NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING

EXAMINATION FOR
(Semester I: 2012-2013)

CE5510 - ADVANCED STRUCTURAL CONCRETE DESIGN

Nov / Dec 2012 Time allowed: 2.5 hours

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES
1.

This examination paper contains THREE(3) questions and comprises FOUR(4) printed
pages.

2.

Answer ALL questions.

3.

This is an OPEN BOOK examination.

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CE5510

Question 1
(a) Show that for a singly-reinforced rectangular section with width b, the design moment of
resistance M is given by:

2
2

where fcd is the design compressive strength of concrete; = (Asfyd)/(bdfcd); and As, fyd
and d are respectively the area, design tensile strength and effective depth of the steel
reinforcement. State the condition for which the expression is valid. Assume an
equivalent rectangular stress block for concrete in compression with a stress intensity fcd
over a depth 0.8x, where x is the neutral axis depth.
[15 marks]
(b) Determine the percentage reduction in steel volume per unit area of the slab if Grade 600
steel (fyk = 600 MPa) bars were to be used instead of Grade 500 steel (fyk = 500 MPa) bars
in a slab element based on the expression in (a).
[5 marks]
(c) Determine the maximum design wheel load that can be applied over an area 0.4 m x 0.4 m
on the one-way spanning slab bridge shown in Fig. Q-1 without causing punching shear
failure. Given: deck width = 3 m; fck = 30 MPa; fyk = 500 MPa; and the loaded area is
orientated with two opposite sides parallel to the span of the slab.
[10 marks]

150
(average)

500

200
H20@150 mm
c/c both way

Not to scale;
all dimensions
are in mm.

500

5000

Fig. Q-1

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CE5510

Question 2
Fig. Q-2 shows a corbel that is subjected to a vertical force FEd and a horizontal force equal to
0.2FEd. A strut-and-tie model for the design of the corbel is shown. Given: FEd = 500 kN, fck
= 30 MPa, fyk = 500 MPa; width of corbel is 200 mm; and 1 tan 2.5.
(a) Determine the maximum allowable value of based on the capacity of strut AB. Assume
fcd = 0.85fck/1.5.
[15 marks]
(b) Determine the required area of main steel bars and check the capacity of the strut AB, if
= 45o.
[10 marks]
(c) Explain without detailed calculations, how you would modify the model so as to
determine the required area of horizontal links over the depth of the corbel. Draw the
modified strut-and-tie model using the graph paper provided.
[10 marks]

212
200
FEd
0.2 FEd
60

Ftd

700

650

Not to scale;
all dimensions
.are in mm.

Fig. Q-2

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CE5510

Question 3
Fig. Q-3(a) shows a rectangular slab with a large opening near one corner. It is simply
supported along one long side and the adjacent short side, and the two edges adjacent to the
opening are fully fixed. The slab is to be designed using the strip method to carry a factored
load of 16 kN/m2.
(a) Suggest a load dispersion scheme (discontinuity lines), and sketch the loading and
bending moment diagrams for all strips and strong bands. [Hint: Consider strong bands
along edges of opening.]
[20 marks]
(b) Determine the values of the maximum hogging and sagging moments for any two strips
or strong bands.
[15 marks]

Fixed edge

4m
2m

6m
Fixed edge
Simply-supported
edges

8m

Fig. Q-3

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