THE UNIVERSITY OF

NEW SOUTH WALES

SCHOOL OF CIVIL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

CVEN 2302 MATERIALS AND STRUCTURES
FINAL EXAMINATION
NOVEMBER 2011

Time Allowed - 3 Hours

All Questions to be answered

ANSWER QUESTION 1-2 IN ONE BOOKLET
ANSWER QUESTIONS 3-5 IN A SEPARATE BOOKLET
Questions are NOT of equal value
Closed Book Examination
This paper may be retained by the candidate
Electronic calculators and
drawing instruments may be used
All answers to be legibly written in ink
Pencil may be used for drawings, sketches and graphs.

SECTION A

MATERIALS

Answer this Section in a separate booklet

QUESTION 1 (18 Marks)

(a)

Discuss the contribution of C3S (of General Purpose Portland cement) on heat of hydration.
(3 marks)

(b)

Describe Compacting Factor method for the measurement of workability of concrete. Compare
the limitations of Slump, Compacting Factor and V-B Tests.
(8 marks)

(c)

What are the advantages of testing cylinders to obtain the compressive strength of concrete
when compared with cubes?
(3 marks)

(d)

How is the tensile strength of concrete assessed?

(4 marks)

QUESTION 2 (16 Marks)

(a)

Describe the mechanism of corrosion of steel reinforcement in concrete. What remedial actions
can be taken to minimise corrosion of reinforcement.
(8 marks)

(b)

What is sulphate attack? What are the possible preventive measures?

(8 marks)

SECTION B

STRUCTURES

Answer this Section in a separate booklet

QUESTION 3 (16 Marks)
The beam supports nominal uniformly distributed dead and live loading of 25 kN/m and 20 kN/m
respectively. In addition, it also supports two point nominal (live) loads as shown in Figure 3.
(i) Calculate the design loads on this beam for Serviceability limit states (short-term and long-term).
(ii) Calculate the design loads on this beam for Strength limit state.
(iii) Draw the shear force and bending moment diagrams of the beam for the strength limit state.

100 kN

150 kN

4m

4m

4m

Figure 3
QUESTION 4 (26 Marks)
For the I-section column shown in Figure 4,
(i) Calculate the section capacity NS of the cross-section.
(ii) Calculate the design capacity of the column if the effective length is Le=10 m.
Notes:
1. Values of plate element yield slenderness limit for the flanges and web are 16 and 45, respectively.
All dimensions are in mm.
2. fy = 300 MPa.
3. e =

b fy
bh 3
, r=
, I=
t 250
12

I
L fy
, n = k f
.
A
r 250

90
( / 90)2 + 1 + = + = 2100(n 13.5)

=
1

4. C
,
a
,
n
b
a ,
2
,
2n 15.3n + 2050
2( / 90)

b = 1.0 , = 0.00326( 13.5) > 0 .

15

15

600
20

1200

Figure 4
QUESTION 5 (24 Marks)

For the truss structure given in Figure 5, all structure members have a square cross-sectional area.
(i)

Calculate the forces in each of the truss members and state if the members are in tension or
compression.

(ii)

Design the minimum dimensions for the square cross-sectional area of all tension
members if the materials of them are Grade 300 steel. (Grade 300 steel: fy = 320 MPa,
fu=440 MPa)

Note: All members are pin connected at their ends and the diameter of all holes is 20 mm. Ignore the

members self-weight.
100 N
C
B

4m
200 N

A
D

3m

3m

Figure 5