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PCD Example

The document provides an example problem of determining an appropriate rectangular cross-section for a simply supported beam carrying various loads. It calculates the moments at transfer and service and checks the section modulus requirements at the top and bottom fibers. Adopting trial dimensions, it determines that a 250 mm width x 609 mm depth section satisfies the section modulus requirement and should be used for the beam.

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Denice Castro
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
154 views

PCD Example

The document provides an example problem of determining an appropriate rectangular cross-section for a simply supported beam carrying various loads. It calculates the moments at transfer and service and checks the section modulus requirements at the top and bottom fibers. Adopting trial dimensions, it determines that a 250 mm width x 609 mm depth section satisfies the section modulus requirement and should be used for the beam.

Uploaded by

Denice Castro
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Civil Engineering Design (1)

Example

Problem
The single-span, simply-supported beam shown below carried the loads as shown.
Taking the losses to be 25% and:
• permissible tensile stresses are 2.5 N/mm2 at transfer and 2.0 N/mm2 in
service;
• permissible compressive stresses are 20 N/mm2 at transfer and at service.
Determine an appropriate rectangular section for the member taking the density of
prestressed concrete to be 25 kN/m3.

Solution
We will check the requirements at the critical section which is at mid-span. To
determine an approximate initial transfer moment, M t , we estimate the section depth
based on a span depth ratio of, say, 15:

9000
dtrial 600 mm
15

Try this with a width of 250 mm, which is a practical minimum. Hence, the sefl
weight load is:

34 Dr. C. Caprani
Civil Engineering Design (1)

wsw 25 0.6 u 0.25 3.75 kN/m

At transfer only self weight is present. Therefore:

wL2 3.75 u 92
Mt 38 kNm
8 8

At service the moment is:

Ms
wL2 >3.75  5  20@ u 9 2

291 kNm
8 8

Check the section modulus at the top fibre:

Ms DMt
Zt t
f sc  D f tt
291  0.75 u 38
Zt t
20  0.75 2.5
Z t t 12.0 u 106 mm3

And at the bottom:

Ms DMt
Zb t
D ftc  f st
291  0.75 u 38
Zb t
0.75 20  2.0
Z b t 15.4 u 106 mm3

35 Dr. C. Caprani
Civil Engineering Design (1)

If the section is to be rectangular, then Z b Z t and so the requirement for Z b


governs:

bh 2
Z t 15.4 u 106
6

Keeping the 250 mm width:

250h 2
t 15.4 u 106
6
6 15.4 u 106
ht
250
h t 609 mm

Thus adopt a 250 mm × 650 mm section.

Note that this changes the self weight and so the calculations need to be performed
again to verify that the section is adequate. However, the increase in self weight is
offset by the larger section depth and hence larger section modulii which helps reduce
stresses. These two effects just about cancel each other out.
Verify This

36 Dr. C. Caprani

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