DN-016-Rev 0-Design Procedure of RC Beams
DN-016-Rev 0-Design Procedure of RC Beams
DN-016-Rev 0-Design Procedure of RC Beams
DN-016
PREPARED BY
Joby Mathews – Associate, Building Structures
QA/QC
Date 25.06.21
Signature
Signature
Signature
Report number
Contents
1. Introduction
3. Design
6. Reinforcement Detailing
Introduction
➢ To establish a Standard Method to Design RC beams which are part of Intermediate Moment Resisting Frames (IMRF)
➢ Existing beam schedule is complex and confusing for young engineers and contractors.
➢ Existing Standard Details and Beam Schedule is Modified to help Engineers to easily detail the reinforcement for the
beams and it will also help contractors to avoid mistakes while preparing shop drawings.
2. MODELLING & ANALYSIS ASSUMPTIONS
• Modelling geometry
• Assigning Materials
• Assigning member properties
• Assigning Loads and Load combinations
Modelling & Analysis
Modelling
➢ Analysis & Design Model is prepared using ETABS Ultimate and SAFE.
➢ ETABS Ultimate Model is used to design the beams for Lateral and Temperature Loads.
➢ The ETABS Ultimate doesn’t design the beams for the axial load. Engineer is expected to review the axial load and if
➢ SAFE Model is prepared for the design of slabs for Gravity Loads and for Serviceability Design. Another SAFE model
➢ To calculate the reinforcement for the beams subjected to Gravity Load, another SAFE Model is made with the E
value of concrete for slab reduced to 10% of the actual value. This will ensure load distribution from slab to beam
➢ The Beam location, Column Location, slab edge, slab openings and slab of varying thickness will be prepared in
➢ The DXF file is exported to SAFE or ETABS. The slab, beam, slab opening, column and walls are modelled in SAFE &
ETABS.
➢ The guideline for minimum slab thickness is given in clause 9.3 of ACI 318-19
Modelling & Analysis - Modelling
➢ The minimum depth of the beam is as per clause 9.3 of ACI 318-19. These are
guidelines only to provide a starting point for analysis and design and can be
➢ The concrete mix designation to have a prefix of C in ETABS model. Mix of cube
➢ The reinforcement for flexure will have yield stress fy = 500MPa and for shear
will have fy = 420MPa. (!! check flexural value for KSA projects – generally
➢ The yield strength and tensile strength to be based on the Table E.1
➢ The modulus of elasticity is as per clause 19.2.2.1, equ. 19.2.2.1b of ACI 318-19.
➢ Though the modulus of rupture for slabs using reinforcement of f y less than 550MPa
as per clause 19.2.3.1 of ACI 318 - 19 is 0.62 X (fc’)0.5 but the preferred value is 0.5 X (fc’)0.5.
➢ For fy in excess of 550MPa the modulus of rupture shall be as per clause 8.3.1.1 of ACI
➢ The member properties in SAFE is only discussed here. The designer can refer to
the User Express Manual for ETABS for similar information to be used in ETABS.
➢ The RC slab to have a designation starting with S followed by depth and Grade of
➢ If the slab type is assigned as drop, then the drop will be checked for punching in
SAFE.
➢ The RC beam to have a designation starting with B followed by Width x Depth and Grade of concrete. RC beam of
SECTION PROPERTIES-SLABS
Modelling & Analysis – Modelling
arrangement plan.
SECTION PROPERTIES-COLUMNS
Modelling & Analysis – Modelling
➢ The RC wall to have a designation starting with W followed by thickness and Grade of concrete. RC wall of 250
➢ As ETABS designs the wall for the out of plane moment, the option for wall takes out of plane moment to be
checked.
SECTION PROPERTIES-WALLS
Modelling & Analysis – Modelling
➢ The RC wall to have a designation starting with W followed by thickness and Grade of concrete. RC wall of 250
➢ As ETABS designs the wall for the out of plane moment, the option for wall takes out of plane moment to be
checked.
SECTION PROPERTIES-WALLS
Modelling & Analysis – Modelling
➢ The Load Patterns are assigned in SAFE & ETABS. Refer Express User Manual for both Software for details.
LOAD PATTERNS
LOAD CASES
Modelling & Analysis – Modelling
➢ The Load Patterns are assigned in SAFE & ETABS. Refer Express User Manual for both Software for details.
LOAD PATTERNS
LOAD CASES
Modelling & Analysis – Modelling - Assigning Loads & Load Combinations
Load Cases for Long Term & Incremental Long Term Deflection
➢ The Long term deflection is explained in detail in DN-002-Rev 0-Guide to Long Term Deflection using SAFE .
➢ Refer also Express User Manual for SAFE for quick reference.
Load Cases for Long Term & Incremental Long Term Deflection
➢ Cracked analysis for permanent load with short-term concrete modulus is given as (DEAD + ΨL LIVE), in which ΨL
Load Cases for Long Term & Incremental Long Term Deflection
➢ The creep coefficient for the non linear long term cracked analysis is 2.0.
➢ Long-term cracked analysis (with creep and shrinkage) for permanent load with long-term concrete modulus is
given as (DEAD + ΨL LIVE), in which ΨL (Portion of Sustained Live Load) as shown below:
Load Cases for Long Term & Incremental Long Term Deflection
➢ An additional load case is required to calculate the immediate deflection due to live load.
Load Cases for Long Term & Incremental Long Term Deflection
➢ The Load Combinations for Immediate Live, Total Long Term and Immediate Long Term to be used in SAFE is
given below.
LOAD COMBINATION FOR IMMEDIATE LOAD COMBINATION FOR TOTAL LOAD COMBINATION FOR
DEFLECTION DUE TO LIVE LOAD LONG TERM DEFLECTION INCREMENTAL LONG TERM
DEFLECTION
Modelling & Analysis – Modelling - Assigning Loads & Load Combinations
➢ The Gravity Load Combinations for Strength used in SAFE is shown below.
➢ The load combinations for Lateral load (Wind & Seismic) and Thermal is in ETABS Ultimate Model. Refer to ETABS
LOAD COMBINATION - DEAD LOAD COMBINATION - LIVE LOAD COMBINATION FOR LOAD COMBINATION FOR
STRENGTH - DEAD STRENGTH – DEAD + LIVE
Modelling & Analysis – Modelling
Cracking Analysis
➢ The reinforcement for cracking analysis should be as per clause 24.4.3.2 as per ACI 318-19 Code.
➢ The approach is same in SAFE & ETABS Ultimate Model. Refer to SAFE/ETABS Express Manual for details.
➢ The slab is designed for lateral load (wind or seismic) and thermal load using ETABS Ultimate.
➢ The SAFE being a 2D model offers relatively more restrain to vertical elements when compared to ETABS
Ultimate which results in more reinforcement in slab. To avoid the same ETABS Ultimate is preferred over SAFE.
➢ The slab will be designed for lateral load from the Strength ETABS Ultimate model with the conventional
➢ The slab will be designed for thermal stresses from the Thermal ETABS Ultimate model. The approach for
➢ The stiffness modifiers for the Strength ETABS Ultimate model is shown below.
m11, m22, T I22, I33 A T I22, I33 f11, f22 f12 m11, m22,
m12 m12
SAUDI 0.25* 0.01**** 0.35 1.00 0.70* 0.70* 0.7/0.35* 0.7/0.35* 0.7/0.35*
DUBAI 0.25* 0.35**** 0.35 1.00 0.70* 0.70* 0.7/0.35* 0.7/0.35* 0.7/0.35*
➢ **** If the torsional stiffness of the beams is required for the stability of the structure and not for deformation
➢ The torsional modifier for external beams (slab edges) can be 0.15 instead of 0.35 for Dubai projects.
➢ The torsion can be released completely in case of compatibility torsion in Saudi projects.
➢ The PT slabs and beams will be having a modifier equal to 1.4 times of RC slabs and beams.
Modelling & Analysis – Modelling
Thermal Analysis
➢ Long-term modulus of elasticity is considered in the analysis. 0.33 Area and stiffness modifiers will be used for
f11, f22 , f33 m11, m22, A T I22, I33 A T I22, I33 f11, f22 , m11, m22,
m12 f33 m12
Saudi 0.33 0.33 0.33 0.01* 0.33 0.33 0.33 0.33 0.33 0.33
Dubai 0.50 0.50 1.00 0.35* 0.35 1.00 0.70 0.70 0.70 0.70
➢ * If the torsional stiffness of the beams is required for the stability of the structure and not for deformation
➢ The PT slabs and beams will be having a modifier equal to 1.4 times of RC slabs and beams.
3. DESIGN
• Design preferences
• Design load combinations
• Design strips
Design
➢ Only SAFE is shown here. For ETABS User can refer to ETABS Express Manual for details.
➢ The Cover for slab and beams should be as per Design Basis Report.
➢ ETABS & SAFE allows to define cover for each beam. But it doesn’t allow to have separate cover for side face, top
& Bottom.
➢ When Beams have reinforcement at top & bottom in more than one layer there is a possibility of increasing the
cover in ETABS & SAFE to arrive at the equivalent effective depth, but it will also reduce the effective width of
beam which is used in torsion calculation leading to increase in torsion reinforcement or failure in torsion
reported by software.
Reinforcement) and increase the total reinforcement by 20% to account for multiple
➢ For slab designed tor resist E (seismic force), the strength reduction factor
➢ For diaphragm, the strength reduction factor for shear shall not exceed
ACI 318-19.
Design - Design Preferences in SAFE & ETABS
➢ The Design load combinations for Gravity design used in SAFE is shown below.
Deflection
➢ The Immediate deflection due to live load for a 9.0m x 9.0m grid for car park building with Live Load = 2.5KPa and
SDL = 1.0KPa is shown below. The slab is 225mm thick with drop panel of 350mm thick.
➢ The immediate deflection due to live load should be limited to L/360 for
Deflection
➢ The total long term deflection should be limited to L/240 for floor slabs & roof.
Deflection
➢ The incremental long term deflection should be limited to L/480 for floor slabs & roof.
➢ For glass facades this should be limited to 20mm, otherwise detail of façade to be changed to accommodate the
deflection.
Deflection
➢ Sometimes the deflection reported in SAFE will be in excess of the limits set by the code.
❖ The Specification for Concrete forming specifies pre-camber during construction in the section 1.5 related to
❖ As per specification, Slab & Beams to achieve upward camber of 0.1% of span measured at centre.
❖ As per specification, Cantilever Beams to achieve upward camber of 0.2% of span measured at centre.
➢ Also the SAFE will be calculating the deflection based on minimum reinforcement criteria set by the user.
➢ If the actual reinforcement is considered the deflection calculation will be more accurate.
➢ The deflections can be controlled by increasing reinforcement in case Pre-Camber and increasing the slab
thickness is restricted.
Interpretation of ETABS & SAFE Results
Deflection
➢ In any case the total deflection is not allowed to exceed 30mm by Dubai Municipality (DM).
Reinforcement Detailing
➢ After ensuring that the deflection is within the limit, Engineer can start looking at the reinforcement.
➢ Both ETABS and SAFE will provide reinforcement in number of bars specified by the Engineer or in terms of area
➢ In ETABS the reinforcement reported at Top Longitudinal and Torsional Transverse Reinforcement is usually
➢ It will be beneficial to detail the reinforcement based on ETABS first and then compare it with the SAFE model
❖ Envelope Reinforcement
❖ Flexure Reinforcement
❖ Torsion Reinforcement
Interpretation of ETABS & SAFE Results
Reinforcement Detailing
➢ The Envelope Longitudinal Reinforcement at Top & Bottom is sum of flexural reinforcement and half of torsional
reinforcement.
➢ But Torsional Longitudinal Reinforcement should be provided Equally on all the faces and not only at Top &
➢ The Engineer should take Flexural Reinforcement at each location and add One Fourth of the Torsional
Reinforcement to it.
➢ The Envelope Transverse Reinforcement is sum of Flexural Shear Reinforcement and Torsional Shear
Reinforcement.
➢ The torsional shear reinforcement should be provided as the outer closed link and should not rely on the inner
links.
5. REINFORCEMENT AS PER ACI 318-19
• Minimum reinforcement
• Spacings bars
• Development lengths
• Distribution of bars
• Beam Column Joints
Reinforcement as per ACI 318-19
➢ There are few cases in which minimum shear reinforcement is not required
Eq+1
Reinforcement as per ACI 318-19
the member and across the width of the member shall be in accordance
➢ For Reinforcement Grade Fe-500, cover to reinforcement 40mm, WIDTH/DEPTH OF BEAM NO OF BARS
diameter of corner bar 20mm and diameter of link 10mm, the 300 2
>300-500 3
minimum No. of Bars required to maintain limit of maximum spacing
>500-700 4
is given below. This is applicable for side face reinforcement.
>700-850 5
>850-1050 6
>1050-1250 7
>1250-1450 8
>1450-1650 9
>1650-1850 10
>1850-2050 11
>2050-2100 12
Reinforcement as per ACI 318-19
9.7.3.4.
Reinforcement as per ACI 318-19
moment reinforcement shall extend along the beam bottom into the
moment reinforcement shall extend along the beam bottom into the
support at least 150mm, and if the beam is part of the lateral stability
the perimeter of the closed stirrups with a spacing not greater than
& 9.7.5.4.
Reinforcement as per ACI 318-19
clause 9.7.6.3.3.
Reinforcement as per ACI 318-19
Deep Beams
➢ The minimum reinforcement along the side face of deep beam shall
➢ The spacing of side of face reinforcement shall be the least of d/5 and
resisting frames.
Reinforcement as per ACI 318-19
➢ If a beam framing into the joint and generating joint shear has depth
exceeding twice the column depth, analysis and design of the joint
column joint in the direction of joint shear as per clause 15.2.6 if all
column joint in the direction of joint shear as per clause 15.2.7 if all
direction of joint shear as per clause 15.2.8 if all the conditions as per
clause 15.3.1.1 if the conditions not similar to the conditions as per the
clause.
clause 15.4.2.3.
Reinforcement as per ACI 318-19
600MM MINIMUM
Reinforcement as per ACI 318-19
➢ Beams shall have at least two continuous bars at both top and
bottom faces. Continuous bottom bars shall have area not less than
one-fourth the maximum area of bottom bars along the span as per
clause 18.3.2.
Reinforcement as per ACI 318-19
➢ Beams shall have at least two continuous bars at both top and
bottom faces. Continuous bottom bars shall have area not less than
one-fourth the maximum area of bottom bars along the span as per
clause 18.4.2.1.
18.4.2.2.
Reinforcement as per ACI 318-19
reinforcement and standard hook of stirrups shall be as per the clause 25.3.2
of ACI 318-19.
Reinforcement as per ACI 318-19
➢ The arrangement of cross ties shall be as per the clause 25.3.5 of ACI 318-19.
Reinforcement as per ACI 318-19
➢ The designer to follow WSP Structural General Notes sheet for the
development length.
Reinforcement as per ACI 318-19
➢ The designer to follow WSP Structural General Notes sheet for the
development length.
Reinforcement as per ACI 318-19
➢ The transverse ties formed out of pair of U Stirrups spliced each other is not
wsp.com