Module 1 – Working Stress Design – Flexural Analysis

Holy Angel University

School of Engineering and Architecture
Department of Civil Engineering

Working Stress
Design - Flexure
Module 1 – Reinforced Concrete Design

Objective Upon completing this section, students should be able to know the
concept of Working Stress Design and apply the theories in investigating
and designing a singly reinforced beam

Content 

Cracking Moment
Flexural Investigation of Beams
 Uncracked Beam
 Cracked Beam : Classical Flexural Formula
 Cracked Beam : Transformed Area Method
 Flexural Design of Beams
 Transformed Area Method

Activities During the module, students will perform graded activities to measure
their progress during the course; Quiz, class discussion, practice
problems.

Readings Design of Reinforced Concrete 10th Edition by J.C Mccormac

Reinforced Concrete Design Lectures by Engr. I.R Bonzon
National Structural Code of the Philippines 7th Edition

Engr. Bryan Dale P. Yu RECONDESIGN Page 1 of 19

 Module 1 – Working Stress Design – Flexural Analysis

Example 3
A rectangular concrete beam, 350-mm x 500-mm simply
supported with a span length of 8 meters, is to carry a
uniform load of 25 kN/m, including its own weight.
Assuming concrete cover is 50 mm, design the beam.
𝑓𝑠(𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑤) = 120.00 Mpa
𝑓𝑐(𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑤) = 10.00 Mpa
𝑛 = 8

Engr. Bryan Dale P. Yu RECONDESIGN Page 19 of 19

 Module 1 – Working Stress Design – Flexural Analysis

Flexural Behaviour of Reinforced Concrete:

 The maximum compressive strain occurs at the top surface of the beam, and the maximum tensile
strain occurs at the bottom surface.
 The assumption of a linear strain distribution is fundamental in analysing the behaviour of a reinforced
concrete beam as the bending moment is increased up to the ultimate strength of the beam.
 In Design, it is often assumed that concrete fails in compression when it reaches a compressive strain
of 0.003.
 With the above assumptions, it is now possible to follow the progression of flexural cracking as the
bending moment on a RC beam is increased.

Three Principal Stages of behaviour of RC Beams to consider:

 The beam is uncracked
 The beam is cracked, but stresses are within the elastic range
 The beam reaches its ultimate strength

Uncracked Section

Cracked Section

Engr. Bryan Dale P. Yu RECONDESIGN Page 4 of 19

 Module 1 – Working Stress Design – Flexural Analysis

1.) Determine the value of "𝑘" 𝑎𝑛𝑑 "𝑗“

𝒇𝒄
𝒌=
𝒇𝒔
𝒏 + 𝒇𝒄

2.) Determine the “balanced” moment capacity

𝟏
𝑴𝒃𝒂𝒍 = 𝒇𝒄 𝒌𝒋𝒃𝒅𝟐 & 𝑴𝒃𝒂𝒍 = 𝑨𝒔 𝒇𝒔 𝒋𝒅 (choose lower value)
𝟐

3.) Determine the value of 𝑓𝑠 ′

(see if it will exceed the value of the given 𝑓𝑠 )

4.) Determine the “excess” moment

𝑴𝒆𝒙𝒄 = 𝑨′𝒔 𝒇′𝒔 (𝐝 − 𝐝′ )

5.) Determine the moment capacity

𝑴𝒄𝒂𝒑 = 𝑴𝒃𝒂𝒍 + 𝑴𝒆𝒙𝒄

Design: Reinforcing Steel Bars

1.) Determine the value of "𝑘" 𝑎𝑛𝑑 "𝑗“

𝒇𝒄
𝒌=
𝒇𝒔
+ 𝒇𝒄
𝒏

2.) Determine the “balanced” moment capacity

𝟏
𝑴𝒃𝒂𝒍 = 𝟐 𝒇𝒄 𝒌𝒋𝒃𝒅𝟐

3.) Determine the value of 𝑓𝑠 ′ (see if it will exceed the value of the given 𝑓𝑠 )

4.) Determine the “excess” moment

𝑴𝒆𝒙𝒄 = 𝑴𝒂𝒄𝒕 − 𝑴𝒃𝒂𝒍

5.) Determine the area of reinforcements

𝑨𝒔 & 𝑨𝒔 ′

6.) Investigate if the beam is adequate

Engr. Bryan Dale P. Yu RECONDESIGN Page 16 of 19

 Module 1 – Working Stress Design – Flexural Analysis

Notation used in Working Stress Design:

Effect of Reinforcements in Concrete:

 The tensile strength of concrete is assumed in structural design as almost nil, it necessary to strengthen
or reinforce concrete members where they are subjected to tensile stresses.

 This reinforcement is usually accomplished by the embedment of steel bars or rods which must then
resist almost 100% of the tensile forces
 Obviously, when the concrete is cracked, it is no longer capable in resisting tensile forces.
 The tensile forces in the bottom is resisted by the reinforcement and the compression forces at the top
are resisted by the concrete.

Engr. Bryan Dale P. Yu RECONDESIGN Page 3 of 19

 Module 1 – Working Stress Design – Flexural Analysis

Example 2
Calculate the strength moment capacity of the doubly
reinforced section shown. Assume that the concrete
covering is 50 𝑚𝑚.
𝑓𝑠(𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑤) = 130.00 Mpa
𝑓𝑐(𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑤) = 10.00 Mpa
𝑛 = 9

Engr. Bryan Dale P. Yu RECONDESIGN Page 18 of 19

 Module 1 – Working Stress Design – Flexural Analysis

WHAT CAUSES THE CONCRETE BEAM TO CRACK DUE TO FLEXURE??

Cracking Moment, 𝑴𝒄𝒓

The cracking moment is the moment required to first cause the beam to crack.

This point is important because:

 this is the point at which the steel reinforcement in the beam is exposed to the environment, a possible
cause of corrosion in the steel.

 any further increase in the moment in the beam causes drastically increases the curvature of the beam,
and may not be completely reversible when the load is removed.

The equation for getting the cracking moment is:

(NSCP, 424.2.3.5b)

𝑀𝑐𝑟 = 𝐶𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑀𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡

fr = modulus of rupture
𝐼𝑔 = 𝑔𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑎
𝑦𝑡 = 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑛𝑒𝑢𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑒𝑥𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑚𝑒 𝑓𝑖𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑖𝑛 𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛

The modulus of rupture can be obtained by:

(NSCP, 419.2.3.1)

𝝀 = 𝑚𝑜𝑑𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟

𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆:
𝝀 = 1.00 − 𝑛𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑙 𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑐𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑒
𝝀 = 0.85 − 𝑠𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑙𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑐𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑒
𝝀 = 0.75 − 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑙𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑐𝑜𝑐𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑒

If average splitting tensile strength of lightweight concrete, 𝑓𝑐𝑡 , is specified;

Engr. Bryan Dale P. Yu RECONDESIGN Page 5 of 19