Service load response prediction of reinforced concrete flexural members

A reliable and accurate method has been developed to predict the flexural deformation<br />response of structural concrete members subject to service load. The method that has been developed<br />relates the extent of concrete cracking, measured as a function of the magnitude of applied moment in a<br />member, to the reduction in the effective moment of inertia of cracked reinforced concrete members under<br />service load conditions. The ratio of the area of the moment diagram where the moment exceeds the<br />cracking moment, to the total area of the moment diagram for any loading, provides the basis for the<br />calculation of the effective moment of inertia. This ratio also represents mathematically a probability of<br />crack occurrence. Verification of this method for the determination of the effective moment of inertia has<br />been achieved from an experimental test program, and has included beam tests with different loading<br />configurations, and shear wall tests subjected to a range of vertical and lateral load levels. Further<br />verification of this method has been made with reference to the experimental investigation of other<br />recently published work.