COMPUTERS AND STRUCTURES, INC.

, BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA DECEMBER 2001

CONCRETE FRAME DESIGN UBC97
Technical Note
Beam Design

This Technical Note describes how this program completes beam design when
the UBC97 code is selected. The program calculates and reports the required
areas of steel for flexure and shear based on the beam moments, shears, load
combination factors and other criteria described herein.

Overview
In the design of concrete beams, the program calculates and reports the re-
quired areas of steel for flexure and shear based upon the beam moments,
shears, load combination factors, and other criteria described below. The re-
inforcement requirements are calculated at a user-defined number of
check/design stations along the beam span.

All beams are designed for major direction flexure and shear only.
Effects caused by axial forces, minor direction bending, and torsion
that may exist in the beams must be investigated independently by
the user.

The beam design procedure involves the following steps:

! Design beam flexural reinforcement

! Design beam shear reinforcement

Design Beam Flexural Reinforcement

The beam top and bottom flexural steel is designed at check/design stations
along the beam span. The following steps are involved in designing the flex-
ural reinforcement for the major moment for a particular beam for a particu-
lar section:

! Determine the maximum factored moments

! Determine the reinforcing steel

Overview Page 1 of 13
Concrete Frame Design UBC97 Beam Design

Determine Factored Moments

In the design of flexural reinforcement of Special, Intermediate, or Ordinary
moment resisting concrete frame beams, the factored moments for each load
combination at a particular beam section are obtained by factoring the corre-
sponding moments for different load cases with the corresponding load fac-
tors.

The beam section is then designed for the maximum positive M u+ and maxi-
mum negative M u factored moments obtained from all of the load combina-
tions.

Negative beam moments produce top steel. In such cases, the beam is al-
ways designed as a rectangular section. Positive beam moments produce
bottom steel. In such cases, the beam may be designed as a Rectangular- or
a T-beam.

Determine Required Flexural Reinforcement

In the flexural reinforcement design process, the program calculates both the
tension and compression reinforcement. Compression reinforcement is added
when the applied design moment exceeds the maximum moment capacity of
a singly reinforced section. The user has the option of avoiding the compres-
sion reinforcement by increasing the effective depth, the width, or the grade
of concrete.

The design procedure is based on the simplified rectangular stress block as

shown in Figure 1 (UBC 1910.2). It is assumed that the compression carried
by concrete is less than 0.75 times that which can be carried at the balanced
condition (UBC 1910.3.3). When the applied moment exceeds the moment
capacity at this designed balanced condition, the area of compression rein-
forcement is calculated assuming that the additional moment will be carried
by compression and additional tension reinforcement.

The design procedure used by the program for both rectangular and flanged
sections (L- and T-beams) is summarized below. It is assumed that the de-
sign ultimate axial force does not exceed 0.1 f c' Ag (UBC 1910.3.3); hence, all
the beams are designed for major direction flexure and shear only.

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Concrete Frame Design UBC97 Beam Design

Figure 1 Design of a Rectangular Beam Section

Design for Rectangular Beam

In designing for a factored negative or positive moment, Mu (i.e., designing
top or bottom steel), the depth of the compression block is given by a (see
Figure 1), where,

2 Mu
a=d- d2 ,
0.85f c' b

where the value of is 0.90 (UBC 1909.3.2.1) in the above and the following
equations. Also 1 and cb are calculated as follows:

f ' 4,000
1 = 0.85 - 0.05 c , 0.65 1 0.85, (UBC 1910.2.7.3)
1,000

c E s 87,000
cb = d = d. (UBC 1910.2.3, 1910.2.4)
c E s + fy 87,000 + f y

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Concrete Frame Design UBC97 Beam Design

The maximum allowed depth of the compression block is given by

amax = 0.751cb. (UBC 1910.2.7.1, 1910.3.3)

! If a amax, the area of tensile steel reinforcement is given by

Mu
As = .
a
f y d
2

This steel is to be placed at the bottom if Mu is positive, or at the top if Mu

is negative.

! If a > amax, compression reinforcement is required (UBC 1910.3.3) and is

calculated as follows:

The compressive force developed in concrete alone is given by

C = 0.85 f c' bamax, and (UBC 1910.2.7.1)

the moment resisted by concrete compression and tensile steel is

a
Muc = C d max .
2

Therefore the moment resisted by compression steel and tensile steel is

Mus = Mu - Muc.

So the required compression steel is given by

M us
As' = , where
f s' (d d' )

c d'
f s' = 0.003Es . (UBC 1910.2.4)
c

The required tensile steel for balancing the compression in concrete is

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Concrete Frame Design UBC97 Beam Design

Muc
As1 = , and
a
f y d max
2

the tensile steel for balancing the compression in steel is given by

M us
As2 = .
f y (d d' )

Therefore, the total tensile reinforcement, As = As1 + As2, and total com-
pression reinforcement is As' . As is to be placed at bottom and As' is to
be placed at top if Mu is positive, and vice versa if Mu is negative.

Design for T-Beam

In designing for a factored negative moment, Mu (i.e., designing top steel),
the calculation of the steel area is exactly the same as above, i.e., no T-Beam
data is to be used. See Figure 2. If Mu > 0, the depth of the compression
block is given by

2M u
a = d - d2 .
0.85f c' bf

The maximum allowed depth of the compression block is given by

amax = 0.751cb. (UBC 1910.2.7.1)

If a ds, the subsequent calculations for As are exactly the same as previously
defined for the rectangular section design. However, in this case, the width of
the compression flange is taken as the width of the beam for analysis. Com-
pression reinforcement is required if a > amax.

If a > ds, calculation for As is performed in two parts. The first part is for bal-
ancing the compressive force from the flange, Cf, and the second part is for
balancing the compressive force from the web, Cw, as shown in Figure 2. Cf is
given by

Cf = 0.85 f c' (bf - bw) ds.

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Concrete Frame Design UBC97 Beam Design

Figure 2 Design of a T-Beam Section

Cf
Therefore, As1 = and the portion of Mu that is resisted by the flange is
fy
given by

d
Muf = Cf d s .
2

Again, the value for is 0.90. Therefore, the balance of the moment, Mu to be
carried by the web is given by

Muw = Mu - Muf.

The web is a rectangular section of dimensions bw and d, for which the design
depth of the compression block is recalculated as

2M uw
a1 = d - d2 .
0.85f c' bw

! If a1 amax, the area of tensile steel reinforcement is then given by

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Concrete Frame Design UBC97 Beam Design

M uw
As2 = , and
a
f y d 1
2

As = As1 + As2.

This steel is to be placed at the bottom of the T-beam.

! If a1 > amax, compression reinforcement is required (UBC 1910.3.3) and is

calculated as follows:

The compressive force in web concrete alone is given by

C = 0.85 f c' bamax. (UBC 1910.2.7.1)

Therefore the moment resisted by concrete web and tensile steel is

a
Muc = C d max , and
2

the moment resisted by compression steel and tensile steel is

Mus = Muw - Muc.

Therefore, the compression steel is computed as

M us
As' = , where
f s' (d d' )

c d'
f s' = 0.003Es . (UBC 1910.2.4)
c

The tensile steel for balancing compression in web concrete is

M uc
As2 = , and
a
f y d max
2

the tensile steel for balancing compression in steel is

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Concrete Frame Design UBC97 Beam Design

Mus
As3 = .
f y (d d')

The total tensile reinforcement, As = As1 + As2 + As3, and total compres-
sion reinforcement is As' . As is to be placed at bottom and As' is to be
placed at top.

Minimum Tensile Reinforcement

The minimum flexural tensile steel provided in a rectangular section in an Or-
dinary moment resisting frame is given by the minimum of the two following
limits:

3 f '
c 200
As max bw d and bw d or (UBC 1910.5.1)
f y fy

4
As As(required) (UBC 1910.5.3)
3

Special Consideration for Seismic Design

For Special moment resisting concrete frames (seismic design), the beam de-
sign satisfies the following additional conditions (see also Table 1 for compre-
hensive listing):

! The minimum longitudinal reinforcement shall be provided at both the top

and bottom. Any of the top and bottom reinforcement shall not be less
than As(min) (UBC 1921.3.2.1).

3 f '
c 200
As(min) max bw d and bw d or (UBC 1910.5.1, 1921.3.2.1)
f y fy

4
As(min) As(required). (UBC 1910.5.3, 1921.3.2.1)
3

! The beam flexural steel is limited to a maximum given by

As 0.25 bwd. (UBC 1921.3.2.1)

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Concrete Frame Design UBC97 Beam Design

Table 1 Design Criteria Table

Type of Ordinary Moment Intermediate Moment Special Moment

Check/ Resisting Frames Resisting Frames Resisting Frames
Design (Seismic Zones 0&1) (Seismic Zone 2) (Seismic Zones 3 & 4)
Column
Check NLDa Combinations NLDa Combinations NLDa Combinations
(interaction)
Column NLDa Combinations NLDa Combinations
NLDa Combinations
Design = 1.0
1% < < 8% 1% < < 8%
(interaction) 1% < < 6%
Modified NLDa Combinations
NLDa Combinations and
Column (earthquake loads doubled)
NLDa Combinations Column shear capacity
Shears Column Capacity
= 1.0 and = 1.25
= 1.0 and = 1.0
NLDa Combinations
Beam 0.025
Design NLDa Combinations NLDa Combinations
3 f c' 200
Flexure ,
fy fy

+ 1 + 1
M uEND M uEND MuEND MuEND
Beam Min. 3 2
Moment
Override
No Requirement +
M uSPAN
1
{
max M u+ , M u
5
} END
+
MuSPAN
1
4
{
max Mu+ , Mu }
END

Check
M uSPAN
1
5
{
max M u+ , M u }
END

MuSPAN
1
4
{
max Mu , Mu }
END

Modified NLDa Combinations NLDa Combinations

Beam (earthquake loads doubled) Beam Capacity Shear (Vp)
Design NLDa Combinations Beam Capacity Shear (Vp) with = 1.25 and = 1.0
Shear with = 1.0 and = 1.0 plus VD+L
plus VD+L Vc = 0
Joint
No Requirement No Requirement Checked for shear
Design
Beam/
Column
No Requirement No Requirement Reported in output file
Capacity
Ratio
NLDa = Number of specified loading

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Concrete Frame Design UBC97 Beam Design

! At any end (support) of the beam, the beam positive moment capacity
(i.e., associated with the bottom steel) would not be less than 1/2 of the
beam negative moment capacity (i.e., associated with the top steel) at
that end (UBC 1921.3.2.2).

! Neither the negative moment capacity nor the positive moment capacity
at any of the sections within the beam would be less than 1/4 of the
maximum of positive or negative moment capacities of any of the beam
end (support) stations (UBC 1921.3.2.2).

For Intermediate moment resisting concrete frames (i.e., seismic design), the
beam design would satisfy the following conditions:

! At any support of the beam, the beam positive moment capacity would
not be less than 1/3 of the beam negative moment capacity at that end
(UBC 1921.8.4.1).

! Neither the negative moment capacity nor the positive moment capacity
at any of the sections within the beam would be less than 1/5 of the
maximum of positive or negative moment capacities of any of the beam
end (support) stations (UBC 1921.8.4.1).

Design Beam Shear Reinforcement

The shear reinforcement is designed for each load combination at a user-
defined number of stations along the beam span. The following steps are in-
volved in designing the shear reinforcement for a particular beam for a par-
ticular load combination at a particular station resulting from the beam major
shear:

! Determine the factored shear force, Vu.

! Determine the shear force, Vc, that can be resisted by the concrete.

! Determine the reinforcement steel required to carry the balance.

For Special and Intermediate moment resisting frames (Ductile frames), the
shear design of the beams is also based on the probable and nominal moment
capacities of the members, respectively, in addition to the factored load de-
sign.

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Concrete Frame Design UBC97 Beam Design

The following three sections describe in detail the algorithms associated with
this process.

Determine Shear Force and Moment

! In the design of the beam shear reinforcement of an Ordinary moment
resisting concrete frame, the shear forces and moments for a particular
load combination at a particular beam section are obtained by factoring
the associated shear forces and moments with the corresponding load
combination factors.

! In the design of Special moment resisting concrete frames (i.e.,

seismic design), the shear capacity of the beam is also checked for the
capacity-shear associated with the probable moment capacities at the
ends and the factored gravity load. This check is performed in addition to
the design check required for Ordinary moment resisting frames. The ca-
pacity-shear force, Vp, is calculated from the probable moment capacities
of each end of the beam and the gravity shear forces. The procedure for
calculating the design shear force in a beam from probable moment ca-
pacity is the same as that described for a column in section Design Col-
umn Shear Reinforcement in Technical Note Column Design Concrete
Frame Design UBC97. See also Table 1 for details.

The design shear force Vu is then given by (UBC 1921.3.4.1)

Vu = Vp + VD+L (UBC 1921.3.4.1)

where Vp is the capacity shear force obtained by applying the calculated

probable ultimate moment capacities at the two ends of the beams acting
in opposite directions. Therefore, Vp is the maximum of VP1 and VP2 ,
where

M I + M J+
VP1 = , and
L

M I+ + M J
VP2 = , where
L

M I = Moment capacity at end I, with top steel in tension, using a

steel yield stress value of fy and no factors ( = 1.0),

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Concrete Frame Design UBC97 Beam Design

M J+ = Moment capacity at end J, with bottom steel in tension, using a

steel yield stress value of fy and no factors ( = 1.0),

M I+ = Moment capacity at end I, with bottom steel in tension, using a

steel yield stress value of fy and no factors ( = 1.0),

M J = Moment capacity at end J, with top steel in tension, using a

steel yield stress value of fy and no factors ( = 1.0), and

L = Clear span of beam.

For Special moment resisting frames, is taken as 1.25 (UBC 1921.0).

VD+L is the contribution of shear force from the in-span distribution of
gravity loads.

! For Intermediate moment resisting frames, the shear capacity of the

beam is also checked for the capacity shear based on the nominal moment
capacities at the ends and the factored gravity loads, in addition to the
check required for Ordinary moment resisting frames. The design shear
force in beams is taken to be the minimum of that based on the nominal
moment capacity and factored shear force. The procedure for calculating
nominal ( = 1.0) moment capacity is the same as that for computing the
probable moment capacity for Special moment resisting frames, except
that is taken equal to 1 rather than 1.25 (UBC 1921.0, 1921.8.3). The
factored shear forces are based on the specified load factors, except the
earthquake load factors are doubled (UBC 1921.8.3). The computation of
the design shear force in a beam of an Intermediate moment resisting
frame is also the same as that for columns, which is described in Techni-
cal Note Column Design Concrete Frame Design UBC97. Also see Table 1
for details.

Determine Concrete Shear Capacity

The allowable concrete shear capacity is given by

Vc = 2 f c' bwd. (UBC 1911.3.1.1)

For Special moment resisting frame concrete design, Vc is set to zero if both
the factored axial compressive force, including the earthquake effect Pu, is
less than f c' Ag/20 and the shear force contribution from earthquake VE is

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Concrete Frame Design UBC97 Beam Design

more than half of the total maximum shear force over the length of the mem-
ber Vu (i.e., VE 0.5Vu) (UBC 1921.3.4.2).

Determine Required Shear Reinforcement

Given Vu and Vc, the required shear reinforcement in area/unit length is cal-
culated as

(Vu / Vc )s
Av = . (UBC 1911.5.6.1, 1911.5.6.2)
f ys d

The shear force resisted by steel is limited by

(Vu/ - Vc) 8 f c' bd. (UBC 1911.5.6.8)

Otherwise, redimensioning of the concrete section is required. Here , the

strength reduction factor, is 0.85 for nonseismic design or for seismic design
in Seismic Zones 0, 1, and 2 (UBC 1909.3.2.3) and is 0.60 for seismic design
in Seismic Zones 3 and 4 (UBC 1909.3.4.1). The maximum of all the calcu-
lated Av values, obtained from each load combination, is reported along with
the controlling shear force and associated load combination number.

The beam shear reinforcement requirements displayed by the program are

based purely on shear strength considerations. Any minimum stirrup require-
ments to satisfy spacing and volumetric considerations must be investigated
independently of the program by the user.

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