Updated: June 09, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

Lecture 10

Serviceability Criteria for

Deflection and Crack Control in
RC Members
By:
Prof. Dr. Qaisar Ali
Civil Engineering Department
UET Peshawar

[email protected]
www.drqaisarali.com

Prof. Dr. Qaisar Ali CE 320: Reinforced Concrete Design – I 1

Updated: June 09, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

Lecture Contents

 Part – I: Deflections in RC Beams and One-way slabs

 Introduction

 Types of deflections

 Deflection control

 Part – II: Cracking in RC Frames

 Crack formation

 ACI Code provisions for crack control

 References

Prof. Dr. Qaisar Ali CE 320: Reinforced Concrete Design – I 2

Updated: June 09, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

Learning Outcomes

 At the end of this lecture, students will be able to;

 Define short-term and long-term deflection

 Explain crack formation

 Identify relevant ACI codes to control deflection and crack width

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Updated: June 09, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

Part – I
Deflections in RC Beams
and One-way Slabs

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Updated: June 09, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

Introduction

 Background
 In previous lectures, we have dealt primarily with the strength
design of reinforced concrete beams.

 Methods have been developed to ensure that beams will have a

proper safety margin against failure in flexure or shear, or due to
inadequate bond and anchorage of the reinforcement.

 However, in addition to safety, serviceability requirements must

also be ensured so that the structure performs well under service
load conditions.

 Deflection control is an important serviceability consideration in the

structural design of concrete buildings.

Prof. Dr. Qaisar Ali CE 320: Reinforced Concrete Design – I 5

Updated: June 09, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

Introduction

 Definition
 Deflection as defined by ACI concrete Terminology is the
movement of a point on a structure or structural element, usually
measured as a linear displacement or as succession displacements
transverse to a reference line or axis.

Wu
Longitudinal axis
(Reference line)

Deflection

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Updated: June 09, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

Introduction

 Deflection Effects
 It is important to maintain control of deflections so that members
designed mainly for strength at prescribed overloads will also
perform well in normal service.

 Excessive deflections can lead to cracking of supported walls and

partitions, ill-fitting doors and windows, poor roof drainage,
misalignment of sensitive machinery and equipment, and visually
offensive sag etc.

Prof. Dr. Qaisar Ali CE 320: Reinforced Concrete Design – I 7

Updated: June 09, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

Introduction

 Types of Deflections
1. Short-term deflections

 The immediate deflection after casting and application of partial

or full service loads.

2. Long-term deflections

 Deflection that occurs over time as a result of shrinkage and

creep of concrete.

Both types are discussed in the subsequent slides.

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Updated: June 09, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

Types of Deflections

 Immediate (short-term) Deflections

 Immediate deflection at a given load in a structure is calculated
using equations of elastic deflection.

Where;

 is a function of load, span and support

arrangement and

 is the flexural rigidity.

Prof. Dr. Qaisar Ali CE 320: Reinforced Concrete Design – I 9

Updated: June 09, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

Types of Deflections

 Immediate (short-term) Deflections

 Deflections can be directly computed for different conditions of
loading and end conditions as below:

Prof. Dr. Qaisar Ali CE 320: Reinforced Concrete Design – I 10

Updated: June 09, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

Types of Deflections

 Immediate (short-term) Deflections

 Determination of modulus of elasticity of concrete

 As per ACI 318-19, Section 19.2.2.1, Modulus of elasticity Ec for

concrete shall be accordance with (a) or (b):
 For values of between 90 and 160 lb/ft3

 For Normalweight concrete

 in equation (a) is the equilibrium density of concrete mixture.

Prof. Dr. Qaisar Ali CE 320: Reinforced Concrete Design – I 11

Updated: June 09, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

Types of Deflections

 Immediate (short-term) Deflections

 Determination of effective moment of Inertia ( )

 In elastic deflection equation, the effective moment of inertia is

calculated in accordance with ACI 318-19, Section 24.2.3.9a

Where;
Maximum service load moment for which deflections are being considered.

𝑀 = Cracking Moment = 𝑓 𝐼 /𝑦

𝐼 = Gross moment of inertia

𝐼 = Moment of inertia of cracked section

Prof. Dr. Qaisar Ali CE 320: Reinforced Concrete Design – I 12

Updated: June 09, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

Types of Deflections

 Long-term Deflections
 Shrinkage and creep due to sustained loads cause additional long-
term deflections over and above those which occur when loads are
first placed on the structure.

 Such deflections are influenced by:

 Temperature,

 Humidity,

 Curing conditions,

 Age at the time of loading,

 Quantity of compression reinforcement, and

 Magnitude of the sustained load.

Prof. Dr. Qaisar Ali CE 320: Reinforced Concrete Design – I 13

Updated: June 09, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

Types of Deflections

 Long-term Deflections
 Additional long-term deflection resulting from the combined effect of
creep and shrinkage is determined by multiplying the immediate
deflection caused by the sustained load with the factor lD as given
in ACI table 24.2.4.1.3.
Table 24.2.4.1.3
 Δ (cp +sh) = λΔ (Δi)sus
Sustained load duration Time dependent factor,
x (Δi)sus, (months) x

lD = 3 1.0
1 + 50r
6 1.2
r = As/bd 12 1.4
60 or more 2.0

Prof. Dr. Qaisar Ali CE 320: Reinforced Concrete Design – I 14

Updated: June 09, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

Types of Deflections

 Long-term Deflections
 It is important to note here that long term deflections are function of
immediate deflections due to sustained load only i.e.

Δ (cp +sh) = λΔ(Δi)sus

 Sustained loads are loads that are permanently applied on the

structure e.g., dead loads, superimposed dead loads and live loads
kept on the structure for long period.

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Updated: June 09, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

ACI Code Provisions for Deflection

Control

1. Direct Approach
 In direct approach, the deflections are controlled by restricting their
magnitude to the permitted limits recommended by ACI 318 Code.

 Deflections are said to be within limits if the combined effect of

immediate and long-term deflections does not exceed the limits
specified in ACI table 24.2.2 (shown on next slide).

Prof. Dr. Qaisar Ali CE 320: Reinforced Concrete Design – I 16

Updated: June 09, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

ACI Code Provisions for Deflection

Control

1. Direct Approach

Maximum permissible calculated deflections (ACI Table 24.2.2)

1. Direct Approach of deflection control
Deflection
Member Condition Deflection to be considered
limitation

Immediate deflection due to

Flat roofs Not supporting or attached to nonstructural maximum of Lr, S, and R 𝑙/180
elements likely to be damaged by large
deflections Immediate deflection due to L
Floors 𝑙/360

Likely to be damaged That part of the total deflection

occurring after attachment of 𝑙/480
by large deflections
nonstructural elements, which is the
Supporting or sum of the time-dependent deflection
Roofs or
attached to non- due to all sustained loads and the
floors Not likely to be
structural elements immediate deflection due to any
damaged by large 𝑙/240
deflections additional live load

Prof. Dr. Qaisar Ali CE 320: Reinforced Concrete Design – I 17

Updated: June 09, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

ACI Code Provisions for Deflection

Control

2. Direct Approach
 Deflections can also be controlled indirectly by limiting the
thickness (depth) of structural members.

 Deflections are said to be within limits if the thickness of beams and

one-way slabs are greater than the minimum requirements given in
ACI table 7.3.1.1 and 9.3.1.1 (as shown on next slide).

 However, this method is applicable only to the cases of loadings

and spans commonly experienced in buildings and cannot be used
for unusually large values of loading and span.

Prof. Dr. Qaisar Ali CE 320: Reinforced Concrete Design – I 18

Updated: June 09, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

ACI Code Provisions for Deflection

Control

2. Direct Approach

Minimum thickness of solid one-way slabs (ACI Minimum depth of beam

Table 7.3.1) (ACI Table 9.3.1.1)

Support condition Minimum h Support condition Minimum h

Simply supported 𝑙/20 Simply supported 𝑙/16

One end continuous 𝑙/24 One end continuous 𝑙/18.5

Both ends continuous 𝑙/28 Both ends continuous 𝑙/21

Cantilever 𝑙/10 Cantilever 𝑙/8

• 𝑙 = center-to-center length(already defined)

• for 𝑓 other than 60,000 psi, the expressions in Table 7.3.1.1 and 9.3.1.1 shall be multiplied
by (0.4 + 𝑓 /100,000)

Prof. Dr. Qaisar Ali CE 320: Reinforced Concrete Design – I 19

Updated: June 09, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

Part – II
Cracking in RC Frames

Prof. Dr. Qaisar Ali CE 320: Reinforced Concrete Design – I 20

Updated: June 09, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

Introduction

 Crack Formation
 All RC beams crack, generally starting at loads well below service
level, and possibly even prior to loading due to restrained
shrinkage.

 In a well-designed beam, flexural cracks are fine, so-called hairline

cracks, almost invisible to a casual observer, and they permit little if
any corrosion to the reinforcement.

Prof. Dr. Qaisar Ali CE 320: Reinforced Concrete Design – I 21

Updated: June 09, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

Introduction

 Crack Formation ( ACI 24.3.2.1)

 As loads are gradually increased above the cracking load, both the
number and width of cracks increase.

 If loads are further increased, crack widths increase further,

although the number of cracks do not increase substantially.

 The limiting value of crack width both for interior and exterior
exposures is taken as 0.016 inch (0.4mm).

Prof. Dr. Qaisar Ali CE 320: Reinforced Concrete Design – I 22

Updated: June 09, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

ACI Code Provisions for Crack Control

 Approaches
 There are two approaches of controlling crack in reinforced
concrete members.

1. Direct Approach

 Expected crack width is calculated and is compared with the

maximum permissible limit provided by the code.

2. Indirect Approach

 Cracking in RC member can be controlled by imposing limit on

the maximum bar spacing.

 Here the indirect approach will be discussed.

Prof. Dr. Qaisar Ali CE 320: Reinforced Concrete Design – I 23

Updated: June 09, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

ACI Code Provisions for Crack Control

 Indirect Approach
 The maximum center-to-center spacing between the adjacent bars
shall not exceed the limits in Table 24.3.2.

 For deformed bars or wires, maximum spacing is given by;

Where;
he bar stress in under service condition.
he clear cover in inches from the nearest surface in tension to the
surface of the flexural tension reinforcement.

Prof. Dr. Qaisar Ali CE 320: Reinforced Concrete Design – I 24

Updated: June 09, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

ACI Code Provisions for Crack Control

 Indirect Approach
 As per ACI 318-19, Section 24.3.2.1, stress in deformed
reinforcement closest to the tension face at service loads shall be
calculated based on the unfactored moment, or it shall be permitted
to take as 𝑦

 Hence by putting the value of in previous equations, we get

(where )

 Note that the condition 𝑦 is for full service-load

condition. For loading less than that, shall be calculated.

Prof. Dr. Qaisar Ali CE 320: Reinforced Concrete Design – I 25

Updated: June 09, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

ACI Code Provisions for Crack Control

 Indirect Approach
 A useful plot of bar spacing vs concrete cover is provided below.

15″

7.5″

4.5″

Prof. Dr. Qaisar Ali CE 320: Reinforced Concrete Design – I 26

Updated: June 09, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

References

 Design of Concrete Structures 14th / 15th edition by Nilson, Darwin and

Dolan.

 Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete (ACI 318-19)

Figure 9

Prof. Dr. Qaisar Ali CE 320: Reinforced Concrete Design – I 27