CHAPTER 2: RC FRAME STRUCTURES OF THE

LOW-RISE BUILDINGS

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 UNIT 1: GENERAL CONCEPTS

1. Definition of the low-rise building:

*number of stories <7 and H<40m
*RC frame : main load-bearing structures
2. Frame structures:
- a stable system formed by frames
- joints: the intersection between columns and beams can be hinge or rigid
3. Connections:
* Support: Fix or pin → based on the restraint of the displacements
* Joint: rigid or hinge →based on the restraint of the displacement between
the ends of frames at the intersection
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 UNIT 1: GENERAL CONCEPTS

7200
2200

3600 3600 3600 3600 3600 2200 7200

3 Layout and elevation of frames

 UNIT 1: GENERAL CONCEPTS
3. Connection (Cont’)
Note: Types of connections change the internal forces of the frame
structures → detail the connection suitable with the structural diagram
Application of connection types: rigid for cast in place structures- hinge for
precast structures
4. Types of frames
4.1 Structural types: based on the types of joints : rigid frame – hinge frame
4.2 Construction methods: cast in place frame – precast frame

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 UNIT 1: GENERAL CONCEPTS

Cast in place Precast

(rigid joints) (hinge joint)

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 UNIT 1: GENERAL CONCEPTS

Cast in place Frame Precast Frame

(rigid joints) (hinge joint)
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 UNIT 1: GENERAL CONCEPTS
5. Typical plan of the low-rise building
The behavior of the frame depends on the stiffness ratio of the building in two
directions → planar and spatial frames
Y
Y

X X

7 Planar Frame Spatial Frame

 UNIT 1: GENERAL CONCEPTS
6. Frames :Real diagram and Structural diagram:

8 Real frame Schematic diagram frame

 UNIT 1: GENERAL CONCEPTS
7. Loading distribution:
Distribute the uniform load (ex: gravity load) from slabs to frames

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 UNIT 1: GENERAL CONCEPTS
8. Advantages and disadvantages of the frame systems
For:
* Easy to analyze
* Redistribute internal forces for hyper-static systems
Against:
* Low transversal stiffness
* Complicated for joint-detailing

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 UNIT 2: DETAILING OF RIGID JOINTS

1.Joints of the frame

Requirement:
* Dimensions and steel-bar arrangement suitable
with the analytical diagram
* Concrete is not broken under local compressive
stress and steel-bar doesn’t slip
* Secure the theory “strong column- weak beam”
Joint A: Knee-joint (nút biên trên mái)- vulnerable
Joint B: T-joint (nút giữa trên mái)
Joint C: Exterior joint (nút biên ở tầng trung gian)
11 Joint D: Interior joint (nút giữa ở tầng trung gian)
 UNIT 2: DETAILING OF RIGID JOINTS
1.Joint detailing (Monolithic joint)
Joint A- Knee joint

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 UNIT 2: DETAILING OF RIGID JOINTS
1.Joint detailing
Joint A- Knee joint

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 UNIT 2: DETAILING OF RIGID JOINTS
1.Joint detailing
Joint B- T joint

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 UNIT 2: DETAILING OF RIGID JOINTS
1.Joint detailing
Joint C- Exterior joint

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 UNIT 2: DETAILING OF RIGID JOINTS
1.Joint detailing
Joint D- Interior joint

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 UNIT 2: DETAILING OF RIGID JOINTS

2. Support: Junction of column and foundation ( Joint E-F)

3. Joint “beam to beam” (form ^)
Close space stirrups required in x =1/2[h.tg(3θ/8)] from the top of the
joint or in the open angle α1=3θ/4 and the tensile reinforcement need
to be anchored to compressive concrete
The joint detail is required if the resultant forces of the tensile steel go
outwards
Example: Support beam of a walking stair: one joint is required for a
strengthening detailing - one joint is not required
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 UNIT 2: DETAILING OF RIGID JOINTS
2. Support: Junction of column and foundation (Joint E,F)

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 UNIT 2: DETAILING OF RIGID JOINTS
Joint “beam to beam”
Note: M+ required

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 UNIT 2: DETAILING OF RIGID JOINTS
Joint for seismic resistance

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 UNIT 3: DETAILING OF PRECAST JOINTS

1. Requirement of the precast joint

* Simply detailing, easy to be constructed
* Suitable with the structural diagram
* Joint is formed at the position where the internal forces are small
2. For-Against
For: Fast to finish, high accuracy → Industrial workshop
Against: Skilled worker, smaller stiffness, more costly to be built than
monolithic joint
3. Typical precast connections
Bridge-crane beam -column; Roof beam - column; Column-foundation;
21 Column-column
 UNIT 3: DETAILING OF PRECAST JOINTS

3. Typical precast connections

Bridge-crane beam -column; Roof beam - column; Column-foundation;
Column-column

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 UNIT 4: DESIGN OF RC FRAME STRUCTURES FOR
THE LOW-RISE BUILDINGS

1.Setup the structural diagram:

1.1 Select the structure types
Load-bearing frame (selected), Frame-shear wall, Frame-shear wall-core
1.2 Setup the structural plan
Basic principles:
* Choose rational slab thickness→ arrange the supporting beams
* Choose rational beam dimensions → arrange the supporting columns
* Arrange the beam under the walls
* Column grid suitable with the architectural plan and hbeam not to great
Classify: planar and spatial frames: based on the stiffness of the building in 2
23 directions and moment of columns with 2 axes (when B1>>B2)
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 UNIT 1: GENERAL CONCEPTS
Planar or spatial frame
The behavior of the frame depends on the stiffness ratio of the building in two
directions → planar and spatial frames
Y
Y

X X

25 Planar Frame Spatial Frame

 UNIT 4: DESIGN OF RC FRAME STRUCTURES FOR
THE LOW-RISE BUILDINGS

2. Preliminary select the section dimensions:

2.1 Slab: hb=(1/30 – 1/45)lshort- multiple of 10mm
2.2 Beam: hd=(1/10 – 1/14)ld- multiple of 50mm; bd=(0.25 – 0.4)hd –
multiple of 50mm
2.3 Column
* Based on the strength condition → Ab
* Based on the stable condition: λ ≤ λgh
* Construction condition: hc – multiple of 50mm ; bc depends on the
architect and bd

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 UNIT 4: DESIGN OF RC FRAME STRUCTURES FOR
THE LOW-RISE BUILDINGS

Example: Structural Plan

C1-22x22 D2 C1-22x22 D2-22x30 C1-22x22 C1-22x22
A
22x30
C2-22x40 D1 C2-22x40 D1-22x30 C2-22x40
B
DCT-22x30
K1

K2

K3

K2

D5-22x60 D4-22x30
D5-22x60
D3
K4

K5

K6

K2
22x30

K7

K8
CÇu
Thang

C3-22x40 D1 C3-22x40 D1-22x30 c3-22x40

C

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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 UNIT 4: DESIGN OF RC FRAME STRUCTURES FOR
THE LOW-RISE BUILDINGS

3. Setup the structural scheme of the designed frame (Frame axis 3-K3):
3.1 Real diagram of the frame:
Definition: architectural axis, story height, cos ±0.00, ground cos, foundation
cos, structural axis.
3.2 Structural diagram of the frame – analytical diagram
* Columns’ Axes are not coincident
* Beam’ Axes are not coincident
3.3 Model the connection between columns and footings
Support: Fix or Pin

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 UNIT 4: DESIGN OF RC FRAME STRUCTURES FOR
THE LOW-RISE BUILDINGS

Structural axis

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 UNIT 4: DESIGN OF RC FRAME STRUCTURES FOR
THE LOW-RISE BUILDINGS

4.Loads transferring to the designed frameK3:

4.1 Dead Load: Self-weigh of Slab; Beam; Wall; Column
4.1.1 Slab Self-weight
* Transfer to D31-D32 of K3 in triangle or trapezoidal load forms
* Transfer to column C3A-3B-3C through DA, DB , DC in concentrated
load form
4.1.2 Beam Self weight
* Transfer to D31-D32 of K3 in uniform load form
* Transfer self weights of DA,DB, DC to column C3A-3B-3C in
concentrated load forms
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 UNIT 4: DESIGN OF RC FRAME STRUCTURES FOR
THE LOW-RISE BUILDINGS

DA DB DC

D31 D32

Slab Wall Along structures: slab, beam, wall, column

31 D31 D32
 UNIT 4: DESIGN OF RC FRAME STRUCTURES FOR
THE LOW-RISE BUILDINGS

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 UNIT 4: DESIGN OF RC FRAME STRUCTURES FOR
THE LOW-RISE BUILDINGS

4.Loads transferring to the designed frameK3 (cont’):

4.1 Dead Load: Self-weigh of Slab; Beam; Wall; Column
4.1.3 Wall self-weight
* Transfer to D31-D32 of K3 in uniform load form
* Transfer to column C3A-3B-3C through DA-DB-DC in concentrated load
form
4.1.4 Column self-weight
* Transfer self-weights of column to C3A-3B-3C top as concentrated load
form

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 UNIT 4: DESIGN OF RC FRAME STRUCTURES FOR
THE LOW-RISE BUILDINGS

4.Loads transferring to the designed frameK3 (cont’):

4.2 Live Load: Nominal value of Live load p*tc→ Design value p*s= n* p*tc
Transfer similar to the self-weight of slab
In L1 span
* Transfer to D31of K3 in triangle or trapezoidal load forms
* Transfer to column C3A-3B through DA-DB in concentrated load form
In L2 span
* Transfer to D32of K3 in triangle or trapezoidal load forms
* Transfer to column C3B-3C through DB-DC in concentrated load form
Note: Live load is divided into 2 load cases
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 UNIT 4: DESIGN OF RC FRAME STRUCTURES FOR
THE LOW-RISE BUILDINGS

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 UNIT 4: DESIGN OF RC FRAME STRUCTURES FOR
THE LOW-RISE BUILDINGS

4.Loads transferring to the designed frameK3 (cont’):

4.3 Wind load:
* Introduce : Static and dynamic components of wind load
* Formulae for determine the static component of wind load
W=n.Wo.C.k
*Wind loads for the i story of K3 include forward wind qđj and suction qhj:
qđj=n.Wo.Cđ.ktầng.B và qhj=n.Wo.Ch.ktầng.B
* Wind load on the roof wall convert into a concentrated load at the top of the
K3: Wđmái =n.Wo.Cđ.ktầng.B.Htm và Whmái =n.Wo.Ch.ktầng.B.Htm
Note: 2 wind load cases: Right wind and Left wind
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 UNIT 4: DESIGN OF RC FRAME STRUCTURES FOR
THE LOW-RISE BUILDINGS

5 Load Cases of K3

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 UNIT 4: DESIGN OF RC FRAME STRUCTURES FOR
THE LOW-RISE BUILDINGS

5. Determine the internal forces of the designed frame

Using the knowledge to draw the internal force diagrams or using
computational programs (SAP, ETABS...)
Each load case generates its internal forces
Internal forces include: M, N, Q
Final : Total 15 diagrams: 5M- 5N- 5Q
Note: Checking the accuracy by estimating the total shear force or total axial
forces at the supports

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 UNIT 4: DESIGN OF RC FRAME STRUCTURES FOR
THE LOW-RISE BUILDINGS

6. Internal force combinations: LL can be imposed or not

Objective: To find the most dangerous internal forces of each element that
can be occurred
Vietnamese standard: 2 fundamental combinations
*THCB1(IFC1): DL + 1.0 LL (the most dangerous LL)
*THCB2(IFC2): DL + 0.9ΣLL ( all dangerous LLs)
0.9 : combination factor
Example:
IFC1 : DL + WL; DL + LL1, DL + LL2 DL + LL1+ LL2 ???
IFC2 : DL + 0.9(LL1 + WL); DL + 0.9(LL2 + WL)
39 Note: LL1+LL2 : one LL case - WL : one LL case
 6. Internal force combination

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 6. Internal force combination for beams

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 6. Internal force combination for columns

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 UNIT 4: DESIGN OF RC FRAME STRUCTURES FOR
THE LOW-RISE BUILDINGS

7.Reinforcement design:
For beams: Design at 3 sections.
*Each section: (Mmax → As+ ); (Mmax- → As- ) and (Qmax → stirrups)
For columns:
*Longitudinal reinforcement: symmetrical at the cross section and the same
of the whole column length
* Stirrups: minimum requirement
*Select 3 dangerous couples of 12 couples to design ( 6 couples at each
end) : C1 Mmax; C2 Nmax; C3 eomax
Note: elements have the approximate internal forces → same reinforcement
43 8. Joint detailing