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Ch 1 Introduction

The course on the design of reinforced concrete structures aims to equip students with knowledge and skills for designing building elements using Limit State Methods. It covers the properties, advantages, and disadvantages of reinforced concrete, various design methods, and the design process based on engineering principles and standard codes. Key design considerations include material properties, load types, and structural elements, ensuring safety and serviceability in construction.

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Amrit Paudel
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12 views

Ch 1 Introduction

The course on the design of reinforced concrete structures aims to equip students with knowledge and skills for designing building elements using Limit State Methods. It covers the properties, advantages, and disadvantages of reinforced concrete, various design methods, and the design process based on engineering principles and standard codes. Key design considerations include material properties, load types, and structural elements, ensuring safety and serviceability in construction.

Uploaded by

Amrit Paudel
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Design of Reinforced Concrete Structures

Course Objective: The purpose of this course is to provide the students with
knowledge and skills for the design of different elements of a building structure
using reinforced concrete. The course focuses on Limit State Methods of
Design and the students will learn to use the output of Structural Analysis to
design different elements according to the codal provisions and detailing of the
reinforcement. The course also includes key features of the Seismic Building
Code and provisions of ductile detailing in reinforced concrete structures.
1 Concrete Structures and Design Methods
1.1 Introduction to Reinforced Concrete Structures
Concrete is a mixture of sand, gravel, crushed rock, or other aggregates held together in a
rocklike mass with a paste of cement and water. Sometimes one or more admixtures are added
to change certain characteristics of the concrete such as its workability, durability, and
strength.

As with most rocklike substances, concrete has a high compressive strength and a very low
tensile strength. Reinforced concrete is a combination of concrete and steel wherein the steel
reinforcement provides the tensile strength lacking in the concrete. Steel reinforcing is also
capable of resisting compression forces and is used in columns as well as in other situations.
1.1 Introduction to Reinforced Concrete Structures
Advantages
1. It has considerable compressive strength per unit cost compared with most other materials.
2. Reinforced concrete has great resistance to the actions of fire and water and is the best structural
material available for situations where water is present. During fires of average intensity, members with
a satisfactory cover of concrete over the reinforcing bars suffer only surface damage without failure.
3. Reinforced concrete structures are very rigid.
4. It is a low-maintenance material.
5. As compared with other materials, it has a very long service life. Under proper conditions, reinforced
concrete structures can be used indefinitely without reduction of their load-carrying abilities. This can be
explained by the fact that the strength of concrete does not decrease with time but increases over a very
long period, measured in years, because of the lengthy process of the solidification of the cement paste.
6. It is usually the only economical material available for footings, floor slabs, basement walls, piers,
and similar applications.
7. A special feature of concrete is its ability to be cast into an extraordinary variety of shapes from
simple slabs, beams, and columns to great arches and shells.
1.1 Introduction to Reinforced Concrete Structures
Disadvantages
1. Concrete has a very low tensile strength, requiring the use of tensile reinforcing.
2. Forms are required to hold the concrete in place until it hardens sufficiently. In addition,
false work or shoring may be necessary to keep the forms in place for roofs, walls, floors,
and similar structures until the concrete members gain sufficient strength to support
themselves. Formwork is very expensive.
3. The low strength per unit weight of concrete leads to heavy members. This becomes an
increasingly important matter for long-span structures, where concrete’s large dead weight
has a great effect on bending moments. Lightweight aggregates can be used to reduce
concrete weight, but the cost of the concrete is increased.
4. Similarly, the low strength per unit volume of concrete means members will be relatively
large, an important consideration for tall buildings and long-span structures.
5. The properties of concrete vary widely because of variations in its proportioning and
mixing. Furthermore, the placing and curing of concrete is not as carefully controlled as is
the production of other materials, such as structural steel and laminated wood.
1.2 Design Methods of Reinforced Concrete Structures

1. Working Stress Method (WSM)


Based on elastic theory, it assumes linear behaviour between stress and strain.
Both steel and concrete are assumed to behave elastically under working loads.
Safety is ensured by applying a factor of safety to material strengths.
Used for: simpler structures; structures where serviceability is critical (e.g., water tanks)
Advantages:
Easy to understand and apply
Conservative design
Disadvantages:
Not economical for large structures
Doesn’t account for ultimate loads or nonlinear behaviour
1.2 Design Methods of Reinforced Concrete Structures

2. Ultimate Load Method (ULM)


Structures are designed for the ultimate load, considering full plastic behaviour before
failure.
Safety is incorporated via load factors applied to service loads.
Used for: theoretical development of design, now largely replaced by Limit State Method
Advantages:
Provides realistic strength estimates
More material-efficient than WSM
Disadvantages:
Serviceability (deflection, cracking) is not directly considered
Overly focused on strength
1.2 Design Methods of Reinforced Concrete Structures

3. Limit State Method (LSM) — Most Common


Considers both ultimate limit states (ULS) (collapse, strength failure) and serviceability
limit states (SLS) (deflections, cracking, vibrations).
Uses partial safety factors for both loads and materials.
Used for: most modern reinforced concrete designs
Advantages:
Comprehensive: balances safety, serviceability, and economy
Better reflects actual behaviour
Disadvantages:
More complex calculations
Requires a deeper understanding of behaviour and code provisions
1.3 Design Process and Basis of Design
Design Steps in LSM (Typical Process)
1. Determine design loads (dead, live, wind, seismic, etc.)
2. Choose a structural layout and member dimensions
3. Apply factored loads (according to code)
4. Analyse structure (moment, shear, axial forces)
5. Design reinforcement (for bending, shear, axial loads)
6. Check for serviceability (deflection, crack width, etc.)
7. Detail reinforcement (spacing, anchorage, development length)
1.3 Design Process and Basis of Design
Basis for Design: The basis for the design of reinforced concrete (RC) structures is
grounded in engineering principles, material behaviour, safety considerations, and
standardised design codes. Here's a structured overview:
1. Fundamental Principles
a. Limit State Design (LSD)
Most modern RC design follows the Limit State Design approach, which ensures:
Safety (Ultimate Limit State - ULS): The structure can withstand maximum loads
(factored loads) without collapse.
Serviceability (Serviceability Limit State - SLS): The structure performs adequately under
normal usage, controlling deflections, cracking, and vibrations.
b. Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD)
Applied to account for variability in material strengths and loading. Loads are multiplied
by load factors. Material strengths are divided by partial safety factors.
1.3 Design Process and Basis of Design
2. Material Properties
a. Concrete
Compressive strength (f'c) — typically 20–40 MPa.
Low tensile strength, which is why reinforcement is needed.
b. Steel Reinforcement
High tensile strength (e.g., 415 MPa or 500 MPa).
Ductility and bond with concrete are essential.
3. Structural Behaviour Assumptions
Plane sections remain plane.
Concrete carries compression, steel carries tension.
Perfect bond between steel and concrete.
Neglect tensile strength of concrete in design (conservative assumption).
1.3 Design Process and Basis of Design
4. Key Design Codes: These codes provide: Load combinations, Design equations,
Detailing requirements, Durability and fire resistance guidelines

1. IS 456: 2000 Plain and Reinforced Concrete


2. IS 13920: 2016 Ductile Design and Detailing of Reinforced Concrete Structures
3. IS 875 Part 1: 1987 Dead loads - unit weights of building materials and Stored
materials
4. IS 875 Part 2: 1987 Imposed Loads
5. IS 1893 Part 1: 2016 Criteria for Earthquake Resistant Design of Structures
6. IS SP16: 1980 Compression Members
1.3 Design Process and Basis of Design
5. Loads Considered
Design must consider different types of loads:
Dead loads (self-weight, permanent fixtures)
Live loads (occupancy, furniture)
Wind loads, earthquake loads (dynamic)
Snow, rain, temperature effects, and shrinkage
6. Structural Elements in RC Design
Beams: Bending and shear resistance
Slabs: Flexural design, deflection control
Columns: Axial + bending (interaction)
Footings: Load transfer to soil
Shear walls: Lateral load resistance
1.4 Characteristic Strengths and Loads

Every material has its resistance strength. For example, concrete is strong against
compression and weak against tension. The resistance capacity where the chances of
failure are below 5% is called the characteristic strength. The characteristic load is
the maximum load act on a structure that has a 95% chance of not being exceeded
during the structure’s lifespan.

In Simple words, Only 5% chances are there that the concrete will fail at its
characteristic strength. If a block of M25 concrete has a characteristic strength of 23
MPa means that the chances of failure are only 5% at that load (23 MPa). 95% chance
is there; it will survive.
1.4 Characteristic Strengths and Loads

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