【正文】
es a widely adopted code specifying the structural requirements for reinforced concrete. Concrete is known as the “ formable” or “ moldable” structural material. Compared to other materials ,it is easy to make curvilinear members and surfaces with concrete. It has no inherent texture but adopts the texture of the forming material, so it can range widely in surface appearance. It is relatively inexpensive to make, both in terms of raw materials and labor ,and the basic ingredients of Portland cement are available the world over. (It should be noted, however, that the necessary reinforcing bars for concrete may not be readily available in lessdeveloped countries.) The best structural use of reinforced concrete ,in terms of the characteristics of the material, is in those structures requiring continuity and or rigidity. It has a monolithic quality which automatically makes fixed or continuous connections. These momentresistant joints are such that many lowrise concrete buildings do not require a secondary bracing system for lateral loads. In essence, a concrete beam joins a concrete column very differently from the way steel and wood pieces join, and the sensitive designer will not ignore this difference. (These remarks do not apply to precast structural elements, — 4 — which are usually not joined in a continuous manner.)