U D C 539.42: 624.073.012.
45
Yield criterion for initially isotropic
reinforced slab
by M. W. Kwiecinski, M.Sc.(Tech.), D.Sc.(Tech.) (Warsaw)
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF SWANSEA *
SUMMARY
This paper deals with the problem of formulating a
yield criterion for quasi-isotropic reinforced slabs. The
possibility of the kinking of reinforcement bars on the
open fracture line is taken into account and a detailed
analysis of yield moment on the plastic hinge is made.
Both the" square" yield criterion and the criterion for
perfect kinking of reinforcement prove limiting cases of
the proposed partial-kinking theory. Values of plastic
moments obtained from this criterion are more optimis-
tic than those obtained by Johansen's criterion. The
proposed theory enables one to describe analytically the
results of some former experimental investigations which
have shown that the ultimate moment in an initially
isotropic slab is not independent of the plastic hinge
inclination.
Stepped-yield-line theory
Considering the bending of concrete slabs uniformly
reinforced in two perpendicular directions with equal
areas of bottom reinforcement per unit width, i.e.
assuming a slab to be initially (elastically) quasi-iso-
tropic, the "square" yield criterion (1) is generally
used. This is commonly applied to plastic slabs which
are so lightly reinforced with mild-steel wires that the
plastic hinge begins to form when the reinforcing rods
yield. (1-5) Moreover, tensile membrane action is
usually not taken into account, irrespective of the
kinematic boundary conditions of the slab.
The main advantage of the square criterion is
the simplicity of its analytical formulation, but it has
been strongly criticized from several points of view. (2)
One of the reasons why this convenient criterion is so
widely applied is its conservativeness in determining
*Dr Kwiecinski was the British Council Scholar at the Univer-
sity College of Swansea at the time of the work described.
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the values of ultimate moment. This is due to the fact
that the yield line is assumed to be the limiting case of
a " stepped" line in which the directions of tensile
bars are at right-angles to the infinitesimal steps which
are not liable to change while plastic curvature is in-
creasing. It is readily pointed out that this conservative
assumption leads to a kinematically impermissible
mechanism of rotation of the two adjoining rigid (1)
parts of a slab. No reinforcement bar can remain
straight.
The square criterion gives
mn
-
m
= cos 2 ex: + sm. 2
ex: = 1 .......... (1)
where mn denotes plastic moment on the fracture line
with normal n inclined at ex: to the x-axis, m = mnCex: =
0, 71"/2).
The objection from the kinematical viewpoint is the
probable reason for the disagreement between experi-
ments and the transformation given by equation 1.
Tests carried out at the Building Research Station (2)
have confirmed the need for a more realistic yield
criterion.
Complete-kinking-of-reinforcement theory
Approaching the determination of yield criterion
for quasi-isotropic reinforced concrete slab from the
unsafe side, i.e. formulating a criterion as optimistic
as possible, one has to assume that the reinforcement
is dragged at right-angles to the straight yield line. It
is easy to ascertain that this assumption takes into
account the full benefit attributed to change of direc-
tion of bars (complete kinking of reinforcement). It is
emphasized that this mechanism is kinematically per-
missible. However, the mechanism is yet rather far
from reality because it implies that there is no crushing
of concrete caused by the pressure of bars which tend
to straighten themselves out.
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 Magazine of Concrete Research: Vol. 17, No. 51 : June 1965

In this case(2) the plastic moment is expressed by

mn .
-
m
= cos IX + sm IX (2)

Partial-kinking-of-reinforcement theory
Let us now consider a kinematically permissible
mechanism shown in Figure 1; where the crushing of
concrete due to overstressing in the vicinity of the
kinks in the reinforcement results in a tendency to
straighten out the reinforcement bars. Without enter-
ing into details of the crushing phenomenon involvea,
it appears sufficiently reasonable to describe this prob-
lem by introducing two geometrical parameters which
most conveniently are the two angles y and 1').
This improved yield criterion with "restricted"
kinking of reinforcement can be expressed by a func-
tion
mn
- = F(IX, y, 3) .................. (3)
m
and should, when y = IX, 3 = (7T/2)- IX, yield equation 1
directly and, when y = 3 = 0, give the transformation y
/,
of equation 2.
In order to obtain more general formulation of
equation 3 let us first consider an initially orthotropic
I
I
I
I
._ ------1}
reinforced slab. The yield moment produced on the I
I
I
"'-oc
~------
1
yield line perpendicular to the x-axis is denoted by m,
I I
parallel to it by xm, where x stands for coefficient of r--b--i
orthotropy. Consideration of equilibrium of moments ~
Xm
with respect to the t- and n-axes (Figure 1) gives the
results Figure 1: Geometrical pattern and yield-moment components for
an elastically orthotropic reinforced concrete slab.
mn .
- = cos IX cos Y + x sm IX cos 1') (4)
m
m
~ = cos IX sin y - x sin IX sin 3 ........ (5)
m
In the case offull kinking, y = 3 = 0, equation 5 gives way that equation 6 is satisfied during the whole plas-
the significant result tic bending process.
Taking the right-hand side of equation 5 as zero,
m nt = O.................. (6) we obtain
This means that the direction of yield-moment vector sin y
produced by any given yield line coincides with the - .-" = x tan IX (8)
sm 0
dire::tion of the line itself; hence mn is a principal
moment. When there is no kinking (stepped theory), Considering equations 4 and 8, we now find that for
y = IX, I') = (7T/2) - IX, twisting moment does not vanish a unique determination of the function mn/m a further
automatically and its value is given by relation of the type g(IX, y) = 0 is lacking.
There appears a simple way of determining this
m nt function, namely to fix some experimental coefficient
- = (I-x) sm IX cos IX (7)
m characteristic for the problem and then determine its
This is the reason for a further fundamental objec- distribution according to the empirical requirements.
tion to the "square" (and "rectangular") yield An essential parameter which governs the function
criterion. (2) g(IX, y) can be taken for any steady value of oc and then
However, equations 4 and 5 equipped with the this function can be determined in accordance with
variables y and 3 give us now the opportunity of boundary conditions of the problem.
determining a yield criterion for a reinforced slab such Let the following parameter be introduced.
that m nt always vanishes on the yield line. We maintain mn
that the directions of bars adjust themselves in such a
f1. = -(IX = const) ............ (9)
m
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At this stage, an initially isotropic reinforced slab with
x = I will be considered only.
The angle oc in equation 9 is taken as 7T/4 for ob-
vious reasons. The parameter fL is now the sole one
responsible for the degree of "unsquareness" (or
" unrectangularness ") of the yield criterion (equation
4). After a number of trials as to the shape of function
g(oc, i), the simple linear relation between sines of i
and oc is eventually assumed
sin y = A sin oc ............. (10)
where A = A(fL). For oc = 7T/4, sin oc = l/y2, we have
i = abecause of symmetry. This latter value which is
in fact the geometrical equivalent of parameter fL is
denoted by y. Remembering equations 4 and 9 we
obtain for the isotropic slab (x = 1):
cos y = ~ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (11)
Y2
Hence, from equation 10
A = Y2 - fLz ............. (12)
The yield criterion describing the value of full plas-
tic moment on the yield line of initially isotropic rein-
forced slab is:
!!!.!!. = Y 1 - AZ sin z oc cos oc + Y1 -
m
where
1 ~ A = Y2 - fLz ~ 0 .......... (14)
The left-hand side limiting value of equation 14
corresponds to the stepped-line theory, whereas the
right-hand side value is appropriate for the complete
kinking theory. It is here understood that the values of
oc in equation 13 are bound to the interval 0 < oc < 7T/2.
In other cases the absolute values of both terms are to
be taken.
A geometrical singularity of the above solution
seems to be worth discussing. Let us look at equation
8 with x = I, in the form of sin a = sin i/tan oc. In-
vestigating the value of a when oc = 0 shows that
lim . .1
sm a= A = v 2 - fL
oc-o
Unexpectedly enough, it has turned out that at oc = 0,
a =to 7T/2(excluding a trivial case when fL = 1). How-
ever, this singularity does not violate the requirement
of equation 6 since there is only one single bar that
jumps from one edge of an opening yield line to the
other. This bar does not produce any moment since
the spacing b' (shown in Figure 1) tends to infinity
when oc tends to zero.
In order to illustrate the partial-kinking criterion
obtained let us assume, for instance, fL = 116 (see
reference 2). The results of numerical calculations are
shown diagrammatically in Figure 2.
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Yield criterion for initially isotropic reinforced slab
f1. ~ 1 (stepped theory)
1 ~f1.~116, \ 2 (proposed
theory)
1..L = \ 2 (complete-kink theory)
Figure 2: Graphical representation of the criterion obtained in
polar co-ordinates mn/m, oc.
AZ cos 2 oc sin oc
Conclusions
.......... (13)
According to the generalized solution presented
above, the ultimate bending moment on the fracture
line, even for an initially isotropic reinforced slab,
cannot be regarded as independent of yield-hinge
inclination. In other words each reinforced slab be-
comes plastically anisotropic because of partial kink-
ing of reinforcement bars across the open crack.
Moreover, this anisotropy is of a particular kind. It is
not a function of a slab texture only but in an essential
way depends upon the direction of supposed fracture
lines, i.e. of the assumed collapse mode of a structure.
Taking this anisotropy into account would inevit-
ably involve some technical difficulties in analysis and
design of reinforced concrete slabs but would allow a
more accurate assessment of its load-carrying capacity.
Z
The" square" yield criterion in common use proves
a conservative approximation for a partial-kinking
criterion which is more complicated but closer to
reality.
The author proposes to generalize this solution on
an initially orthotropic slab. In addition, some tests
on evaluating coefficients fL for various properties of
steel and concrete should be carried out.
A CKNO WLEDGEM ENTS
The author wishes to thank Professor o. C.
Zienkiewicz and Dr K. C. Rockey for providing facilities
for his research work at the Department of Engineering
(Civil) of the University College of Swansea.
99
 Magazine of Concrete Research: Vol. 17, No. 51 : June 1965
REFERENCES
I. JOHANSEN, K.w. Yield-line theory. London, Cement and
Concrete Association, 1962. pp. 181.
2. WOOD, R. H. Plastic and elastic design of slabs and plates.
London, Thames and Hudson, 1961. pp. 344.
3. OL"SZAK, w. Teoria nosnosci granicznej plyt ortotropowycl).
Budownictwo Przemyslowe. No. 7-8. 1953.
100
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4. SAWCZUK, A. and KWIECINSKI, M. Nosnosc graniczna ustro-
jow plytowo-zebrowych. Archiwum Iniynierii Lqdowej. Vol.
3, No.3. 1957. pp. 335-370.
5. KWIECINSKI, M. Plastyczne wyczerpanie nosnosci ustrojow
plytowo-zebrowych. Rozprawy Iniynierskie. Vol. II. No.2.
1963. pp. 253-299. No.3. 1963. pp. 389-409.
Contributions discussing the above paper should be in the hands
of the Editor not later than 31 October 1965.