Working Stress Design

Engr. Dante L. Nebit

Working Stress Design
Working Stress Design Method is a method used for the reinforced
concrete design where concrete is assumed as elastic, steel and
concrete act together elastically where the relationship between loads
and stresses is linear .
Assumptions of Working Stress Design
1. Plane Section before bending will remain plane after bending
2. Bond between steel and concrete is perfect with in elastic limit of
steel
3. The steel and concrete behaves as linear elastic material
4. All tensile stresses are taken by reinforcement and none by
concrete
5. The stresses in steel and concrete are related by a factor known as
“modular ratio”
6. The Stress-strain relationship of steel and concrete is a Straight line
under working load
Phil. Standard Reinforcing Bars
Ph Standard Designation Near ASTM Designation Nominal Sectional Area Unit Weight
(mm^2) (kg/m )
10 mm #3 (3/8”) 78.54 0.616
12 mm #4 (1/2”) 113.10 0.888
16 mm #5(5/8”) 201.10 1.579
20 mm #6(3/4”) 314.20 2.466
25 mm #8(1”) 491.90 3.854
28 mm #9(1 1/8”) 615.75 4.833
32 mm #10(1 1/4”) 804.25 6.313
36 mm #11(1 3/8”) 1017.90 7.991
Minimum Cover for Cast In Place Concrete Recommended
By ACI Code
(ACI 318M-83)
A) If concrete not exposed to the weather:
For beams and columns
For slabs, walls, joists, with No. 35 bars or smaller
For slabs, walls,, and joists with No. 45 or No. 55 bars
For shells and folded plate with No. 20 or larger bars
For slabs and folded plate members with No. 10 or No. 15 bars

B) If concrete exposed to the weather:

If reinforcing bars are No. 20 or larger
If reinforcing bars are No. 10 or No. 15

C) In all concrete casts directly on the earth

Minimum Thickness of Slabs
a) Slabs without beams or drop panels
b) Slabs without beams but with drop panels
c) Slabs with beams on all four edges

Temp. Bars for slabs. (Area requirements)

𝐴𝑠 = 0.002 bt for grade 300 bars
𝐴𝑠 = 0.0018 bt for grade 400 bars
Clear distance between bars
a) Not less than the bar diam. Nor 25 mm for beams
b) Not less than 1.5 bar diam. Nor 40 mm for columns
c) When bars are placed in several layers, the clear distance between layers must not b less than
25 mm.

Maximum spacing of main reinforcing bars in slabs and walls is equal to 3 times the wall or slabs thickness or
500 mm whichever is smaller.
Smaller of tie wires for columns:
a) Not more than 16 bar diameter
b) Not more than 48 tie diameter
c) Not more than the least dimension of the cross-section

Modulus of Elasticity of Concrete:

𝐸𝑐 = 𝑤𝑐1.5 0.043 𝑓𝑐 ' MPa for values of 𝑤𝑐 between 1500- 2500 kg/𝑐𝑚3
𝐸𝑐 = 4700 𝑓𝑐 ' for normal density concrete
𝑓𝑐 = 0.45 𝑓𝑐 '
𝑓𝑐 = 165 MPa for grade 400
𝑓𝑐 = 165 MPa for grade 300
1
The ratio 0.45 gives a factor of safety of = 2.22
0.45
𝐸𝑠 = 2 040 000 kg/𝑐𝑚2
𝐸𝑠 = 200 000 MPa for all types of steel
ALLOWABLE STRESSES IN CONCRETE (S.I. VERSION)
(ACI 318-63)

Description Symbol 𝑓𝑐 ' = 17.78 MPa 𝑓𝑐 ' = 20.73 MPa 𝑓𝑐 ' = 27.65 MPa
Modulus of

𝐸𝑠
Elasticity: n=
𝐸𝑐
10 9 8

Flexure:
Compression 𝑓𝑐 = 0.45𝑓𝑐 ' 7.78 9.33 12.44
Tension in
Plain Conc.

Footing & Walls 𝑓𝑐 = 0.13 𝑓𝑐 ' 0.54 0.59 0.68

Shear:
Diagonal tension
At distance "d" from

Face of support v = 0.09 𝑓𝑐 0.37 0.41 0.47

Joist with no

'Veb reinforcement v= 0.10 𝑓𝑐 ' 0.42 0.46 0.53

Punching Shear 𝑣𝑝 = 0.17 𝑓𝑐 ' 0.71 0.77 0.89

at distance "d" /2

Bearing:
On full area 𝑓𝑐 = 0.25𝑓𝑐 ' 4.32 5.18 6.91

On one third 𝑓𝑐 = 0.375𝑓𝑐 ' 6.48 7.77 10.37

area or less
ALLOWABLE STRESSES IN CONCRETE
(METRIC SYSTEM)
(ACI 318-63)

Description Symbol 𝑓𝑐 ' = 17.78 MPa 𝑓𝑐 ' = 20.73 MPa 𝑓𝑐 ' = 27.65 MPa
Modulus of
𝐸𝑠
Elasticity: n=
𝐸𝑐
10 9 8

Flexure:
Compression 𝑓𝑐 = 0.45𝑓𝑐 ' 79 94 .8 128.5

Plain Conc.
Footing & Walls 𝑓𝑐 = 0.424 𝑓𝑐 ' 5.63 6.16 7.11

Shear:
Diagonal tension
At distance "d" from
face of support v = 0.292 𝑓𝑐 ' 3.87 4.24 4.89
Joist with no

Punching Shear 𝑣𝑝 = 0.53 𝑓𝑐 ' 7.03 7.73 8.84

for slabs and footings

Bearing:
On full area 𝑓𝑐 = 0.25𝑓𝑐 ' 44 52.7 70.3

On one third 𝑓𝑐 = 0.375𝑓𝑐 ' 66 79.1 105.5

area or less
Allowable Stresses (Working Stress Design)
A) Modulus of Elasticity Of Concrete:
𝐸𝑐 = 4730 𝑓𝑐 ' MPa (S.I. System)
𝐸𝑐 = 15100 𝑓𝑐 ' kg/𝑐𝑚2 (MKS System)

B) Modulus of Elasticity of Steel:

𝐸𝑠 = 200 000 MPa (S.I. System)
𝐸𝑠 = 2 040 000 kg/𝑐𝑚2 (MKS System)

C) Allowable Shearing Stress:

𝑣𝑎 = 0.09 𝑓𝑐 ' MPa (S.I. System)
𝑣𝑎 = 0.29 𝑓𝑐 ' kg/𝑐𝑚2 (MKS System)

D) Allowable Punching Stress:

𝑣𝑝 = 0.17 𝑓𝑐 ' MPa (S.I. System)
𝑣𝑝 = 0.53 𝑓𝑐 ' kg/𝑐𝑚2 (MKS System)
Allowable Stresses (Working Stress Design)
E) Allowable Bond Stress:

1) For top bars in tension:

7.18 𝑓𝑐 ′
𝑈𝑎 = MPa (S.I. System)
𝐷

2.29 𝑓𝑐 ′ 𝑘𝑔
𝑈𝑎 = (MKS System)
𝐷 𝑐𝑚2
2) Other than top bars in tension:
10.14 𝑓𝑐 ′
𝑈𝑎 = MPa (S.I. System)
𝐷

3.23 𝑓𝑐 ′ 𝑘𝑔
𝑈𝑎 = (MKS System)
𝐷 𝑐𝑚2
3) For all compression bars:
𝑈𝑎 = 0.54 𝑓𝑐 ' MPa (S.I. System)
𝑘𝑔
𝑈𝑎 = 1.70 𝑓𝑐 ' (MKS System)
𝑐𝑚2
ALLOWABLE BOND STRESS
(ACI 318-63)
1. For tension bars with sizes and deformations conforming to ASTM A305 Top bars (horizontal bars placed
that more than 300 mm of concrete is cast in the member below the bar.

7.18 𝑓𝑐 ′ 2.29 𝑓𝑐 ′ 𝑘𝑔
Top bars…u = nor 2.42 MPa …u = nor 24.6
𝐷 𝐷 𝑐𝑚2

Bars other than

10.14 𝑓𝑐 ′ 3.23 𝑓𝑐 ′ 𝑘𝑔
Top bars . . . u = nor 3.46 MPa . . . u = nor 35.2
𝐷 𝐷 𝑐𝑚2

𝑘𝑔
For plain bars, use one half of these values but not more than 1.11 MPa or 11.25 .
𝑐𝑚2

2. For tension bars with sizes and deformations conforming to ASTM A408

𝑘𝑔
Top bars . . . u = 0.18 𝑓𝑐 ' MPa . . . u = 0.556 𝑓𝑐 '
𝑐𝑚2

𝑘𝑔
Both other top bars . . . u = 0.25 𝑓𝑐 ' MPa . . . u = 0.795 𝑓𝑐 '
𝑐𝑚2

3. For all deform compression bars:

𝑘𝑔
u = 0.54 𝑓𝑐 ' nor 2.76 MPa . . . . . . . . u = 1.72 𝑓𝑐 ' nor 28.1 𝑐𝑚2
STRIGHT LINE OR ELASTIC-ROAD THEORY
This is based from the assumption that plane sections remain plane and normal to the longitudinal fiber stress
before and after bending and that both materials are elastic. The stress of concrete varies from 𝑓𝑐 in the extreme
fiber to zero at the neutral axis.

𝑓𝑐 = compressive unit stress on the concrete at the surface most remote from the
neutral axis.
𝑓𝑐 = tensile unit stress in the longitudinal reinforcement.
b = width of beam
d = depth from the center of the steel bars to the extreme fiber of concrete.
𝑘𝑑 = distance from the neutral axis to the extreme fiber of concrete.
𝑗𝑑 = distance between the compressive force C and tensile force T.
𝐴𝑠 = cross-section area of steel bars.
p = ratio of the area of steel to that of the effective area of concrete.
𝑀𝑐 = resisting moment of concrete.
𝑀𝑠 = resisting moment of steel.
𝐸𝑠 = modulus of elasticity of concrete.
∆c = deformation per unit length of concrete.
∆s = deformation per unit length of steel.
n = ratio of modulus of elasticity of steel to that of concrete.
𝑈𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑆𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠
Modulus of Elasticity=
𝑈𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝐷𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛
𝑓𝑐 ’ ∆c

kd C
𝑓𝑠
𝐸𝑠 = N.A.
𝛥𝑠
𝑓𝑠
𝛥𝑠 = d
𝐸𝑠
𝑓𝑐 d-kd jd
𝐸𝑐 =
𝛥𝑐
𝑓 As
𝛥𝑐 = 𝑐
𝐸𝑐
𝑓𝑐 𝑓𝑠 T
𝐸𝑐 𝛥𝑐 𝑛 ∆s
𝑓𝑠 =
𝛥𝑠
𝐸𝑠 b
𝛥𝑐 𝛥𝑠
=
𝑘𝑑 𝑘𝑑
𝛥𝑠 𝑘𝑑
=
𝛥𝑠 𝑑−𝑘 𝑑
𝑓𝑐 𝐸𝑠 𝑘𝑑
𝑥 =
𝐸𝑐 𝑓𝑠 𝑑−𝑘 𝑑
𝑓𝑐 𝐸𝑠 𝑘𝑑
=
𝑓𝑠 𝐸𝑐 𝑑−𝑘 𝑑
𝐸𝑠
=𝑛
𝐸𝑐
𝑓𝑐 𝑛 𝑘𝑑
=
𝑓𝑠 𝑑−−𝑘 𝑑

𝑓𝑐 𝑘
=
𝑓𝑠 𝑛 𝑙−𝑘

𝑓𝑐𝑛 − 𝑓𝑐𝑛𝑘 = 𝑘 𝑓𝑠

𝑘 𝑓𝑠 + 𝑓𝑐𝑛 = 𝑓𝑐𝑛

𝑓𝑐𝑛
𝑘=
𝑓𝑠 +𝑓𝑐𝑛
𝑛
① 𝑘=
𝑛+𝑓 𝑠/𝑓 𝑐
(for design only) P

cv 𝑘 = 𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑠 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 0.3 𝑡𝑜 0.45

𝑗 = 𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑠 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 0.9 𝑡𝑜 .85
𝑀𝑐 = 𝐶𝑗𝑑
1
d
𝐶 = 𝑓𝑐 (𝑏)𝑘𝑑
2
75
1 2
② 𝑀𝑐 = 𝑓 𝑘𝑗 𝑏𝑑
2 𝑐
75 75
(resisting moment of concrete)
𝑀𝑠 = 𝑇𝑗𝑑
③ 𝑀𝑠 = 𝐴𝑠 𝑓𝑠 𝑗𝑑
(Resisting Moment of steel)
𝐴𝑠
𝑃=
𝑏𝑑

𝐴𝑠 = 𝑝 𝑏𝑑
𝑀𝑠 = 𝑝𝑏𝑑 𝑓𝑠 𝑗𝑑
𝑀𝑠 = 𝑝 𝑓𝑠 𝑗 𝑏𝑑 2
𝑀𝑠 = 𝑀𝑐 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑏𝑎𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒𝑑 𝑑𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑔𝑛
1
𝑝 𝑓𝑠 𝑗 𝑏𝑑 2 = 𝑓𝑐 𝑘 𝑗 𝑏𝑑 2
2

2 𝑝 𝑓𝑠 = 𝑓𝑐𝑘
𝑓𝑐 2𝑝
=
𝑓𝑠 𝑘
𝑓𝑐 𝑘𝑑
But =
𝑓𝑠 𝑛 𝑑−𝑘 𝑑
𝑓𝑐 𝐾
=
𝑓𝑠 𝑛 𝑙−𝑘
𝑘 2𝑝
=
𝑛 𝑙−𝑘 𝑘

𝑘 2 = 2𝑝𝑛 − 2𝑝𝑛𝑘
𝑘 2 + 2𝑝𝑛𝑘 − 2𝑝𝑛 = 0
By completing square and solving for k.
𝑘 2 + 2𝑝𝑛𝑘 + 𝑝𝑛 2
= 2𝑝𝑛 + 𝑝𝑛 2

(𝑘 + 𝑝𝑛)2 = 2𝑝𝑛 + 𝑝𝑛2

𝑘 + 𝑝𝑛 = 2𝑝𝑛 + 𝑝𝑛 2

④ 𝑘= 2𝑝𝑛 + 𝑝𝑛 2 − 𝑝𝑛 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑖𝑛𝑣𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑔𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑜𝑛𝑙𝑦

𝑀
⑤ 𝑑=
1/2𝑓𝑐 𝑗 𝑘 𝑏

1
𝑅 = 𝑓𝑐 𝑘𝑗
2

𝑀
⑥ 𝑑=
𝑅𝑏
𝑘𝑑
𝑗𝑑 = 𝑑 −
3
𝑘
⑦ 𝑗=1−
3

(1) S<25 mm
(2) S< dia of main bars
Use biggest value.