The electrical engineering curriculum required us to complete some minor mechanical and civil engineering subjects as well. Apart from surveying, the strength of materials and structural engineering subjects were too much pressing — maybe I just didn’t like them as much as I did with electrical circuitry and electronics. Here’s one challenge that I’d like to share with you — you may post your answers in the comment section as well. Please feel free to do so!

“A reinforced concrete beam is 250mm wide and has an effective depth of 400mm. The beam is simply supported over a span of 5.50m and carries a service live load of 36kN/m and a service dead load of 15kN/m (including the weight of the beam). The steel yield strength fy is 276MPa and the concrete strength fc is 20.70MPa. If a compression steel is required, it will be placed 75mm from the extreme compression fiber.” Now,
1) which of the following most nearly gives the total factored uniform load acting on the beam in kN/m? 82.20, 72.10, 61.10, or 58.40? Ans. ____.
2)  which of the following most nearly gives the total area of tension steel required to resist the total factored load? 1580, 2510, 3960, or 4550? Ans. ____.
3)  which of the following most nearly gives the nominal moment capacity (in kN-m) if the beam is singly reinforced with maximum steel reinforcement? 165, 98, 390, or 240? Ans. ____.