Torsional rigidity of reinforced concrete bars with arbitrary sectional shape

In this paper, the torsional rigidity of arbitrarily shape bar made of different materials is studied on the basis of theory of elasticity and finite element approach. With additional boundary conditions for the common boundaries of different materials from the continuous conditions of deformation and traction across the interior boundary, the torsion function can be solved numerically from the second boundary-value problem of potential theory. The traction jump boundary conditions across the interior surfaces are enforced in the alternate finite element approach. Several examples are shown to check the computational approach proposed, and the approach, at last, is applied to calculate the torsional rigidity of reinforced concrete bar and some multiply connected cross sections such as tower leg section of the Tsing Ma Bridge and other engineering structures.