GROUP 3 DESIGN Rectangular

ASSIGNMENT Stress block

THE RECTANGULAR STRESS BLOCK IS A SIMPLIFIED REPRESENTATION OF THE STRESS
DISTRIBUTION WITHIN A REINFORCED CONCRETE MEMBER UNDER FLEXURAL LOADING.
IT ASSUMES THAT THE COMPRESSIVE STRESSES IN THE CONCRETE ARE DISTRIBUTED IN
A RECTANGULAR SHAPE ACROSS THE CROSS-SECTION OF THE MEMBER. IT IS USED TO
ESTIMATE THE INTERNAL FORCES AND MOMENTS WITHIN THE MEMBER, WHICH
ARE ESSENTIAL FOR THE DESIGN OF REINFORCED CONCRETE STRUCTURES.

h -overall depth of the section

d -effective depth, i.e. depth from
the compression face to the centroid of
tension steel
b -breadth of the section
x -depth to the neutral axis
fs -stress in steel
As -area of tension reinforcement
εc maximum strain in the concrete
(0.0035)
εs strain in steel

(a) RC Section(singly reinforced beam); (b) strain diagram (c)

rectangular parabolic stress diagram; (d) simplified stress diagram.
SECTION DESIGN FOR MOMENTS
• The rectangular stress block approach simplifies the complex nonlinear behavior of concrete under
bending and provides a conservative estimation of the compressive stress distribution within the member.
Three types of beam designs
a) Balanced section
In this section, steel reaches the yield strain
simultaneously as concrete.
(failure is sudden and brittle)

b) Over-reinforced section
In this section, concrete reaches yield strain
first due to the high quantity of steel.
(failure is sudden and brittle)

c) Under-reinforced section (preferred design)

In this section steel yields first before concrete hence
the failure is gradual and ductile.
SECTION DESIGN FOR MOMENTS

(a) Theoretical balanced design case(singly reinforced); (b) under-reinforced beam; (c) over-reinforced
beam.
MOMENT OF RESISTANCE

This is the couple produced by the internal forces in a beam subjected to bending under the maximum
permissible stress.
The calculation is made for the case where the depth x to the neutral axis is d/2. This is the maximum
depth to the neutral axis permitted in clause 3.4.4.4 of the code.
The ultimate moment of resistance of a section is based on the following assumptions:
1.The strains in the concrete and reinforcement are derived assuming that plane sections remain plane;
2.The stresses in the concrete in compression are derived using either (a) the design stress strain curve
given with 𝛾𝑚=1.5 or the simplified stress block ,( where the depth of the stress block is 0.9 of the
depth to the neutral axis Note that in both cases the strain in the concrete at failure is 0.0035.
3. The tensile strength of the concrete is ignored.
(ASSUMED STRESS DISTRIBUTION)
SUMMARY OF CALCULATION

The concrete stress is:

The steel stress is (for high yield bars):

fy/1.15=0.87fy
Compressive force = stress × area
= 0.45fcu × b × 0.9x = 0.402b × x × fcu
Tensile force = 0.87fyAs
For the internal forces to be in equilibrium C=T
Moment about T
M= Cz (z=d−0.9x/2=d−0.45x)
Where k=M/(b×dˆ2× fcu)
CONT.…

Simplifying we get
(the lever arm z is not to exceed (0.95d)
Moment about C
M = Tz
= 0.87fy × As × z
The area of tension steel
As = M/(0.87fy × z)
DOUBLY REINFORCED BEAM

If the concrete alone cannot resist the applied moment in compression, reinforcement can be provided
in the compression zone. The design formulae for a doubly reinforced beam are derived using the
simplified stress block.
d′ inset of the compression steel
As′ area of compression steel
εsc strain in the compression steel
Cc force in the concrete in compression
Cs force in the compression steel
For internal equilibrium
T =Cc + Cs
CONT.….

The force in the compression steel is then =

(where Mrc is moment of resistance with respect to concrete)

The area of compression steel is

As′=Cs/0.87fy
For internal equilibrium
T =Cc + Cs
=0.45fcu×0.9×0.5bd +0.87fyAs′
=0.203fcubd+0.87fyAs′
The area of tension steel is
As=T/0.87fy