MOMENT CURVATURE ANALYSIS

• Reinforced concrete design calculations normally assume a simple material model for the concrete
and reinforcement to determine the moment capacity of a section. The Whitney stress block for
concrete along with an elasto-plastic reinforcing steel behavior is the most widely used material
model in American codes.
WHITNEY STRESS BLOCK

 2001 Robert Matthews

• The actual material behavior is nonlinear and can be described by idealized stress-strain models.
Caltrans Seismic Design Criteria uses the Park complex strain hardening model for reinforcing steel
behavior and Mander's confined and unconfined models for concrete behavior.

GENERAL STRESS BLOCK

 2001 Robert Matthews

• Moment curvature analysis is a method to accurately determine the load-deformation behavior of a
concrete section using nonlinear material stress-strain relationships. For a given axial load there
exists an extreme compression fiber strain and a section curvature (φ = ε / c in radians/length) at
which the nonlinear stress distribution is in equilibrium with the applied axial load. A unique bending
moment can be calculated at this section curvature from the stress distribution. The extreme
concrete compression strain and section curvature can be iterated until a range of moment-curvature
values are obtained.

• EXAMPLE 1: UNCONFINED CONCRETE SECTION

12" wide x 24" deep reinforced concrete beam

3 #9 rebars at d = 21"
axial load P = 100 kips

f'c = 5200 psi

fy = 60000 psi

o Calculate moment capacity and curvature using Whitney stress block

ΣF = 0 => 100000 = 0.85 x 5200 x 12 x a - 60000 x 3

a = 5.279
ΣM => [0.85 x 5200 x 12 x 5.279(12 - 5.279/2) + 60000 x 3(21 - 12)] / 12000 = 353.4 k-ft
β1 = 0.85 - (5.2 - 4)0.05 = 0.79
φ = 0.003 x 0.79 / 5.279 = 0.000449 rad/in

 2001 Robert Matthews

o Calculate moment-curvature using Mander unconfined concrete model

! Ultimate curvature is obtained when concrete reaches spalling strain

Mander unconfined concrete model Park reinforcing model (complex strain hardening)

Unconfined strain εc0 = 0.002 yield strain εye = 0.0023

Spalling strain εsp = 0.005 yield stress fye = 68000 psi
Unconfined stress f'c0 = 5200 psi hardening strain εsh = 0.0125
Mod of elasticity E = 4110328 psi ultimate strain εsuR = 0.09
ultimate stress fue = 95000 psi

 2001 Robert Matthews

! Calculate moment-curvature at extreme fiber compressive strain ε = 0.003

ΣF = 0. at c = 6.55" (from program iteration)

curvature φ = 0.003 / 6.55 = 0.00458 radians/inch

strain in reinforcing = 0.003 - 21 x .003 / 6.55 = -.006692

stress = -68000 psi
T = -68000 x 3 = -204000 lbs at y = 21

strain in concrete varies from 0. to 0.003 -- stress at 0.003 from Mander model:

strain 0.003
x= = = 1.5
ε c0 0.002
f 'c0 5200
E sec = = = 2600000
ε c0 0.002
Ec 4110328
r = = = 2.72
Ec − E sec 4110328 − 2900000
f ' c 0 xr 5200(1.5)(2.72)
stress = = = 4483 psi
r − 1+ x r
2.72 − 1 + 1.5 2.72

integration yields C = 305363 lbs at y = 2.653

Resultant axial load = 305 - 204 = 101 kips ≅ 100 kips Okay
eccentricity = 12 - (305.363 x 2.653 - 204 x 21) / 101.363 = 46.27 in
Moment = 101.363 x 46.27 / 12 = 390.9 k-ft

 2001 Robert Matthews

 ! Calculate moment-curvature for a range of strain values to get figure below

MOMENT-CURVATURE

500
Plastic
moment
400 Mp
Ultimate
MOMENT (K-FT)

300 φ y = φyMp/My
i curvature φu
Idealized yield
200 curvature

100

0
0 0.0001 0.0002 0.0003 0.0004 0.0005 0.0006 0.0007 0.0008
CURVATURE (RAD/IN)

 2001 Robert Matthews

! Caltrans Seismic Design Criteria parameters

# Cracked moment of inertia, Icr, may be determined from curvature at first yield of
reinforcing.

My 382.7(12)
Icr = = = 5480 in 4
Eφ y 4110.3(0.000204)

# Plastic moment, Mp, may be determined from average moment after first yield.

Mp = 387.4 k-ft (compares to 353.4 k-ft for Whitney stress block)

# Idealized yield curvature is the curvature at the elastic-plastic transition point

Mp  387.4 
φ yi = φ y = 0.000204   = 0.000206
My  382.7 

# Ultimate curvature at point when failure strain of concrete or reinforcing is reached

φu = 0.00068 at concrete spalling strain of 0.005

 2001 Robert Matthews

• EXAMPLE 2: CONFINED CONCRETE SECTION

24" diameter reinforced concrete column

12 #9 rebars at r = 14.75"
#4 spiral (ds = 0.5") at pitch st = 3"
spiral diameter to centerline Dc = 31.5 inches
axial load P = 1000 kips

o Calculate moment-curvature using Mander confined concrete model

! Concrete spalling failure is modeled outside of confinement reinforcement

! Ultimate curvature is limited by confinement reinforcement failure or longitudinal

reinforcement failure

 2001 Robert Matthews

Mander confined concrete model Park reinforcing model (complex strain hardening)

Unconfined strain εc0 = 0.002 yield strain εye = 0.0023

Confined strain = εcc yield stress fye = 68000 psi
Spalling strain εsp = 0.005 hardening strain εsh = 0.0125
Unconfined stress f'c0 = 5200 psi ultimate strain εsuR = 0.09
Confined stress = f'cc ultimate stress fue = 95000 psi
Mod of elasticity E = 4110328 psi

! Confining pressure flp is calculated based on confinement reinforcement

- The confinement stress calculations for spiral reinforcement are shown below

Acore = π (Dc)2 / 4 = π (31.5)2 / 4 = 779.3

Acc = Acore - Areinf = 779.3 - 12 = 767.3
de = Dc - (st - ds) / 2 = 31.5 - (3 - 0.5) / 2 = 30.25
Ae = π Dc x de / 4 = π (31.5) x 30.25 / 4 = 748.4
 2001 Robert Matthews
 ke = Ae / Acc = 748.4 / 767.3 = 0.975
ρs = π (ds)2 / (Dc x st) = π (0.5)2 / (31.5 x 3) = 0.00831
flp = ke x ρs x fyh / 2 = 0.975 x 0.00831 x 68000 / 2 = 275 psi

! Confined stress and strain from Mander's formulas

 7.94f lp 2f lp 
f ' cc = f ' co 2.254 1 + − − 1.254
 fco fco 
 7.95(275) 2(275) 
f ' cc = 52002.254 1 + − − 1.254 = 6899
 5200 5200 
  f ' cc     6899  
ecc = eco 5 ' − 1 + 1 = 0.0025 − 1 + 1 = 0.00527
  f co     5200  

! Maximum strain from Priestley's formula

εcu = 0.004 + 1.4 x ρs x fyh x esu / f 'cc

εcu = 0.004 + 1.4 x 0.00831 x 680000 x 0.09 / 6899 = 0.01432

- Alternately, the ultimate strain can be determined from complicated strain energy
balance formulas.

 2001 Robert Matthews

! Computer tools available for moment-curvature analysis

! XSECTION (Caltrans)

Versatile fiber model good for any section. Park material model for reinforcing steel.
Mander confined and unconfined models for concrete. DOS program uses batch
input. English units only.

! CONSEC (my program)

Integration for any combination of concrete rectangle and circular segments,

reinforcing line or arc and structural steel bar or pipe. Park and bilinear model for
reinforcing steel. Bilinear, simple and Mander confined and unconfined models for
concrete. Windows program.

! UCFyber (ZEVENT)

Extremely versatile fiber model good for any section. Various material models for
reinforcing steel and concrete. Commercial windows program.

! SEQMC (SEQAD)

Priestley's program for circular or rectangular section analysis only. Various

material models for reinforcing steel and concrete. Shareware windows program.

 2001 Robert Matthews

! XSECTION input file

xSECTION
VER._2.40,_MAR-14-99 HEADER MUST FOLLOW
LICENSE (choices: LIMITED/UNLIMITED) EXACT FORMAT
LIMITED PROVIDED BY CALTRANS
ENTITY (choices: GOVERNMENT/CONSULTANT) FOR PROGRAM TO WORK
CONSULTANT
NAME_OF_FIRM
HOLMES&NARVER
BRIDGE_NAME
RIVERSIDE_AVE_OC
BRIDGE_NUMBER
54-0623
JOB_TITLE
example 2 column analysis
*****************************************************
Subsection definition is supported by coordinates
bending parallel to x-axis (horiz.)
local x- and y- axes parallel to global X- and Y-
Units are Kips and inches

 2001 Robert Matthews

*****************************************************
concrete material model section
type 1 concrete is mander confined
type 2 concrete is mander unconfined
*****************************************************
CONC_TYPES_START CONCRETE MATERIAL
NUMBER_OF_TYPES 2 MODEL SECTION
TYPE_NUMBER 1 MODEL mander
CONFINED_SUBSECTION_SHAPE circular
CONFINED_SUBSECTION_DIAM 31.5
CONF_TYPE spiral
CONF_STEEL_TYPE 1 CONF_BAR_AREA 0.20 CONF_BAR_DIAM 0.50
CONF_BAR_SPACING 3.0
MAIN_BAR_TOTAL 12 MAIN_BAR_AREA 1.00
STRAIN_e0 0.002 STRAIN_eu 0.005 ULT_STRAIN_FACT 1.00
STRESS_f0 5.2 STRESS_fu 2.5
UNIT_WEIGHT_FACT 0.96
TYPE_NUMBER 2 MODEL unconfined_mander
STRAIN_e0 0.002 STRAIN_eu 0.005 ULT_STRAIN_FACT 1.0
STRESS_f0 5.2 STRESS_fu 2.5
UNIT_WEIGHT_FACT 0.96
CONC_TYPES_END
***************************************************** REINFORCING
reinforcing steel material model MATERIAL MODEL
Type 1 is park model for ASTM A706 Grade 60 #9 bars SECTION
*****************************************************
STEEL_TYPES_START
NUMBER_OF_TYPES 1
TYPE_NUMBER 1 MODEL park
YIELD_STRAIN 0.0023 HARDEN_STRAIN 0.0125 ULT_STRAIN 0.09
YIELD_STRESS 68.0 ULT_STRESS 95.0
MODULUS 29000.0
STEEL_TYPES_END

 2001 Robert Matthews

*****************************************************
define concrete fibers CONCRETE
subsection 1 is confined area GEOMETRY
subsection 2 is unconfined area SECTION
********************************************************
SUBSECTION_START
NUMBER_OF_SUBSECTIONS 2
SUBSECTION_NUMBER 1
SHAPE arc_strip
CENTER_GLOBAL_X_Y 0 0 START_ANGLE 0 DURATION_CCW 360
RADIUS_OUTER 15.75 RADIUS_INNER 0
NUMBER_OF_FIBERS_RADIAL 10 NUMBER_OF_FIBERS_ANGULAR 36
CONC_TYPE 1
MIRROR_4_WAYS no
SUBSECTION_NUMBER 2
SHAPE arc_strip
CENTER_GLOBAL_X_Y 0 0 START_ANGLE 0 DURATION_CCW 360
RADIUS_OUTER 18 RADIUS_INNER 15.75
NUMBER_OF_FIBERS_RADIAL 2 NUMBER_OF_FIBERS_ANGULAR 36
CONC_TYPE 2
MIRROR_4_WAYS no
SUBSECTION_END
******************************************************** REINFORCING
define reinforcing fibers GEOMETRY
******************************************************** SECTION
REBAR_LAYOUT_START
NUMBER_OF_REBAR_GROUPS 1
GROUP_NUMBER 1
LAYOUT_SHAPE circular
NUMBER_OF_REBARS 12 AREA_OF_EACH_BAR 1.00 STEEL_TYPE 1
CENTER_GLOBAL_COORD_X_Y 0 0 START_ANGLE 0. DURATION_CCW 360
RADIUS 14.75
MIRROR_4_WAYS no
REBAR_LAYOUT_END
 2001 Robert Matthews
 LOADS
SECTION
********************************************************
AXIAL_LOAD
LOAD_VALUE 1000
CENTER_OF_LOAD_APPLICATION_GLOBAL_X_Y 0 0
********************************************************
analysis control parameters
Let the cover concrete fail but stop at core concrete failure or the
first longitudinal rebar failure.
To control the initial guess of the Neutral Axis a factor is defined which
varies from 0.01 to 0.99 as shown below. This is used if there is
instablity in the moment-curvature curve.
********************************************************
ANALYSIS_CONTROL
STOP_DUE_FIRST_CONC_FAILURE no
STOP_DUE_FIRST_REBAR_FAILURE yes
BENDING_AXIS_CCW_ROTATION_DEGREES 0 ANALYSIS
NEUTRAL_AXIS_PROXIMITY_TO_COMPRESSION_EDGE 0.99 AND OUTPUT
CONVERGENCE_TOLERANCE 0.001 SECTION
*********************************************************
RESULTS_REQUESTED
MOMENT_AT_GLOBAL_X_Y 0 0
CONC_FIBER_INFO_OUTPUT yes
REBAR_FIBER_INFO_OUTPUT yes
*********************************************************

 2001 Robert Matthews

! MOMENT-CURVATURE PLOT

 2001 Robert Matthews

• REFERENCES

1. Priestley, Seible, Calvi, "Seismic Design and Retrofit of Bridges", John Wiley & Sons,1996.

2. Seyed, Lee, "Material Modeling in Section and Column Analysis", Caltrans, April 14, 1994

3. Mander, Priestley, Park, "Theoretical Stress-Strain Model for Confined Concrete, J. Struct. Eng.,
ASCE, 1988, 114(8), p. 1804-1849.

 2001 Robert Matthews