Integrated Engineering
Design Project –
RC Beams for Buildings
Part Time Lecturer : Ir. C.W. LAW
One Span
For one span beam, if simply supported :
• Analysis by statics. Maximum moment can be
located at the point with zero shear;
• Graphical method can be used.
For one span beam, if ends is fixed :
• Analysis can be carried out by reference to
moment and shear simple coefficients;
• Graphical method can also be used.
-ve
+ve
Free moment Due to support moment
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
Total moment
-200
-150
-100
-50
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
0
50
100
150
Plotting free bending moment diagram
Due to UDL, Mmax = at Due to Point Load,
mid-span, 0.75 Mmax at Mmax = / under the point
quarter points load
0 0.25 0.5 0.75 1
0
0.25
0.5
0.75
1.25
More precisely the factors for plotting bending
moments for UDL (moment diagram is parabolic):
at point = 0.125L and 0.875L : 0.4375 Mmax
at point = 0.25L and 0.75L : 0.75Mmax
at point = 0.375L and 0.625L : 0.9375Mmax
at point = 0.5L : 1.0Mmax
Multi-Spans
• Loads assigned on spans in similar manner as
single span beam;
• Idealized as a sub-frame with supports carrying
or not carrying rotational stiffnesses;
• As statically indeterminate structure, analysis
be carried out by moment distribution, slope
deflection or stiffness method as appropriate;
• Determination of fixed end moments are often
required, either by formula or reading charts;
• “Loading Patterns” may have to be used for
determination of critical moments and shears.
Loads Patterns on Spans
• Critical moments or forces on a section of a
continuous beam due to live load are not
necessarily at the load cases when all the spans
are loaded by live load;
• Live load on a certain span may create
“beneficial effects” to the moments or shears at
a section;
• Allowance has to be made for different patterns
of live load to search for all critical shears and
moments on all sections.
Consider a continuous beam of 5 spans loaded by UDL
(Uniformly Distributed Load)
There can be different loading patterns
Maximum
Hogging moment
Maximum
Sagging moment
Maximum
Sagging moment
-100 span1 span2 span3 span4 span5
-50 Max hogging at
0 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 40
Load on 0
Supt 2 :
Span 1 supt1 supt2 supt5
Load on Spans
50 supt3 supt4 supt6
1, 2, 4
100
-100
-50
span1 span2 span3 span4 span5 Max hogging at
Load on 0 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 40 Supt 3 :
0
Span 2 supt1 supt5 supt6 Load on Spans
supt2 supt3
50 supt4 2, 3, 5
100
-100
span2 span3 span4 span5
-50 span1 Max hogging at
0 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 40
Load on 0
Supt 4 :
Span 3 supt1 supt2 supt3 supt4 supt5 supt6 Load on Spans
50
1, 3, 4
100
-100
span1 span2 span3 span4 span5 Max hogging at
-50
0 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 40
Supt 5 :
Load on 0 supt5
supt1 supt2 supt3 supt4 supt6 Load on Spans
Span 4 50
2, 4, 5
100
-100
span2 span3 span4 span5
-50 span1
Load on 0 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 40
0
Span 5 supt1 supt2 supt3 supt5
50 supt4 supt6
100
Spans 1, 2, 4 loaded, supt2 maximum hogging
-150
-100
-50
0 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 40
0
50
100
0 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 40
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
Spans 2, 4 loaded, spans 2, 4 maximum hogging sagging
-60
-40
-20
0 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 40
0
20
40
60
80
100
0 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 40
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
Provisions by Concrete Code 2013, 5.1.3.2
(a) All spans loaded
1.4Gk+1.6Qk
(b) Alternate spans loaded with maximum load and
others minimum design load, e.g.
1.4Gk+1.6Qk 1.4Gk+1.6Qk
1.0Gk 1.0Gk 1.0Gk
(c) Adjacent spans loaded with maximum load and
others minimum design load, e.g.
1.4Gk+1.6Qk 1.4Gk+1.6Qk
1.0Gk 1.0Gk
There can be many combinations if the
number of spans is large
Thank you
