Service load response prediction of reinforced concrete flexural members

A reliable and accurate method has been developed to predict the flexural d eformation response of structural concrete members subject to service load. The method that has been developed relates the extent of concrete cracking , measured as a function of the magnitude of applied moment in a member, to the reduction in the effective moment of inertia of cracked reinforced con crete members under service load conditions. The ratio of the area of the m oment diagram where the moment exceeds the cracking moment, to the total ar ea of the moment diagram for any loading, provides the basis for the calcul ation of the effective moment of inertia. This ratio also represents mathem atically a probability of crack occurrence. Verification of this method for the determination of the effective moment of inertia has been achieved fro m an experimental test program, and has included beam tests with different loading configurations, and shear wall tests subjected to a range of vertic al and lateral load levels. Further verification of this method has been ma de with reference to the experimental investigation of other recently publi shed work.