ANALYSIS AND DESIGN FOR TORSION

Introduction:
Reinforced concrete members are commonly subjected to bending moments, to
transverse shears associated with those bending moments, and, in the case of columns, to axial
forces often combined with bending and shear. In addition, torsional forces may act, tending to
twist a member about its longitudinal axis. Such torsional forces seldom act alone and are
almost always concurrent with bending moment and transverse shear, and sometimes with axial
force as well.
Main example are the spandrel (edge) beams.
For many years, torsion was regarded as a secondary effect and was not considered
explicitly in design its influence being absorbed in the overall factor of safety of rather
conservatively designed structures. Recently, however, it has become necessary to account for
torsional effects in member design in many cases and to provide reinforcement to increase
torsional strength. There are two reasons for this change. First, improved methods of analysis
and design, such as the strength design approach now used for most reinforced concrete
structures, have permitted a somewhat lower overall factor of safety through more accurate
appraisal of load capacity and have led to somewhat smaller member sizes. Second, there is
increasing use of structural members for eccentrically loaded box, beams, and helical stairway
slabs. Consequently, there has been a great increase, since in the 1960s, in research activity
relating to torsion in reinforced concrete.
It is useful in considering torsion to distinguish between primary and secondary torsion in
reinforced concrete structures. Primary torsion, sometimes called equilibrium torsion or
statically determinate torsion, exists when the external load has no alternative load path but
must be supported by torsion. For such cases, the torsion required to maintain static
equilibrium can be uniquely determined. An example is the cantilevered slab of Fig. 1, loads
applied to the slab surface cause twisting moments, mt to act along the length of the supporting
beam. These are equilibrated by the resisting torque T provided by the columns. Without the
torsional moments, the structure will collapse.

Analysis and Design for Torsion

6:00 10:00 (Sat), Engr. Alberto Caete

Fig. 1
In contrast to this condition, secondary torsion, also called compatibility torsion or
statically indeterminate torsion, arises from the requirements of continuity, i.e., compatibility of
deformation between adjacent parts of a structure. For this case, the torsional moments cannot
be found based on static equilibrium alone. Disregard of continuity in the design will often lead
to extensive cracking, but generally will not cause collapse. An internal readjustment of forces
is usually possible and an alternative equilibrium of forces found. An example of secondary
torsion is found in the spandrel or edge beam supporting a monolithic concrete slab, shown in
Fig. 2. If the spandrel beam is torsionally stiff and suitably reinforced and if the columns can
provide the necessary resisting torque T, then the slab moments will approximate those for a
rigid exterior support. However, if the beam has little torsional stiffness and inadequate torsional
reinforcement, cracking will occur to further reduce its torsional stiffness, and the slab moments
will approximate those for a hinged edge. If the slab is designed to resist the altered moment
diagram, collapse will not occur.

Fig. 2

Torsion in Plain Concrete Members

Figure 3, shows if that the largest shear stresses occur at the middle of the wide faces.
If the material deforms inelastically, as expected for concrete, the stress distribution is closer to
that shown by the dashed line.
Shear stresses in pairs act on an element at or near the wide surface, as explained in
strength of materials texts, this state of stress corresponds to equal tension and compression
stresses on the faces of an element at 450 to the direction of the shear. These inclined tension
stresses are of the same kind as those caused by transverse shear. However, in the case of
torsion, since the torsional shear stresses are of opposite sign on opposing sides of the
member, the corresponding diagonal tension stresses at the right angles to each other.
When the diagonal tension stresses exceed the tensile resistance fo the concrete, a
Analysis and Design for Torsion
6:00 10:00 (Sat), Engr. Alberto Caete

crack forms at some accidentally weaker location and spreads immediately across the beam.
The value of torque corresponding to the formation of this diagonal crack is known as the
cracking torque Tcr.
There are several wasy of analyzing members subjected to torsion. The nonlinear stress
distribution shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 3, lends itself to the use of the thin walled tube,
space truss analogy. Using this analogy, the shear stresses are treated as constant over a finite
thickness t around the periphery of the member, allowing the beam to be represented by an
equivalent tube. Within the walls of the tube, torque is resisted by the shear flow q, which as
units of force per unit length. In the analogy q, is treated as a constant around the perimeter of
the tube.

Fig. 3

TORSION IN REINFORCED CONCRETE MEMBERS

To resist torsion for values T above Tcr, reinforcement must consist of closely spaced
stirrups and of longitudinal bars. Tests have shown that longitudinal bars along hardly increase
the torsional strength, with test results showing an improvement of at most 15 percent. This is
understandable because the only way in which longitudinal steel can directly contribute to
torsional strength is by dowel action, which is particularly weak and unreliable if longitudinal
splitting along bars is not restrained by transverse reinforcement. Thus, the torsional strength of
members reinforced only with longitudinal steel is satisfactorily, and somewhat conservatively.
When members are adequately reinforced, as in Fig. 4, the concrete cracks at a torque
equal to or only somewhat larger than in an unreinforced member. The cracks form in a spiral
pattern, as shown in Fig. 4. Upon cracking, the torsional resistance of the concrete drops to
about half of that of the uncracked member, the remainder being now resisted by reinforcement.
This redistribution of internal resistance is reflected in the torque twist curve, which at the
cracking torque shows continued twist at the constant torque until the internal forces have been
redistributed from the concrete to the steel. As the section approaches ultimate strength, the
concrete outside the reinforcing cage cracks and begins to spall of, contributing progressively
less to the torsional capacity of the member.
Tests shows that, after cracking, the area enclosed by the shear path is defined by the
dimension xo and yo, measured to the centerline of the outermost closed transverse
reinforcement, rather than to the center of the tube walls as before. These dimensions define
the gross area Aoh =xoyo and the shear perimeter ph = 2 (xo + yo) measured at the steel
Analysis and Design for Torsion
6:00 10:00 (Sat), Engr. Alberto Caete

centerline.

Fig. 4

Fig. 5

Design for Torsion

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Determine if Tu can be neglected.

Determine if it is equilibrium torsion or it is an indeterminate torsion. If so reduce.
Check if Section is adequate for combined Torsion and Shear.
Stirrup requirement.
Check for maximum spacing.
Compute the Additional Reinforcement.
Development of Torsional Reinforcement .

Analysis and Design for Torsion

6:00 10:00 (Sat), Engr. Alberto Caete

NSCP 2001
Volume I
Code Provision: 411.7 Design for Torsion
Notations:
Acp
Aoh
Al
At
Av
bw
d
fpc
fyl
fyv
Pcp
Ph
Tu
Tn

area enclosed by outside perimeter of concrete cross section, mm2

area enclosed by the centerline of the outermost closed transverse torsional
reinforcement, mm2
total area of longitudinal reinforcement to resist torsion, mm2
area of one leg of a closed stirrup resisting torsion within a distance s, mm2
area of shear reinforcement within a distance s, or are of shear reinforcement
perpendicular to flexural tension reinforcement within a distance s for deep
flexural members, mm2
web width, mm
distance from extreme compression fiber to centroid of longitudinal tension
reinforcement, mm
compressive stress of concrete (after allowance for all prestress loss) at centroid
of cross section resisting externally applied loads or at junction of web and flange
when the centroid lies within the flange, MPa
yield strength of longitudinal torsional reinforcement, MPa
yield strength of longitudinal torsional reinforcement, MPa
outside perimeter of concrete cross section, mm.
perimeter of centerline of outermost closed transverse torsional reinforcement,
mm
factored torsional moment at section.
nominal torsional moment strength
strength reduction factor, 0.85 (for shear and torsion)
angle of compression diagonals in truss analogy for torsion, 45o

4.11.7.1 It shall be permitted to neglect torsion effects when the factored torsional moment Tu is
less than:
1. for non prestressed members:
Tu < ( (fc)/12 ) ( Acp2 / Pcp )
For members cast monolithically with a slab, the overhanging flange width used in
computing Acp and Pcp shall conform to Section 413.3.4.

Analysis and Design for Torsion

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444.7.2

Calculation of Factored Torsional Moment Tu

411.7.2.1

If the factored torsional moment Tu is a member is required to maintain

equilibrium and exceeds the minimum value given in Section 411.7.1, the
member shall be designed to carry that torsional moment in accordance with
Sections 411.7.3 through411.7.6.

411.7.2.2

In a statically indeterminate structure where reduction of the torsional

moment in a member can occur due to redistribution of internal forces upon
cracking, the maximum factored torsional moment Tu shall be permitted to be
reduced to:

1.

For non prestressed members, at the sections described in Section

411.7.2.4:
( (fc)/3 ) ( Acp2 / Pcp )

411.7.2.3

Unless determined by a more exact analysis, it shall be permitted to take the

torsional loading form a slab as uniformly distributed along the member.

411.7.2.4

In non prestressed members, sections located less than a distance d from

the face of a support shall be designed for not less than the torsion T u
computed at a distance d. if a concentrated torque occurs within this
distance, the critical section for this design shall be at the face of the support.

411.7.2.5

(for pre stressed member)

Analysis and Design for Torsion

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444.7.3

Torsional Moment Strength

411.7.3.1

The cross sectional dimensions shall be such that

1. [(Vu / bwd)2 + (Tuph / 1.7Aoh2)2]

[(Vc / bwd) + (2fc / 3)]

(411-24)

411.7.3.4

Design yield Strength of nonprestressed torsion reinforcement shall not exceed

415 MPa.

411.7.3.5

The reinforcement required for torsion shall be determined from :

Tn Tu

411.7.3.6

(411-26)

The transverse reinforcement for torsion shall be designed using:

Tn = (2 Ao At Fyt / s) ( cot )

(411-27)

Where Ao shall be determined by analysis except that it shall be permitted to take

Ao equal to 0.85 Aoh; shall not be taken smaller than 30 degrees nor larger than
60 degrees. It shall be permitted tot take equal to:
1. 45 degrees for nonprestressed members or members with less prestress
than in Item 2 below,
2. 37.5 degrees for prestressed members with an effective prestress force not
less that 40 percent of the tensile strength of the longitudinal reinforcement.
411.7.3.7

The additional longitudinal reinforcement required for torsion shall not be less
than:
Al = ph At fyt / (s fyl) * cot2

(411-28)

Where shall be the same value used in Equation (411 27) and At / s shall be
taken as the amount computed from Equation (411 27) not modified in
accordance with Section 411.7.5.2 or 411.7.5.3.
411.7.3.8

Reinforcement required for torsion shall be added to that required for the shear,
moment and axial force that act in combination with the torsion. The most
restrictive requirements for reinforcement spacing and placement must be met.

411.7.5

Minimum Torsion Reinforcement

411.7.5.1

A minimum area of torsion reinforcement shall be provided in all regions where

the factored torsional moment Tu exceeds the values specified in Section
411.7.1.

411.7.5.2

Where torsional reinforcement is required by Section 411.7.5.1, the minimum

area of transverse closed stirrups shall be computed by:

Analysis and Design for Torsion

6:00 10:00 (Sat), Engr. Alberto Caete

(Av + 2 At ) = 0.062(bws / fyt)Sfc but not less than 0.35 (bws / fyt)
411.7.5.3

(411-29)

Where torsional reinforcement is required by Section 411.7.5.1, the minimum

total area of longitudinal torsional reinforcement shall be computed by:
Al min = [5 (fc) Acp / 12 fy] [( At / s ) fyt ph / fy]

(411-30)

Where At / s shall not be taken less than (0.175) bw / fyt.

411.7.6

Spacing of Torsion Reinforcement

411.7.6.1

The spacing of transverse torsion reinforcement shall not exceed the small of
Smax = ph / 8
Smax = 300 mm

Analysis and Design for Torsion

6:00 10:00 (Sat), Engr. Alberto Caete