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7 Elastic analysis of Beams for serviceability limit state

7.1 Introduction

It is important that member performance in normal service be satisfactory, when loads are those
actually expected to act i.e., when load factors are 1.0. This is not guaranteed simply by
providing adequate strength. Service load deflections under full load may be excessively large,
or long-term deflections due to sustained loads may cause damage. Tension cracks in beams may
be wide enough to be visually disturbing or may even permit serious corrosion of reinforcing
bars. These and other questions, such as vibration or fatigue, require consideration.

Serviceability studies are carried out based on elastic theory, with stresses in both concrete and
steel assumed to be proportional to strain. The concrete on the tension side of the neutral axis
may be assumed uncracked, partially cracked, or fully cracked, depending on the loads and
material strengths.

Reinforced concrete members carrying lateral loads respond to these loads by bending. The
moment curvature relationship for a segment of the simply supported reinforced concrete
member of fig.7.1 (a) is illustrated in fig.7.1(c). It can be seen that the segment remains
uncracked and has a large stiffness, EI u, until the moment reaches the cracking moment, Mcr
(point A). When this happens, the member cracks and the stiffness at the cracked section reduce
to EIc.

As the load (and hence the moment) is increased further, more cracks occur and existing cracks
increase in size. Eventually, the reinforcement yields at the point of maximum moment,
corresponding to point C on the diagram. Above this point, the member displays large increases
in deflection for small increases in moment .The service load range is between the origin and
point C on the diagram and it is in this range that deflections are checked and stresses calculated.

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P part (b) R 

M M

(b) Curvature of segment of

beam (Curvature,  = 1/R)
(a) Deflected shape

Moment, M Yield point of reinforcement

C Failure

Slope, EIc
D
B

Mcr A

Slope, EIu

Instantaneous Sustained Curvature, 

(c) Moment/curvature plot for segment of part (b)

Figure 7.1.1 Moment curvature relationship for beam segment.

Consider a point B within the service load range. This curvature represents the instantaneous
(short term) curvature under an applied moment, M. If the moment is sustained, however, the
curvature increases with time to point D owing to the creep of the concrete. The curvature at this
point is known as the long term or sustained curvature. As deflection results from curvature,
there are both instantaneous and sustained deflections which must be considered in the design of
members with bending.

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7.2 Deflections

The deflections which result from bending must be limited such that they do not adversely affect
the function and appearance of the members of the entire structure.

Limits on Deflections:
The final deflection (including the effects of temperature creep and shrinkage) of all horizontal
members shall not, in general, exceed the value.

Where, Le = effective span

For roof or floor construction supporting or attached to constructional elements (e.g. partitions
and finishes) likely to be damaged by large deflections, that part of the deflection which occurs
after the attachment of the non-structural elements shall not exceed the value.

Calculation of Deflections:
Effect of creep and shrinkage strains on the curvature, and there by on the deflection shall be
considered. Immediate deflections shall be computed by the usual elastic methods as the sum of
the two parts i and ii given by eqs 7.2.1 and 7.2.2 but not more than max given by eq 7.2.3.

i = Deflection due to the theoretical cracking moment Mcr acting on the uncracked
transformed section.

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ii = deflection due to the balance of the applied moment over and above the cracking
value and acting on a section with an equivalent stiffness of 75% of the cracked value.
max = deflection of fully cracked section.
As = area of the tension reinforcement.
Ecm = short term elastic modulus (secant modulus) of the concrete

fck in MPa and Ecm in GPa

Grade of
C 15 C 20 C 25 C 30 C 40 C 50 C 60
concrete
Ecm 26 27 29 32 35 37 39

Es = modulus of elasticity of steel

Iu = moment of inertia of the uncracked transformed concrete section.
Mk = maximum applied moment at mid-span due to sustained characteristic loads; for
Cantilevers it is the moment at the face of the support
Z = section modulus.
d = effective depth of the section
x = neutral axis depth at the section of max moment.
z = internal lever arm at the section of maximum moment.
 = deflection coefficient depending on the loading and support conditions.
(e.g. for simply supported span subjected to uniformly distributed load)

Note: The value of x and z may be determined for the service load condition using a modular
ratio of 10 or for the ultimate load condition.
Long-term deflection of flexural members shall be obtained by multiplying the immediate
deflection caused by the sustained load considered, by the factor,

Where : = area of compression reinforcement

As = area of tension reinforcement.

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Example 7.2.1 (Deflection calculation)

The rectangular beam illustrated below is subjected to a total permanent gravity loading
(including self weight) of 15 kN/m. Of the total variable gravity loading, 8kN/m has been judged
to be quasi-permanent. Find the long-term deflection at mid-span due to these loads given that
the beam is located indoors and is first loaded 7 days after casting. The grade of concrete is C-30
and that of steel is S-400. The elastic deflection at the center of a beam of length L, due to
uniform loading w, is:

7.3 Limits on cracking

Flexural cracks are inevitably formed in reinforced concrete members. For structures in
aggressive environments, corrosion is a problem and stringent limits are imposed on the width of
cracks that are allowed to develop. Environment in the interior of buildings is usually non-
severe, corrosion does not generally pose a problem and limits on crack widths will be governed
by their appearance.

Crack formation
 The maximum tensile stresses in the concrete are calculated under the action of design
loads appropriate to a serviceability limit state and on the basis of the geometrical
properties of the transformed uncracked concrete cross section.
 The calculated stresses shall not exceed the following values:
(a) Flexure ct = 1.70 fctk
(b) Direct tension ct = fctk
 Minimum reinforcement in beams for the control of cracking is given by,

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Crack Widths:
Crack widths are calculated using the quasi-permanent service load combination. Specifically
crack widths can be assumed not to exceed the limiting values if the limits on bar spacing or bar
diameters (Table 7.3.1) are satisfied, and if minimum areas of reinforcement, also specified are
provided.

Table 7.3.1 Maximum size and spacing of high bond bars for control of cracking.
Maximum bar Maximum bar
Steel stress*
Spacing(mm) Diameter(mm)
160 300 32
200 250 25
240 200 20
280 150 16
320 100 12
360 50 10
400 - 8
450 - 6

*steel stresses are determined using quasi-permanent loads.

Table 7.3.2 Characteristic crack width for concrete member

Dry environment: Humid environment Seawater and/ or aggressive
Interior of buildings Interior components chemical environment
of normal habitation (e.g.laundaries);exterior components completely or
or offices. components; compounds partially submerged in
Type of exposure in non-aggressive soil seawater; components in
and/ or water saturated salt air; aggressive
industrial atmospheres.

(Mild) (moderate) (severe)

Characteristic
Crack width, wk
(mm) 0.4 0.2 0.1

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In specific cases where a crack width calculation is considered necessary,

wk=  srm sm
Where: wk = characteristic crack width.
srm = average final crack spacing.
sm = mean strain in the tension steel allowing for tension stiffening and time-
dependent effects
 = coefficient relating the average crack width to the design value;  = 1.7 for sections
in bending under applied loads.
The mean strain is simply the strain in the steel adjusted by the distribution factor, 

Where: fs = stress in the tension reinforcement.

Es = elastic modulus for steel.

1 = coefficient which accounts for the bond properties of the reinforcement

1 = 1.0 for high-bond bars (normally used); 1 = 0.5 for plain bars.
2 = Coefficient which accounts for the duration of the loading or of repeated loading.
2 = 1.0 for single short-term loading; 2 = 0.5 for sustained loading or repeated loading
fs = stress in tension steel assuming a cracked section.
fsr = stress in tension steel assuming a cracked section due to loading which causes initial
cracking.

The average final crack spacing in millimeters is calculated using the equation:

Where: k1 = Coefficient which accounts for the bond properties of the reinforcement:
k1 = 0.8 for high bond bars; k1 = 1.6 for plain bars
k2 = coefficient which takes account of the form of strain distribution: for bending k2 = 0.5
 = bar diameter

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r = effective reinforcement ratio As/Ac,eff,

Where: Ac,eff = effective tension area of the concrete, as illustrated below.

x x
h
d
h
c
Effective tension
Lesser of 2.5c   2  area
and h  x  3
Effective tension
2.5h  d  area (b) slabs

(a) beams

Fig .7.3.1 Effective tension area of concrete.

Example 7.3.1
Determine the crack width for the problem of example 7.2.1.