How to Determine the Stress in Concrete and Steel

It's crucial for engineers to be able to determine the stress of concrete and steel, especially when building road sections, bridge sections and bridge support beams. Without knowing the load-bearing ability of concrete, these structures could collapse and cause injuries or death. The calculation of concrete and steel load capacity varies with the project's size. Load-bearing calculations are typically performed by structural engineers with knowledge of the specific project. For smaller residential applications, you can estimate the load-bearing capability of concrete and steel.

Instructions

1. Add the general strength rating of concrete, in pounds per square inch, to the total psi that steel reinforcement adds. The standard load-bearing capacity of domestic concrete is 3,000 psi. Add an extra 1,000 psi for the steel. The total is 4,000 psi.

2. Study the project plans to see if any extra layers of steel rebar were added.

3. Add another 1,000 psi for each extra layer of rebar to arrive at the total stress of the steel and concrete.

References

• Electronic Journal of Structural Engineering; Shrinkage, Cracking and Deflection ...; R.I. Gilbert