CE 381

REINFORCED CONCRETE THEORY

CHAPTER 3

STRUCTURAL SAFETY
 CONTENTS
Concept of Structural Safety
Modern Approach to Structural Safety
Structural Safety and Cost
Limit State Design
Safety Provisions in TS500-2000
General Recommendations Related to Structural
Safety
Checker board loading
 Structural Safety
Objective: To provide economically a structural system
which will remain functional under different loadings
foreseen for that structure.
Functional means, the structure should
not collapse
Remain serviceable
A structure is said to be safe if the resistance of structure is
equal to or greater than load effect.

Denoting resistance as R and load effect as F, safety can

simply be expressed by following equation
RF
 Structural Safety

In modern design codes probability of failure for the

buildings usually ranges from 10-5 to 10-6.
 Structural Safety
Factor of safety F.S. kR
Fk
R k R m z
Fk F m z
Rk, characteristics resistance is the resistance below which
only a small will fall. The probability of having a resistance
less than Rk is small and prespecified.(5,10 or 15%)
Fk, characteristics load effect is the magnitude of the load
effect which has a chance to be exceed by a predetermined
probability. (probability of exceeding this value is 5,10
or15%)
Fm and Rm values are the mean values of the load effect
and the resistance, respectively.
 Ultimate Strength Theory Limitations
The material strengths to be used are called design strength
which are obtained by dividing the characteristics strength
by the proper material factors.
fk
fd , m 1
m
f yk
f yd
1.15
f ck
f cd
1.5
Since the variations in concrete strength is much greater
than the variations steel strength, mcms
 Safety Provisions in TS500-2000
Load factors and combinations:
Only gravity loads and imposed deformations:
Fd 1.4G 1.6Q
Fd 1.4G 1.6Q 1.2T
In these load combinations, G is the load , Q is the live load
and T is the load effect due to imposed deformations, like
temperature change, shrinkage , support settlement etc.
When wind loading has to be taken into consideration: W
is the load effect due to wind.
Fd 1.0G 1.3Q 1.3W
Fd 0.9G 1.3W
 Safety Provisions in TS500-2000
When seismic forces have to be taken into consideration:
E is the load effect due to earthquake.
Fd 1.0G 1.0Q 1.0E
Fd 0.9G 1.0E
When earth pressure exists: H is the load effect due to
earth pressure.

Fd 1.4G 1.6Q 1.6H

Fd 0.9G 1.6H
 Material Factors
When the characteristics strength is divided by the material
factor, design strength is obtained. Design strength is
designated by a subscript d.
f yk f ck f ywk f ctk
f yd , f cd , f yw d , f ctd
mc mc mc mc
mc=1.15 for reinforcing steel
mc=1.5 for cast in place concrete
mc=1.4 for plant produced concrete (precast)
mc=1.7 for cast in place concrete when quality controls
are not adequate.
 Live Load Arrangement
Checker board loading: Maximum positive moment at each
span can be obtained.

Figure 3.9 b

Figure 3.9 c
Maximum span moments for spans AB, CD and EF are
obtained from load arrangement shown in Figure 3.9b.
The load arrangement for Figure 3.9c will give maximum
span moments for spans BC and DE.
 Live Load Arrangement
The live load arrangements for support B and C are shown
in Figure 3.9d and 3.8 b, respectively.

Figure 3.9 d

Figure 3.8 b