Parameters input

Enter the following design parameters:

fcu : Characteristic strength of concrete (MPa).

fy : Characteristic strength of main reinforcement (MPa).

fyv : Characteristic strength of shear reinforcement (MPa).

Redistr : Percentage of moment redistribution to be applied.

Method : Method of moment redistribution, i.e. downward or optimised. Refer to page 8 for
detail.

Cover top : Distance from the top surface of the concrete to the centre of the top steel.

Cover bottom: Distance from the soffit to the centre of the bottom steel.

DL factor : Maximum ULS dead load factor.

LL factor : Maximum ULS live load factor.

Note: The ULS dead and live load factors are used to calculate the ULS design loads. The ULS
dead and live loads are then automatically patterned during analysis. Refer to page 7 for more
information.

Density : Concrete density used for calculation of own weight. If the density filed is left blank,
the self-weight of the beam/slab should be included in the entered dead loads.

LL perm : Portion of live load to be considered as permanent when calculating the creep
components of the long-term deflection.

 : The thirty-year creep factor used for calculating the final concrete creep strain.

cs : Thirty-year drying shrinkage of plain concrete.

The graphs displayed on-screen give typical values for the creep factor and drying shrinkage
strain. In both graphs, the effective section thickness is defined for uniform sections as twice the
cross-sectional area divided by the exposed perimeter. If drying is prevented by immersion in
water or by sealing, the effective section thickness may be taken as 600 mm.

Note: Creep and shrinkage of plain concrete are primarily dependent on the relative humidity of
the air surrounding the concrete. Where detailed calculations are being made, stresses and
relative humidity may vary considerably during the lifetime of the structure and appropriate
judgements should be made.
Sections input

You can define rectangular, I, T, L and inverted T and L-sections. Every section comprises a
basic rectangular web area with optional top and bottom flanges.

The top levels of all sections are aligned vertically by default and they are placed with their webs
symmetrically around the vertical beam/slab centre line. The web and/or flanges can be move
horizontally to obtain eccentric sections, for example L-sections. Whole sections can also be
moved up or down to obtain vertical eccentricity.

Note: In the sub-frame analysis, the centroids all beam segments are assumed to be on a straight
line. Vertical and horizontal offsets of sections are use used for presentation and detailing
purposes only and has no effect on the design results.

Section definitions are displayed graphically as they are entered. Section cross-sections are
displayed as seen from the left end of the beam/slab.

The following dimensions should be defined for each section:

Sec no : The section number is used on the Spans input page to identify specific sections.
Bw : Width of the web (mm).

D : Overall section depth, including any flanges (mm).

Bf-top : Width of optional top flange (mm).

Hf-top : Depth of optional top flange (mm).

Bf-bot : Width of optional bottom flange (mm).

Hf-bot : Depth of optional bottom flange (mm).

Y-offset : Vertical offset the section (mm). If zero or left blank, the top surface is aligned with
the datum line. A positive value means the section is moved up.

Web offset : Horizontal offset of the web portion (mm). If zero or left blank, the web is taken
symmetrical about the beam/slab centre line. A positive value means the web is moved to the
right.

Flange offset : Horizontal offset of both the top and bottom flanges (mm). If zero or left blank,
the flanges are taken symmetrical about the beam/slab centre line. A positive value means the
flanges are moved to the right.

Note: There is more than one way of entering a T-section. The recommended method is to enter
a thin web with a wide top flange. You can also enter wide web (actual top flange) with a thin
bottom flange (actual web). The shear steel design procedure works with the entered web area,
i.e. Bw × D, as the effective shear area. Although the two methods produce similar pictures, their
shear modelling is vastly different.
Spans input

Sections specified on the Sections input page are used here with segment lengths to define spans
of constant or varying sections.

Spans are defined by specifying one or more span segments, each with a unique set of section
properties. The following data should be input for each span:

Span no : Span number between 1 and 20. If left blank, the span number as was applicable to the
previous row is used, i.e. another segment for the current span.

Section length : Length of span or span segment (m).

Sec No Left : Section number to use at the left end of the span segment.

Sec No Right : Section number to use at the right end of the span segment. If left blank, the
section number at the left end is used, i.e. a prismatic section is assumed. If the entered section
number differs from the one at the left end, the section dimensions are varied linearly along the
length of the segment.

Tip: When using varying cross sections on a span segment, the section definitions are interpreted
literally. If a rectangular section should taper to an L-section, for example, the flange will taper
from zero thickness at the rectangular section to the actual thickness at the L-section. If the
flange thickness should remain constant, a dummy flange should be defined for the rectangular
section. The flange should be defined marginally wider, say 0.1mm, than the web and its depth
made equal to the desired flange depth.
Supports input

You can specify simple supports, columns below and above, fixed ends and cantilever ends. To
allow a complete sub-frame analysis, columns can be specified below and above the beam/slab.
If no column data is entered, simple supports are assumed.

The following input is required:

Sup no : Support number, between 1 to 2'. Support 1 is the left-most support.

C,F : The left-most and right-most supports can be freed, i.e. cantilevered, or made fixed by
entering 'C' or 'F' respectively. By fixing a support, full rotational fixity is assumed, e.g. the
beam/slab frames into a very stiff shaft or column.

D : Depth/diameter of a rectangular/circular column (mm). The depth is measured in the span

direction of the beam/slab.

B : Width of the column (mm). If zero or left blank, a circular column is assumed.

H : Height of the column (m).

Tip: For the sake of accurate reinforcement detailing, you can specify a width for simple
supports at the ends of the beam/slab. Simply enter a value for D and leave B and H blank. In the
analysis, the support will still be considered as a normal simple support. However, when
generating reinforcement bars, the program will extend the bars a distance equal to half the
support depth past the support centre line.

Code : A column can be pinned at its remote end by specifying 'P'. If you enter 'F' or leave this
field blank, the column is assumed to be fixed at the remote end.
Tip: You may leave the Support input table blank if all supports are simple supports.

Loads input

Dead and live loads are entered separately. The entered loads are automatically patterned during
analysis. For more detail on the pattern loading technique, refer to page 7.

Distributed loads, point loads and moments can be entered on the same line. Use as many lines
as necessary to define each load case. Defined loads as follows:

Case D,L : Enter 'D' or 'L' for dead load or live load respectively. If left blank, the previous load
type is assumed. Use as many lines as necessary to define a load case.

Span : Span number on which the load is applied. If left blank, the previous span number is
assumed, i.e. a continuation of the load on the current span.

Wleft : Distributed load intensity (kN/m) applied at the left-hand starting position of the load. If
you do not enter a value, the program will use a value of zero.
Wright : Distributed load intensity (kN/m) applied on the right-hand ending position of the load.
If you leave this field blank, the value is made equal to Wleft, i.e. a uniformly distributed load is
assumed.

P : Point load (kN).

M : Moment (kNm).

a : The start position of the distributed load, position of the point load or position of the moment
(m). The distance is measured from the left-hand edge of the beam. If you leave this field blank,
a value of zero is used, i.e. the load is taken to start at the left-hand edge of the beam.

b : The end position of the distributed load, measured from the start position of the load (m).
Leave this field blank if you want the load to extend up to the right-hand edge of the beam.

Note: A portion of the live load can be considered as permanent for deflection calculation. For
more detail, refer to the explanation of the Parameters input on page 14.

Note: If you enter a concrete density on the Parameters input page, the own weight of the
beam/slab is automatically calculated and included with the dead load.