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 con-
W crete slab is to be cast
on a steel deck, what
are the most effective
measures architects, en-
gineers, and contractors can take to
control cracking?
This is an unresolved issue for
many builders. Composite-deck
slabs usually contain very little rein-
forcement because concrete bonds
to the steel deck, which provides
tensile capacity for positive-moment
areas. But what about steel require-
ments in negative-moment regions
and for temperature and shrinkage
reinforcement?
Questions about jointing require-
ments also arise. Because the con-
crete deck is restrained by the metal
decking, can contraction joints ef-
fectively control cracking, and what
are the joint spacing requirements?
Unfortunately, there are no pub-
lished guidelines to provide answers
to these questions.
Bars vs. welded wire fabric
The Steel Deck Institute recom-
mends 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 it’s placed near the top of
the slab with 3⁄4 to 1 inch of cover.
However, it’s virtually impossible for
contractors to keep the welded wire
fabric near the top of the slab be-
cause it gets pushed down by work-
ers’ feet, pump lines, and the weight
of the concrete. The fabric’s final
resting place is usually on top of the
metal decking, where it’s of no
value.
In the negative-moment regions
above beams and girders, the light-
gauge fabric provides insufficient
steel area. In these regions, it’s com-
mon to provide a steel cross-sec-
tional area about 0.0018 times the
area of concrete. Though the steel
doesn’t prevent cracking in nega-
tive-moment regions, it does help to
control crack width.
Because it’s difficult to keep
welded wire fabric in the correct po-
sition, contractors should use rein-
forcing bars that can be placed on
chairs and held in the proper posi-
tion 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/ " Cover
4
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.
figure). Using the bars not only
helps minimize cracking, it also re-
duces slab curling. As an alternative
to reinforcing bars, steel-fiber-rein-
forced concrete can be used to con-
trol shrinkage cracking and cracking
in the negative-moment regions.
The authors of Composite Construc-
tion Design for Buildings (see refer-
ence) suggest another alternative:
Use a heavier welded wire fabric that
can successfully be chaired up dur-
ing construction. They note that
this reduces the size and extent of
slab cracking.
The authors also suggest control-
ling 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 aren’t disturbed by con-
Reinforcing bars
both directions
Chairs
Girder
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 contrac- Griffis, Roberto T. Lean, and Loring A.
tion joints and as few construction Wyllie Jr., Composite Construction De-
joints as possible, allowing random sign for Buildings, co-published by The
American Society of Civil Engineers and
cracks to form. Any cracks wide McGraw-Hill Companies Inc., 1997.
enough to affect the serviceability of
the floor can be patched.
J. Thomas Ryan is a consultant and
Reference a retired principal of Ryan-Biggs
Ivan M. Viest, Joseph P. Colaco,
Associates, Troy, N.Y.
Richard W. Furlong, Lawrence G.
Publication #C99H037
Copyright© 1999, The Aberdeen Group
a division of Hanley-Wood, Inc.
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