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5 Fundamental Assumptions for Reinforced Concrete Design: ARSC 443-ARCH42S1 - Architectural Structures

ARSC 443 - 1.5 Fundamental Assumptions for

Reinforced Concrete Design
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Fundamental Assumptions for Reinforced Concrete Behaviour

 

Intended Learning Outcomes:

At the end of the session the students should be able to:

1. Familiarize with the fundamental reinforced concrete behavior and design assumptions.

Design – the determination of the general shape and all specific dimensions of a particular structure so that it
will perform the function for which it is created and will safely withstand the influences that will act on it
throughout its useful life.

The internal forces, such as bending moments, shear forces, and normal and shear stresses, at any
section of a member are in equilibrium with the effects of the external loads at that section.
The strain in an embedded reinforcing bar is the same as that of the surrounding concrete.
Cross-sections that were plane prior to loading continue to be plane in the member under load.
Concrete is assumed not capable of resisting any tension stress.
The theory is based on the actual-stress-strain relationship and strength properties of the two constituent
materials.
 

DESIGN ASSUMPTIONS

Equilibrium of Forces and Compatibility of strains

Computation of strength of a member or a cross-section by the Strength Design Method requires that
two basic conditions be satisfied: (1) Static equilibrium and (2) Compatibility of strain.

The first condition requires that the compressive and tensile forces acting on the cross-section at
“ultimate” strength be in equilibrium, and the second condition requires that compatibility between the
strains in the concrete and the reinforcement at “ultimate” condition must also be satisfied within the
design assumptions permitted by the code.
 

Design Assumption #1

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Strain in reinforcement and concrete shall be assumed directly proportional to the distance from the
neutral axis.
 

In other words, plane sections normal to the axis of bending are assumed to remain plane after bending.
The assumed strain conditions at ultimate strength of a rectangular and circular are illustrated below.
Both the strain in the reinforcement and in the concrete are directly proportional to the distance from the
neutral axis. This assumption is valid over the full range of loading – zero to ultimate. As shown in the
figure, this assumption is of primary importance in design for determining the strain (and the
corresponding stress) in the reinforcement.

Assumed Strain Variation

 

Design Assumption #2

The maximum usable strain at extreme concrete compression fiber shall be assumed equal to εu =
0.003.
 

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The maximum concrete compressive strain at crushing of concrete has been measured in many tests of
both plain and reinforced concrete members. The test results from a series of reinforced concrete
beams and columns specimen indicate that the maximum concrete compressive strain varies from
0.003 to as high as 0.008. However, the maximum strain for practical cases is 0.003 to 0.004. Though
the maximum strain decrease with increasing compressive strength, the 0.003 value allowed for design
is reasonably conservative. The code of some countries specifies a value of 0.0035 for design, which
makes little difference in the computed length strength of a member.
 

Design Assumption #3

Stress in reinforcement fs shall be taken as Es times strain εs. for strain greater than fy/Es, stress in
reinforcement shall be considered independent of strain and equal to fy.
 

For deformed reinforcement, it is reasonably accurate to assume that below the yield stress, the stress
in the reinforcement is proportional to strain (Hooke’s Law). For practical design, the increase in strength
due to the effect of strain hardening of the reinforcement is neglected for strength computation. See the
figure below.

Stress-Strain Relationship for Reinforcement

 

The force developed in the tensile or compressive reinforcement is a function of the strain in the
reinforcement εs, such that:

when εs ≤ εy (yield strain):

      fs = Es εs

      As fs = As Es εs

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when εs ≥ εy:

      fs = Es εy = fy

      As fs = As fy

where εs is the value from the strain diagram at the location of reinforcement. For design, the modulus of
elasticity of steel reinforcement, Es, is taken as 200,000 MPa (29, 000, 000 psi).
 

Design Assumption #4

The tensile strength of concrete shall be neglected in flexural calculations of reinforced concrete.
 

The tensile strength of concrete in flexure, known as the modulus of rupture, is a more variable property
than the compressive strength and is about 8% to 12% of the compressive strength. The generally
acceptable value is 7.5 for normal-weight concrete. This tensile strength in flexure is neglected in
strength design. For practical percentages of reinforcement, the resulting computed strengths are in
good agreement with test results. For very small percentages of reinforcement, neglecting the tensile
strength of concrete is conservative. It should be realized, however, that the strength of concrete in
tension is important in cracking and deflection (serviceability) considerations.
 

Design Assumption #5

The relationship between compressive stress distribution and concrete strain shall be assumed to
be rectangular, trapezoidal, parabolic, or any shape that results in the prediction of strength in
substantial agreement with the results of a comprehensive test.
 

This assumption recognizes the inelastic stress distribution in concrete at high stresses. As maximum
stress is approached, the stress-strain relationship of concrete is not a straight line (stress is not
proportional to strain). The general stress-strain behavior of concrete is shown below.

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The shape of the curves is primarily a function of concrete strength and consists of the rising curve from
zero stress to a maximum at compressive strain between 0.0015 and 0.002., followed by descending
curve to an ultimate strain (corresponding to crushing of concrete) varying from 0.003 to as high as
0.008. As discussed in Design Assumption #2, the code sets the maximum usable strain at 0.003 for
design.

Development of Ultimate Strength Theories of Flexure

 

Design Assumption #6

Requirements of Design Assumption #5 may be considered satisfied by an equivalent rectangular

concrete stress distribution defined as follows: A concrete stress of 0.85f’c shall be assumed
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uniformly distributed over an equivalent compression zone bounded by edges of the cross-section
and a straight line located parallel to the neutral axis at a distance a=β1c from the fiber of maximum
compressive strain. Distance c from the fiber of maximum compressive strain to the neutral axis
shall be measured in a direction perpendicular to that axis. Fraction β1 shall be taken as 0.85 for
strengths f’c up to 4000 psi (28 MPa) and shall be reduced continuously at a rate of 0.05 for each
1000 psi (7 MPa) of strength in excess of 4000 psi, but β1 shall not be less than 0.85.
 

The code allows the use of a rectangular compressive stress block to replace the more exact stress
distribution. The equivalent rectangular stress block assumes uniform stress of 0.85f’c over a depth
a=β1c. The constant β1 is equal to concrete with f’c ≤ 4000 psi (28 MPa) and reduces by 0.05 for each
additional 1000 psi (7 MPa) of f’c in excess of 4000 psi. For high strength concretes, above 8000 psi, a
lower limit of 0.65 is placed on the β1 factor. Variation in β1 vs. concrete strength f’c is shown below.
 

Strength Factor, β1
 

End.
 

Reference:

Nilson, A. H., Darwin, D., & Dolan, C. (2016).  Design of Concrete Structures (15th ed.).  McGraw-Hill.

McCormac, J. C., & Brown, R. (2016). Design of Reinforced Concrete (10th ed.). John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 

Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines, Inc. (2019). National Structural Code of the Philippines
2015 Volume I: Buildings, Towers, and other vertical structures (7th ed. second printing). ASEP.
 

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For more references, kindly check TIP Online Resources

TIP Library (https://www.tip.edu.ph/library.html)

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END OF TODAY'S LECTURE

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