BEAMS REINFORCED FOR COMPRESSION

Design of Beams Reinforced for Compression

If the beam is designed to be reinforced for tension only, the
maximum flexural capacity the section can develop is achieved
when an area of steel equal to 3/4of the balanced steel area is
used.
When restrictions are placed on the dimensions of a cross
section because of architectural reasons the moment capacity of
a member even when reinforced with ¾ of the balanced steel
area may not be adequate to supply the moment capacity. Under
such conditions, additional moment capacity can be created
without producing a brittle over reinforced beam. By adding
additional reinforcement to both the tension and compression
side of the beam. The concrete cannot develop the compression
force required to resist the given flexural moment, in this case
reinforcement is needed in the compression zone.
Occasionally, beams are restricted in small sizes by space or
aesthetic requirements to such extent that the compression
concrete should be reinforced with steel to carry compression.
Compression reinforcement is needed to increase the moment
capacity of a beam beyond that of tensilely reinforced beam with
a maximum steel percentage of 0.75Pb. Aside from this reasons,
compression reinforcement makes beams tough and ductile and
also reduces long-time deflection of beams. Compression steel
also helps the beam withstand stress reversals that might occur
during earthquakes.
For analysis, it is convenient to divide the beam into two couples
Mu1 and Mu2. Mu1 is the couple due to compression concrete
and part of the tension steel As1, and Mu2 is the couple due to
the compression steel As’ and other part of the tension steel area
As2.
 STEPS IN DESIGN OF DOUBLY REINFORCED BEAM
1. Solve for Pmax and Mumax
Pmax = 0.75Pb
w = pfy/fc’
Mumax = øfc’wbd²(1 – 0.59w)
If Mu is less than or equal to Mumax design as Singly Reinforced
If Mu is greater than Mumax design as Doubly Reinforced
2. After verifying that the section needs compression reinforcement,
assume P-P’ = 0.75Pb and solve for As1
As1 = 0.75Pb(bd)
3. Solve for a and c
C1 = T1
0.85fc’ab = As1fy
a = As1fy/ 0.85fc’b
c = a/ß
4. Solve for Mu1, Mu2 and As2.
Mu1 =ø T1(d – a/2)
Mu1 = ø As1fy (d – a/2)
Mu2 = ø T2(d – d’)
Mu2 = ø As2fy (d – d’)
5. Verify if compression steel will yield.
(fs’/Es)/c-d’ = 0.003/c
fs’ = 600(c-d’)/c
If fs’ greater than or equal to fy then use fs’ = fy (Compression steel
yields)
If fs’ < fy then use fs’(compression steel will not yield)
C2 = T2
As’fs’ = As2fy
As’ =(As2fy)/fs’
6. Detail
M1 = T1(d – a/2)
M1 = (As – As’)fy (d – a/2)
M2 = T2(d – d’)
M2 = As’fy (d – d’)
Mn = M1 + M2
Mn = (As – As’)fy (d – a/2) + As’fy (d – d’)
Mu = øMn
Where:
As = total area of steel in tension
As’ = total area of steel in compression
M1 = ideal moment of strength of concrete – steel couple
M2 = ideal moment of strength of steel – steel couple
d = effective depth of tension steel
d’ = depth to centroid of compression steel from compression face of
beam
a = depth of stress block
C1 = T1
0.85fc’ab = (As – As’)fy
a = (As – As’)fy/ 0.85fc’b
P = As/bd
P’ = As’/bd
Balanced Steel Ratio
a) If both steel in tension and compression will yield:
Pb = Pb + P’

Pb =(0.85fc’ß(600)/fy(600+fy)) + P’

b) If steel in compression will not yield:

Pb = Pb + P’fs’/fy
Pb =(0.85fc’ß(600)/fy(600+fy)) + P’fs’/fy
 Minimum tensile steel ratio that will ensure yielding of the
compression steel at failure.
Pmin =(0.85fc’ß(600)d’/fy d(600+fy)) + P’
Maximum Steel Ratio
a) If both steel in tension and compression will yield:
Pmax = 0.75Pb + P’
Pmax = 0.75(0.85fc’ß(600)/fy(600+fy)) + P’
b) If compression bars will not yield:
Pmax = 0.75Pb + P’fs’/fy
Pmax = 0.75(0.85fc’ß(600)/fy(600+fy)) + P’fs’/fy

Maximum Area of Flexural Steel Permitted:

Asmax = 3C1/4fy + C2/fy
C1 = 0.75fc’ab
C2 = As’fy
 Sample Problem
Given a fixed section of 200 mm x 400 mm beam determine the
reinforcement for it to carry an ultimate moment of 140 kN.m..
Check whether the beam needs to be reinforced for compression.
 Sample Problem
1. A rectangular beam is limited to a width of 250 mm and an
effective depth of 400 mm. Total depth of beam is 500 mm. The
beam carries a service live load of 36kN/m and a calculated dead
load of 15kN/m on a simple span of 6 m. Fc’ = 20.7 MPa, fy = 276
MPa. Use 70 mm steel covering on the compression side.
Compute the following:
a) The factored moment carried by the beam.
b) The steel area needed for compression.
c) The steel area needed for tension.
 EXERCISES
1. A reinforced concrete beam has a width of 300 mm and effective
depth of 460 mm. The beam is reinforced with 2-28 mm compression
bars placed 70 mm from extreme concrete. Concrete strength fc’ =
35 MPa and steel strength fy = 345 MPa.
a) What is the balanced steel area considering the contribution of the
compression steel?
b) What is the maximum tension steel area allowed by the code.
2. A 6 meter long simply supported reinforced concrete beam has a
width of 350 mm and an overall depth of 470 mm. The beam is
reinforced with 2-28 mm compression bars on top and 4-28 mm
tension bars at the bottom, each located 70 mm from the extreme
concrete fiber. Concrete strength fc’ = 20.7 MPa, and steel strength fy
= 415 MPa. Determine the following:
c) Depth of the compression block assuming both tension and
compression steel yields.
d) What is the ultimate moment capacity of the beam in kN-m?
c) Determine the additional concentrated live load that can be
applied at midspan if the deadload including the weight of the
beam is 20 kN-m.