DESIGN OF CONCRETE STRUCTURES 1

1. What are the sources of uncertainties in analysis, design and construction of RC structure?
Discuss how safety is ensured against these uncertainties in USD method. (9)

2. Discuss the behavior of RC rectangular beam in flexure under increasing load by drawing neat
sketches for strain and stress distribution of uncracked, cracked and ultimate conditions. (8)

3. What is the purpose of providing minimum amount of flexural steel in beam? Write
ACI/BNBC code provisions for minimum reinforcement ratios. (5)

4. Discuss how a minimum tensile strain (Ct = 0.004) at failure is ensured by not exceeding
maximum reinforcement ratio. Also discuss the variation of <p with Ct as given in ACI/BNBC
code. (10)

5. What is the difference between under-reinforced and over-reinforced beam? Which one is
preferable and why? (5)

6. Explain briefly the class A and class B splices for tension rebars. (7)
7. Describe in brief the factors which affect the development length of tension rebars. (8)
8. Why temperature and shrinkage reinforcements are required in one-way slab? What are the
ACI/BNBC recommended ratios for such steel? (9)

9. Why is it essential to provide minimum thickness for slabs? (6)

10. Show with neat sketches the location of bar cut-off and bent points for beams for nearly
equal span and uniformly distributed load. (9)

11. Why is concrete cover over rebar important? What are the code recommended values of
cover for beams and slabs? (6)

12. Show with neat sketches the following cracks in beam and slab: (12)
(a)Shear crack, diagonal tension
(b) Shrinkage cracks
(c) Flexural cracks due to bending
(d) Bond cracks
13. What is the effect of compression steel on the ultimate strength of beam? (5)
14. What do you mean by under-reinforced, balanced and over-reinforced section in RC design?
(7)
15. Draw the stress-strain curve of concrete in compression (for different strengths) and indicate
different design parameters on it. (8)

16. State why the load factor for dead load and live load is different in USD method? (7)
17. Why strength reduction factor is used in strength design method? Why the value is different
for different cases? Explain briefly. (7)
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18. Explain the procedure, you may require for the curtailment of rebars in a cantilever beam
with variable depth. (10)

19. What do you understand by the term "serviceability" in RC design? (6)

20. What are the BNBC/ACI code provisions for beam stirrups (hoops) for moderate seismic risk
region e.g. Dhaka. (9)

21. What are the function of stirrups in beams? (6)

22. Discuss briefly the factors that influence development length of a reinforcing bar. (10)
23. What is the minimum length of lap for column splices as per ACI/BNBC code? (6)
24. Describe with neat sketches five reinforced concrete floor systems commonly used in
Bangladesh. (10)
25. Show a typical biaxial failure surface of normal density concrete. Identify the
Compression-Compression, Compression-Tension and Tension-Tension regions on the surface.
Using this failure surface, explain why the cylinder and cube specimens provide different
compressive strength and failure mode for same concrete? Also, show the failure points of
cylinder and cube on this surface. (13)

26. Derive the expression for balanced steel ratio (ρb). Show the appropriate stress and strain
distribution diagrams for your derivation. (6)

27. What is the justification of selecting strength reduction factor ϕ based on net tensile strain ϵt?
Discuss the variation of ϕ with ϵt as given in ACI code? Also, explain how ϵt controls maximum
reinforcement ratio. (10)

28. Write down the minimum thickness for RC beams and one-way slabs for different end
conditions as per ACI code. (6)

29. Describe in brief the factors affecting failure in concrete structures. (9)
30. Where the reaction from the support introduces vertical compression to the beam, the
maximum shear to be considered for design will be computed at a distance of “d” from face of
the support, explain why? (6)

31. Explain, why every rebar shall be continued at least by a distance equal to the effective depth
of the beam or 12 bar diameters (whichever is longer) beyond the point at which it is
theoretically no longer required to resist stresses? (7)

32. Show with neat sketches location of critical section for shear design for different conditions
of beam supports. (9)

33. Describe mechanism of shear resistance in RC beam without vertical stirrups. (10)
 DESIGN OF CONCRETE STRUCTURES 1

34. What are the recommendations of ACI code regarding the minimum and maximum
permissible reinforcement in beams? Explain necessity for those. (8)
35. Explain the behavior of diagonally cracked beam with vertical stirrups and hence derive the
expression for spacing of vertical stirrups of the beam. (15)

N.B. This compilation is done by analyzing previous year’s questions of last Eight years
(Batch’06 – Batch’13)

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