Iterative Solutions to Structural Engineering

Design Problems Using Mathcad

© 1998 Thomas P. Magner, P.E. All rights reserved.

Introduction Many design problems in structural engineering can only be solved by

iteration. Iteration requires assuming values for the variables, computing a
solution, computing new variables and repeating as necessary until a
satisfactory solution is calculated. An alternate to iteration is to solve for a
wide range of variables, produce tables or graphs with the solutions, and
then interpolate the tables or graphs for the specific input variables.

Mathcad can produce any required tables or graphs, but also has efficient
and reliable built-in features for iterating to a precise solution for specific
input variables, eliminating the need for tables or graphs, and interpolation.

This application illustrates the use of Mathcad's root function in calculating

a precise value for the useable load capacity of a circular reinforced
concrete column at the eccentricity of the applied load. Mathcad solve
blocks may be used in a similar manner to solve for multiple unknown
variables, such as would be required for columns with axial load and biaxial
bending.

The application also employs user defined functions, other built in Mathcad
functions, and the programming features of Mathcad. These features
enable the engineer to develop templates with generalized solutions to
recurring design problems. The templates are fully documented
"mini-programs" which can be used to solve any problem within the scope
of the application.

The user may avoid repetitive display of definitions, functions and

intermediate calculations, and show only necessary input and required
output by saving templates as reference documents. In this application
the only information required for a working design document is a reference
to the document containing the definitions and functions, and the
definitions for the input and output variables shown in the example.

1
Iteration requires guess values as a starting point. When developing an
application which will not require the user to supply the guess values, it is
usually necessary to develop a function to calculate multiple guess values
to permit the application to converge on a solution over the range of
practical input. In the application shown below the guess value for the
neutral axis location is the larger of 3/4D or the neutral axis location
without reinforcement. The guess values were determined by trial and error
and then tested over a wide range of input.

Applications using iteration should use continuous functions whenever

possible. In this application the effective stress in the reinforcing bars are
reduced in proportion to the area of the bar within the compressive stress
block to provide a continuous function for iteration. If an application has
functions with abrupt changes, the root function or solve block may not find
a solution unless the guess values are refined to place the starting values
in an acceptable range.

The application shown below computes the axial load and moment
capacity for any specified column at the eccentricity of the applied load.
The neutral axis location is determined using Mathcad's root function, and
then axial load and moment capacity are computed using stress and strain
compatibility with reinforcing bar stresses calculated for each bar.

Applications for computing interaction diagrams for circular columns have

been posted to the Collaboratory by Raoul Turnier, and to the Library
(application 191) by Paul H. Dunn. There is also an application for
computing interaction diagrams for rectangular columns in Mathcad's
electronic book "Building Structural Design: Reinforced Concrete and
Structural Steel Applications". The interested user may compare the
approach used in these applications with the application shown below.

This application follows the requirements of ACI 318-89 "Building Code

Requirements for Reinforced Concrete." (Revised 1992).

2
Circular Reinforced Concrete Columns with Axial Load and Bending

Notation

Pu factored axial load in kips

M xu factored moment about X axis in kip inches

D column diameter in inches

N number of bars, minimum of 4 bars

n standard reinforcing bar number designation,

3 through 11, 14 & 18
c distance from the extreme compression fiber to the neutral axis
in inches

ϕPn useable axial load in kips

fsp reinforcing bar stress (maximum tension or minimum

compression in ksi) for determining required type of column
splice
ρ ratio of the area of longitudinal reinforcement to the gross area of
the concrete section

Axial loads and bending moments must be greater than zero,

reinforcement ratios must be between 0.005 and 0.08, and yield
strength of reinforcement must be 80 ksi or less.

Stresses in reinforcing bars are positive for compression and

negative for tension.

3
Defined All defined variables may be saved as a reference document, or the user
Variables may define the variables in 1) and 2) for each document, and save the
remaining variables as a reference document inserted before Functions
and Calculations.
1) Compressive strength of concrete and yield strength of reinforcement, in
ksi, and clear cover of main reinforcement in inches:

 f'c fy cl   ( 4 60 3 )

2) Lateral reinforcement variable Spiral, define as 1 if spiral reinforcement used an

as 0 if circular ties are used:
Spiral  1

3) Modulus of elasticity of reinforcement in ksi and strain in the

concrete at compression failure:

 Es ε c   ( 29000 0.003 )

4) Strain in reinforcement at yield stress fy:

fy
εy  ε y  0.002069
Es

5) Factor used to calculate depth of equivalent rectangular stress block:

β1  if  f'c  4    f'c  8  0.85  0.05  f'c  4  if  f'c  4  0.85 0.65

β1  0.85

6) Reinforcing bar diameters in inches and cross section areas in square

inches:

d b  ( 0 0 0 0.375 0.5 0.625 0.75 0.875 1.00 1.128 1.27 1.41 0 0 1.693 0 0 0 2.

T
Ab  ( 0 0 0 0.11 0.20 0.31 0.44 0.60 0.79 1.00 1.27 1.56 0 0 2.25 0 0 0 4.00 )

4
Functions The functions on the following pages may be saved as a reference
document inserted before Calculations.

Distance of the reinforcing bars from the center of column measured

parallel to the axis of bending:
db
D n
coord ( D N n )  rs   cl 
2 2
for i  0  N  1
π
α  ( 2 i  1) 
i N
y  rs cos α
i  i
y
The first reinforcing bar is assumed at an angle of /N, measured
counterclockwise from the Y axis. In most cases it is impractical to
control the location of reinforcing bars in a circular column, so the assumed
locations should be in the least favorable position.

5
 Stresses in the reinforcing bars with and without reduction of 0.85 f'c for the
portion of the bar areas within the rectangular stress block zone:

f1( D N n c)  y  coord ( D N n )

D
y  y 
2

ε s  if c = 0 ( y  y )  ε y  1 

y 
  εc
  c 
for i  0  last( y )
fs  if
i ε s
i i 
 ε y ε s  Es if ε s  0 ε y Es ε y Es
i 
 db 
   fs  0.85 f'c  
n
fse  fs  0.85 f'c if y  β1 c 
i
i i  2  i
db
n
fs if y  β1 c 
i i 2
otherwise

θ  acos2 
 yi  β  c 1

i  db 
 n 

R 
1

2 π  2θi  sin2θi
i 2 π
fs  R  0.85 f'c if fs  R  0.85 f'c
i i i i
fs otherwise
i

augment fs fse

Stresses in the reinforcing bars:

0
f's( D N n c)  f1( D N n c)

Stresses in the reinforcing bars, reduced by 0.85 f'c for the portion of the bar
area within the rectangular stress block zone:

1
f'se( D N n c)  f1( D N n c)

6
Effective concrete area, and distance of the centroid from the center of the
column:

D
f2( D c)  r
2
c  D if c  D
if c  r

θ  2  acos
r  c

 r 
1 2
Ac   r  ( θ  sin( θ) )
2
 θ 
2
 1  cos  
θ  2 
y c   r sin  
4
3  
2 θ  sin ( θ)
if c  r

θ  2  acos
c  r

 r 
2
2 r  ( θ  sin( θ) )
Ac  π r 
2
 θ 
2
 1  cos  
y c   r sin  
4 θ  2 
3  2  ( 2 π  θ  sin( θ) )
 Ac yc 
T

7
Nominal axial load and moment capacity Pn and M xn:

f3( D N n c)  X  f2( D c)

Ac  X
0
yc  X
1
fse  f'se( D N n c)
y  coord ( D N n )

Pn  0.85 f'c Ac 
 f  A 
se b
n

M xn  0.85 f'c Ac y c  Ab   fse y 

n

 Pn M xn  
T

P' n( D N n c)  f3( D N n c)

0

M'xn( D N n c)  f3( D N n c)

1

8
 Useable axial load ϕPn, and moment capacity ϕMxn before reductions for

ρ  0.01, and Pn  0.8 Po for circular ties or Pn  0.85 Po for spiral reinforcement:

f4( D N n c)  X  f3( D N n c)

Pn  X
0
2
π D
Ag 
4
y  coord ( D N n )
D
y  y 
2
d  max( y )
db
n
d'  cl 
2
d  d'
γ
D
ε c d
cb 
εy  εc
Pb  P' n D N n cb
ϕc  if ( Spiral 0.75 0.7)
ϕ ϕc if ϕc Pn  0.10 f'c Ag

otherwise
cond  ( γ  0.7)   fy  60   ϕc Pb  0.10 f'c Ag
ϕc Pn
0.9   0.9  ϕc  if cond
0.10 f'c Ag
Pn
0.9   0.9  ϕc  otherwise
Pb
X  X ϕ
X ϕ
2
X

9
Useable axial load ϕPn, moment capacity ϕMxn, and splicing stress fspfor
known values of c:

f5( D N n c)  X  f4( D N n c)

ϕPn  X
0
ϕX
2
As  Ab  N
n

2
π D
Ag 
4
As
ρ
Ag
fsp  min f's( D N n c) 

Rρ  if  ρ  0.01 1  
ρ

 0.01 
Po  0.85 f'c Ag  As  fy  0.85 f'c
k  if ( Spiral 0.85 0.8)
 k  ϕ Po 
Ro  if  Rρ  ϕPn  ϕ k  Po 1  
 Rρ  ϕPn 
X  R o X
X  fsp
2
X ρ
3
X

Neutral axis location for moment about the X axis:

3
c' D N n Pu M xu  c D
4
cmin  root P' n( D N n c) c
M xu
ey 
Pu

c  max   D cmin  
3
 4 
c  root P' n( D N n c)  ey  M'xn( D N n c) c

10
Useable axial load ϕPn, moment capacity ϕMxn, and splicing stress fsp, for known
values of Pu, and M xu:

2
π D
ϕP'n D N n Pu M xu  Ag 
4
N Ab
n
ρ
Ag
c1  ( ρ  0.005 )  ( ρ  0.08)   fy  80
c2   Pu  0    M xu = 0 
T
X  (0 0 0 ρ) if ( c1  c2)
otherwise
c  c' D N n Pu M xu
X  f5( D N n c)

11
 The function ϕP'n D N n Pu M xu calculates  ϕPn ϕMxn fsp ρ , useable
T
Calculations
axial load in kips, moment capacity in kip inches, splicing stress in ksi, and
reinforcement ratio. The required input is column diameter in inches, number of
reinforcing bars, bar size number, factored axial load in kips and moment in kip
inches.

Example  f'c fy cl Spiral   ( 4 60 3 1 ) (defined variables)

D N n Pu M xu   ( 22 6 9 940 1740 )

 ϕPn ϕMxn fsp ρ   ( 0 0 0 0 ) (clear any previous output)

 ϕPn ϕMxn fsp ρ   ϕP'n D N n Pu M xu

T

 ϕPn ϕMxn fsp ρ   ( 950.796 1759.984 0.111 0.016 )

Column size and reinforcement may be changed to match capacity to the

applied load.

The template shown in the example is only one of many possible methods
for entering input and displaying output. All intermediate variables
computed by the functions may be displayed. Variables computed within
program constructs may also be displayed by altering the last line of the
construct, and revising any functions affected by the revision.

A template should define or display all input for each problem, to avoid
carrying over unintended definitions from a previous problem. When using
range variables in defining variables, the variables should be cleared of any
previously calculated values by defining them as zero before redefining.

12
Thomas Magner is a structural engineer and the author of the Mathcad
electronic book "Building Structural Design: Reinforced Concrete and
Structural Steel Applications".

Note to Mathcad Users,

I believe Mathcad has many potential applications in structural engineering

and has distinct advantages over spreadsheets or dedicated programs for
some problems. I would welcome hearing users' opinions as to why
Mathcad is not more widely used by structural engineers, suggestions for
making Mathcad more useful to structural engineers, and comments and
suggestions on this application. Please post any reply's to the
Collaboratory. I can also be contacted by e-mail at
TomMagner@Compuserve.com.

Tom Magner

End of application

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T
257 )

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