Continuous Beams

Analyses of Continuous Beams

At construction joints, special care is taken to bond the new concrete to the old by carefully
cleaning the latter, by extending the reinforcement through the joint, and by other means. As a
result, reinforced concrete structures usually represent monolithic, or continuous, units. But with
continuity from one member to the next through the support regions, as in continuous beam (fig.
1.1), the distortion caused by a load on one single span is seen to spread to all other spans,
although the magnitude of deformation decreases with increasing distance from the loaded
member.
w

A B C D E F G
Figure 1.1.1 Deflected shape of continuous beams

To find the maximum bending moment in span AB, say, we put the maximum load (i.e.
unfavorable permanent plus variable load) in spans AB and alternate spans to AB (CD, EF). The
remaining spans are loaded with minimum load (favorable permanent load only). To get the
maximum hog moment at support B, we put the maximum load in spans AB and BC and in
spans alternate to BC (DE, FG). The remaining spans are loaded with minimum load.

Plastic Moment Redistribution

Reinforced concrete member with bending (i.e. beams and slabs) are designed to have certain
ductility under ultimate loads. This ductility ensures that the member is capable of undergoing a
certain amount of rotation after yielding of tension steel reinforcement and before crushing of the
concrete. The portion of idealized moment-curvature relationship between y and ult represents
the ductility (Fig. 1.2b). A limitation on the neutral axis depth is the mechanism by which
ductility is guaranteed by EBCS-2 (cl. 3.7.9). When members in bending have this ductility, they
have the potential to continue to resist load beyond the time of initial yield.

0
 M M

Mult Yielding of steel Yield point

My Crushing of concrete My, Mult

Crushing of concrete

EcIc
1
EcIc
1
Mcr
Cracking of concrete

EcIu
1

cr y ult  y ult 

(a) Actual (a) Idealized

Figure 1.2 Moment/curvature relationship for reinforced concrete beam

Plastic moment redistribution is an approximate method by which the elastic bending moment
diagram is adjusted to account for the ductile behavior of reinforced members in bending. EBCS-
2 allows the original elastic moment in continuous members to be reduced by an amount of up to
30 %. The precise amount of redistribution allowed is dependent on the grade of concrete and on
the ductility characteristics of the reinforcement as well as the neutral axis depth.

According to EBCS-2:
 Moments obtained from linear analyses may be reduced by multiplying by the following
reduction coefficient  provided that the moments are increased in other sections in order to
maintain equilibrium.
 For continuous beams and for beams in rigid jointed braced frames with span/effective depth
not greater than 20,
 = 0.44 + 1.25(x/d)
The neutral axis height, x, is calculated at the ultimate limit state and the term (x/d) refers to
the section where the moment is reduced.
 For other continuous beams and rigid jointed braced frames.
  0.75
 For sway frames with slenderness ratio  of columns less than 25.
  0.9

1
 Based on EBCS-2: Part 2
x
kx 
d
From design moment in a beam
M d  0.8 f cd bd 2 m10.4 m 
x
but m   kx
d
Md
  0.8 f cd k x 1  0.4k x 
bd 2

Md Md b
Again , k m2   km 
bd 2 d
or k m2  0.8 f cd k x 1  0.4k x 
0.8x Cc
z
kz  , k z  1  0.4k x d
d z
1 ks M d
ks  and As1 
k z f yd d Ts

Where: kx = relative depth of neutral axis

km = guide value to determine ks
kz = relative lever arm between Cc and Ts
ks = coefficient used for determining the area of tension reinforcement.
For instance for 0% redistribution, the reduction coefficient, , becomes:
  1.0  0.0  1.0
 1.0  0.44  1.25k x
0.56
 kx   0.448
1.25

2
Example 1
The bending moment diagram for the two span beam of figure E 1.2a derived using an elastic
method of analysis is illustrated in Figure E 1.2b. Two arrangements of reinforcement are
available for design two 20mm diameter bars giving a moment capacity of 254kNm, or two
25mm diameter bars giving a moment capacity of 306 kNm. As the beam cross-section is
rectangular either pair of bars can be placed near the top of the section to resist hog or near the
bottom to resist sag. Using plastic moment redistribution, determine the most suitable
arrangement of reinforcement if the factored ULS load, P is 150kN and L is 10m.

P P

6 PL
y-y
 281
x-x 32
L L L L
2 A C
2 2 2 B
5PL
 235 235
32
(a) Geometry and Loading

(b) Elastic bending moment

225 diagram
A B C

220 220

(c) Reinforcement to resist

elastic moments Figure 1.2

Solution
In the problem MsB = 281kNm (Hog)
MsAB = 235kNm (Sag)
Moment capacity at the support for the reinforcement provide (225), MRB = 306kNm
Since MRB > MsB  safe
6 PL 32 * 281
Load corresponding to MsB  281  P  149.87
32 6 *10

3
Let’s use 220 bars and allow a plastic hinge to form at te support.
Determination of the critical load, Ppl, that leads to the formation of hinge.
6 PpR L 254 * 32
 254  Ppl   135.47kN
32 6 *10
The corresponding span moments become:
5Pcr L 5 *135.47 *10
MABsp =   211.67kNm
32 32
The remaining load, P-Ppl = 14.4kN is supported after plastic hinge is formed (the two spans
becoming SS spans)

14.4k 14.4k
N N

( P  Ppl ) L 14.4 *10

MABmax =   36kNm
4 4

Increase in span moment is 36kNm

After redistribution
MAB = 211.67 + 36 = 247.67 kNm < 254kNmsafe.