DESIGN OF REINFORCED CONCRETE BEAM

Beams in RC structures can be defined according to:

(1) Cross-section
(2) Position of reinforcement
(3) Support condition

Fig. 1 shows some examples of Reinforced Concrete beams that can

be found in practice. When a beam is reinforced with tension steel
only, it is referred as singly reinforced.

When a beam is reinforced with tension and compression steel, this

is referred as doubly reinforced.

Doubly reinforced beams are used in preference to singly reinforced

beams when there is restriction on the construction depth of the
section since inclusion of compression steel will increase the
moment capacity of the beam resulting in more slender section.

Fig 1: Beam cross-section

 FIG 2: The position of T and L beam in an insitu construction/monolithic

Concrete beams are often constructed monolithic with floor slabs, and it
may be possible for some of the floor slab to be considered as part of the
beam. This has the advantage of increasing the breadth b of the beam, and
hence the lever arm z , at little or no additional cost, and this may reduce the
amount of reinforcement required. The resulting L and T beams are shown
in Fig 2 .

This module however does not cover the design of L and T beams.

A beam can be simply supported or continuous based on the number

of support and types of connection.

A simply supported beams do not occur as frequently as continuous

beams in in-situ concrete construction, but are an important element
in pre-cast concrete construction as shown in Fig 3 below.
 Fig 3: Simply supported pre cast beam

A simply supported beam usually is mounted on two supports such

as wall or column. There is no continuity between the beam and the
support and the beam is free to rotate at the supports without any
restraint.

Continuous beam on the other hand is mounted on more than two

supports as shown in Fig 4 below:

Fig 4: Continuous beam

Where beams are used in a continuous situation care must be taken
to correctly locate the reinforcement in the tension face of the beam.

Definition of depth (d)

In reinforced concrete beam design the effective depth is an important

parameter to calculate the reinforcement area. The effective depth is the
distance from the compression face of the beam to the centroid of steel
reinforcement as shown in Fig 5 below.

Depth(d) of a beam is calculated as follows:

d = Height (h) – cover – link size – bar diameter/2

Fig 5: Determining depth

DESIGN FLOW CHART

The flow chart in Fig 6 can be used to determine whether the

beam is singly reinforced or doubly reinforced.
It is often recommended in the UK that K’ is limited to
0.167 to ensure ductile failure

Fig 6: Flow chart to determine singly or doubly reinforced beam

If the beam is singly reinforced the flow chart in Fig 7 can be used
to determine the reinforcement and all the necessary checks.
 Md
As 
0.87 f yk z

Fig 7: Flow chart for singly reinforced beam

If the beam is doubly reinforced the flow chart in Fig 8 can be

used to determined the reinforcement and all the necessary checks.
Fig 8: Flow chart to design doubly reinforced beam
EXAMPLE 1

A simply supported rectangular beam of size 225 x 450 mm and 6 m

span as shown in the Fig. below carries a characteristic dead (gk )
load (inc. Self wt. of beam ), and imposed (qk ) loads of 8 kN/m and
6 kN/m respectively.

The beam dimensions are breadth b, 225mm and effective depth d,

425mm. Assuming the beam is made of C30/37 concrete and
fyk=500 N/mm2 , calculate the area of reinforcement required and all
necessary checks.

b=225mm

d=425mm q = 6kN/m
k
g = 8kN/m
k
6m

Singly Reinforced Beam

ANSWER

Design action = 1.35 x 8 + 1.5 x 6 = 19.8 kN/m

Maximum design moment at mid span = wl2/8

= 19.8 x 62/8 = 89.1 kNm

= 89.1 x 106/225x4252x30 = 0.07 < 0.167

Therefore singly reinforced

Find z,
= 425/2[ 1 + √(1-3.53x0.07] = 397 mm <0.95(425) = 403 OK

Tension steel require :

Md
As 
0.87 f yk z

= 89.1 x 106/0.87x500x397 = 516 mm2

Use the table below to find suitable size and number of bars

From the table above, this a choice is made:

679 mm2 6 Nr. 12 mm Dia.
2
804 mm 4 Nr. 16 mm Dia.
628 mm2 2 Nr. 20 mm Dia.

Or any combination of bars resulting in a reinforcement provision greater than the

area of steel required.

Say Provide 2H20 ( As prov. = 628 mm2 )

Minimum reinforcement
From table, for concrete C30, minimum % of reinforcements
= 0.15 x bh = 0.15x225x450/100 = 151 mm2
628 mm2 > 151 mm2 OK
Maximum reinforcement provided

Percentage of reinforcement = 628 x100/225x450 = 0.62% < 4% OK

Minimum spacing between bars

The biggest of either:

(1) Max. bar size = 20 mm
(2) 20 mm
(3) Max. aggregate size + 5 = 20(assume) + 5 = 25 mm

Use 25 mm as minimum spacing.

Check bar spacing = 225 – 25(cover) – 25(cover) – 10(link) – 10(link)-

20(diameter bar) – 20 (diameter bar) = 115 mm > 25 mm OK

Maximum spacing between bars

Steel stress: 435(48+ 0.8x36)/(1.35x48+1.5x36) = 281 N/mm2

From table: Max spacing = 150 mm > 115 mm OK

EXAMPLE 2

A simply supported rectangular beam of 9m span carries a

characteristic dead (gk ) load (inc. Self wt. of beam ), and
imposed (qk ) loads of 6 kN/m and 8 kN/m respectively.
The beam dimensions are breadth b, 225 mm and beam height h,
400 mm. Assuming fck =30N/mm2 and fyk =500N/mm2, calculate
the area of reinforcement required. (Assume cover = 25 mm and
link size is 10 mm )
ANSWER

Design action = 1.35 x 6 + 1.5 x 8 = 20.1 kN/m

Maximum design moment at mid span = wl2/8

= 20.1 x 92/8 = 203.5 kNm

d = 400 – cover – link diameter – bar size/2.

Assume bar size = 20 mm

d = 400 – 25 – 10 -10 = 355 mm

= 203.5 x 106/225x3552x30 = 0.239 > 0.167

Therefore doubly reinforced

z = 355/2[ 1 + √(1 – 3.53(0.167)] = 291 mm

Since the beam is doubly reinforced, therefore calculate d2 ( depth from the
top surface to the centroid of compression steel)

d2 = cover + link diameter + bar size/2

= 25 + 10 + 20/2 = 45 mm

M’ = 225 x 3552 x 30 (0.239 – 0.167) x 10-6

= 61.2 kNm

As2 = 61.2 x 106/0.87x500(355 – 45)

= 454 mm2

As = 0.167 x 30 x 225 x 3552/0.87x500 x 291 + 454

= 1576 mm2

From table, As2 = 603 mm2 ( 3 H16)

As = 1257 (4H20) + 628(2 H16) = 1885 mm2

Tutiorial 1

A simply supported reinforced concrete beam 650 mm deep and 300 mm wide has an
effective span of 8.50 m onto supports which are 300 mm wide. In addition to its own
self-weight, the beam carries the following loads:

Dead load 22 kN/m

Imposed load 17 kN/m.

The beam is in grade C35/45 concrete and will be inside a building where a fire
resistance of 1 hour is required.

The main reinforcing bars are size H32 and the links are size H12.

(1) Determine the minimum cover requirement.

(2) Determine the reinforcement required in the beam and check for
(i) Minimum steel requirement
(ii) Maximum steel requirement
(iii) Minimum spacing for reinforcement
(iv) Maximum spacing for reinforcement

SOLUTION

Data given
Beam width b b _ 300 mm
Beam overall height h h _ 650 mm
Effective span L L _ 8.5 m
Dead load excluding beam SW g k _ 22.0 kN/m
Imposed load q k _ 17.0 kN/m
Concrete grade C35/45

Cover to bars
Fire resistance: From Table 3.12 with a beam width of 300 mm Min. axis distance _ 25 mm
Durability : From Table 3.9 , exposure class is XC1. From Table 3.10 Min. cover to all bars _ 25 mm
Placing of concrete: Min. cover to H32 bars _ 32 _ 10 Min . cover to main bars _ 42 mm
Min cover to H12 links _ 12 _ 10 Min. cover to links _ 22 mm
These three can be achieved by specifying a cover of 30 mm to the links,
which will give 30 _ 12 _ 42 mm cover to the main bars and
30 _ 12 _ 32/2 _ 58 mm axis distance to the main bars Provide 30 mm cover to all bars

Material strengths
f ck (characteristic cylinder strength of concrete) f ck _ 35 N/mm 2
f yk (characteristic tensile strength of reinforcement, class H) f yk _ 500 N/mm 2

Loading
Unit weight of concrete _ 25 kN/m 3 , so beam self-weight
_ 0.30 _ 0.65 _ 25 _ 8.5 Beam self-weight _ 41.4 kN
Total permanent load _ 41.4 _ 22.0 _ 8.5 G k _ 228.4 kN
Total imposed load _ 17.0 _ 8.5 Q k _ 144.5 kN
Using γ f _ 1.35 for permanent loads and γ f _ 1.50 for variable loads, ultimate load Ultimate load
F _ 1.35 G k _ 1.50 Q k _ 1.35 _ 228.4 _ 1.50 _ 144.5 F _ 525.1 kN
Bending ULS
M u _ FL /8 _ 525.1 _ 8.5/8 M u _ 557.9 kNm _ 557.9 _ 10 6 Nmm
With H12 links, H32 main bars and cover to all bars of 30 mm
Effective depth d _ 650 – 30 – 12 – 32/2 d _ 592 mm
K _ M / bd 2 f ck _ 557.9 _ 10 6 /(300 _ 592 2 _ 35) K _ 0.152
K should not be more than 0.167 Accept
z /d _ 0.5 (1 _ _ (1 – 3.53 K )) _ 0.5 (1 _ _ (1 – 3.53 _ 0.152)) z /d _ 0.840
z /d not more than 0.95 Accept
z _ d ( z / d ) _ 592 _ 0.840 z _ 497.3 mm

s_ M /(0.87 zf yk ) _ 557.9 _ 10 6 /(0.87 _ 497.3 _ 500) A s _ 2579 mm 2

From Table 3.14 , min. A s _ 0.17% of bh _ 0.17 _ 300 _ 650/100 Min. A s _ 332 mm 2
From Table 3.5 , choose bars to provide at least 2579 mm 2 Use 2no. H32 bars plus 2no. H25 bars
A s,prov _ 2590 mm 2
Percentage of reinforcement _ A s,prov _ 100/ bd _ 2590 _ 100/(300 _ 592)
_ 1.46%, which is less than 4% from Table 3.17 Accept

Check whether two No. H32 _ two No. H25 bars will fi t in the width of the beam
Minimum gaps between bars _ bar size
The sketch opposite shows bar sizes, cover and minimum bar spacing.
The minimum beam width required
_ 30 _ 12 _ 32 _ 32 _ 25 _ 25 _ 25 _ 32 _ 32 _ 12 _ 30
_ 287 mm
Min. beam width _ 287 mm
Accept
Check maximum bar spacing
From Note 2 of Table 3.15 ,
steel stress _ 435( G k _ 0.8 Q k )/(1.35 G k _ 1.50 Q k )
_ 435(228.4 _ 0.8 _ 144.5)/(1.35 _ 228.4 _ 1.50 _ 144.5) Steel stress _ 285 N/mm 2
From Table 3.15 , since the bar size is more than 12 mm, we must meet the requirement
for maximum bar spacing:
– If the steel stress was 280 N/mm 2 the maximum spacing would be 150 mm
– If the steel stress was 320 N/mm 2 the maximum spacing would be 100 mm
By interpolation, a steel stress of 285 N/mm 2 gives
a maximum spacing of 144 mm Accept

TUTORIAL

Question 1

a) A simply supported reinforced concrete beam of size 300 x 700 mm

and span 7 m carries a characteristic variable action of 27.5 kN/m. Calculate
the reinforcement require for the beam.
Given:
Cover = 25 mm
Concrete weight = 25 kN/m3
fck = 40 N/mm2
fyk= 500 N/mm2

b) If on the same beam the action is replaced by a characteristic

VARIABLE concentrated load of 96.3 kN, calculate the amount of
reinforcement needed.

Question 2

A simply supported beam of size 230 x 370 mm and span 9 m carries

permanent action(excluding self weight) of 6 kN/m and a characteristic
variable action of 15 kN/m. Calculate the reinforcement required for the
beam.

Given:
Cover = 25 mm
Concrete weight = 25 kN/m3
fck = 40 N/mm2
fyk= 500 N/mm2
 GROUP ASSIGNMENT
Rajah di bawah menunjukkan pelan lantai tingkat kedua sebuah bangunan.
Data berikut diberi,
Ketebalan papak konkrit = 125 mm
Beban kenaan di atas papak = 3.0 kN/m2
Berat konkrit = 25 kN/m3
fyk = 500 N/mm2
fck = 30 N/mm2
Berat dinding bata di atas rasuk = 2.0 kN/m
Kemasan lantai = 1.5 kN/m2
Reinforcement Cover = 25 mm

Dengan mengandaikan rasuk sekunder B/1-4 sebagai tupang mudah,

(i) Kirakan beban rekabentuk pada rasuk.

(ii) Kirakan momen rekabentuk.
( Locate the position of maximum BM using Shear Force Diagram.
Once the position is determined calculate the bending moment i.e.
maximum bending moment at the point)
(iii) Rekabentuk tetulang utama DAN SEMAKAN bagi rasuk tersebut.

125

450

300
All dimensions in mm

Beam D/1-3