International Journal of Advances in Mechanical and Civil Engineering, ISSN: 2394-2827 Volume-4, Issue-5, Oct.

-2017
http://iraj.in
FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS OF SIMPLY SUPPORTED DEEP BEAM
USING ABAQUS
1
YOUSIF J. LAFTA, 2HALEEM K. HUSSAIN, 3MUSHTAQ R. DAHAM
1,2,3
Basrah University, College of Engineering, Civil Engineering Department, Basrah City, Iraq
E-mail: 1haleem.albremani@gmail.com, 2engdyousif16@gmail.com

Abstract- The analytical study of reinforced concrete simply supported deep beams subjected to two point loads was carried out
using finite element method to study the behavior of deep beam by considering flexural behavior, ultimate strength, and deflection
shape. The effective span to depth ratios of the deep beams considered were 1, the ABAQUS program is used to model the behaviour
of reinforced concrete Deep T beams. The finite element model uses the concrete damaged plasticity approach. This model can help
to confirm the theoretical calculations as well as to provide a valuable supplement to the laboratory investigations of behavior. For
validation, a reinforced concrete beam was modelled that had been experimentally tested and reported in previous experimental
research. The results have been compared with experimental values and shows good agreements.

Keywords- Finite Element Method (FEM), deep beam, ultimate strength flexural behavior

I. INTRODUCTION on T beam without vertical reinforcement and (ITV)

indirect load on T beam with vertical reinforcement [7 ].
Recently the use of Reinforced deep beam has become
more prevalent. A simply supported beam is classified as II. MODEL GEOMETRY
deep when the ratio of its effective span to overall depth
D is less than 2. Continuous beam are consider as deep The models adopted in this research according to the
when the ratio L/D is less than 2.5.The effective span is model investigated by [7]. Fig 1 shows the model loaded
defined as the center to center distance between the directly and indirectly
supports or 1.15 times the clear span whichever is less.
Deep beam often appear in form of transfer girders in
high-rise building as well as pile caps, foundation walls,
water tanks, bins, folded plate roof structures, floor
diaphragms, shear walls & brackets or corbels.

Ray [1] was investigated the shear strength capacity of

reinforced and prestressed concrete deep beams without
opening, with and without web reinforcement. According
to experimental results, Ray [2] has suggested an
Fig 1 Direct and Indirect load method for T Beam
equation to estimate the shear strength of deep beams
with shear reinforcement. It was concluded that the
The Fig. 2and Fig.3 show the reinforcement details of
predicted results using the normal beam theory
analyzed beam of model DTV and IT.
underestimated the ultimate load of deep beams. Kong et
al. [3] tested 35 simply supported rectangular deep beams
of the span to depth ratio ranging from 1 to 3 and shear
span/depth ratios from 0.23 to 0.7. They studied the
effects of seven different types of web reinforcement on
deflections crack widths, crack patterns, failure modes.
Existing methods of predicting Deep Beam behaviour
involve either elastic theory or semi–empirical equation,
neither of which is entirely satisfactory [4]. The basic
assumption that plane sections remain plane after loading Fig. 2 DTV beam model
and that the material is homogeneous and elastic do not
hold for deep beams. Finite element method (FEM) offers
a powerful and general analytical tool for studying the
behaviour of reinforced concrete deep beams ([5],[6]).

Theoretical analysis deep beam by using Finite Element

Method ( Abaqus software program V6.13). The FEM
result will compare with experimental test results. Three
model have been adopted in this study (DTV) Direct load
on T beam with vertical reinforcement, (IT) indirect load Fig. 3 IT Beam model

Finite Element Analysis of Simply Supported Deep Beam using ABAQUS

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 International Journal of Advances in Mechanical and Civil Engineering, ISSN: 2394-2827
http://iraj.in
III. MATERIAL PROPERTIES.
A. Concrete properties
The mechanical properties of concrete adopted in FEM
analysis was adopted according to experimental program
predicted byYousif J [7]. Table 1 list the experimental
properties of concrete
Table 1 material properties [ 7 ]
The modulus of elasticity of normal concrete, Ec can be
taken as follows according to ACI Committee 318M [8].
Ec=4700 f c' (MPa) and The Poisson's ratio =0.2 for
concrete under uniaxial compression. Fig 4 show the
stress strain for concrete model .
Fig. 4 stress –strain relationship of concrete
B. Steel Bar model
Since the reinforcing bars are normally long and
relatively slender, they can generally be assumed to be
capable of transmitting axial forces only. For the finite
element models, the uniaxial stress-strain relation for
steel was idealized as a bilinear curve, representing
elastic-plastic behavior with strain hardening as shown
Fig. 5.
Fig. 5. Stress-Strain relation of Steel reinforcement.
Finite Element Analysis of Simply Supported Deep Beam using ABAQUS
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Volume-4, Issue-5, Oct.-2017
IV. FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS
ABAQUS has been chosen for the purpose of modelling
and analyzing the concrete beam with steel in this study
due to its flexibility in creating geometry and material
modelling. ABAQUS (Version 6.13) has been chosen for
the purpose of modelling and analyzing the concrete
beam steel in this study due to its flexibility in geometry
and material modelling. Before starting to define this or
any model, the system unit should be determine because
ABAQUS software has no built-in system of units and all
input data must be specified in consistent units [9].
The numerical simulation of a reinforced concrete deep
beam requires an accurate model of the structural
elements and its constituent members acting as a
composite made up of concrete and steel. 3D solid
element in modeling using a deformable type to simulate
beam. In order to develop concrete beam, 8- node
continuum solid element was utilized. Fig. 6 shows a
three –dimensional view of the model, which was used to
develop the concrete beam.
Fig. 6. Geometry of solid beam model DTV in ABAQUS.
According to the ABAQUS users’ manual, the eight-node
continuum elements (C3D8R) are formulated based on a
Lagrangian description of behavior where the element
deforms with the material deformation. The solid element
has eight nodes with three degrees of freedom at each
node – translations in the nodal x, y, and z directions. The
element is capable of plastic deformation, cracking in
three orthogonal directions, and crushing. The other basic
components in this study are the reinforcing steel bars.
The reinforcing bars have mainly the task to transfer
normal forces. The reinforcing bars modeled as three-
dimensional truss elements are sufficient for the purpose.
Three dimensional 2-node first order truss elements
(T3D2 – Truss) are used to model the reinforcing bars in
the FE model of concrete beam specimens. Fig. 7 shows
the meshed model in Abaqus.
Fig. 7. FEM Meshed model (IT)
 International Journal of Advances in Mechanical and Civil Engineering, ISSN: 2394-2827 Volume-4, Issue-5, Oct.-2017
http://iraj.in
V. DEFLECTION LOAD CURVE Fig. 10 shows the comparison of deflection- load curve
comparison and Fig 11 and 12 show the concentration of
Fig. 8 illustrated the comparison of experimental stress position in concrete and steel along the line
findings of Mid-Span- load deflection with predicted data between the support and the point of applied load.
by using Aabaqus. The details of the relation between
loads versus vertical deflection included the three model
of deep T-beams with constanta/d ratio. The deflections
of the experimental beams were measured at mid-span at
the center of the bottom face of the beams. Fig. 8 and Fig.
9 shows the experimental deflection – load curves
compared with deflection predicted by FEM using
Abaqus for model DTV.

Fig.11 . Load – Deflection curve of model IT

Fig.8. Load-deflection curve of Model DTV

Fig. 12. Stress concentration in concrete and steel bar.

Fig. 13 shows the comparison of experimental findings of

Mid-Span- load deflection and FEM result of model ITV
deep T-beams.

Fig. 9. Deflection Shape of model DTV

Strain distribution through the model DTV shows the

concentration of stress position along the line between the
support and the point of applied load as shown in Fig. 10.
Fig. 13 Load – deflection of model ITV

Table 2 showing the experimental cracked and ultimate

applied load of different model compared with FEM
values

Fig. 10. Strain distribution of model DTV Table 2. The ultimate load and inclined cracked load of beams.

Finite Element Analysis of Simply Supported Deep Beam using ABAQUS

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 International Journal of Advances in Mechanical and Civil Engineering, ISSN: 2394-2827
http://iraj.in
The test results, theoretical and FEM result of beams
including Zsutty Equations of deep beams were
considered. Table 3 presents the comparison of FEM
results, Experimental and Zusutty equation for ultimate
load .
Table 3. Experimental and theoretical comparison of ultimate load
of T beam.
CONCLUSION
The following item can be concluded:-
1. The deep beams models are failed in same manner
of experimental failure shapewhere the
concentration of stress extended through the line
between the point of load and supports.
2. The Diagonal cracks confirm the web failure
appears in the web of T beam due to highly strain
occurred around the line between the point load
and support.
3. The beam subjected to directed applied load higher
in ultimate load than the beam subjected to
indirectly load.
4. This paper presents a finite element model using
ABAQUS program software which can be used to
analyses the non-linear behaviour of reinforced

Finite Element Analysis of Simply Supported Deep Beam using ABAQUS
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Volume-4, Issue-5, Oct.-2017
concrete elements. This finite element model is
validated using previous experimental results
available in the previous research.
REFERNECE
[1] Ray D. p. Strength and behavior of reinforced concrete deep
girders. Journal of Science and Engineering Research,
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[2] Ray D. p. An investigation into the Ultimate Strength of
Reinforced Concrete Deep Beams. Journal of Science and
Engineering Research, 1966,10(2):220-238.
[3] Kong F. K., Robins P. J., Cole D. F. Web reinforcement effects
on deep beams. ACI Journal Proceedings, 1970,67(12):1010-
1017.
[4] Yoo, T. M; Doh, J. H., and Guan, H. (2004) Experimental work
on Reinforced and Prestressed Concrete Deep Beans with
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University Gold Coast Campus, Queensland, Australia.
[5] Singh, R., Ray, S. P. and Reddy, C. S. (1980). Some tests on
reinforced concrete deep beams with and without opening in the
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[6] Tan, K. H., Tong, K. and Tang, C. Y. (2003). Consistent strut –
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[7] Yousif J. Lafta” Structural Behavior of Indirectly Loaded Deep
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Huazhong University of Science & Technology Wuhan 430074,
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[8] ACI 318–05. „Building Code Requirements for Structural
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[9] ABAQUS. (2010). ABAQUS/standard version 6.10 user's
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[10] Zsutty T. “Shear strength prediction for separate categories of
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