Optimal design of rc structures

Abstract

Millions of reinforced concrete structures are being constructed every year throughout the world. Almost all the designers are not able to adopt economical aspects related to the design that may result in lots of saving in materials and cost because, at present, factors to be considered for economical solutions are not available. Hence, in this theoretical investigation an attempt has been made to study the influence of the important parameters in the economical design, of some of the RC members and structures. At first, influence of grades of concrete and steel on the economical design of axially loaded RC tension and compression members has been studied. In addition to the influence of grades of the constituent materials, the percentage of steel has also been considered to arrive at the economical design of RC short columns subjected to axial load and biaxial bending moments. In the case of simply supported rectangular slabs, the effect of the relative moment capacities along the shorter and longer directions on the minimum cost of the slabs has been investigated. The effect of grades of steel and concrete, span and the spacing of ribs on the lowest cost per unit area covered by T-beam and slab floor system has been researched. The influence of grades of steel and concrete and the ratio of height to lateral dimension on the economical design of square bunkers and circular silos has been researched.In the case of roofing system consisting of RC slabs supported by RC portal frames, the influence of span, spacing of frames and the relative moments of inertia of beam and column members on the lowest cost of unit area covered has been investigated. In the case of multibay, multistoreyed RC frames supporting RC slabs, the effects of size of panels, numbers of storeys, percentage of steel in columns and the grade of steel on the cost per unit area covered have been studied. newline