Compression Steel

 the steel that is occasionally used on the

compression sides of beams
 space or aesthetic requirements
limit beams to such small sizes that
compression steel is needed in addition to
tensile steel

Compression Steel
 increases not only the resisting
moments of concrete sections but also the
amount of curvature that a member can
take before flexural failure
 Though expensive, compression steel
makes beams tough and ductile,
enabling them to withstand large
moments, deformations, and stress
reversals such as might occur during
earthquakes.

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 Doubly Reinforced Beams
 beams with both tensile and
compressive steel
 even if the compression
concrete crushes, the beam
may very well not collapse if
the compression steel is
enclosed by stirrups
 an initial assumption is made
that the compression steel
yields as well as the
tensile steel

When compression steel is used, the nominal resisting moment

of the beam is assumed to consist of two parts:
1. the part due to the resistance of the compression concrete
and the balancing tensile reinforcing
2. the part due to the nominal moment capacity of the
compression steel and the balancing amount of the
additional tensile steel

2
 it has been assumed that the compression steel has
reached its yield stress, if such is the case, the
values of As2 = As’
 If the compression steel has not yielded, As’ must
be larger than As2

FLEXURAL ANALYSIS: BEAMS REINFORCED FOR TENSION &

COMPRESSION ( DOUBLY REINFORCED BEAMS )

Criteria for adding compression reinforcement : p > 0.75pb

b STRESS DIAGRAMS STRAIN DIAGRAM

0.85fc’ 0.003
As’ d’ a As’ d’
C1=0.85fc’ab C2=As’fs’ c εs’
c-d’
d
Mu d-a/2 d-d’ Mu2
Mu1
d-c
As As2
As1
T1=As1fy T2=As2fy εs

Compression is resisted by concrete Compression is resisted by As’

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Compression reinforcement is provided to ensure ductile failure (tension
steel must yield) thus the stress in tension steel must always be equal to
fy. On the other hand the stress in compression steel may be equal to or
less than fy. This stress must always be checked.

Maximum permissible tensile steel area – NSCP states that for members
with compression reinforcement, the portion of pb equalized by
compression reinforcement need not be multiplied by the 0.75 factor thus
f s,
A s max  0 . 75 p b bd  A s'
fy
Stress in compression steel

From the strain diagram

 s' c  d' f s' a

 also
 s'  and c
200000 1
0.003 c
600(a  1d ' )
then f s' 
a

Other double reinforced beam formulas ( derived from stress

diagrams)
Mu = Mu1 +Mu2 As = As1 + As2
C1 = T 1 0.85fc’ab =As1fy
C2 = T 2 As2 fy = As’fs’
if fs’ = fy As2 =As’
Mu1 =ФO.85fc’ab(d-a/2) Mu1 = ФAs1fy(d-a/2)
Mu2 =ФAs2fy(d-d’) Mu2 =ФAs’fs’(d-d’)
If fs’=fy
Mu2 =ФAs’fy(d-d’)

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FLEXURAL ANALYSIS :DOUBLY REINFORCED BEAMS
Case 1 :Compression and Tension steel yields at failure
Given :b,d,d’,As,As’,fc’,fy
Req’d :Mu
1. Assume that compression steel yields at failure
fs’ = fy As’ = As2 As1 = As - As’
As1 f y
2. Solve for a a
0.85 fc' b
600(a  1d ' )
3. Solve for fs’ f 
'
s
a
4. If fs’ ≥ fy
Mu1 = ФAs1fy(d-a/2)
Mu2 =ФAs’fy (d-d’)
Mu = Mu1 +Mu2
5. Check for yielding of tension steel
As max  0.75pbbd  As' ≥ As

Case 2 : Compression steel does not yield at failure

tension steel yields at failure
Given :b,d,d’,As,As’,fc’,fy
Req’d :Mu
1. Assume that compression steel yields at failure
fs’ = fy As’ = As2 As1 = As - As2
2. Solve for a As 1 f y
a
0.85 fc ' b
3. Solve for fs’ 600(a  1d ' )
f 
s
'

a
4. If fs’< fy
From the stress diagrams
∑F = 0 C1 + C2 = T1 + T2
0.85fc’ab + As’fs’ = As1fy + As2fy As1fy + As2fy = Asfy
0.85fc’ab + As’fs’ = Asfy EQ.A
600(a  1d ' )
fs 
' EQ.B
a
5.Using EQ. A and EQ. B solve for a and fs’

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 6. Solve for Mu
Mu1 = Ф0.85fc’ab(d-a/2)
Mu2 =ФAs’fs’(d-d’)
Mu = Mu1 +Mu2
7. Check for yielding of tension steel
f ,
A s max  0 . 75 p b bd  A s' s ≥ As
fy

Problem#1:
Determine the permissible ultimate moment capacity of the beam
shown in figure. fc’= 20.7 MPa, fy = 345 MPa.

350 mm
2 of 28 mm Solution to Problem #1
60 mm

600 mm
 (36) 2
As  4  4071.5mm 2
4 of 36 mm 4
 (28) 2
As '  2  1231.5mm 2
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Assume that compression steel yields at failure

As 1  As  As '  4071 .5  1231 .5  2840 mm 2

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 As1 f y 2840(345)
a   159.1mm
0.85 fc' b 0.85(20.7)350

600(a  1d ' ) 600(159.1[0.85(60)])

f s'    407.67MPa f y
a 159.1

Compression steel yields at failure

159 . 1
2840 ( 345 )( 600  )
a 2
Mu 1   As 1 f y ( d  )  0 . 9  458 . 94 kN .m
2 10 6
1231 . 5 ( 345 )( 600  60 )
Mu 2   As ' f y ( d  d ' )  0 . 9  206 . 48 kN .m
10 6

Mu  Mu 1  Mu 2  458 . 94  206 . 48  665 . 42 kN .m

Problem#2:
Determine the permissible ultimate moment capacity of
the beam shown in figure. fc’= 27.5 MPa, fy = 345 MPa.

350 mm
As’ = 775mm2 63 mm

600 mm

As =3625 mm2

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 Solution to #2

As 1  As  As '  3625  775  2850 mm 2

As1 f y 2850(345)
a   120.18mm
0.85 fc' b 0.85(27.5)350

600(a  1d ' ) 600(120.18  [0.85(63)])

f s'    332.65MPa  f y
a 120.18

Compression steel does not yields at failure

∑Fx =0 0.85fc’ab + As’fs’ = Asfy

0.85(27.5)350a + 775fs’ = 3625(345)
10.56a +fs’ = 1613.7
fs’ =1613.7 – 10.56 a EQ.1

96  (96)2  4(3042.6) Mu 2   As ' fs ' ( d  d ' )

a  121.12mm
2 0 . 9 ( 775 ) 334 . 7 ( 600  63 )
Mu 2 
600(121.12  53.55) 10 6
f s' 
121.12 Mu 2  125 . 36 kN .m
M u  Mu 1  Mu 2  606 .44 kN .m
f s'  334.7MPa  f y
a
Mu 1   0 . 85 fc ' ab ( d  )
2
121 . 12
0 . 9 ( 0 . 85 )( 27 . 5 )(121 . 12 )( 350 )( 600  )
Mu 1  2
0 . 85 ( 27 . 5 ) 334 . 7 ( 600 )
6
10
pb   0 . 0365
Mu 1  481 . 08 kN .m ( 600  345 ) 345
fs '
As max  0.75 pb bd  As'  6500.6mm 2
fy