A study about determination of preliminary design & minimum reinforcement ratios

Abstract

In the standards, minimum reinforcement ratios are presented as the least reinforcement ratios that bearing elements should have in a way to include all systems and in general. However, naturally these general minimum ratios might be presented as being lower than the normally required reinforcement ratios by criteria such as system size, bearing system arrangement, section situation and distributions of the elements and earthquake effect. In this case, minimum reinforcement ratios may remain as meaningless restrictions. Then grouping the criterion that might affect reinforcement ratios according to certain parameters and creating minimum reinforcement ratios regarding preliminary design will provide ease and safety during the project designing. Moreover, it will enable fast and simple examinations in the beginning of project control and evaluation process. By means of the data which could be defined as "preliminary design & minimum reinforcement ratios", a more realistic and safe restriction compared to general minimum reinforcement ratios could be presented. As a result of numerous comprehensive studies, reinforcement ratios to include all certain systems might be obtained. Today, thanks to the development level of finite elements programs which can make reinforced concrete modelling, with the studies that are impossible to carry out beforehand, this deficiency in the minimum reinforcement ratios in the standarts may at least be partially made up with the advisory regulation of preliminary design & minimum reinforcement ratios. As the structure of the system to be examined and the diversity of the parameters range from the specific to the general, preliminary design & minimum reinforcement ratios will approximate to general minimum reinforcement ratios in real terms. By focusing on a more specific system structure and diversity of the parameters, preliminary design and even design reinforcement ratios will be approximated. In this preliminary study, a route between these two extremes was attempted to be followed. Today, it is possible to determine suggested practical ratios for project designs through carrying out numerous studies.