Mini-calculator programming in design of reinforced concrete members

This paper discusses the principles for use of Programmable Pocket Calculators in the analysis and design of reinforced concrete members. It presents program logic steps through flow charts. It develops computer programs involving up to 448 steps for the analysis and design of reinforced concrete beams in flexure, diagonal torsion and reinforced concrete columns governed by tension as well as by compression, both for uni-axial and bi-axial bending. Design examples are in accordance with the Strengh Design Criteria of the ACI 318 Building Code. Conclusions are drawn on the merits of the use of such programmable calculators as the HP-67 with ample memory to aid the design engineer in obtaining immediate basic designs without the need of handbook charts or the delay in access to sophisticated computers. It enables the designer to rapidly proportion members through first loading the pre-recorded program from the tape into the calculator, inputing the data, and then obtaining the corresponding result through depression of the appropriate output key. The programs presented in this paper are developed for use in the HP-67 and HP-97 programmable calculators applying the Reverse Polish Notation (RPN), because of the advantage of automatic stacking progression. The programs can also be used with HP 41-C. Following the particular computer logic mode of operation, it is easy to transform these programs for use in Algebraic Programmable Calculators such as TI 58 or 59. Every design engineer, once accustomed to the simple logic steps described in each program presented in this paper, should encounter no difficulty in writing any other programs to meet the particular design problems being routinely encountered in normal engineering office and daily structural design operations.