Example of Over-reinforced section

Step 1.
(A) Assume 0.8 x < 325mm

0.85 f ck
C=
300 0.8 x = 4080 x
c
(b) Assume that the steel has yielded

T =

As f y

Step 2.

3100 460
= 1240 103 N
.
115

T=C
1240 103 = 4080 x

Step 3

x = 304mm

Check assumptions
(a)

0.8 x < 325 OK

(b)

(d x)
y =

ult
x

s =

0.0035 ( 450 304)

= 0.00168
304

460

.
115
= 0.002 s < y
200 103

Therefore the assumption that the steel yields is incorrect.

Repeat Step 1.
As before, and as has been verified

0.85 f ck
C=
300 0.8 x = 4080 x
c
and

s = ult

(d x)

x
(d x )

T = As E s ult

(450 x )

T = 3100 200 103 0.0035

x
T = 2.17 106

(450 x )
x

Repeat Step 2.

T = C 4080 x = 2.17 10 6

(450 x )
x

4080 x 2 + 2.17 10 6 x 2.17 10 6 450 = 0

x = 291mm
Repeat Step 3.
(a)
(b)

0.8 x < 325 OK

(d x)
y =

ult
x

s =

0.0035 ( 450 291)

= 0.00191
304

460

.
115
= 0.002 s < y
3
200 10

therefore the assumption that the steel had not yielded was
correct.

Step 4.
M = C( 0.6 x ) + T ( d x )
M = 4080 x( d 0.4 x )mm = 4080 291 [450 0.4 291]
M = 396 106 N = 396kNm

Under, Over or Balanced?

In the previous example the steel did not yield and the section
would have failed suddenly with the concrete failing in
compression. If As the area of steel in tension were much less
then the section would have been under reinforced and the
failure would have been ductile. Somewhere in between these
two values of As is a value where the concrete is on the point of
failing just as the steel yields this situation is called balanced
design. With a balanced design

ult
x

f y Es

(d x)

for our standard assumptions as to f y , E s and ult this gives

0.0035 460 200 103

=
x
(d x )

x
= 0.603
d

In order to prevent the design of beams as over reinforced

design codes place a limit on the value of x . This is achieved

d
indirectly by placing a limit on the value of K,

K=

M
Cz
=
bd 2 f ck bd 2 f ck

K=

f ck

( 0.8 x )b( d 0.4 x )

c
=
bd 2 f ck

0.453xbf ck ( d 0.4 x )
x
x
0
.
453
1
0
.
4
=

bd f ck
d
d

Therefore the value of K is a function of x

d and hence we can

calculate the K value which corresponds to a balanced section,

K=

0.453xbf ck ( d 0.4 x )
x
x
0
.
453
1
0
.
4
=

bd 2 f ck
d
d

K = 0.453 0.603 (1 0.4 0.603) = 0.207

Hence a section can be prevented from being over reinforced by

limiting K to <0.207. In practice K is more strictly limited than
this.