Let it crack

Cracking of concrete in composite-deck slabs is inevitable,

but there are measures you can take to control it
BY J. THOMAS RYAN, P.E.

hen an elevated concrete slab is to be cast

on a steel deck, what
are the most effective
measures architects, engineers, and contractors can take to
control cracking?
This is an unresolved issue for
many builders. Composite-deck
slabs usually contain very little reinforcement because concrete bonds
to the steel deck, which provides
tensile capacity for positive-moment
areas. But what about steel requirements in negative-moment regions
and for temperature and shrinkage
reinforcement?
Questions about jointing requirements also arise. Because the concrete deck is restrained by the metal
decking, can contraction joints effectively control cracking, and what
are the joint spacing requirements?
Unfortunately, there are no published guidelines to provide answers
to these questions.

Bars vs. welded wire fabric

The Steel Deck Institute recommends using a relatively light
welded wire fabric (usually 6x6
W1.4xW1.4) for temperature and
shrinkage reinforcement to produce
a cross-sectional area of steel at least
0.00075 times the area of concrete.
This amount of steel controls
cracking if its placed near the top of
the slab with 34 to 1 inch of cover.
However, its virtually impossible for
contractors to keep the welded wire
fabric near the top of the slab be-

cause it gets pushed down by workers feet, pump lines, and the weight
of the concrete. The fabrics final
resting place is usually on top of the
metal decking, where its of no
value.
In the negative-moment regions
above beams and girders, the lightgauge fabric provides insufficient
steel area. In these regions, its common to provide a steel cross-sectional area about 0.0018 times the
area of concrete. Though the steel
doesnt prevent cracking in negative-moment regions, it does help to
control crack width.
Because its difficult to keep
welded wire fabric in the correct position, contractors should use reinforcing bars that can be placed on
chairs and held in the proper position during concreting. I prefer to
specify bars in both directions, and
always require them in the top of
the slab over beams and girders (see
3/ "
4

Cover

figure). Using the bars not only

helps minimize cracking, it also reduces slab curling. As an alternative
to reinforcing bars, steel-fiber-reinforced concrete can be used to control shrinkage cracking and cracking
in the negative-moment regions.
The authors of Composite Construction Design for Buildings (see reference) suggest another alternative:
Use a heavier welded wire fabric that
can successfully be chaired up during construction. They note that
this reduces the size and extent of
slab cracking.
The authors also suggest controlling negative-moment cracks by
placing additional reinforcing bars
that extend about 3 feet on either
side of the beam centerline. These
bars should be chaired to the proper
distance from the concrete surface
(usually about 1 inch) and tied to
longitudinal bars so their position
and spacing arent disturbed by con-

Reinforcing bars
both directions

Chairs
Girder
Installing reinforcing bars in both directions, particularly over beams and girders,
will help minimize cracking of composite-deck slabs. The bars also help reduce
slab curling.

crete placement.

Forgo contraction joints

Contraction joints in concrete
slabs on metal decks are of little
value. Because the concrete deck is
so highly restrained by the metal
decking and steel-stud shear
connectors, cracking between joints
is inevitable.

I recommend using no contraction joints and as few construction

joints as possible, allowing random
cracks to form. Any cracks wide
enough to affect the serviceability of
the floor can be patched.
Reference
Ivan M. Viest, Joseph P. Colaco,
Richard W. Furlong, Lawrence G.

Publication #C99H037
Copyright 1999, The Aberdeen Group
a division of Hanley-Wood, Inc.
All rights reserved

Griffis, Roberto T. Lean, and Loring A.

Wyllie Jr., Composite Construction Design for Buildings, co-published by The
American Society of Civil Engineers and
McGraw-Hill Companies Inc., 1997.

J. Thomas Ryan is a consultant and

a retired principal of Ryan-Biggs
Associates, Troy, N.Y.