Instructions for normal

section tests of reinforced

concrete flexural
members

School of Civil Engineering, Zhengzhou University

The teaching team of the basic principles of concrete structure

 2015

Reinforced Concrete Flexural Member Normal Section Test

Task Book

(1) Purpose of the test

1. Understand the stress process and failure characteristics of properly reinforced beams, super
reinforced beams and less reinforced beams, and the influence of reinforcement ratio on failure
characteristics.
2. Verify the calculation theory and calculation formula of the normal section bearing capacity of
reinforced concrete flexural members.
3. Master the test method of reinforced concrete flexural members, the test technology of load, strain,
deflection, crack width and other data and the use of related instruments.

(2) Layout of test components and instruments

1. There are three types of test beams, namely SL 1 , SL 2 , and SL 3 , using C30 concrete, HPB300 and
HRB 400 steel bars, and their geometric dimensions and reinforcement are shown in Figure 1.
When making test beams, take three test blocks of 150×150×150mm for each beam (or each plate of
concrete) to determine the concrete strength. Take three 300mm long test pieces for each diameter and
steel bar to determine the yield strength, ultimate strength and elongation (total elongation under maximum
L  L0  b
 gt  (  ) 100 %
force (uniform elongation)) of the steel bar: L0 Es

2. Loading device and instrument arrangement

The test beam is placed on the static test bench, and the load is applied by a jack through the loading
frame. The charging device is shown in Figure 2. Five dial gauges are arranged on each beam to measure
mid-span deflection. Use a resistance strain gauge to measure the strain of steel bars and concrete under
various loads.

(3) Test preparation

Carefully review the relevant chapters of the textbook to understand the failure pattern of the normal
section of reinforced concrete beams.

(4) Before the test, test the steel bar specimen and concrete test block on the material testing machine to

determine the yield strength, f y ultimate strength, elongation of the steel bar and the cubic compression

resistance of the concrete f cu . Obtain the test values of concrete prism compressive strength f c , tensile

strength f t and elastic modulus E c according to the measured values f cu .

figure 1
figure 2

( 5 ) Estimation of cracking load Fcr

Figure 3 is a simplified calculation diagram of the test beam when it is loaded. The bending moment of pure
bend CD is

image 3

The cracking moment M cr is calculated according to the following formula

7
M cr  f tkbh2
24
where b and h are the width and height of the test beam, respectively. Then the cracking load is
6 M cr
Fcr 
l
( 6) Estimation of failure load Fu
  f A f tk
b  max , bmin 1,c s As /0bh
1. Calculate .327
0
f y bh f yk

1 f c
b  max  b
fy

A f
 min Take
 max
s
.327(%);tk45 f t / f y (%)} (small value can be taken when designing beam test members
 {00.20
bh f yk

with few reinforcements)

  As / b 0h

In this test, the single row of steel bars a s =40mm.

2. Calculation of failure bending moment M u

As f
If  ≤, As min
/ bhit0means
that the testtk beam is a beam with few reinforcements
0.327
bh f yk

then M u = M cr

A f tk1 f c
If  min < bs≤A
0smax ,it0means
./327
bh b that the test beam is a beam with suitable reinforcement
bh f yk f y

f y As
but x 
1 f c b

M u  1 f cbx(h0  0.5 x)

 f
If b > A
smax x 1 c bthe
0it bmeans
or
/ bh h0 test beam is a super-reinforced beam
fy

then by 1 f cbx   s As

and add:
fy  x  fy
s     1     1
b  1  h 0  b   1

In this experiment: 1 and 1 take 1.0 and 0.8 respectively

Simultaneously solve x to calculate the failure bending moment according to the following formula:

M u  1 f cbx(h0  0.5 x)
 6M u
3. Calculate the failure load Fu 
l
6M u
Fu 
l

(7) Test steps

1. Measure the actual size and be familiar with the instrument operation.
Before loading, carefully measure the length, width, height of the test beam, the position of the resistance
strain gauge, the actual size of the support and the position of the loading point and make a record. Familiar
with instrument operation such as resistance strain gauge, jack, dial indicator and scale magnifying glass.
2. Loading method
(1) Determine the loading level difference, the loading value of each level is about 10-15% of the failure
load, and the level difference should be appropriately reduced when cracking and failure are approaching.
（2） Try loading level 1-2, and check whether the instrument response is normal.
(3) Step by step loading, increasing step by step from 0 to the failure of the test beam. Stand still for
2-5 minutes after each loading, and measure various data after the deformation of the test beam tends to be
stable, and then proceed to the next level of loading after the verification is correct.
(4) During the loading process, pay attention to observe whether the instrumentation of the test device is
working normally. If there is an excessive deviation, it should be corrected before continuing to load. When
the test beam is close to failure, a safety support should be added under the beam. When the failure load
exceeds 80%, the vulnerable instrument should be removed to prevent the tester from being injured and the
instrument from suffering unnecessary losses.
3. Test content
(1) Determination of the strain of the concrete and steel bars in the mid-span normal section under each level

of load  c ,  s as well as the ultimate tensile strain when the concrete cracks  tu and the ultimate

compressive strain when it fails  cu .

(2) Measure the readings of the dial indicator under each level of load to determine the mid-span deflection
and curvature.

(3) Measure the initial crack load Fcr .

(4) Observe the cracks with the naked eye with a magnifying glass, mark the appearance and development
process of the cracks with a pencil, draw a short horizontal line on the top of the crack to indicate the
corresponding load value, and number the cracks in the order of appearance, and measure the designated
position with a scale magnifying glass crack width.
6M u
(5) Measure the failure load Fu and record the failure characteristics of the test beam.
l
(6) Take pictures of the test specimens, take pictures of the test loading site and the test specimens under
each load level; draw the crack distribution map.
(7) After the test, organize the test data and write the test report.

(8) Test report

1. Organize the original data and eliminate the data judged to be wrong.
2. Analysis of test phenomena (with test photos and drawn crack diagrams).
3. According to the readings of the dial indicator, draw the load ( F )-deflection ( f ) curve after
eliminating the settlement of the support, and draw the deflection distribution along the length of the beam
without eliminating the settlement; and analyze the performance.

4. Draw the load ( F ) - steel stress (  s ) curve according to the strain value of the steel bar, and analyze

whether the steel bar of the test beam has reached yield.

When  s ≤  y _  s  Es s

When  s ≥  y _  s  f y

5. According to the concrete strain value, draw the strain diagram of the mid-span section to analyze
whether it conforms to the assumption of a flat section; and indicate the value of the ultimate compressive

strain of the concrete measured at the time of failure  cu .

6. Calculate the bearing capacity Mu of each beam with the learned formula for calculating the bearing
capacity of the front section of reinforced concrete beams (the material strength is based on the measured
value of the test), compare and analyze the test results and the calculated value of the theoretical formula,
and test the theoretical formula.
Appendix 1
SL 1 Beam Test Component Calculations
1. Calculation of flexural cracking load of normal section
(1) Calculation data:
HPB300 steel bars, f y =270N/mm 2 , f yk =3 6 0N/mm 2 ; longitudinal bars 2 Φ6, A s =57mm 2 ;
C30 concrete f c =14.3N/mm2, f t =1.43N/mm 2 ;
b = 150mm , h =300mm, h0 =260mm.
(2) Judging the type of damage:
 45 f t / f y (%)=0.2145%>0.20%

As f
The minimum reinforcement  min is0.20%
 0.327 tk
bh f yk

  As / bh0=57/(150×300)=0.13%<0.20%

Therefore, the test beam is a beam with few reinforcements.

(3) Calculate the cracking moment:
7 7
M cr  f tkbh2   2.01 150  300 2  7 9 1 4 3 7 5
24 24
=7.91 kN.m
(The bending moment that the steel bar can bear: M  f A h (1  0.5 )  f A h  0.98
u yk s 0 yk s 0

=4357080N.mm=4.36 kN.m<7.91
Therefore, it is confirmed that there is less tendon damage)
(4) Calculate the cracking load:
6 M cr 6  7.91
Fcr    22.6kN
l 2.1

The cracking load of the beam with few reinforcements is the ultimate load Fcr  Fu  22.6kN .

2. Calculation of flexural cracking load of oblique section

(1) Calculation data:
HPB300 steel bar, f yv =270N/mm 2 ; stirrup 2 Φ6@80, A sv =57mm 2 ;
C30 concrete f c =14.3N/mm2, f t =1.43N/mm 2 ; b =150mm, h =300mm, h 0 =260mm.

（2）Check whether there will be cable-stayed damage

Asv 57 f
 sv    0.475 %  0.24 t  0.1 2 %
7
bs 150  80 f yv

Therefore, there will be no oblique failure

(3) Calculation of ultimate shear force

  a / h0  0.7 / 0.26  2.692

Ultimate shear force:

 1.75 A
Vu  f t bh0  f yv sv h0
 1 s
57
 26434  270   2 6 0
80
 7 6 4 5.51

（4）Calculate the ultimate load that the SL 1 beam can carry Fu，v :

Fu，v  2Vu

=153 kN>22.6kN= F u
Therefore, shear failure does not occur.

Based on the calculation results of 1 and 2, the failure mode of the SL 1 beam is the failure of the
mid-span normal section with few reinforcements.

Appendix 2
SL 2 Beam Test Component Calculations
1. Calculation of flexural cracking load of normal section
(1) Calculation data:
HRB 400 steel bars, f y =3 6 0N/mm 2 ; f y k = 400 N/mm 2 , longitudinal bars 2 20 , A s =628mm 2 ;
C30 concrete f c =14.3N/mm 2 , f c k = 20.1 N/mm 2 , f t =1.43N/mm 2 , f t k = 2.01 N/mm 2 ;
 b = 150mm , h =300mm, h0 =260mm.
(2) Judging the type of damage:
45 f t / f y (%)=0.21%>0.20%

A f
The minimum reinforcement is  min 0.21
 %s  0.327 tk
bh f yk

  As / bh0=628/(150×300)=1.4%>0.20%

Therefore, the test beam is not a beam with few reinforcements.

（3）The calculation of cracking moment is the same as that of a beam with few reinforcements (omitted):
（4）Calculate ultimate bending moment
f yk As 400  628
Height of pressure zone: x   =8 3.3 <  b h0 =0.55×260=143mm
1 f ck b 20.1 150

fit beam

Therefore, the ultimate bending moment M u  1 f ckbx(h0  0.5 x)

= 20.1 × 150 × 83.3 × (260-8 3.3 /2)

= 54838493 N.mm= 54.8 kN.m
(5) Calculate the ultimate load:
6M u 6  5 4 . 8
Fu   1 5 6 . 6 k N
l 2.1

2. Calculation of flexural cracking load of oblique section

(1) Calculation data:
HPB300 steel bar, f yv =270N/mm 2 ; stirrup 2 Φ8@80, A sv =101mm 2 ;
C30 concrete f c =14.3N/mm 2 , f c k = 20.1 N/mm 2 ; b =150mm, h =300mm, h 0 =260mm.
(2) Calculation of ultimate shear force

  a / h0  0.7 / 0.26  2.692

Ultimate shear force:

 1.75 A
Vu  f t bh0  f yv sv h0
 1 s
101
 26434  270  2 6 0
80
 1 1 5 0 .65 1

(3) Calculate the ultimate load that the SL 2 beam can bear Fu，v :

Fu，v  2Vu

=230.1 kN>116.3kN= F u
Therefore, shear failure does not occur.

the failure mode of the SL 2 beam is the failure of the normal section in the mid-span.

Appendix 3
SL 3 Beam Test Component Calculations
1. Calculation of flexural cracking load of normal section
(1) Calculation data:
HRB 400 steel bar, f y =3 6 0N/mm 2 ; f y k = 400 N/mm 2 , ; longitudinal bar 4 20 , A s =1256mm 2 ;
C30 concrete f c =14.3N/mm 2 , f c k = 20.1 N/mm 2 , f t =1.43N/mm 2 , f t k = 2.01 N/mm 2 ;
b = 150mm , h =300mm, h0 =260mm.
(2) Calculation of cracking moment is the same as that of beams with few reinforcements (omitted):
(3) Calculation of ultimate bending moment
f yk As 400 1256
Height of pressure zone: x   = 166 .6>  b h0 =0.5 18 × 260= 134.7 mm
1 f ckb 20.1 150

super-reinforced beam

Solve simultaneous equations: 1 f ckbx   sk As

fy  x  fy
s     1     1
b  1  h 0   b   1

In the formula: 1 and 1 take 1.0 and 0.8

respectively
Simultaneously solve x = 1 74.1 mm, and put it into the following formula to calculate the failure bending
moment:

M u  1 f ckbx(h0  0.5 x)

= 20.1 × 150 × 174.1 × (260-0.5 × 174.1 )

= 90783443 N.mm= 91 kN.m
(4) Calculate the ultimate load:
6M u 6  91
Fu   260kN
l 2.1

2. Calculation of flexural cracking load of oblique section

(1) Calculation data:
HPB300 steel bar, f yv =270N/mm 2 ; stirrup 2 Φ10@80, A sv =157mm 2 ;
C30 concrete f c =14.3N/mm2, f t =1.43N/mm 2 ; b =150mm, h =300mm, h 0 =260mm.
(2) Calculation of ultimate shear force
   a / h0  0.7 / 0.26  2.692

Ultimate shear force:

1.75 A
Vu  f t bh0  f yv sv h0
 1 s
157
 26434  270  2 6 0
80
1 6 4 2N 01

(3) Calculate the ultimate load that the SL 3 beam can bear Fu，v :

Fu，v  2Vu

=328.4 kN>171kN= F u
Therefore, shear failure does not occur.

the failure mode of the SL 3 beam is super-reinforced failure of the mid-span normal section.