CIE525: Assignment 5

Strut and Tie Models

Manish Kumar

1.1 Problem Statement

A 26-inch deep precast concrete T-beam has a 12 in. thick web and carries factored end reactions
of 75 kips and 15 kips in the vertical direction and horizontal directions as shown in the figure
below. Load is transferred to the supporting corbel via a bearing plate that is 412 inches in
plan. Assume that the concrete compressive strength is 6000 psi and that ASTM Grade A615
Grade 60 rebar is used. Design and detail the reinforcement at the end of the beam using strutand-tie procedures. Draw elevations and sections that show all reinforcement and the bearing
plate. Your solution must include a drawing of the strut-and-tie model.

1.2 Solution
The solution process for analyzing concrete members, as outlined in Wight and MacGregor
(2009) and class notes (Whittaker, 2012), employed here is:
1. Identify and isolate the D (discontinuous) regions in the given member/structure
2. Draw an equivalent strut-and-tie model for the D-regions to transmit the forces
1

3. Calculate effective compressive strength of nodal zones and struts

4. Estimate the locations of the nodes
5. Compute the strut-and-tie forces
6. Compute the steel required in the ties
7. Compute the strut widths and check whether they will fit
8. Provide reinforcement for control cracking
1.2.1 Step 1: D-regions
As per St. Venants principle, the geometric discontinuity mandates the extend of D-region
8" 26" 34" from its leftmost point on the bearing plate support, as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1: D region of the given beam

1.2.2 Step 2: Equivalent Strut-and-Tie model

Boundaries are divided into sub-lengths and based on force flow in the D-region, a preliminary
strut-and-tie model is created as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2: Strut-and-tie model for the D-region

In the figure above, dashed line represents struts and solid line represents the ties.
1.2.3 Step 3: Compressive Strength of Nodal Zones and Struts
The compressive strength of the nodal zones is given by:

fce 0.85n fc'

Nodal zone A, E: Node A is a CCT node for which n 0.8 . Hence effective strength of
concrete in the nodal zone A is given as fce 0.85n fc' 0.85 0.8 6 4.08 ksi .
Nodal zone B, F: This node is surrounded by three compressive struts and can be treated as
CCC, for which n 1 . fce 0.85 n f c' 0.85 1 6 5.1ksi
Nodal zone C, D: These

nodes includes

more than one tie,

hence

n 0.6 ,

fce 0.85 n f c' 0.85 0.6 6 3.06 ksi

Struts AF, BF, BC, BE: These struts have room to expand and are assumed as bottle shaped
struts, which gives s 0.75 , fce 0.85 s f c' 0.85 0.75 6 3.8 ksi

Strut

FE:

This

strut

is

in

compression

zone

of

the

beam,

hence

s 1 ,

fce 0.85 s f c' 0.85 1 6 5.1ksi

1.2.4 Step 4: Estimate locations of the nodes
The Centerline of ties has been assumed at a distance of 3" (2cover + diameter of the bar)
from the end. The centerline of the top bar should ideally be calculated by obtaining the stress
block parameters and calculating a 1c and, should be assumed at a distance of a / 2 from top.
However, it should be noted that G is a smeared node, and it provides flexibility in estimating
the distance of the centerline of compression strut in the top. Generally it is taken as 0.05 0.10
times the effective depth. A depth of 3" has been assumed for strut as well. The concentrated
node A is assumed to be in the middle of the bearing plate, i.e., 2" from the left face.
The angles are calculated as BAF 45o , DCE 45o , ABF 35o . These angles are
calculated approximately based on the assumed cover and bar diameters.
1.2.5 Step 5: Strut-and-Tie Forces
The forces in the bars are obtained are obtained through method of joints, and are shown in
Figure 3.

Figure 3: Bar forces in the strut-and-tie model

1.2.6 Step 6: Steel Required in the Ties

For the tie AB:

TAB 90 k
Ast

Fu
90

2 in2
f y 0.75 60

2 #9 bars can be provided here. However, the development length for #9 bars is not available
here so an angle can be provided at the support and bars can be welded to the angle. The bearing
area of the angle would be based on the bearing strength of concrete of the concrete which
should not be less than nodal zone strength of A. The required bearing area is:
75
22.6 in2
0.65 0.85 6

Required bearing area calculated through nodal zone strength is:

75
24.5 in2
0.75 4.08

Hence area of 24.5 in2 is required for the angle. A 3 3 1/ 2 angle is provided at the corner
along the 12" width of the beam.
For the tie CF:

TCF 100.4 k
Ast

Fu
100.4

2.23 in2
f y 0.75 60

9 #5 bars can be used in three layers with 3 bars in each layer, as shown in Figure 4. Layers
should be equally spaced at 3" . Use #5 bars inside the top corners of the closed stirrups.

Figure 4: Shear reinforcement provided for tie CF

For the tie CD:
As the force in CD is same to CF, it will have the same area requirement of 2.23 in2 . 4 #8 bars
can be provided in the bottom which provides an equivalent force of 142.2 k ( 100.4 k ) .
However, these need to be developed as well to acquire the full strength of the bars. The
development length for #8 bars is 54.8 inch, however available development length is only about
10 inches. So, either a mechanical anchor or U bars need to be provided.
The area of required U bars is:
As

142.2
3.16 in2
0.75 60

Use 2 #8 U bars which bend adjacent to the end of the beam.

The actual effective width of tie is now calculated as bar diameter plus twice the cover, which is
equal to wt 4"
1.2.7 Adequacy of Strut-widths
It is necessary to find out widths of each strut and show that it will fit the given beam. Let us
assume a prismatic strut with thickness equal to the beams thickness of 12" . In order to find out
the width, minimum of nodal zone compressive strength and corresponding strut compressive
strength will govern. Only strut AF and FE are checked, as they are expected to be critical.
Strut AF: Compressive strength of strut AF will govern fce 3.8 ksi . Required width is:

106
3.1"
0.75 3.8 12

Provided width is calculated as ws wt cos lb sin 4 cos 45o 4 sin 45o 5.6"
Hence provided width is Ok!
Strut FE: Nodal zone strength of E will govern fce 4.08 ksi , required width is:
w

106
2.9"
0.75 4.08 12

Beam can accommodate this width at top.

1.2.8 Crack Control
Longitudinal cracking can occur along the strut if the applied load is greater than twice the
cracking force 2Cn . Hence for strut AF:

2Cn 2 0.55 ws b fc' 2 0.55 5.4 12 6 427 k

As factored load (106 k) is less than longitudinal cracking force in the strut, design is ok.
Also we have used s 0.75 assuming bottle shaped struts which require that adequate shear
reinforcement conforming to ACI 318 (ACI, 2011) must be provided, which requires:
Asi

bs sin

0.003

Let us provide two horizontal #4 U-shaped bars enclosing the strut AF, which gives:
4 0.2
sin 45 0.0033 0.003
12 14

Hence provided design is OK!

1.3 Final Design

The final design of the dapped end of the beam is shown in Figure 5

Figure 5: Design of the dapped end of the beam

References
ACI (2011). "Building code requirements for structural concrete and commentary." Report ACI
318-11, American Concrete Institute, USA.
Whittaker, A. S. (2012). "CIE 525: Concrete Design Class Notes."University at Buffalo, NY.
Wight, J. K., and MacGregor, J. G. (2009). "Reinforced concrete: Mechanics and design (5th
edition)." Pearson Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ.