'' INVESTIGATION ON COMPATIBILITY TORSION OF CONCRETE FLOOR SLABS ''

Abstract

Many structural elements such as eccentrically loaded bridge girders, curved beam in plan, grids, beam-slab structural system and spandrel beams in buildings are subjected to significant torsional moments. Such members are subjected to twisting about its longitudinal axial, known as torsion, in addition to the shear force and bending moment, hence the external loads act far away from the vertical plane of bending. To design such members, it is essential to recognize whether the torsional moment is required to maintain equilibrium or compatibility. These two cases are generally referred to as equilibrium torsion or compatibility torsion, respectively. Torsion in determinate structures is always equilibrium torsion, while that in indeterminate structures can be of compatibility torsion which happens in spandrel beams and it will be the matter of this study. Once the spandrel beam cracks in torsion, its torsional stiffness reduces substantially. The reduction causes a significant redistribution of torque to the framing element.