Basic Reinforced Concrete design

(Using Limit States Method)

Lecture 1 – Introducing Design Method: LSM

Courtesy: Some images are sourced from the internet for demonstration purposes.
Content
• Introduction
• Design considerations
• Design Methods
• Introduction to Limit State Method
o Types of Limit States
o Characteristic strength and Characteristic load
o Multiple (or Partial) safety factor (for materials and loads)
o Design stress-strain curve for concrete
o Design stress-strain curve for reinforcing steel
Introduction
• In order to learn to design reinforced concrete structures, it is
desirable to begin with an understanding of the basic materials,
viz. concrete (including its ingredients) and reinforcing steel.
• Concrete Technology
• Concrete ingredients - Cement, Aggregate, Water, Admixture
• Grade of Concrete - The quality or grade of concrete designated in terms of
a number, which denotes its characteristic compressive strength
• Concrete design mix – Nominal & Design mix
• Stress-Strain Curves
• Modulus of elasticity
Introduction
• In order to learn to design reinforced concrete structures, it is
desirable to begin with an understanding of the basic materials,
viz. concrete (including its ingredients) and reinforcing steel.
• Reinforcing Steel
• Types, sizes and grades
• Stress-strain curves
Design Considerations
The aim of structural design is to design a structure so that it fulfils
its intended purpose during its intended lifetime and has the
following:
a) Adequate safety (in terms of strength, stability and structural integrity),
b) Adequate serviceability (in terms of stiffness, durability, etc.) and
c) Economy
Design Methods
Historically there are three methods of design which are being used to
design RC structures –
• Working Stress Method
• Ultimate Load Method
• Limit State Method (Will be studied in detail in this course)
Introduction to Limit State Method (LSM)
• Advancement over the traditional design philosophies.
• Unlike working stress method which is based on calculation at service load
conditions alone,
• And unlike ultimate load method which is based on calculations on ultimate
load conditions alone,
• Limit state method aims for a comprehensive and rational solution to the
design problem, by considering safety at ultimate load and serviceability at
working loads
Introduction to Limit State Method (LSM)
“A limit state is a state of impending failure, beyond which a structure ceases to
perform its intended function satisfactorily, in terms of either safety or
serviceability” i.e., it either collapses or becomes unserviceable.

Types of Limit States

There are two types of limit states :
1. Ultimate limit states (or ‘limit states of collapse’), which deal with strength,
overturning, sliding, buckling, fatigue fracture, etc.
2. Serviceability limit states, which deal with discomfort to occupancy and/or
malfunction, caused by excessive deflection, crack-width, vibration, leakage,
etc., and also loss of durability, etc.
Introduction to Limit State Method (LSM)
Other limit states
• Excessive vibration: which may cause discomfort or alarm as well as damage.

• Fatigue: must be considered if cyclic loading is likely.

• Fire resistance: this must be considered in terms of resistance to collapse,

flame penetration and heat transfer.

• Special circumstances: any special requirements of the structure which are

not covered by any of the more common limit states, such as earthquake
resistance, must be taken into account.
Introduction to Limit State Method (LSM)
Characteristic strength and Characteristic load

In normal design calculations, a single value is usually used for each load and
for each material property, with a margin to take care of all uncertainties.
Such a value is termed the characteristic strength (or resistance) or
characteristic load.
“Characteristic strength, fck, of concrete is the value of cube/cylinder strength,
below which not more than five per cent of the test values may fall.”
“Characteristic load is defined as the load that is not expected to be exceeded
with more than five percent probability during the lifespan of a structure.”
Introduction to Limit State Method (LSM)
Multiple Safety Factor Formats
The objective of limit states design is to ensure that the probability of any limit
state being reached is acceptably low.
This is made possible by specifying appropriate multiple safety factors for each
limit state
The multiple safety factor format adopted by the IS Code is called partial safety
factor format, which may be expressed as follows:
Introduction to Limit State Method (LSM)
Multiple (or Partial) Safety Factor Formats
The multiple safety factor format adopted by the IS Code is called partial safety
factor format, which may be expressed as follows:

Where,
0.67fck fy
Rd = For Concrete & (For steel)
γc γs
Sd = Design load effect computed for the enhanced loads involving separate
partial load factors γD (for dead load), γL (for live load), γQ (for wind or
earthquake load)
Introduction to Limit State Method (LSM)
Multiple (or Partial) Safety Factor Formats

Where,
0.67fck fy
Rd = For Concrete & (For steel)
γc γs
Sd = Design load effect computed for the enhanced loads involving separate
partial load factors γD (for dead load), γL (for live load), γQ (for wind or
earthquake load)
0.67fck = Nominal compressive strength of concrete
fy = Nominal yield strength of steel
Introduction to Limit State Method (LSM)
Multiple (or Partial) Safety Factors (for materials)
The design strength of concrete or reinforcing steel is obtained by dividing the
characteristic strength by the appropriate partial safety factor.
For ultimate limit states, the Code specifies γc= 1.5 and γs = 1.15
Note: A higher partial safety factor has been assigned to concrete, compared to
reinforcing steel, evidently because of the higher variability associated with it.
For serviceability limit states, γc = γs = 1.0
Introduction to Limit State Method (LSM)
Multiple (or Partial) Safety Factors (for loads)
Three different load combinations have been specified (Cl. 36.4.1 of Code)
involving the combined effects of dead loads (DL), ‘imposed’ or live loads (LL)
and wind/earthquake loads (QL).
Introduction to Limit State Method (LSM)
Design Stress-Strain Curve for Concrete
 Introduction to Limit State Method (LSM)
Design Stress-Strain
Curve for Concrete

Original stress-strain curve of Mild steel

Introduction to Limit State Method (LSM)
Design Stress-Strain
Curve for Concrete

Original stress-strain curve of HYSD bar

To be continued…
References
• Reinforced concrete design by Pillai & Menon
• Reinforced concrete design by P.C. Varghese
• Reinforced concrete design by N. Subramanian
• https://www.engineersdaily.com/2014/04/structural-systems-in-
reinforced-concrete-buildings.html
Thank You