine fsc from
fsc= Es * 𝜀𝑠𝑐 =200 000𝜀𝑠𝑐
This value of stress for the compressive steel must then be used in the denominator
of equation (3) in place of 0.95 fy in order to calculate the area 𝐴′𝑠 of compression
steel. The area of tension steel is calculated from a modified equation (4) such that
0.156𝑓𝑐𝑢 𝑏𝑑 2 ′ 𝑓𝑠𝑐
𝐴𝑠 = + 𝐴𝑠 ×
0.95𝑓𝑦 × 𝑧 0.95𝑓𝑦
 (b) Design charts:
The equations for the design charts are obtained by taking moments about the
neutral axis. Thus
0.9𝑥
𝑀 = 0.45𝑓𝑐𝑢 0.9𝑥 𝑥 − + 𝑓𝑠𝑐 𝐴′𝑠 𝑥 − 𝑑′ + 𝑓𝑠𝑐 𝐴𝑠 (𝑑 − 𝑥)
2
This equation and (1) may be written in the form
𝐴𝑆 𝑥 𝐴′𝑠
𝑓𝑠𝑡 = 0.405 𝑓𝑐𝑢 + 𝑓𝑠𝑡
𝑏𝑑 𝑑 𝑏𝑑
𝑀 𝑥2 𝐴′𝑠 𝑥 𝑑′ 𝐴𝑆 𝑥
2
= 0.405𝑓𝑐𝑢 2 1 − 0.45 + 𝑓𝑠𝑐 − + 𝑓𝑠𝑐 1−
𝑏𝑑 𝑑 𝑏𝑑 𝑑 𝑑 𝑏𝑑 𝑑
 𝐴′𝑠 𝑥 𝑑′
For specified ratio , and , the two non-dimensional equations can be solved to
𝑏𝑑 𝑑 𝑑
𝐴𝑆 𝑀
give values for and so that set of design charts such as the one shown in figure
𝑏𝑑 𝑏𝑑 2

(2) may be plotted.

Before the equation can be solved, the steel stresses fst and fsc must be calculated for
each value of x/d.
This is achieved by first determining the relevant strains from the strain diagram (or
by apply the equations in lecture 3) and then by evaluating the stresses from the
stress-strain curve figure (lecture 3).
Values of x/d below 0.5 apply when the moments are redistributed.
Fig (2)Typical design charts for doubly reinforced beams
Example (1):
Example 2:
If the depth of neutral axis was such that the compressive or tensile steel had not
yielded. it would have been necessary to try successive values of x until
Fst= Fcc+ Fsc
balances, with the steel strains and stresses being calculated from equations in
(lecture 3). The steel stresses at balance would then be used to calculate the moment
of resistance.