Safety and limit states design for reinforced concrete

Abstract

This state-of-art paper reviews the concept of limit states design. Following a brief review of statistical definitions the sources of variability in reinforced concrete structures are reviewed. Methods of defining structural safety are reviewed. Following a derivation of the procedures used to compute load and [Formula: see text] factors, a series of [Formula: see text] factors compatible with the 1975 National Building Code of Canada load factors are computed. With the exception of the value for shear the new [Formula: see text] factors are lower than the current American Concrete Institute and Canadian Standards Association values by about the amount of the ratio of load factors in National Building Code of Canada and American Concrete Institute. The computed [Formula: see text] for shear is considerably lower than the corresponding value from the American Concrete Institute Code. An Appendix traces the development of the American Concrete Institute load and [Formula: see text] factors.