Strength Analysis of Beams

CE 4108 Concrete Structures Design

Design Methods
Working-Stress Design Method
Strength Design Method

Working-Stress Design (WSD)

Also known as Allowable Stress Design or

Straight Line Design

Used in the U.S. from 1900s to 1960s
Working loads (or Service loads) are used to
proportion elements
Still allowed by AASHTO in bridge design;
commonly used in the design of liquid
containing structures and prestressed
concrete

Strength Design Methods

Previously known as the Ultimate

Strength Design Method

Factored loads are used
Members are designed so that they
would just fail under the factored loads
It provides more economical designs
than WSD
Since 2002, its the only method
permitted by ACI

Structural Safety
Strength reduction factor, Used to

reduce theoretical ultimate strength (called

nominal strength). Accounts for
uncertainties in material strength,
dimensions and workmanship.
For example: Mn Mu
Nominal or resisting moment

Factored moment load

Derivations of Beam Expressions

Both should have the same

area and the same centroid.

ACI 10.7.2.3:
1 = 0.85 for fc 4000 psi
For fc > 4000 psi:
1

0.85

f 'c 4000
(0.005) 0.65
1000

Fy

0:

0.85 f 'c ab
a

As f y
0.85 f 'c b

As f y
f yd
0.85 f 'c

where

As
bd

percentage of tensile steel

M
Mn

0:
T d

a
2

As f y d

a
2

Therefore, the usable flexural strength is:

a
Mn
As f y d
2

Strains in Flexural Members

ACI 10.2.2: Strains vary linearly from

N.A.
ACI 10.2.3: The maximum usable strain
in the extreme compression fiber is
0.003
Since a = 1c, then:
c = a /1

Example 3.1

Balanced Sections, Tension-Controlled Sections and

Compression-Controlled or Brittle Sections

Balanced section = Tensile stress will

yield at the same time that compression

concrete attains a strain of 0.003.
Compression-controlled or brittle
section = Concrete fails in compression
before steel yields. There is very little
deformation. Fails without warning.

 ACI 10.3.4: Tension-controlled sections

Sections in which the tensile steel reaches

a strain of 0.005 or greater at the same
time the compression concrete reaches a
strain of 0.003. These beams will exhibit
large deformations before failure (i.e. they
are ductile).
Sections that have steel with strains
between 0.002 and 0.005 are in the
transition range between compressioncontrolled and tensioned-controlled
sections.

ACI 9.3:
= 0.90 for tension-controlled beam and
slabs
= 0.75 for shear and torsion beams
= 0.65 or 0.70 for columns
= 0.65 or 0.70 to 0.90 for columns
supporting very small axial loads
= 0.65 for bearing on concrete

ACI Commentary Figure 9.3.2

 ACI 10.3.5: Members subjected to axial

loads equal to or less than 10fc Ag the

tensile strain (t) in steel is permitted to
be as low as 0.004.
When members are subjected to axial
loads greater than 10fc Ag , the tensile
strain (t) in steel is permitted to be as
low as 0.002.
It is more economical to have sections
in the tension-controlled region.

Minimum percentage of steel

To account for the possibility that the

ultimate resisting moment could be less

than the cracking moment.
ACI 10.5.1:
3 f 'c
200bw d
As ,min

fy

bw d

fy

where bw is the width of the web.

Expressing as a percentage:
min

3 f 'c
fy

200
fy

 ACI 10.5.3: The minimum doesnt have

to be met if the reinforcement area is at

least 1/3 greater than the area required
by moment.
ACI 10.5.4: For slabs and footings of
uniform thickness, the minimum area is
the one specified for shrinkage and
temperature specified by ACI 7.12.

Balanced steel percentage

c
d
c

0.003
0.003 ( f y / Es )
87,000
d
87,000 f y

0.003
0.003 ( f y / 29,000,000)

As discussed previously:
c

f yd

a
1

0.85 1 f 'c

The expressions for c are equated and

solved for :
b

0.85 1 f 'c
fy

87,000
87,000 f y

Example 3.2

Example 3.3

Example 3.4