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CE 370
Reinforced Concrete Design-I

Lecture #7
Flexural Behavior of RC Beams: Ultimate Stage

CE 370 : Reinforced Concrete Design -I 1 September 3, 2019

 Contents
2

 Objectives of the present lecture

 Ultimate Strength Stage of RC beams
 Definitions of Effective depth and distance to extreme layer of tension
reinforcement
 Simplifications in Flexure Theory for Design
 Whitney Stress Block
 Requirements of RC beams and columns
 Nominal moment strength of Singly reinforced sections
 Balanced Conditions and Balanced Steel Ratio
 Code definitions of tension controlled and compression controlled
sections

CE 370 : Reinforced Concrete Design -I September 3, 2019

 Objectives of the Present lecture
3

 To provide an overview of flexural behavior of RC

beams at ultimate stage.
 To derive expression for the calculation of nominal
moment strength of singly reinforced sections when
tension steel is yielded.
 To discuss compression, tension and transition
controlled sections.

CE 370 : Reinforced Concrete Design -I September 3, 2019

 Ultimate Strength Stage of RC beams
4
 As load is increased further, compressive stresses are greater than 0.5 fc’,
cracks and neutral axis move further upward.
 Concrete compressive stresses begin to change appreciably from linear to
nonlinear, and reinforcing bars yield.
Compression Concrete Crushes at ultimate

Moment
c f c'

x c Failure
Rebars yield
N.A.
M yield
d
As  M service Service or working
fy
s   y load range
M cr
b
Concrete cracks
(a) Beam (b) Strain (c) Actual in tension
section variation Stress variation
Curvature , 
CE 370 : Reinforced Concrete Design -I September 3, 2019
 Definitions of Effective depth and distance to
extreme layer of tension reinforcement
5

 The effective depth, d, is measured from the

extreme compressive fiber to the centroid of the
longitudinal reinforcement.
 The net strain at the centroid of tension b
 cu  0.003
reinforcement at nominal-strength conditions (or
at ultimate load) is denoted by 𝜀𝑠 c

 The depth dt is measured from the extreme d dt

compression fiber to the extreme layer of tension As
s
reinforcement.
t
 The net strain at the extreme layer of tension
(a ) Beam section (b) Strain distribution
reinforcement at nominal-strength conditions (or
at ultimate load) is denoted by 𝜀𝑡
 For single layer of longitudinal reinforcement:
𝑑 = 𝑑𝑡 ; 𝜀𝑠 = 𝜀𝑡

CE 370 : Reinforced Concrete Design -I September 3, 2019

 Simplifications in Flexure Theory for Design
(Assumption)
6

Other than the three basic assumptions of

flexure theory, for design purposes, the
following additional assumptions are SBC 304-18
introduced to simplify the problem with little
loss of accuracy:
• The tensile strength of concrete is
negligible in flexure.
• Concrete is assumed to fail (crush) when
its compressive strain at the extreme
fiber reaches its ultimate value εcu =
0.003
• The nonlinear compressive stress block
for concrete can be replaced by an
equivalent rectangular one with constant
stress of 0.85 fc’ and a depth a = 1 c
(Whitney Stress block)

CE 370 : Reinforced Concrete Design -I September 3, 2019

 Whitney Stress Block
7

Whitney replaced the curved stress block with an equivalent

rectangular block of intensity 0.85 f c' and depth a  1c, where
Area of the rectangular block  Area of the curved stress block.
The centroids of the two blocks coincide.
Values of 1 from tests of concrete prisms
1 ksi  7 MPa

CE 370 : Reinforced Concrete Design -I September 3, 2019

 Requirements of RC beams and Columns
8

Two requirements are satisfied throughout the flexural analysis and

design of reinforced concrete beams and columns:
1. Stress and Strain Compatibility
 The stress at any point in a member must correspond to the
strain at that point.
 Except for short, deep beams, the distribution of strains over the
depth of the member is assumed to be linear.
2. Equilibrium
 Internal forces must balance the external load effects.

CE 370 : Reinforced Concrete Design -I September 3, 2019

 Nominal Moment Strength of Singly Reinforced
Sections, Mn
9
0.85 f c'
 cu

1c  a Cc  0.85 f c' ab

Neutral
Axis d
a
h d 2
As
T  As f y

b
 s   y (assumed)
(a) Beam (b) Strain (c) Stress distribution and internal
section distribution forces

As f y f y d As
For equilibrium, Cc  T  0.85 f c' ab  As f y  a   
bd
 tensile steel ratio.
0.85 f c' b 0.85 f c'
The reinforcing steel is
 a  a limited to an amount
Nominal strength : M n  T  d    M n  As f y  d   that it will yield well
 2  2 before the concrete
 a reaches its ultimate
Design strength : M n  As f y  d   strength
 2
CE 370 : Reinforced Concrete Design -I September 3, 2019
 Problem-1
10
Determine the values of a, c, and ε s for the beam shown in the Figure.
Take f y  420 MPa and f c'  20 MPa.

0.003

c
525

d c
3 − ϕ28

𝜀𝑠
350

CE 370 : Reinforced Concrete Design -I September 3, 2019

 Solution
11

  
 3   282   420
 
As f y 4
a  130.3 mm
'
0.85 f c b 0.85  20  350
1  0.85 for 20 MPa concrete
a 130.3
a  1c  c    153.3 mm
1 0.85
s 0.003
 Yield strain for 420 Grade steel :
d c c fy 420 MPa

0.003  525  153.3  0.003

y    0.0021  0.002
d c 2 105 MPa
 s 
Es
c 153.3
  s  0.00727

This value of strain is much greater than the yield strain of 0.002. This is an indication
of ductile behavior of the beam, because the steel is well into its yield plateau before
concrete crushes.
CE 370 : Reinforced Concrete Design -I September 3, 2019
 Definition of Balanced Conditions
12
In Balanced condition, at the ultimate load, the concrete and steel
simultaneously reach to their ultimate (0.003) and yield strains ( y  f y /Es ) respectively.
0.85 f c'
0.003

c 1c  a C  0.85 f c'ab

N.A.
d
As
T  As f y
fy
b y 
Es

CE 370 : Reinforced Concrete Design -I September 3, 2019

 Balanced Steel Ratio
13

 C  T  0.85 f c' ab  As f y
As f y f y d As
a  where   ;
0.85 f c' b 0.85 f c' bd
a f y d
 a  c1  c   f y d
1 0.851 f c'  
0.003d
0.851 f c' fy
0.003 
Es
c d c c 0.003
   b f y
d 0.003   y 
0.003
0.003 y   ( Es  2  105 MPa)
0.851 f c'
fy
0.003d 0.003 
c 200000
 f 
 0.003  y  b f y  600 
   
 Es  0.851 f c  600  f y 
' 

 0.851 f c'  600 

 b    
 fy  600  f 
  y 

CE 370 : Reinforced Concrete Design -I September 3, 2019

 Tension- and Compression-Controlled Sections
14

As
  tensile steel ratio.
bd

 0.851 f c'  600 

b   
 600  f 

 fy  y 

   b  Steel yields before concrete crushes (Ductile failure)

 called Tension Controlled Sections
   b  Concrete crushes before the steel yields (Brittle failure)
 called Compression Controlled Sections
   b  Steel reaches yield when concrete crushes.
 called Balnced Sections
CE 370 : Reinforced Concrete Design -I September 3, 2019
 Section 2.3, SBC 304-18 Definitions
15

 Tension-controlled section—a
cross section in which the net tensile
strain in the extreme tension steel at
nominal strength is greater than or
equal to 0.005.
 Compression-controlled section—
cross section in which the net tensile
strain in the extreme tension
reinforcement at nominal strength is
less than or equal to the
compression-controlled strain limit.
 Compression-controlled strain
limit—net tensile strain at balanced
strain conditions.

CE 370 : Reinforced Concrete Design -I September 3, 2019

 Compression-Controlled or Brittle Sections
16

 A compression-controlled
section has a tension
reinforcement area such that
when the beam reaches its
nominal flexural strength (i.e.
ultimate load), the net tensile
strain in the extreme layer of c d c c 0.003
 t  
tensile steel, εt, is less than or 0.003 t d t 0.003   t 
equal to the yield strain εy. For  t   y  0.002
 For such sections concrete c

0.003

0.003 3

crushes before steel yields. d t 0.003  0.002  0.005 5

 cCCL   d t  0.60d t
3
 Deflections are small and there 5
is little warning of failure.

CE 370 : Reinforced Concrete Design -I September 3, 2019

 Transition-Zone Sections
17

 A transition-zone section b
 cu  0.003
has a tension reinforcement
area such that when the c
beam reaches its nominal
d dt
flexural strength (i.e.
As
ultimate load), the net s
tensile strain in the extreme
 y   t  0.005
layer of tensile steel, εt, is
between εy and 0.005. (a ) Beam section (b) Strain distribution

Yield strain for 420 Grade steel :

fy 420 MPa
y    0.0021  0.002
Es 2 105 MPa

CE 370 : Reinforced Concrete Design -I September 3, 2019

 Tension-Controlled or Ductile Sections
18

 A tension-controlled section has a

tension reinforcement area such
that when the beam reaches its
nominal flexural strength (i.e.
ultimate load), the net tensile
strain in the extreme layer of
tensile steel, εt, is greater than or
equal to 0.005.
 For such sections, steel yields c d c c 0.003
 t  
before the concrete crushes. 0.003 t d t 0.003   t 
 Deflections are large and there is For  t  0.005
a warning of failure. c 0.003 0.003 3
  
d t 0.003  0.005 0.008 8

 cTCL   d t  0.375d t
3
8

CE 370 : Reinforced Concrete Design -I September 3, 2019

 Note
19

b
 cu  0.003

c c
 0.375 : Ductile
dt d dt
c As
 0.375 : Brittle s
dt
t
(a ) Beam section (b) Strain distribution

CE 370 : Reinforced Concrete Design -I September 3, 2019

 Further Reading
20
Read more about this lecture from:

• Reinforced concrete, Mechanics and Design by James K.

Wight, Seventh Edition, Pearson Prentice Hall, USA.
• Design of Reinforced Concrete, 10th Edition by J.C.
McCormac and R. H. Brown, Wiley, USA.

CE 370 : Reinforced Concrete Design -I September 3, 2019

 Thank You
21

CE 370 : Reinforced Concrete Design -I September 3, 2019