The purpose of this course is to provide students with a rational basis of the design of reinforced concrete members and structures, through advanced understanding of material and structural behavior.

After completing the course, the student is expected to have competences in calculation and design of the main elements in reinforced concrete structures according to current building codes. In particular, students will be able to do the following:
• Understand and explain the principles of reinforced concrete
• Assess proper dead, live and other structural loads
• Design and analyze reinforced concrete beams, slabs, columns, and footings for flexure, shear, axial loads, and torsion
• Design and analyze reinforced concrete elements using proper design software
• Work in a team during the group course project

It is assumed that students have a background in structural analysis, mechanics of materials, and statics.

Introduction to concrete and reinforced concrete structures
Safety formats and conceptual design of reinforced concrete buildings
Materials characterization and durability problems
Design of beams and one-way slabs
Design of two-way slabs and shear walls
Design of short and slender columns
Serviceability requirements
Strut and Tie Modeling
Beam-Column Joints
Design for Torsion Resistance
Prestressed concrete structures
Resistance to horizontal loads
Resistance to fire
Innovation and sustainability of concrete structures

A course project is assigned to several teams of students (up to 4 in each group) during the semester. The project requires designing a simple building by using the design principles learned in class. It is required to use hand calculation and open source design software.

The handouts of the main arguments will be provided during the course. For further details, the following texts represent the basic bibliography:

ACI 318-14 Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete and Commentary. American Concrete Institute, 2014.

Comité Européen de Normalisation (CEN). EN 1992. Eurocode 2: Design of Concrete Structures. 2004.

fib Model Code for Concrete Structures 2010. Ernst & Sohn; 1st edition, 2013.


Collins M.P., Mitchell D. Prestressed Concrete Structures. Response Publications, 1997.

Kamara M.E., Novak L. C. Simplified Design of Reinforced Concrete Buildings, Portland Cement Association, 2011.

Nilson A., Darwin D., Dolan C. Design of Concrete Structures. McGraw-Hill Education; 14th edition, 2009.

Park R., Gamble W.L. Reinforced concrete slabs. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 2nd edition, 2000.

Park R., Paulay T. Reinforced Concrete Structures. Wiley; 1st edition, 1975.

Wight J.K., MacGregor J.G. Reinforced Concrete - Mechanics and Design. Prentice Hall; 6th edition, 2011

The exam is divided into three parts. The first part is the course project, which has to be completed within the end of the semester (10 points). The second part is a written test, consisting of the solution of two simple problems (10 points). Finally, there is an individual oral colloquium of about 20 minutes, during which a series of questions on some parts of the course are asked (10 points).