COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT ES23: MECHANICS OF DEFORMABLE BODIES

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MODULE 7: DESIGN OF COMPOSITE SECTION
Beams that are fabricated of more than one material are called composite beams.
Examples are bimetallic beams such as those wood beams with steel reinforcing plates.
Figure 7A-1a: Roof structure: composite timber–steel I-beam and rafters (© Can Stock Photo
Inc./tin)
TRANSFORMED-SECTION METHOD
The transformed-section method is an alternative procedure for analyzing the bending
stresses in a composite beam.
The method transforms the cross-section of a composite beam into an equivalent cross-
section of an imaginary beam composed of only one material. This new cross-section is
called the transformed section. Then the imaginary beam with the transformed section is
analyzed customarily for a beam of one material. As a final step, the stresses in the
transformed beam are converted to those in the original beam.

Composite beam of two materials: (a) actual cross-section, and (b) transformed section
consisting only of material 1

Figure 7A-1b: Some examples of composite, built-up, and encased sections.

Neutral Axis and Transformed Section

If the transformed beam is to be equivalent to the original beam, its neutral axis must be
located in the same place and its moment-resisting capacity must be the same.

The neutral axis of the section is determined by the sum of the first moment of area of the
transformed section about its neutral axis must be zero.
𝐸1 ∫ 𝑦𝑑𝐴1 + 𝐸2 ∫ 𝑦𝑑𝐴2 = 0 (1)
Modular ratio, n
𝐸2
𝑛=
𝐸1
∫ 𝑦1 𝑑𝐴 + ∫ 𝑦2 𝑛𝑑𝐴 = 0 (2)
The preceding equation shows that the neutral axis is unchanged if each element of area 𝑑𝐴
in material 2 is multiplied by the factor n, provided that the y coordinate for each such
element of area is not changed.

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COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT ES23: MECHANICS OF DEFORMABLE BODIES
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Moment of Inertia of transformed section Transformed Section of Rectangular Reinforced Concrete Beam
𝐼𝑇 = 𝐼1 + 𝑛𝐼2

Moment-Curvature Relationship
The moment-curvature relationship for the transformed beam must be the same as for the
original beam.
𝜎𝑥 = −𝐸1 Κ 𝑦

The moment-curvature relation for the transformed beam:

𝑀 = − ∫ 𝜎𝑥 𝑦𝑑𝐴 = − (∫ 𝜎𝑥 𝑦 𝑑𝐴) − (∫ 𝜎𝑥 𝑦 𝑑𝐴)
1 2
2 2
𝑀 = 𝐸1 Κ ∫ 𝑦 𝑑𝐴 + 𝐸2 Κ ∫ 𝑦 𝑑𝐴
𝑀 = Κ(𝐸𝐼1 + 𝐸𝐼2 )
Location of the neutral axis
Flexural stresses ℎ′
𝑀𝑦 𝑏ℎ′ ( ) − 𝑛𝐴𝑠𝑡 (𝑑 − ℎ′ ) = 0, ℎ′ =
𝜎𝑥1 = 2
𝐼𝑇
Modular ratio
𝐸𝑠
𝑀𝑦 𝑛=
𝜎𝑥2 = 𝑛 𝐸𝑐
𝐼𝑇

REINFORCED CONCRETE BEAM

Moment of Inertia of transformed section about NA.
3
𝑏ℎ′
𝐼𝑇 = + 𝑛𝐴𝑠𝑡 (𝑑 − ℎ′ )2
3

EXERCISES
SITUATION 1) A wood beam is reinforced with steel straps at its top and bottom as shown in
Figure 7A-E1. Determine the maximum bending stress developed in the wood and steel if the
beam is subjected to a moment of M = 150 kN - m. Sketch the stress distribution acting over
the cross-section. Take Ew = 10 GPa, Est = 200 GPa.

SITUATION 2) The low-strength concrete floor slab is integrated with a wide-flange A-36
steel beam using shear studs (not shown in Figure 7A-E2) to form the composite beam. If
the allowable bending stress for the concrete is 10 MPa, and the allowable bending stress for
steel is 165 MPa, determine the maximum allowable internal moment M that can be applied
to the beam.

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COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT ES23: MECHANICS OF DEFORMABLE BODIES
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Figure 7A-E1 Figure 7A-E2

SITUATION 5) A beam is constructed of two angle sections, each L 120x80x12, which

reinforce a 50mm x 200mm (actual dimensions) wood plank (see the cross-section shown in
the figure). The modulus of elasticity for the wood is 𝐸𝑤 = 8𝐺𝑃𝑎 and for the steel is 𝐸𝑠 =
200𝐺𝑃𝑎 .

Determine the allowable bending moment for the beam if the allowable stress in the wood is
10 MPa and in the steel is 110MPa. (Note: Neglect the weight of the beam)

SITUATION 3) A composite beam is made up of a wood beam

and a steel bottom cover plate Allowable stresses in wood and
steel are 6.5 MPa and 110MPa, respectively. The allowable
bending moment about the z-axis of the composite beam is
most nearly:
Properties of L120 x 80 x 12
𝑡 = 12𝑚𝑚
𝐴 = 2,269 𝑚𝑚²
SITUATION 4) Determine the allowable design moment
capacity of the beam. The compressive strength of the 𝐼 = 3.228 × 106 𝑚𝑚4
concrete is 𝜎′𝑐 = 28 𝑀𝑃𝑎. 𝑆 = 40,370 𝑚𝑚³
𝑑 = 120𝑚𝑚
Modular ratio 𝑏 = 80 𝑚𝑚
𝐸𝑠 𝑥̅ = 20.3𝑚𝑚
𝑛= = 9.0 𝑦̅ = 40.0𝑚𝑚
𝐸𝑐
The Allowable compressive stress in concrete = 0.45𝜎′𝑐 𝑀𝑃𝑎
The allowable tensile stress of steel = 160 MPa
Longitudinal Bar diameter = 16mm
Stirrup diameter = 10mm
Concrete cover = 40mm

The top bars are transformed using the equation below

(2𝑛 − 1)𝐴𝑠𝑡
The bottom bars are transformed using the equation below
𝑛𝐴𝑠𝑡

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