Symbols and Formulas

fck[MPa] - Characteristic compressive cylinder strength of concrete at 28 days

fcm=fck+8 [MPa] - Mean value of concrete cylinder compressive strength
fcd=αccfck/γC [Mpa] (3.15) - Design value of concrete compressive strength
Ecm=22(fcm/10)0.3 [GPa] - Secant modulus of elasticity of concrete
αCC=(0.8÷1.0) (1.0 recommended) - Coefficient for long-term effects on compressive strength and
on unfavourable effects resulting from the way the load is applied

for fck>=50[MPa]
εcu3(‰)=2.6+35[(90-fck)/100]4 - Concrete ultimate compressive strain
εc3(‰)=1.75+0.55(fck-50)/40 - Concrete strain at reaching maximum strength,
λ=0.8-(fck-50)/400 - Factor defining effective height of compression zone (3.20)
η=1.0-(fck-50)/200 - Factor defining effective concrete strength (3.22)

for fck<50[MPa]
εcu3(‰)=3.5
εc3(‰)=1.75
λ=0.8
η=1.0
If the width of compression zone decreases (circular section) in the direction of the extreme
compression fibre, the value ηfcd should be reduced by 10%

fyk[MPa] - Characteristic yield strength of reinforcement

fyd=fyk/γs [MPa] - Design yield strength of reinforcement
Es[GPa] - Modulus elasticity of reinforcement
εuk(‰) - Characteristic strain in reinforcement at maximum load (see Annex C)
εud(‰)=0.9euk - Design limit strain of reinforcement (3.2.7 Note 1)
n= Es/Ecm - Modular ratio

γC - Partial factor for concrete (Table 2.1N)

γS - Partial factor for steel (Table 2.1N)

Stress-Strain Compatibility Analysis

x[mm] - neutral axis depth

λx[mm] - equivalent depth of concrete compression zone
εcmax(‰) - concrete strain at extreme compression fibre
if x<h, εcmax = εcu2
if x>=h, ecmax = εc3x/[x-h(1-εc3/εc3u)]
ηfcdAc/1000 [kN] - Compressive force in concrete
Ac [mm²] - Equivalent concrete area in compression
h/2-yc [mm] - Distance from concrete section centroid to the centroid of Ac
for rectangular cross-section
A =bλx
Ac=bλx
h/2-yc = h/2-λx/2
for circular cross-section
Ac=¼h²(α-sinαcosα), where α=acos(1-2λx/h) [rad]
h/2-yc = (2/3)(½h-sinα)³/Ac

εs(‰) = ecmax(1-ys/x) <= εud - strain in individual reinforcing bar

σs=εsEs <= fyd [MPa] - Stress in reinforcing bar
σc [MPa] - Stress in concrete at the level of reinforcing bar
ys [mm] - Distance from section tension face to reinforcing bar level
σc=ηfcd for compression and σc=0 for tension

For given Pu solve force equilibrium equation by iterating depth of neutral axis (x)
ηfcdAc+Σ(As*(σs-σc))+Pu = 0
From moment equilibrium equation find Mu
Σ(As(σs-σc)(ys-h/2))+ηfcdAc(h/2-yc)+Mu = 0

Limiting maximum compressive force Pu [kN]

Mu/Pu >= h/30 or 20mm ( see 6.1(4) Pu found by iterative analysis)

Pu <= 0.01fydΣAs ( see 9.12N As,min=0.1NEd/fyd)

Biaxial bending 5.8.9

(MEdz/MRdz)a + (MEdy/MRdy)a ≤ 1 (5.39)

For circular section a = 2

For rectangular sections use table NEd/NRd 0.1 0.7 1.0
a 1.0 1.5 2.0
NRd = Acfcd + Asfyd
ompressive strength and

ction of the extreme