Sabah Shawkat   Cabinet of Structural Engineering  2017 

3. Structural system consists of the primary load-bearing structure, including its members and
connections. An analysis of a structural system consists of determining the reactions,
deflections, and sectional forces and corresponding stresses caused by external loads. Methods
for determining these depend on both the external loading and the type of structural system that
is assumed to resist these loads.

Figure 3.1: Perspective view of RC frames

Loads are forces that act or may act on a structure. For the purpose of predicting the
resulting behaviour of the structure, the loads, or external influences, including forces,
consequent displacements, and support settlements, are presumed to be known. Loads are
typically divided into two general classes: dead load, which is the weight of a structure
including all of its permanent components, and live load, which is comprised of all loads other
than dead loads.
In a statically determinate system, all reactions and internal member forces can be
calculated solely from equations of equilibrium. However, if equations of equilibrium alone do
not provide enough information to calculate these forces, the system is statically
indeterminate. In this case, adequate information for analyzing the system will only be gained
by also considering the resulting structural deformations.
A member subjected to pure compression, such as a column, can fail under axial load
in either of two modes. One is characterized by excessive axial deformation and the second by
flexural buckling or excessive lateral deformation.
Sabah Shawkat   Cabinet of Structural Engineering  2017 
 

Figure 3.2: Structural system of reinforced concrete members

3.1 Reinforced Concrete Beams
Beams are structural elements carrying external loads that cause bending moments.
Shear forces and torsional moments along their length. The beams can be singly or doubly
reinforced and can be simply supported, fixed or continuous. The structural details of such
beams must resist bending, diagonal tension, shear and torsion and must be such as to transmit
forces through a bond without causing internal cracking. The details must be able to optimize
the behaviour of the beams under load.

The shapes of the beams can be square, rectangular, flanged or tee (T). Although it is
more economical to use concrete in compression, it is not always possible to obtain an adequate
sectional area of concrete owing to restrictions imposed on the size of the beam (such as
restrictive head room). The flexural capacity of the beam is increased by providing compression
reinforcement in the compression zone of the beam which acts with tensile reinforcement. It is
then called a doubly reinforced concrete beam. As beams usually support slabs, it is possible to
make use of the slab as part of a T-beam. In this case the slab is generally not doubly reinforced.

Where beams are carried over a series of supports, they are called continuous beams.
A simple beam bends under a load and a maximum positive bending moment exists at the centre
of the beam. The bottom of the beam which is in tension is reinforced. The bars are cut off
where bending moments and shear forces allow it. In a continuous beam the sag (deflection) of
the centre of the beam is coupled with the hog at the support. An adequate structural detailing
is required to cater for these changes. The reinforcement bars and their cut-off must follow the
final shape of the final bending moment diagram.

Where beams, either straight or curved, are subjected to in-plane loading, they are
subjected to torsional moments in addition to flexural bending and shear. The shape of such
a moment must be carefully studied prior to detailing of reinforcement. The structural detailing
of reinforcing bars must prevent relative movement or slip between them and the concrete.
Sabah Shawkat   Cabinet of Structural Engineering  2017 
 

Figure 3.1-1
Sabah Shawkat   Cabinet of Structural Engineering  2017 
 

Figure 3.1-2
Sabah Shawkat   Cabinet of Structural Engineering  2017 
 

Example 3.1-1: The cross - section dimensions of a beam shown on figure 3.1.1-1 are
subjected to bending moment Msd. Determine the required tension reinforcement to the cross-

section.
Material data:

Characteristic value of concrete cylinder compressive strength (MPa):

fck  40  MPa fckcyl  0.8  fck

Design value of concrete cylinder compressive strength (MPa):

2
3
fckcyl  fckcyl 
fcd  0.85  fcd  18.13333 MPa fctm  1.4     MPa fctm  3.04015 MPa
1.5  10  MPa 

Characteristic yield stress of reinforcement (MPa):

fyk
fyk  300 MPa fyd  fyd  260.87 MPa Es  200 GPa
1.15
Es
Ecm  35  GPa e  e  5.71429
Ecm
Cross-section ( m):
b  0.35  m h  0.60  m L  6  m

Cover of reinforcement (m):

dsc  0.02  m dst  0.02  m
Effective depth of a cross-section (m):
d  h  dst d  0.58 m
Design maximum bending moment ( MN  m):
Msd  0.200  MN  m
 

 
Figure: 3.1.1-1
Sabah Shawkat   Cabinet of Structural Engineering  2017 
 

1) To apply the design, the bending moment Msd has to be brought into a dimensionless form:

Msd
    0.09368
2
b  d  fcd

From the design diagram B3-B3.3, for fyk = 300 MPa we obtain the reinforcement ratio:
  0.03833

2
The required tension reinforcement A2 ( cm ) is as follows:

  b  d  fcd  2 2
Ast   100 cm Ast  0.00141m we provide
MN
2
( 1.8  cm ) 2
Ast  6   Ast  0.00153m
4

The depth of compression zone:

  0.12 x    d x  0.0696m x u  0.8  x x u  0.05568m

2
The required compression reinforcement Asc ( cm ) is as follows:

Ast  fyd  x u  b  fcd 2

Asc  Asc  0.00017m we provide
fyd
2 Ast  Asc
( 1.2  cm ) 2
Asc  4   Asc  0.00045m w  w  0.00942
4 bh

Compression forces acting in the reinforcement resp. in concrete and tension force in tension
reinforcement are calculated as follows:

Fsc  Asc  fyd Fst  Ast  fyd Fc  x u  b  fcd

Fsc  118.01461kN Fst  398.29931kN Fc  353.3824kN
Fsc  Fc  471.39701kN

2
Area of the transformed uncracked cross-section ( m )


Ai  b  h  e  Ast  Asc  Ai  0.22131m
2
Sabah Shawkat   Cabinet of Structural Engineering  2017 
 

The distance of the extreme fibre from the neutral axis (m):


b  h  0.5  h  e  Asc  dsc  Ast  h  dst  
agi  agi  0.30777m
Ai

2
Moment of inertia of the transformed uncracked cross-section ( m )
2
 h  a     A  a  d 2  A  h  d  a 2
e  sc  gi sc st  gi  
3 1 4
Ii  b  h   bh gi  st Ii  0.00717m
12 2 

Stress in compression (MPa):

Msd
c1   c1  8.58089 MPa fcd  c1
 Ii 
 
 agi 
Stress in tension (MPa):

Msd
c2  c2  8.14774 MPa
 Ii 
 
 h  agi   
fctm  c2
 

 xu 
 
Fsc  agi  dsc  Fc   agi    Fst  d  agi  Msd
 2 

The ultimate bending moment is found using the following equation:

 xu 
Mu  Fc   d    Fsc   d  dsc Mu  261.21181m  kN Mu  Msd ok
 2 
 

Ii Msd
Mcr   fctm Mcr  74.62552m  kN Ms  Ms  178.57143m  kN
h  agi 1.12

b) Determine the bending stiffness

- element has no cracks the bending stiffness we determine using the following equation:
2
Br  0.85  Ecm  Ii Br  213406.5593m  kN

- the element with the expected cracks first determine the stiffness of the beam without crack:
Sabah Shawkat   Cabinet of Structural Engineering  2017 
 

further determine the stiffness of the beam with the complete exclusion of tension in concrete,
then the depth of the compression zone x r we determined from the conditions of the balance
forces in cross section, which after the treatment can be written in the form:


e  Ast  Asc   
2  b  Ast  d  Asc  dsc 
x r   1  1 x r  0.14163m
b  
e  Ast  Asc 2 
 

where b   xr  2 the static moment of area A c based to the upper compression edge of the cross-
section, bending stiffness of the beam with total exclusion of tension in concrete will:
first, we determine:
x r  dsc 2
Ac  b  x r  2  e  Asc  Ac  0.05401m
xr

Arm of internal forces:

x r  d sc
 2
b xr  4   e  A sc  d sc 
xr
z r  d  z r  0.51336m
2 A c
 

d  zr 2
Brb  Brb  68720.14187m  kN
 1  2 
 E A 
 s st Ecm  Ac 

The resulting bending stiffness:

1  Mcr 
r  5  1 r  0.27238 r  0
4  Ms 
 

1 2
Br  Br  84284.9175m  kN
 r 1  r 
  
 Bra Brb 
Sabah Shawkat   Cabinet of Structural Engineering  2017 
 

Excessive deflections are unacceptable in building construction, as they can cause

cracking of plaster in ceilings and can result in jamming of doors and windows. Most building
codes limit the amount of allowable deflection as a proportion of the member’s length, i.e.
1/180, 1/240 or 1/500 of the length.
It can be seen that deflection is greatly influenced by the span L, and that the best resistance is
provided by beams which have the most depth (d), resulting in a large moment of inertia.
 

Deflection: 

5 Ms 2
f   L f  7.9449904 mm
48 Br

L
flim  flim  0.012 m f  flim
500

 
Figure: 3.1.1-2