Chapter 10

Analysis and Design of Reinforced Concrete Beams for Torsion

10.1. Introduction
Moments that cause a member to twist about its longitudinal axis are termed torsional moments or
torques. Shear stresses due to torsion create diagonal-tension stresses that produce diagonal cracking. If a
member is not properly reinforced for torsion with closed stirrups and longitudinal steel, a sudden brittle
fracture can occur. The addition of steel reinforcement reduces crack width, raises the torsional strength,
and imparts ductility.
Since shear and moment usually develop simultaneously with torsion, a rational design should logically
account for the interaction of these three forces; however, cracking of unpredictable extent, the inelastic
behavior of concrete, and complex state of stress produced by the interaction of shear, moment, and torsion
make an analysis almost impossible. The current design procedure for torsion is based on the following
simplifying assumption:

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 1. No interaction exists between flexure, shear, and torsion. Reinforcement for each force is designed
independently and then combined.
2. When shear and torsion act simultaneously, torsion has no effect on shear strength Vc of the concrete.
The torsional strength of concrete is assumed to be zero.
3. Lateral reinforcement for shear and for torsion can be designed independently and then combined.
4. Torsional stresses are computed assuming a beam behaves as a hollow thin-walled tube.
5. Torsional reinforcement is sized by assuming forces are transmitted through an imaginary, three-
dimensional space truss in which diagonal concrete struts carry compression and the steel
reinforcement acts as tension members.

10.2. Torsion Stresses

Torsion Diagram Maximum Torque

T = Pe
Mt = T

T = we
M t = TL

T = Pe
T
M t1 = M t2 =
2

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 T = Pe
Tb
M t1 =
L
Ta
M t2 =
L

T1 ( b − c ) + T2c
M t1 =
L
T2c − T2 a
M t2 =
L
T1a − T2 (a + b)
M t3 =
L

T = we
TL
Mt =
2

10.3. Torsional Moments that have to be Considered in Design

In practice two types of torsion occur.

1. Primary Torsion (Equilibrium Torsion or Statically Determinate Torsion)

This is the case where torsional resistance must be provided in order to maintain equilibrium. The
beam must be designed to resist the full calculated torsional moment. The structure may collapse
when torsional resistance cannot be provided.

2. Secondary Torsion (Compatibility Torsion or Statically Indeterminate Torsion)

In this case, the torsional moments are caused by the continuity of concrete construction. The
torsion develops in a structural element that is restrained at its ends and has to twist in order to
maintain the compatibility of deformations. When this effect is disregarded in the design, concrete

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 members will develop extensive cracks, however, failure may be avoided due to the redistribution
of moments to the adjacent structural members in a continuous structure.

Where a reduction or redistribution of torsion is possible in a statically indeterminate structure, the

maximum factored moment, Tu , can be reduced as follows:

NSCP [Link]. In a statically indeterminate structure where Tu  Tcr and a reduction of Tu in a member can
occur due to redistribution of internal forces after torsional cracking, Tu to Tcr , where the
cracking torsion, Tcr , is calculated in accordance with NSCP [Link].1
NSCP [Link].1. Cracking torsion, Tcr shall be calculated in accordance with Table [Link] for solid and
hollow cross sections, where Nu is positive for compression and negative for tension.

Table [Link]
Type of Member Tcr
Nonprestressed member
( Acp ) (a)
2

0.33 f c'
Pp
Prestressed member
( Acp ) (b)
2
fc
0.33 f c' 1+
Pp 0.33 f c'
Nonprestressed member
( Acp ) (c)
2
subjected to axial force Nu
0.33 f c' 1+
Pp 0.33 Ag f c'

Where: Tcr = cracking torque of solid reinforced members.

Ag = gross cross-section of the concrete not including the area of the voids.
Acp = area enclosed by outside perimeter of concrete section
Pcp = perimeter of concrete gross area, Acp

10.4. Torsion Design of Reinforced Concrete Members

After torsion has caused a member to crack, its resistance to torsion is provided almost entirely by the
closed stirrups and the longitudinal reinforcement located near the member surface. Once cracking occurs,
the concrete is assumed to have negligible torsional torsional strength left.

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 If torsional stresses are less that about one-fourth of the cracking torque, Tcr , of a member, they will
not appreciably reduce either its shear strength or flexural strength. Torsional cracking is assumed to occur
( Acp )
2

when the principal tensile stress reaches 0.33 f c' .

Pp
NSCP [Link]. If Tu  Tth , it shall be permitted to neglect torsional effects.
NSCP [Link]. Threshold torsion, Tth , shall be calculated in accordance with Table [Link](a) for solid
sections and Table [Link](b) for hollow cross sections, where Nu is positive for
compression and negative for tension.

Table [Link](a)-Threshold Torsion for Solid Cross Sections

Type of Member Tth

( Acp )
2
Nonprestressed
0.083 f' a
member c
Pcp

( Acp )
2
f pc
Prestressed member 0.083 f c' 1+ b
Pcp 0.33 f c'

( Acp )
2
Nonprestressed Nu
member subjected to 0.083 f'c 1+ c
axial force Pcp 0.33 Ag  f c'

Table [Link](b)-Threshold Torsion for Hollow Cross Sections

Type of Member Tth

( Ag )
2
Nonprestressed
0.083 f c' a
member Pcp

( Ag )
2
f pc
Prestressed member 0.083 f'c 1+ b
Pcp 0.33 f c'

( Ag )
2
Nonprestressed Nu
member subjected to 0.083 f c' 1+ c
axial force Pcp 0.33 Ag  f c'
Note:
Should a beam be cast monolithically with a slab, the values of Acp and Pcp may be assumed to include part
of the adjacent slabs of the resulting T- or inverted L-shaped sections. The widths or extensions may not
exceed the projections of the beams above or below the slab or four times the slab thickness, whichever is
smaller.

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 ➢ Members subjected to compatibility torsion may be designed for the cracking torque multiplied by
the resistance factor. Thus
( Acp )
2
1
Tu = Tcr =  f'
c
3 Pcp
10.5. Maximum Torsional Moment Strength
The Code limits the size of the cross-sectional dimension by the following two equations:

1. For Solid Sections:

2 2 Where:
 V   T P   Vc 2 
if  u  +  u h
 2     + f c'  Aoh = area enclosed by centerline of
 bw d   1.7 A0 h   bw d 3 
outermost closed transverse
torsional reinforcement
then, section is sufficiently large
Ph = perimeter of centerline of outermost
closed transverse torsional
reinforcement
t= thickness of the wall.
2. For Hollow Sections:

Note:
 Vu   Tu Ph   Vc 2 ' 
If   +  
2
   + fc  If the wall thickness of the hollow section is less
 bwd   1.7 A0h   bwd 3  A0h
than ,
Ph
then, section is sufficiently large
 Vu   Tu   Vc 2 ' 
 +   + fc 
 w   1.7 Aoh
b d t b
 w d 3 

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10.6. Torsion Reinforcement
After torsional cracking, two types of reinforcement are required to resist the applied torque, Tu :
transverse reinforcement, At , in the form of closed stirrups, and longitudinal reinforcement, Al in the form
of longitudinal bars.

➢ Minimum transverse closed stirrups for combined shear and torsion

  Where:
b s b s
Av + 2 At = max 0.062 f c' w , 0.35 w  Av = area of two legs of closed stirrups determined from
 f yt f yt 
shear.
At  Tn 0.175bw  At = area of one leg of closed stirrups determined from
= max  , 
s  2 A0 f yt cot  f yt  torsion.
s= spacing of stirrups
 Av + At  Av 2 At f yt = yield strength of closed stirrup
 s = s + s
  Ao = 0.85 Aoh
30    60
It shall be permitted to take  = 45

➢ Maximum Spacing for Transverse Torsional Reinforcement

2 Ab
S1 =
Av 2 At
+
s s
 P 
Smax = min  S1, h , 300 
 8 

➢ Additional longitudinal reinforcement, Al , required for torsion

 A  Where:
   f yt  2 5 f c' Acp  At   f yt  
Al = min  t  Ph   cot  , − P 
 h   f yt = refers to closed
 s   f y  12 f y  s   f y  
 transverse torsional
reinforcement.
f y = refers to longitudinal
torsional reinforcement

At 0.175bw

s f yt

10.7. Additional Code Requirements

1. Sections located at a distance less than d from the face of the support maybe designed for the
torque at a distance d . Should, however, a concentrated torque be present within this distance,
the critical design section will be at the face of the support.

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 2. The design yield strength of torsional reinforcing for non-pre-stressed members may not be
greater than 420 MPa to limit the width of diagonal cracks.
3. The longitudinal tension created by torsion moments is partly offset in the flexural compression
zones of members. In these zones, the computed area of longitudinal torsional reinforcing may be
Mu
reduced by an amount equal to where M u is the factored moment acting at the section in
0.9df y
combination with Tu . The reinforcement provided, however, may not be less than the minimum
values given in section 3.5.
4. The longitudinal reinforcing must be distributed around the inside perimeter of the closed stirrups
and must space no farther apart than 300 mm. At least one bar must be placed in each corner of the
stirrups to provide anchorage for the stirrup legs. These bars must have to be D10 or larger in size
and they must have diameters no less than 0.042 times the stirrup spacing.
5. Torsional reinforcing must be provided for a distance no less than bt +d beyond the point where it
is theoretically no longer required. The term bt represents the width of that part of the member
cross section which contains the closed torsional stirrups.

10.8. Summary of Code Procedure

1. Calculate the factored shearing force, Vu , and calculate the factored torsional moment, Tu , from the
applied forces on the structural member. Critical values for shear and torsion are at a section distance
d from the face of the support.
2. Check requirement for shear and torsional reinforcement
1
a) Shear reinforcement is needed when Vu  Vc .
2
1
b) Torsional reinforcement is needed when Tu  Tcr .
4
3. Design for shear:
a) Determine the shear to be carried by the web reinforcement.
Vu − Vc
Vs =

b) Check adequacy of the section.
Vu − Vc
If Vs =  0.66 fc' bw d , section is adequate, otherwise increase the section or increase f c' .

c) The shear reinforcement per unit length of the beam is calculated as follows:
Av V
= s
s f yt d
4. Design for torsion
a) Check if the factored torsional moment Tu causes equilibrium or compatibility torsion.
➢ For equilibrium torsion, use Tu .

( Acp )
2
1
➢ For compatibility torsion, Tu = Tcr =  f'
c
3 Pcp
b) Check adequacy of the section.
➢ For Solid Sections:

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 2 2 Where:
 V   T P   Vc 2 
if  u  +  u h
 2     + f c'  Aoh = area enclosed by
 bw d   1.7 A0 h   bw d 3 
centerline of outermost
closed transverse
then, section is adequate. torsional reinforcement
Ph = perimeter of centerline
of outermost closed
transverse torsional
reinforcement
t= thickness of the wall.

➢ For Hollow Sections:

Note:
 Vu   Tu Ph   Vc 2 ' 
If   +  
2
   + fc  If the wall thickness of the hollow
b d
 w   1.7 A0h  b
 w d 3  Aoh
section is less than ,
Ph
then, section is adequate.
 Vu   Tu   Vc 2 ' 
 +   + fc 
b d
 w   1.7 A t
0h  b
 w d 3 

c) Determine the required stirrups due to torsion.

At  Tu 0.175bw 
= max  , 
s  2 Ao f yt cot  f yt 

d) Determine the minimum area of closed stirrups due to Vu and Tu

 Av + At  Av 2 At
 s = s + s
 
 b s b s 
Av + 2 At = max 0.062 f c' w , 0.35 w 
 f yt f yt 
2 Ab
S1 =
Av 2 At
+
s s
 P 
Smax = min  S1, h ,300
 8 

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 The stirrups should be extended as distance ( bt + d ) beyond the point theoretically no longer

required, where bt is the width of the cross section resisting torsion.

e) Determine the additional longitudinal reinforcement

 A 5 f c' Acp 
   f yt  2 A   f yt  
Al = max  t  Ph   cot  , − t P 
 h  
 s   f y  12 f y  s   f y  


the longitudinal bars should be placed inside the closed stirrups with maximums spacing of 300
mm. At least one bar should be placed at each corner of stirrups. Normally, one-third of Al is
added to the tension reinforcement, one-third at mid-height, and one-third at the compression side.
Solved Problems:
1. For the three sections shown below, and based on the Code limitations, it is required to compute the
following:
a. the cracking moment  Tcr
b. the maximum factored torque  Tn that can be applied to each section without using torsional web
'
reinforcement. Assume f c = 27.6 MPa , f yt = 420 MPa , a 37.5 mm concrete cover and D12 stirrups.

2. The 10-m long T-beam shown below is fixed against rotation at support A only. Support B provides no
torsional restraint. The beam can be considered simply supprted at both ends for vertical load. In
addition to its own dead weight, the beam carries a uniformly distributed factored live load of
wu = 12 kN m . Determine the maximum eccentricity e permitted the live load if torsion does not have to
'
be considered. fc = 21 MPa and the effective depth d = 540 mm .

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3. Determine the necessary web reinforcement for the rectangular section shown in the figure below. The
section is subjected to a factored shear Vu = 213.5 kN and an equilibrium torsion Tu = 41 kN − m at a section
'
located at a distance d from the face of the support. Use normal weight concrete with f c = 27.6 MPa ,
f y = f yt = 420 MPa , and  = 45 . Assume D12 stirrups and concrete cover equal to 37.5 mm.

4. The edge beam of a building is shown in the figure below. The section at a distnce d from the face of
the support is subjected to Vu = 238 kN and a compatibility torque Tu = 27 kN − m . Design the necessary
'
web reinforcement using f c = 27.6 MPa and f yt = 420 MPa for all steel bars and stirrups. Assume D12
stirrups and concrete cover equal to 37.5 mm.

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5. A shear force of Vu = 213.5 kN and a torque Tu = 40.5 kN − m act on the cross section of the box-beam in the
figure below. All walls of the beam are 125 mm thick. Determine the spacing of D10 closed stirrups and
the area of longitudinal steel required to carry the shear and torsion. Assume d = 675 mm ,
f yt = f y = 420 MPa , and f c' = 24.8 MPa .

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