SKAB 4333 / SKAA 4333 1

FINAL EXAMINATION
SEMESTER I, SESSION 2021/2022

COURSE CODE : SKAB 4333 / SKAA 4333

COURSE : REINFORCED CONCRETE DESIGN II

PROGRAMME : SKAW

DURATION : 3 HOURS

DATE : FEBRUARY 2022

INSTRUCTION TO CANDIDATES:
1. Answer ALL questions in Section A and ONE (1) question from Section B and ONE
(1) question from Section C.
2. All solutions should be in accordance with MS EN 1992 - 1-1.
3. Reinforcement detailing and related drawing/sketch should be accompanied for
corresponding solution, if any.

WARNING!
Students caught copying/cheating during the examination will be liable for disciplinary
actions and the faculty may recommend the student to be expelled from the study

This examination question consists of (10) printed pages only.

 SKAB 4333 / SKAA 4333 2

SECTION A: Answer ALL Questions

A1. (a) Give reasons why the Code of Practice requires that various combination of
actions be considered in the analysis of continuous beams for a reinforced
concrete frame structures.
(3 marks)
(b) Briefly outline the advantages and disadvantages of a braced reinforced
concrete building against the unbraced reinforced concrete building.
(5 marks)

A2. FIGURE A2 shows a part of a plan of a building to be constructed adjacent to an

existing building. The foundations for the perimeter columns at D/3 and D/4 must not
extend beyond the property line of the existing building (shown by the shaded
crossed-line). Suggest a suitable type of footing for these columns and describe its
suitability to overcome the problem.
(7 marks)

C D

5m EXISTING
BUILDING

7m
Property
Line

FIGURE A2
 SKAB 4333 / SKAA 4333 3

A3. FIGURE A3 shows plan view of an open-well reinforced concrete staircase. The
thickness of the flight and the landing slab is 175 mm, while the going and height of
the riser are 250 mm and 160 mm, respectively.

(a) Sketch the cross-section of the staircase at Sections A-A and B-B. Show all the
important dimensions of the staircase.
(b) Draw the idealized structure and bending moment at Sections A-A and B-B of
the staircase by noting the important values. Use the following data for the
actions:

Characteristic permanent action (EXCLUDING the staircase selfweight) = 1.25

kN/m2
Characteristic variable action = 4.0 kN/m2
(15 marks)
(30 marks)

Down
1 250

7@250 = 1750

2000

A A

2 250

250 2000 6@250 = 1500 2000 250

B
A B
FIGURE A3
(All dimensions are in mm unless otherwise stated)
 SKAB 4333 / SKAA 4333 4

SECTION B: Answer ONE (1) Question Only

B1. The front view of the substitute frame in the transverse plane of an 8-storey
reinforced concrete building is shown in FIGURE B1. The beams with a cross-
section of 250 mm × 700 mm are continuous over two spans of 9.0 m each. The
columns with a cross-section of 350 mm × 450 mm, are 4.2 m high for the first lift
and 3.6 m for the successive lifts. Shear walls are provided at suitable locations in
the building to resist the wind action in both the longitudinal and transverse
directions. The action analysis produces identical uniformly distributed actions on
both spans of the beams as follows:

Total characteristic variable action, Qk = 18 kN/m

Total characteristic permanent action, Gk = 24 kN/m

(a) Analyse the sub-frame consisting of Beam A-C, Level 1, and the associated
upper and lower columns, using (i) One Level Sub-Frame method and (ii)
Continuous Beam method, with action arrangement as suggested in MS EN
1992, and draw their respective bending moment envelopes for the beams
only, showing all the important values.
(28 marks)
(b) Highlight the variation of bending moment values obtained from the two
methods of analysis in (a). What effect would these bending moment values
have on the amount and detailing of the reinforcement to be provided in
beams?
(5 marks)
(c) If the building is NOT provided with shear walls, briefly explain the
additional steps of analysis that needs to be performed to obtain the ultimate
bending moments in the beams and columns.
(7 marks)
(40 marks)
 SKAB 4333 / SKAA 4333 5

Roof

A/1-9
350  350 6

5
Wind action = 7.2 kN/m

7 @ 3600
4
height

450
250 × 700 250 × 700 2

4200

Ground
350

9000 9000

A B C

FIGURE B1
(All units are in mm unless otherwise stated)
 SKAB 4333 / SKAA 4333 6

B2. The part floor plan and the transverse section of a 4-storey reinforced concrete parking
bay structures is shown in FIGURE B2. Lateral action on the building is carried by
shear walls provided at suitable locations. All beams are 250 mm × 650 mm cross-
section. The main beams are continuous over three spans of 6 m, 9 m, and 6 m, while
the secondary beams are continuous over 11 spans of 5 m each. All columns are 300
mm × 400 mm cross-section throughout the whole height of the building. Other design
data are given below:

Characteristic strength of concrete, fck = 35 N/mm2

Characteristic strength of reinforcement, fyk = 500 N/mm2
Characteristic strength of link, fyk = 250 N/mm2
Nominal concrete cover, cnom = 30 mm

(a) Calculate the effective height of column C/12 from Level 0 to Level 1 and
determine whether second order moment is required in the analysis.
(10 marks)
(b) Design all reinforcement required in column C/12 from Level 0 to Level 1, to
carry an ultimate axial action (including self-weight) of 2400 kN, and ultimate
bending moments as shown in the figure.
(25 marks)
(c) Sketch the reinforcement detailing in longitudinal and cross section.
(5 marks)
(40 marks)
 SKAB 4333 / SKAA 4333 7

A B C D

6000 9000 6000

10
5000

11
5000

12

Level 4

3500
Level 3

3500
Level 2

3500
400
Level 1

3500

Level 0

My-y Mz-z

70 40 400
z
300

y y

35 20 z

Bending Moment in Column cross-section

Column C/12 in kNm and axis

FIGURE B2
(All dimensions are in mm unless otherwise stated)
 SKAB 4333 / SKAA 4333 8

SECTION C: Answer ONE (1) Question Only

C1. (a) A column 350 mm  350 mm carries an ultimate axial action of 1050 kN. Due
to site constraints, the dimension of the footing in one direction must be limited
to 1.75 m. As a result, a rectangular footing of 1.75 m wide  3.0 m long  0.65
m deep is adopted.

(i) Show that the proposed size of the footing is satisfactory if the safe bearing
pressure of the soil is 175 kN/m2 (use a factor of 1.4 to convert the ultimate
action to the characteristic action, where appropriate).
(5 marks)
(ii) Design the longitudinal and transverse reinforcement for the footing using
Grade C30/37 concrete, Grade 500 steel bars, and a nominal concrete
cover of 50 mm.
(10 marks)
(iii) Check the suitability of the reinforcement provided in (ii) against normal
shear in the longitudinal direction, punching shear on a perimeter 2.0 times
the effective depth from the column face and cracking.
(7 marks)
(iv) Show your proposed arrangement of reinforcement in neat sketches of the
plan and longitudinal cross-section of the footing.
(3 marks)
(b) In addition to the given axial action, if the above footing also resists an ultimate
column moment of 55 kNm along the plane parallel to the longer side of the
footing, show that the adopted size is still satisfactory, and determine the
maximum ultimate bending moment in the longitudinal direction ONLY.
(5 marks)
(30 marks)
 SKAB 4333 / SKAA 4333 9

C2. (a) With the aid of suitable sketches, describe the elements of retaining walls and its
engineering function.
(5 marks)
(b) A cantilever reinforced concrete wall shown in FIGURE C2 is to be constructed
to retain a bank of earth 4500 m high. The surface of the back fill is horizontal
and will be subjected to a variable action surcharge of 12 kN/m2. Other design
data are given as below:

Concrete strength, fck = 30 N/mm2

Reinforcing bar, fyk = 500 N/mm2
Density of concrete, conc = 25 kN/m3
Nominal concrete cover, cnom = 45 mm
Bar diameter, bar = 12 mm
Thickness of toe, h = 450 mm
Well-drained sand with a density,  = 19 kN/m3
Angle of internal friction,  = 35
Cohesion, c = 0
Safe bearing pressure, q = 150 kN/m2
Coefficient of friction between concrete and soil,  = 0.5

(i) Check the stability of the retaining wall against overturning, sliding and
settlement under ultimate limit state.
(10 marks)
(ii) Design all the reinforcement required in the stem and the base of the wall.
(10 marks)
(iii) Sketch in detail the arrangement of the reinforcement in the retaining wall.
(5 marks)
(30 marks)
 SKAB 4333 / SKAA 4333 10

0.6h
2
12 kN/m

Ground Level
4000 mm

4950 mm
Ground Level
500 mm

h = 450 mm

2h h

3300 mm

FIGURE C2