Example
Design the beams in the figure below. The imposed load is 4.0 kN/m2.
Beam
5.0m
Beam
8.0m
Design parameters (general)
Reinforcement yield strength fy = 500 N/mm2
(reminder fd = fy/1.15 = 0.87fy = 435 N/mm2
Concrete strength C30/35 fck = 30 N/mm2
The above parameters are both decided by the Design Engineer,
although fy is generally standard.
fck would be the same throughout the job
There are then specific parameters for this slab:
Slab cover 20mm
Beam cover 40mm
Cover depends upon location
Reinforcement diameter (beam) 25mm (estimated, may change)
Bar diameter depends upon member size and loading and is ‘guessed
at this stage.
Imposed load: (given in question) 4kN/m2
Dead Load:
Finishes (screeds, carpets etc): Allow 1 kN/m2
(Designers decision/estimate)
In order to establish the loads, we need to estimate a suitable slab
thickness.
For this we use span to depth (L/d) ratios.
For a simply supported slab L/d=25
This is a very crude estimate and usually conservative.
In this case: L/d = 5000/d = 25 Hence d=5000/25 = 200mm
Strictly speaking this is the ‘effective depth’ of the slab, giving an overall
depth:
h = d + cover + φ/2 = 200 + 20 + 12/2 = 226mm
This is an ESTIMATE. As the designer I always work to an overall depth
rounded to 25mm.
In this case I decide to use an overall thickness of 200mm
This is MY decision; later calculations will tell me if it is a correct decision.
(If I am wrong I simply have to re-do the calculations)
I can then proceed with the slab design, but the slab depth is the only
thing I need to enable the beam design to proceed.
We can now calculate the loads on the slab:
Characteristic Loads:
Dead Load: Self: 25 x 0.2 (slab h, in m) = 5.0 kN/m2
Finishes = 1.0 kN/m2
Total dead = 6.0 kN/m2
Imposed Load: = 4.0 kN/m2
Ultimate load
(1.35 x DL) + (1.5 x IL)
(1.35 x 6) + (1.5 x 4) = 14.1 kN/m2
We are now ready to start the design!
Slab Analysis
In this case the slab analysis is very simple.
Mmax = WL2/8 = 14.1 x 52/8 = 44.1 kNm/m width
Vmax = WL/2 = 14.1 x 5/2 = 35.3 kN/m width
For the BEAM design the only value required is the shear force on the
slab.
The beam supports the slab, so this force is applied to the beam.
In addition the beam has a self-weight.
I will guess the self-weight. Clearly the larger the load on the beam the
larger the beam will need to be.
I will therefore allow a 15% increase in the applied load to the beam to
allow for self-weight.
At the end of the design, I must check that this allowance is sufficient.
The design load on the beam is therefore:
35.3 x 1.15 = 40.6 kN/m
We can now start the beam design.
Uniformly Distributed Load
Applied = 40.6 kN/m
Reinforcement in the
(bottom) tension Zone
BEAM (8m SIMPLY SUPPORTED)
Beam Analysis
In this case the beam analysis is very simple.
Like the slab it is simply supported.
Mmax = WL2/8 = 40.6 x 82/8 = 325 kN.m
Vmax = WL/2 = 40.6 x 8/2 = 162.4 kN
Decide upon a beam size:
Let’s try (overall depth) H=600mm
d = 600 – 40 – 25/2 = 547.5mm
𝑀 325 𝑥 106
𝑏≥ = = 216.4 𝑚𝑚
(0.167 𝑥 𝑑2 𝑥 𝑓𝑐𝑘) 0.167 𝑥 547.52 𝑥 30
Use: b=225mm
We are now in a position to check the self-weight:
200 mm Slab – weight already included
400 mm
275 mm
Beam weight (characteristic)
= 0.4(m) x 0.225(m) x 25 (kN/m3) = 2.25 kN/m
Ultimate = 1.35 x DL = 1.35 x 2.25 =3.1 kN/m
We can now check whether our self-weight allowance was correct:
We allowed 0.15 x 35.3 = 5.3 kN/m
Actual load = 3.1 kN/m
We can therefore continue with the original load or get a better design
by using the actual load.
DESIGNER’S CHOICE
I will revise the load to get a better design: W = 35.3 + 3.1 = 38.4 kN/m
Reanalyse the slab:
Modified applied moment and shear:
Mmax = WL2/8 = 38.4 x 82/8 = 307.2 kNm
Vmax = WL/2 = 38.4 x 8/2 = 153.6 kN
Reinforcement Design
𝑑
𝑧= [1 + √1 − 3.53𝐾] 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑎𝑛 𝑢𝑝𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑙𝑖𝑚𝑖𝑡 𝑜𝑓 0.95𝑑
2
𝑀
Where: 𝐾= (work in N and mm)
𝑏𝑑2𝑓 𝑐𝑘
307.2 𝑥 106
𝐾= = 0.152 (≤ 0.167)
225 𝑥 547.52 x 30
𝑑
𝑧= [1 + √1 − 3.53𝑥 0.152] = 0.84 𝑑 ≤ 0.95𝑑
2
Therefore in this case z = 0.84d = 458mm
The tension reinforcement required can now be calculated from:
𝑀
𝐴𝑠 =
𝑓𝑦𝑑𝑧
383 𝑥 106
𝐴𝑠 = = 1922 𝑚𝑚2
0.87 𝑥 500 𝑥 458
This is the required reinforcement, Asreq
1 – T25 = 491mm2
Number required = 1922/491 = 3.91 bars
Use 4 – T 25
Actual reinforcement provided = 4 x 491 = 1964 mm2
This is the reinforcement provided, Asprov
This completes the design for the required reinforcement.
Deflection:
𝜌0 = 0.001√𝑓𝑐𝑘 = 5.48 𝑥 10−3 𝜌𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝 = 0
𝐴𝑠,𝑟𝑒𝑞 1922
𝜌= = = 12.8 𝑥 10−3
𝑏𝑑 275 𝑥 547.5
𝜌0
𝜌0 < 𝜌 = 0.43
𝜌
𝐿
= [11 + (1.5√30 x 0.43) + 0] = 14.53
𝑑
Modification Factors
Simply supported: K1=1
Interior Span: K1=1.5
End Span: K1=1.3
Cantilever: K1=0.4
In this case K1 = 1
If the slab span is greater than 7m, modify the L/d ratio by the factor K2
= 7/L.
In this case K2 = 7/8 = 0.875
𝐴𝑠,𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑣 1964
𝐾3 = 𝐴𝑠,𝑟𝑒𝑞
≤ 1.5 𝐾3 = = 1.02 ≤ 1.5
1922
Modified L/d = 14.53 x 1 x 0.875 x 1.02 = 12.97
Actual L/d = 8000/547.5 = 14.61 > 12.67 FAIL
We have a number of choices (starting with the one that creates most
work):
Increase the beam depth and start again.
Increase reinforcement to increase K3
‘Ignore’ factor K2
Considering the last option, if K2 = 1,
Modified L/d = 14.53 x 1 x 1 x 1.02 = 14.82 > 14.61 PASS
I could select this and ensure the finishes are not brittle the beam.
OR Modify K3. Try increasing the number of bars to 5
Asprov = 5 x 491 = 2455 mm2 Asprov/Asreq = 2455/1922 = 1.28
Modified L/d = 14.53 x 1 x 0.875 x 1.28 = 16.27
Actual L/d = 8000/547.5 = 14.61 < 16.27 PASS
I will use this option. Asprov = 5 x 491 = 2455 mm2
Shear Design
Check the capacity of the concrete ‘strut’
Resistance:
bw = b = 275 mm 𝜃 = 22⁰
𝑓𝑐𝑘 30
0.36 x 𝑏 𝑥 𝑑 𝑥 (1 − )𝑓 0.36 𝑥 275 𝑥 547.5 𝑥 (1 − )30
𝑉 = 𝑤 250 𝑐𝑘 250
𝑅𝑑𝑚𝑎𝑥 =
tan 𝜃 + cot 𝜃 0.404 + 2.475
= 497,000 N = 497 kN > 192 kN PASS
Reinforcement (shear links):
Try T-12 links. Asw = 226mm2 (Area of 2 x T 12 bars)
𝐴𝑠𝑤 𝑉𝐸𝑑 𝐴𝑠𝑤 𝑥 0.78 𝑥 𝑑 𝑥 𝑓𝑦𝑤𝑘𝑥 cot (𝜃)
≥ 𝑜𝑟 𝑠 ≤ 𝑉𝐸𝑑
𝑠 0.87 𝑥 𝑑 𝑥 𝑓𝑦𝑤𝑘 𝑥 cot(𝜃)
226 𝑥 0.78 𝑥 547.5 𝑥 500𝑥 cot(22)
𝑠≤ = 622𝑚𝑚
192 𝑥 103
But 𝑠 ≤ 0.75 𝑑 = 0.75 𝑥 547.5 = 410𝑚𝑚
Therefore use T12 links at 400 centres.
THIS COMPLETES THE BEAM DESIGN
