Design of Reinforced Concrete Lec.

16 Torsion

Design of Torsion:
Examples

Ex. 1)
For the T-beam section shown below, calculate the cracking torque and check the section
adequacy for shear and torsion. Consider the factored shear force and the factored torsion at the
critical section to be Vu=150 kN and Tu= 45 kN.m. Use d = 690 mm, and
.

700 mm

150

750 mm

300 mm

Sol.)
1- Cracking torque

√ √

2- Check the section adequacy for torsion and shear

Assume 40 mm cover and 10 mm bars for torsion and shear reinforcement.
Section properties of web:

( )

( )

Section properties of flange:

( )

Asst. Prof. Dr. Sallal R. Abid Wasit University - Civil Engineering Department 129
Design of Reinforced Concrete Lec.16 Torsion

( )

610
60

660 mm

210

√( ) ( ) ( √ )

√ √

√( ) ( ) √( ) ( )

( √ ) ( √ )

The section is adequate

Ex. 2)
For the T-beam section shown below, calculate the cracking torque and check the section
adequacy for shear and torsion. Consider the factored shear force and the factored torsion at the
critical section to be Vu=150 kN and Tu= 45 kN.m. Use d = 690 mm, and
.

700 mm

150

750 mm

300 mm

Asst. Prof. Dr. Sallal R. Abid Wasit University - Civil Engineering Department 130
Design of Reinforced Concrete Lec.16 Torsion

Sol.)
Since only the web is enclosed by closed stirrups, then consider only the web dimensions for
torsion calculations. Thus, consider the T-beam as a rectangular beam with b = 300 mm and h =
750 mm.

1- Cracking torque

√ √

2- Check the section adequacy for torsion and shear

Assume 40 mm cover and 10 mm bars for torsion and shear reinforcement.

( )

( )

√( ) ( ) ( √ )

√ √

√( ) ( ) √( ) ( )

( √ ) ( √ )

The section is adequate

Ex. 3)
The T-beam shown below has a span of 8.5 m and is carrying a total factored load of ⁄ .
If the supports prevent the rotation of the member in planes perpendicular to its longitudinal
axis, then determine the eccentricity (e) of the load at which no need to add reinforcement to
resist torsion.

Asst. Prof. Dr. Sallal R. Abid Wasit University - Civil Engineering Department 131
Design of Reinforced Concrete Lec.16 Torsion
Pu
e
1000

120

350 350
480

300

Sol.)

Pu, critical is at distance d from support.

Calculate minimum requirement for torsion reinforcement

If √ then, no need for torsion reinforcement. Thus, use:

Ex. 4)

A rectangular beam with section width of 350 mm and section depth of 630 mm is subjected to
an external factored shear force acts at the critical section with a value of Vu=200 kN and an
equilibrium factored external torsional moment of Tu= 50 kN.m. If the required bending
reinforcement is and , then check the adequacy
of the section and calculate the required torsion and shear reinforcement.

Asst. Prof. Dr. Sallal R. Abid Wasit University - Civil Engineering Department 132
Design of Reinforced Concrete Lec.16 Torsion

Sol.)
1- Check whether torsion effect can be neglected or not.

√ √

Section properties: assume 40 mm cover, 12 mm diameter stirrups, and 20 mm flexural bars.

( )

( )

( )

2- Check the adequacy of section for combined shear and torsion.

√( ) ( ) ( √ )

√ √

√( ) ( ) √( ) ( )

( √ ) ( √ )

The section is adequate

3- Torsional reinforcement

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Design of Reinforced Concrete Lec.16 Torsion

⁄ ⁄

4- Shear reinforcement

⁄ ⁄

5- Total stirrups reinforcement

⁄ ⁄

Using 12 mm closed stirrups: Area of two legs = 2 113 =226 mm2

, Thus

Check maximum spacing:

a- Maximum spacing for torsion

b- Maximum spacing for shear

6- Calculate longitudinal torsion reinforcement

Check minimum longitudinal reinforcement:

(a) f c -( )

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Design of Reinforced Concrete Lec.16 Torsion

√ (Controls)

(b) f c -( )

√ ( )

>

Since the beam effective depth is less than 600 mm and the maximum vertical spacing between
longitudinal bars is 300 mm, then one bar is required at each face at the mid depth of the section.
Then, ( goes to the top corners and ( ) goes to the bottom corners to be added to the

flexural bars, while the remaining ( ), would thus be distributed at the mid depth of the beam

section.

Thus, Use 6 20 at the bottom of the beam

Thus, Provide 2 16 at the top corners, As = 402 mm2

And provide 2 16 at mid depth of the beam section, As = 402 mm2

Ø12@130 2Ø16
mm
closed stirrups 2Ø16 630 mm

6Ø20

350 mm

Ex. 5)
Design the beam in Example 2, considering the following two loading cases.
a) Compatibility factored torque Tu= 8 kN.m
b) Compatibility factored torque Tu= 40 kN.m

Asst. Prof. Dr. Sallal R. Abid Wasit University - Civil Engineering Department 135
Design of Reinforced Concrete Lec.16 Torsion

Sol.)
a) Compatibility torsion, Tu =8.0 kN.m

Check if torsion can be neglected:

Neglect torsion effect and design for shear only.

From Example 2, ⁄ ⁄

Use mm stirrups at 280 mm.

b) Compatibility torsion Tu = 40 kN.m

Check if torsion can be neglected:

Torsion must be considered.

√ √

Thus, design torque can be reduced to

Torsional reinforcement

⁄ ⁄

⁄ ⁄ (From Example 2)

⁄ ⁄

Using 12 mm closed stirrups: Area of two legs = 2 113 =226 mm2

, Thus

Asst. Prof. Dr. Sallal R. Abid Wasit University - Civil Engineering Department 136
Design of Reinforced Concrete Lec.16 Torsion

Longitudinal torsion reinforcement

Check minimum longitudinal reinforcement:

f c -( )

√ (Controls)

f c -( )

>

As in Example 2, ( goes to the top corners and ( ) goes to the bottom corners to be added

to the flexural bars, while the remaining ( ), would thus be distributed at the mid depth of the

beam section.

Thus, Use 6 20 at the bottom of the beam

Thus, Provide 2 16 at the top corners, As = 402 mm2

And provide 2 16 at mid depth of the beam section,
Ø12@180 2Ø16
As = 402 mm2
mm
closed stirrups 2Ø16 630 mm

6Ø20

350 mm

Asst. Prof. Dr. Sallal R. Abid Wasit University - Civil Engineering Department 137
Design of Reinforced Concrete Lec.16 Torsion
Homeworks:
1- For the I-beam section shown below, calculate the cracking torque and check the section
adequacy for shear and torsion. Consider the factored shear force and the factored torsion at the
critical section to be Vu=180 kN and Tu= 50 kN.m. Use d = 690 mm, and
.

700 mm

150

750 mm 300 mm

150

2- A rectangular beam with section width of 300 mm and section depth of 550 mm is subjected to
an external factored shear force acts at the critical section with a value of V u=140 kN and an
equilibrium factored external torsional moment of T u= 30 kN.m. If and
, then design for torsion requirements according to ACI 318-14.

3- A rectangular beam with section width of 250 mm and section depth of 500 mm is subjected to
an external factored shear force acts at the critical section with a value of V u=200 kN and
compatibility factored external torsional moment of Tu= 40 kN.m. If and
, then design for torsion requirements according to ACI 318-14.

4- For the cantilever beam shown below, If and , then:

(a) Check the adequacy of the section for shear and torsion requirements,
(b) Calculate the cracking torsional moment,
(c) Check if torsion design is required, if yes, then find the required stirrups area and the required
longitudinal torsion reinforcement.

3.65 m

10 kN

1.5 m
600 mm

300
mm

Asst. Prof. Dr. Sallal R. Abid Wasit University - Civil Engineering Department 138