Uncracked Section Example

Questions

From first principles find the stresses at section A due to self-
weight.

a) In the top fibre of the concrete

b) In the steel

Assume the section is uncracked but take account of the
reinforcement.

Hint
The steps involved in this calculation are,

1. Calculate the moment due to self-weight

2. Calculate the position of the neutral axis i.e. x

3. Calculate the uncracked equivalent 2
nd
moment of Area I
u


4. Calculate the stresses

Solution

Steps

1. Calculate the moment due to self-weight

2. Calculate the position of the neutral axis i.e. x

3. Calculate the uncracked equivalent 2
nd
moment of Area I
u


4. Calculate the stresses

Step 1

Density of RC (including reinforcement) is 24
3
kN m /

Therefore the self-weight is a U.D.L. of

24 05 0 3 36 = . . . / kN m








Therefore the moment at a M
a
is given by

M
ql l
q
l l ql
M kNm
A
A
=
|
\

|
.
|
|
\

|
.
|
=
=

= =
2 2 2 4 8
36 10
8
45 4 5 10
2
2
6
.
. Nmm


Step 2

Calculate x



Writing all strains as functions of x and
o
gives

( )
( )
( )
( )






y
y x
y
y
x
d x x
d x
x
o o
s o
s
o
=

= =



hence all the forces can be written as functions of x and
o
. The
stress in the steel is
f E
s s s
=

Therefore the force in the steel is;

( )
A E A E
d x
x
s s s s s
o

=



Similarly the stress in the concrete is;

( ) ( ) f y E y E
y
x
c c c
o
= =



Hence the force in the gross concrete section is

( )
( )
( )
( )
( )
( )
=
=
|
\

|
.
|
=
=
=

f y dA
E y
x
bdy
E b
x
ydy
E b
x
y
E b
x
hx h
c
h x
x
c o
h x
x
c o
h x
x
c o
h x
x
c o

2
2
2
2
2


Similarly the stress in the displaced concrete is;

E
c s


and hence the force in the displaced concrete is,

( )
A E A
E d x
x
s c s s
c o

=



Use equilibrium of forces to locate x

Horizontal Forces = 0

+ = F F F
Gross
Concrete
Steel Displaced
Concrete
0

(using a compression positive convention) this gives

( )
( ) ( )
( )
( ) ( )
( )
( ) ( ) { }
( ) ( )
| |
( )
( )
E b
x
hx h A
E d x
x
A
E d x
x
b
x
hx h A m
d x
x
A
d x
x
b hx h m A d x
bh m A d x bh m A
x
bh m A d
bh m A
c o
s
s o
s
c o
s s
s
s s
s
s

2
2 0
2
2 0
2 2 1
2 1 2 2 1
2 1
2 2 1
2
2
2
2
2
+

|
\

|
.
|


|
\

|
.
|
=


+

=
=
=
=
+
+

In the case of this example

( )( )( )
m
x m
= =
=
+

m
+
=
200000
30000
6 67
300 500 2 567 900 450
2 300 500 2 567 900
257
2
.
.
.

Step 3
Calculate the equivalent 2
nd
moment of area I
u


( ) ( )
( )
( ) ( )
( ) ( )
( )
| |
( ) ( )
( )
| |
( )
I y dA m A d x
y bdy m A d x
b
y
m A d x
b
x x h m A d x
mm
u s
h x
x
s
x h
x
s
s
= +
= +
=

(
+
= +
= +
=

2
2
2
2
3
2
3
3 2
3
3 2
6 4
1
1
3
1
3
1
300
3
257 257 500 567 900 450 257
3322 10
.


Note: I
g
for this section is only 6% less

Step 4

Calculate the stress in the top fibre in compression

The stress in the top fibre is ( ) f y
c
where y=x

( )
( )
( )
( )
f y
My
I
f x
Mx
I
N mm
c
u
c
u
=
= =

=
45 10 257
3322 10
348
6
6
2
.


Note:
( )

o
c
c
f x
E
= = =

348
30000
116 10
6
.

Next get the stress in the steel, the strain is,


( )
( ) ( )

s o
s
o
s s s
d x x
d x
x
f E N mm

=

=
= = =

116 10 450 257

257
875 10
200000 875 10 175
6
6
6 2
.
. .
=

Note:

The stress in the steel can also be found directly using the
formula

f E E E
f
E
E
E
My
I
f m
My
I
s s s s c s
c
c
s
c u
s
u
= = = =
=