CIVIL 715

THE UNIVERSITY OF AUCKLAND

SEMESTER ONE 2021

Campus: City

CIVIL ENGINEERING

Advanced Structural Concrete

Time Allowed: 3 hours plus 30 minutes additional time

OPEN BOOK

NOTE: There are FOUR compulsory questions in this exam. Each question is worth
25 marks.

Instructions:
 Complete your exam as either handwritten solutions that are scanned or
electronically handwritten solutions (e.g. using touch screen tablet/laptop).
 Software output is not permitted for submission (e.g. Word, Excel,
Mathcad, analysis software, etc.) and will not be marked.
 Write you surname, forename(s) and ID number on the first page.
 Write you ID number at the top of each page.
 Include page numbers.
 Scan or export your final submission to create a single pdf file.
 Check that scan quality is adequate and that pages are the right orientation
and in the correct order.

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1. Short Answer Questions

(a) Draw two methods of constructing precast concrete frames and point out the key
features of each method.
(3 marks)

(b) Explain why prestressing strands may need to be included in the top of the section as
well as the bottom of the section for a precast hollowcore floor unit, as shown in the
Figure for Question 1 (b).
(3 marks)

Figure for Question 1 (b) – 300 hollowcore cross-section

(c) Explain two factors that might limit the size of a precast concrete wall panel that is
designed for a building.
(2 marks)

(d) Sketch typical compression stress-strain responses for both unconfined and confined
concrete and discuss which features of confined concrete improve the seismic response
of reinforced concrete columns.
(3 marks)

(e) Draw an approximate moment-curvature response for both a tension and a

compression controlled reinforced concrete beam.
(3 marks)

(f) Using sketches explain why and how we define an effective plastic hinge length (lp)
for reinforced concrete members subjected to inelastic displacement demands.
(3 marks)

(g) Explain why the size of a reinforced concrete beam might affect the shear capacity and
how this size effect is accounted for in both the NZS 3101:2006 and MCFT shear
design procedures.
(4 marks)

(h) Use sketches to explain the key differences in the lateral load behaviour of a
conventional reinforced concrete wall compared to a post-tensioned rocking wall.
(4 marks)

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2. Prestressed Design
A precast composite floor has been designed for a building, which consists of 1200 mm wide
and 75 mm thick precast concrete flat slabs spanning 4 m with a 75 mm insitu topping, as
shown in the Figure for Question 2. Adequate shear transfer is provided at the interface
between the precast and insitu concrete to ensure that composite action can develop. In
addition to self-weight, the floor supports an imposed load of 3 kPa.

The precast floor unit is prestressed with eight pre-tensioned 12.9 mm low-relaxation strands
with a nominal area of 100 mm2 each, an ultimate strength of fpu = 1860 MPa, and a modulus
of elasticity of Ep = 195 GPa. The stress in the tendons after immediate losses is
fpi = 1200 MPa. The concrete strength of both the precast unit and insitu topping at 28 days
is f 'c = 45 MPa and the concrete strength of the precast unit at the time the tendons are
stressed is f 'ci = 30 MPa. Additionally, the toping is placed when the precast slab has
exceeded the 28 day compressive strength and no propping is provided to the unit during
construction. The prestressed floor unit is designed to remain uncracked using the NZS 3101
allowable stress limits.

1200
75 75

Insitu topping

Precast unit
37.5

8 x 12.9 mm strands

all dimensions in mm

Figure for Question 2 – Precast flat slab with insitu topping

(a) Calculate the cross section properties for both the precast and the composite sections
(Ag, Ig, yt, yb, e), the concrete tension and compression stress limits, and the bending
moments generated at the mid-span of the floor due to the self-weight of the precast
unit, insitu topping, and imposed loading.
(4 marks)

(b) Calculate the critical stresses in the precast unit at the end of the strand transfer length
during initial transfer of the prestressing force. Check that these stresses are below
acceptable limits.
(3 marks)

(c) Assuming no propping is used during construction, calculate the critical stresses at the
mid-span of the precast unit when the insitu topping is being placed and for service
loads on the composite section. You may assume that the prestress losses are 5% when
the topping is placed and that the long-term prestress losses are 15%.
(8 marks)

(d) Calculate the stresses in the insitu topping for service loads on the composite section
and sketch the stress distribution over the entire depth of the cross-section.
(4 marks)

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(e) Describe another stage in the construction process where the stresses induced may
need to be checked and explain why this may be critical for the precast flat slab design.
(2 marks)

(f) Using the prestressed concrete design provisions in NZS 3101 and assuming long-term
prestress losses are 15%, calculate the critical web shear capacity of the composite
section in service.
(4 marks)

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3. Advanced Mechanics
(a) Two 5 m high cantilever concrete walls are constructed on a foundation beam, as
shown in the Figure for Question 3(a). The walls have different lengths and
reinforcing details:
 Wall A has a length of 3 m with D16 @240 mm longitudinal reinforcement.
 Wall B has a length of 1.5 m with D20 @200 mm longitudinal reinforcement.

(i) If the walls are independently subjected to a lateral force at the top of the walls
that induces a lateral displacement of 100 mm to each wall, calculate the
displacement and curvature ductility requirements for each wall. Note: For
walls the effective plastic hinge length should be lp = 0.08H + 0.1Lw + 0.022fydb
(where H is the shear span and Lw is the wall length).
(12 marks)
Force Force

Wall A Wall B
5000

5000

3000 1500

all dimensions in mm

D16 @ 240mm D20 @ 200mm

250

250

3000 1500

Wall A section Wall B section

Figure for Question 3(a) – Curvature and ductility

(ii) If the walls are connected at the top by a stiff pinned strut to ensure they maintain
the same lateral displacement at all times, use the results from the previous
question to help explain some of the challenges in calculating the displacement
ductility of the combined system.
(3 marks)

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(b) A section of a 2 m thick foundation slab with a total width of 20 m is shown below in
the Figure for Question 3(b). Details of the slab design include:
 Longitudinal reinforcing consists of HD32 bars @ 100 mm c/c top and bottom.
 The slab has no stirrups or ties providing shear reinforcing.
 Concrete strength is f 'c = 30 MPa with a maximum aggregate size of 10 mm.
 The slab is subjected to one way bending and shear with ultimate demands at
the critical section of Mu = 5000 kNm per m width of slab and Vu = 400 kN
per m width of slab.

Calculate the shear capacity per m width of slab using both one way shear provisions
from NZS 3101 as well as Modified Compression Field Theory (MCFT).
(10 marks)

Figure for Question 3(b) – Section of foundation slab

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4. Low-damage design
(a) An unbonded post-tensioned precast concrete wall is being designed for a building, as
shown in the Figure for Question 4 (a). Key design parameters include:
 The wall is 8 m high, 3.2 m long, 200 mm thick.
 Post-tensioned tendons consist of 2 × 32 mm diameter bars spaced 480 mm apart
with an effective prestress after long-term losses of fp = 450 MPa.
 Prestressing bars have a nominal area Ap = 850 mm2, yield strength fpy = 920 MPa,
ultimate strength fpu = 1030 MPa, and modulus of elasticity of Ep = 170 GPa.
 The wall is seated on a 1.0 m thick concrete foundation and so the length of the
post-tensioning tendons is 9.0 m.
 The concrete strength at 28 days is f 'c = 40 MPa.
 Apart from the self-weight, no additional dead or live gravity loads act on the wall.

(i) Calculate the nominal flexural capacity of the wall subjected to a rotation of
0.015 rad at the wall-to-foundation joint.
(10 marks)

(ii) Calculate the stress in each post-tensioning bar when the nominal flexural
capacity is reached and check if these are within acceptable design limits.
(4 marks)

(iii) Calculate the jacking stress that each bar should be stressed to if the initial
prestress after initial losses should be fpi = 500 MPa, each bar is stressed
individually only once (i.e. no sequential jacking), and anchorage losses are zero.
(5 marks)
PT tendons
(2 x 32mm bars)

1260 480 1260

200
3200
8000
Wall cross-section

1000

all dimensions in mm
Figure for Question 4 (a) – Post-tensioned wall

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(b) Using sketches describe the sources of axial elongation in a conventional reinforced
concrete beam and explain how the slotted beam detail can be used to reduce the axial
elongation at the floor level.
(6 marks)

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