ANALYSIS AND DESIGN OF REINFORCED CONCRETE ELEMENTS TO
EUROCODE 2
The design standard for concrete structures is Eurocode 2 (BS EN 1992). It is based on limit state
principles and comes in four parts.
The design of concrete to EC 2 is based on the characteristic compressive cylinder strength of
concrete at 28 days. Equivalent cube strengths are included in EC2 but they are only regarded as
an alternative method to prove compliance. Strengths classes of concrete are given below
(adopted from table 3.1 of EC2)
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2
DESIGN ACTIONS AT ULS for a simply supported beam
Part (a)
Part (b): The extra complication here is that it is not clear which of the two variable actions is the
leading. We must check each and take the worst case.
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REINFORCED CONCRETE BEAM DESIGN
Reinforced concrete beam design consists primarily of producing member details which will
adequately resist the ultimate bending moments, shear forces and torsional moments. At the
same time, serviceability requirements must be considered to ensure that the member will behave
satisfactorily under working loads.
The steps involved in beam design can be condensed into three basic stages:-
1. Preliminary analysis and member sizing
2. Detailed analysis and design of reinforcement
3. Serviceability requirements
For serviceability requirements, it is normal practice to make use of simple advice in codes of
practice. Typical of these are the span-effective depth ratios to ensure acceptable deflections, and
the rules for maximum bar spacings, maximum bar sizes and minimum quantities of
reinforcement, which are to limit cracking.
The effective span of a beam is given by
Leff=ln+a1+a2
Ln= clear distance between the faces of the supports
a1,a2: are the lesser of half the width, t, of the support, or half the overall depth, h, of the beam, at
the respective ends of the span
Preliminary analysis and member sizing
The preliminary analysis need only provide the maximum moments and shears in order to
ascertain reasonable dimensions. Beam dimensions required are:-
1. Cover to the reinforcement
2. Breadth (b)
3. Effective depth (d)
4. Overall depth (h)
4
Adequate cover is required to ensure adequate bond and to protect reinforcement from corrosion
and damage. The strength of the beam is affected considerably more by its depth than its breadth.
Design of rectangular beams
Bending (Cl. 6.1, EC 2)
When determining the ultimate moment of resistance of concrete cross sections, Cl. 6.1 of EC2
recommends that the following assumptions are made:-
a) Plane sections remain plane
b) The strain in the reinforcement is the same as the one in the concrete
c) The tensile strength of the concrete is ignored
d) The compressive
stresses in the concrete
are derived from the
parabolic-rectangular
stress-strain relationship
shown-for fck<50N/mm2
(fig. 3.3 EC 2)
e) The stresses in the
reinforcement are
derived from the figure
below (fig. 3.8 EC 2)
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f) The compressive strain in the concrete should not exceed 0.0035
The figure below shows the simplified stress blocks which are used EC 2 to develop the design
equations for bending.
Section Strains Stress block
Singly reinforced rectangular beam
a) Ultimate moment of resistance (MRd)
Cl. 5.6.3 of EC 2 limits the depth of the neutral axis (x) to 0.45d for
concrete strength classes less than or equal to C50/60, in order to
provide ductile, i.e. under reinforced, section. Thus x=0.45d.
Substituting in the terms to obtain the ultimate moment of
resistance,
MRd=0.167fckbd2
b) Area of tensile steel (Ast)
This equation can be used to calculate the area
of tension reinforcement provided that the
design ultimate moment, MEd< MRd
c) Lever arm, Z
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PS: An excessive amount of reinforcement usually indicates that a member is undersized and it
may also cause difficulty in fixing the bars and pouring the concrete. Therefore the code
stipulates that:
100As/Ac < 4% except at the laps
On the other hand, too little reinforcement is also undesirable therefore
100As/btd > 26fctm/fyk % and not less than 0.13%
AC is area of concrete, bt is the mean width of the beam’s tension zone, fctm is the concrete’s
mean axial tensile strength = 0.3x fck2/3 for fck < C50
Doubly reinforced rectangular beams
If the design ultimate moment is greater than the ultimate moment of resistance i.e. MEd>MRd,
then compression reinforcement is required, provided d2/x<0.38
The area of compression reinforcement d2 is the depth of the compression steel from the
compression face.
The area of tensile reinforcement
The above equations have been derived using the stress blocks below. They are similar to singly
reinforced except for the additional force due to the steel in the compression face.
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Cross sectional areas of groups of bars
General design procedure as given for design of beams in flexure by EC2
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FLANGED BEAMS.
The sections above form part of a concrete beam and slab floor with the slab spanning between
the beams and the areas of the slab acting as the flanges of the beams.
When the beams are resisting sagging moments, the slab acts as a compression flange and the
members may be designed as T or L-beams. With hogging moments, the slab will be in tension
and assumed to be cracked; therefore the beam must be designed as a rectangular section of with
bw and overall depth h.
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At intermediate supports of continuous beams where hogging moments occur, the total area of
tension reinforcement should be spread over the effective width of the flange.
Lo is the distance between points of contraflexure.
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Example 1: Determine the area of main bottom steel required for the beam assuming the following
2 2
material strenths: fck=25N/mm and fyk=500N/mm .
Solution
Concrete details (Table 3.1 - Strength and deformation characteristics for concrete)
Concrete strength class; C25/30
2
Characteristic compressive cylinder strength; fck = 25 N/mm
2
Characteristic compressive cube strength; fck,cube = 30 N/mm
2 2
Mean value of compressive cylinder strength; fcm = fck + 8 N/mm = 33 N/mm
fctm = 0.3 N/mm (fck/ 1 N/mm )
2 2 2/3 2
Mean value of axial tensile strength; = 2.6 N/mm
Ecm = 22 kN/mm [fcm/10 N/mm ]
2 2 0.3 2
Secant modulus of elasticity of concrete; = 31476 N/mm
Partial factor for concrete (Table 2.1N); C = 1.50
Compressive strength coefficient (cl.3.1.6(1)); cc = 0.85
fcd = cc fck / C = 14.2 N/mm
2
Design compressive concrete strength (exp.3.15);
Maximum aggregate size; hagg = 20 mm
Reinforcement details
2
Characteristic yield strength of reinforcement; fyk = 500 N/mm
Partial factor for reinforcing steel (Table 2.1N); S = 1.15
fyd = fyk / S = 435 N/mm
2
Design yield strength of reinforcement;
Nominal cover to reinforcement
Nominal cover to top reinforcement; cnom_t = 40 mm
Nominal cover to bottom reinforcement; cnom_b = 40 mm
Nominal cover to side reinforcement; cnom_s = 40 mm
Rectangular section in flexure (Section 6.1)
Design bending moment; M = Ms1_red = 173 kNm
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Depth to tension reinforcement; d = h - cnom_b - v - bot / 2 = 442 mm
Percentage redistribution; mrs1 = Ms1_red / Ms1_max - 1 = 0 %
Redistribution ratio; = min(1 - mrs1, 1) = 1.000
K = M / (b d fck) = 0.129
2
K' = 0.598 - 0.18 - 0.21 = 0.208
2
K' > K - No compression reinforcement is required
z = min((d / 2) [1 + (1 - 3.53 K) ], 0.95 d) = 384 mm
0.5
Lever arm;
Depth of neutral axis; x = 2.5 (d - z) = 144 mm
As,req = M / (fyd z) = 1034 mm
2
Area of tension reinforcement required;
Tension reinforcement provided; 4 20 bars
2
Area of tension reinforcement provided; As,prov = 1257 mm
As,min = max(0.26 fctm / fyk, 0.0013) b d = 162 mm
2
Minimum area of reinforcement (exp.9.1N);
As,max = 0.04 b d = 4862 mm
2
Maximum area of reinforcement (cl.9.2.1.1(3));
PASS - Area of reinforcement provided is greater than area of reinforcement required
Additional Notes:
1. To ensure ductile failure, it is recommended by UK practice to limit K’ to 0.168 ( some textbooks
use 0.167)
2. Moment distribution is an optional process which permits the designer to alter elastic bending
moment values. This may be done to:-
Take advantage of the likely plasticity availaible in a reinforced concrete section
To reduce possible congestion of reinforcement at support regions
To take advantage of possible economies in reinforcecment quantity.
Redistribution is limited to a maximum of 30% (δ=0.7)
δ=Moment at section after redistribution/moment at section before redistribution
Example 2:
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Concrete details (Table 3.1 - Strength and deformation characteristics for concrete)
Concrete strength class; C25/30
2
Characteristic compressive cylinder strength; fck = 25 N/mm
2
Characteristic compressive cube strength; fck,cube = 30 N/mm
2 2
Mean value of compressive cylinder strength; fcm = fck + 8 N/mm = 33 N/mm
fctm = 0.3 N/mm (fck/ 1 N/mm )
2 2 2/3 2
Mean value of axial tensile strength; = 2.6 N/mm
Ecm = 22 kN/mm [fcm/10 N/mm ]
2 2 0.3 2
Secant modulus of elasticity of concrete; = 31476 N/mm
Partial factor for concrete (Table 2.1N); C = 1.50
Compressive strength coefficient (cl.3.1.6(1)); cc = 0.85
fcd = cc fck / C = 14.2 N/mm
2
Design compressive concrete strength (exp.3.15);
Maximum aggregate size; hagg = 20 mm
Reinforcement details
2
Characteristic yield strength of reinforcement; fyk = 500 N/mm
Partial factor for reinforcing steel (Table 2.1N); S = 1.15
fyd = fyk / S = 435 N/mm
2
Design yield strength of reinforcement;
Nominal cover to reinforcement
Nominal cover to top reinforcement; cnom_t = 32 mm
Nominal cover to bottom reinforcement; cnom_b = 32 mm
Nominal cover to side reinforcement; cnom_s = 32 mm
Rectangular section in flexure (Section 6.1)
Design bending moment; M = Ms1_red = 131 kNm
Depth to tension reinforcement; d = h - cnom_b - v - bot / 2 = 317 mm
Percentage redistribution; mrs1 = Ms1_red / Ms1_max - 1 = 0 %
Redistribution ratio; = min(1 - mrs1, 1) = 1.000
K = M / (b d fck) = 0.225
2
K' = 0.598 - 0.18 - 0.21 = 0.208
2
K > K' - Compression reinforcement is required
z = (d / 2) [1 + (1 - 3.53 K') ] = 241 mm
0.5
Lever arm;
Depth of neutral axis; x = 2.5 (d - z) = 192 mm
Depth of compression reinforcement; d2 = cnom_t + v + top / 2 = 48 mm
fsc = min(700 N/mm [(x - d2) / x], fyd) = 435 N/mm
2 2
As2,req = (K - K') fck b d / (fsc (d - d2)) = 86 mm
2 2
Area of compression reinforcement required;
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Compression reinforcement provided; 2 16 bars
2
Area of compression reinforcement provided; As2,prov = 402 mm
As,max = 0.04 b d = 2921 mm
2
Maximum area of reinforcement (cl.9.2.1.1(3));
PASS - Area of reinforcement provided is greater than area of reinforcement required
As,req = K' fck b d / (fyd z) + As2,req fsc / fyd = 1238
2
Area of tension reinforcement required;
2
mm
Tension reinforcement provided; 3 25 bars
2
Area of tension reinforcement provided; As,prov = 1473 mm
As,min = max(0.26 fctm / fyk, 0.0013) b d = 97 mm
2
Minimum area of reinforcement (exp.9.1N);
PASS - Area of reinforcement provided is greater than area of reinforcement required
Example 3: A simply supported beam has a span of 6m and has a flanged cross
section shown below. C25/30 concrete is used and Grade 500 steel reinforcement.
The ultimate load is 44kN/m
Flanged section details
Section width; b = 250 mm
Section depth; h = 580 mm
Maximum flange width; bf = 600 mm
Flange depth; hf = 150 mm
Concrete details (Table 3.1 - Strength and deformation characteristics for concrete)
Concrete strength class; C25/30
2
Characteristic compressive cylinder strength; fck = 25 N/mm
2
Characteristic compressive cube strength; fck,cube = 30 N/mm
2 2
Mean value of compressive cylinder strength; fcm = fck + 8 N/mm = 33 N/mm
fctm = 0.3 N/mm (fck/ 1 N/mm )
2 2 2/3 2
Mean value of axial tensile strength; = 2.6 N/mm
Ecm = 22 kN/mm [fcm/10 N/mm ]
2 2 0.3 2
Secant modulus of elasticity of concrete; = 31476 N/mm
Partial factor for concrete (Table 2.1N); C = 1.50
Compressive strength coefficient (cl.3.1.6(1)); cc = 0.85
fcd = cc fck / C = 14.2 N/mm
2
Design compressive concrete strength (exp.3.15);
Maximum aggregate size; hagg = 20 mm
14
Reinforcement details
2
Characteristic yield strength of reinforcement; fyk = 500 N/mm
Partial factor for reinforcing steel (Table 2.1N); S = 1.15
fyd = fyk / S = 435 N/mm
2
Design yield strength of reinforcement;
Nominal cover to reinforcement
Nominal cover to top reinforcement; cnom_t = 30 mm
Nominal cover to bottom reinforcement; cnom_b = 30 mm
Nominal cover to side reinforcement; cnom_s = 30 mm
Flanged section in flexure (Section 6.1)
Design bending moment; M = 198 kNm
Distance between points of zero moment; L0 = 6000 mm
Maximum flange outstand; b1 = (bf - b) / 2 = 175 mm
Effective flange outstand; beff,1 = min(0.2 b1 + 0.1 L0, 0.2 L0, b1) = 175 mm
Effective flange width; beff = 2 beff,1 + b = 600 mm
Depth to tension reinforcement; d = h - cnom_b - v - bot / 2 = 530 mm
Percentage redistribution; mr = 0 %
Redistribution ratio; = min(1 - mr, 1) = 1.000
K = M / (beff d fck) = 0.047
2
K' = 0.598 - 0.18 - 0.21 = 0.208
2
K' > K - No compression reinforcement is required
z = min((d / 2) [1 + (1 - 3.53 K) ], 0.95 d) = 503 mm
0.5
Lever arm;
Depth of neutral axis; x = 2.5 (d - z) = 66 mm
As,req = max(M / (fyd z), As,min) = 905 mm
2
Area of tension reinforcement required;
Tension reinforcement provided; 2 25 bars
2
Area of tension reinforcement provided; As,prov = 982 mm
As,min = max(0.26 fctm / fyk, 0.0013) b d = 177 mm
2
Minimum area of reinforcement (exp.9.1N);
As,max = 0.04 b d = 5295 mm
2
Maximum area of reinforcement (cl.9.2.1.1(3));
PASS - Area of reinforcement provided is greater than area of reinforcement required
Transverse Reinforcement: A minimumarea of 0.13% of transverse steel reinforcement should be
2 2
provided in the flange=0.0013*1000*150=195mm /m. H10-300mm centres would suffice (262mm /m)
Additional notes:
Longitudinal shear check required for the flange areas. Read ahead about it
Even though mathematically, comoression reinforcement may not be necessary, it is standard
procedure to provide nominal compression reinforcement to keep links in place.
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