Lecture 36 – Concrete Design – Continuous Beams & Slabs, Columns

Continuous Beams & Slabs

Concrete structural members are typically poured integrally together.

Beams and slabs often span multiple supports and are not “simply-
supported” as steel and wood framed beams are. As discussed in Lecture
15, these concrete beams and slabs are continuous and have both
positive moments and negative moments.

The location of tension bars in the members is related to the location of

moment:

Tension bars are located in the BOTTOM for Mpos

Tension bars are located in the TOP for Mneg

2-Span Condition: Bars at top

w

R1 R3
R2
L L

9 9
M pos = ( wL2 ) M pos = ( wL2 )
128 128

Moment
0.375L 0.375L Diagram

1
M neg = − ( wL2 )
8

Lecture 36 - Page 1 of 11
3-Span Condition:

Bars at top

R4
R1 R2 R3
L L L

Mpos = 0.08(wL2) Mpos = 0.08(wL2)

2
Mpos = 0.025(wL )

0.4L
0.4L 0.5L 0.5L

Mneg = -0.1(wL2) Mneg = -0.1(wL2)

Rebar Placement:

At the transition between the Mpos and Mneg zones, a minimum overlap of
bars is required per ACI 318. These overlaps are required for developing
the full bar strength in tension. The friction developed between the
concrete and the ribs of the rebar must equal the tensile strength of the
bar. The necessary length of the bar embedment to achieve this friction
force is called the “Development Length”, Ld, and is specified as a
multiple of bar diameters. For example, the Ld for a Grade 60 rebar and
concrete f’c = 4000 PSI = 38 x bar diameter.

Tensile Strength

Rebar Tensile strength = Friction force

Ld Friction force

Lecture 36 - Page 2 of 11
Below are schematic cross-sections of required overlap dimensions for
bar placement in continuous slabs (beams are similar):

Lecture 36 - Page 3 of 11
Concrete Columns:

As discussed in the previous lecture, concrete is good at resisting

compression but poor in resisting tension. So, it might make sense that
concrete would be the material of choice for columns. It is true that
concrete IS used for compression members such as columns, piers,
bearing walls and pedestals. Members under pure compression could
then (theoretically) be unreinforced. These members are often subject to
additional forces such as moment that would put some tensile forces into
the member and would thus necessitate the addition of tension
reinforcement.

Most columns have combined compression and bending. They are

essentially a “beam-column”. The compression capacity of a reinforced
column is reduced by the bending stresses on the column and vice-versa.
A graph of the axial load capacity of a column vs. the moment capacity of
a typical column is shown below:

Pure compression
Axial compression capacity

Pure bending

Bending moment capacity

Lecture 36 - Page 4 of 11
Types of Concrete Columns:

There are two types of reinforced concrete columns – tied and spiral –
and refer to the type of confining bars used to contain the interior core of
concrete. It has been shown that unconfined concrete core will carry
MUCH LESS load than a confined core as shown below:
Load

Load

Concrete & vert. bars

“explode” outward

Unconfined core

Lecture 36 - Page 5 of 11
 A confined concrete core will carry substantially more load and will NOT
explode outward like the unconfined concrete section will.

Load Load

Minor concrete
spalling, core
remains intact

Confined core
Tied Column:

A “Tied” concrete column is one in which individual rebar ties are used to
wrap completely around the vertical bars to confine the interior core.
These ties are usually #3 or #4 bars spaced per ACI requirements:

Least column dimension

Tie Spacing = smaller of 16 x Vert. Bar Dia.

48 x Tie Bar Dia.

Additionally, the ACI dictates that there must be a minimum of 4 vertical

bars having a minimum area of 1% of the column cross-sectional area
and a maximum of 8% of the column cross-sectional area. From a
constructability standpoint, 4% is the upper maximum that can be readily
achieved because of rebar congestion.

Lecture 36 - Page 6 of 11
 A typical tied concrete column looks like the following:

Vertical bars (4
minimum)

Tie bars

Concrete

Spiral Column:

A spiral column has a single rebar wrapped around the vertical bars in a
spiral and is stronger than a comparable tied column. It is more labor-
intensive to build than a tied column. The ACI requires a minimum of 6
vertical bars, with the same minimum and maximum areas as a tied
column.

Concrete
Pitch =
2” – 6”
Spiral rebar

Lecture 36 - Page 7 of 11
Column Load Capacity:

Columns are rarely under pure axial compression only. Typically they
experience moment in conjunction with axial loads and are under
combined compressive and bending stresses. For this reason, the
numeric calculations involved with determining the combined axial
capacity and bending capacity are daunting.

Design aids are used to quickly analyze and design columns under
combined axial load and bending. An example of a graphical design aid is
shown below for the following:

• Tied concrete column

• Concrete f’c = 4000 PSI
• Steel rebar grade = 60 KSI

The design aid shown on the next page is based on the assumption that it
is a “short column”, and slenderness effects need not be considered. A
column not braced against sidesway is considered short if:

kL
Short column if < 22
r

where:
k = 1.0 for pinned-pinned end connection
= 2.10 for “flagpole” type column

L = maximum unbraced length, inches

r = radius of gyration, inches

= 0.30h where h = least column dimension for rect. cols.
= 0.25D where D = column diameter for circular cols.

Lecture 36 - Page 8 of 11
Column Interaction Diagram for tied square “Short Column”, f’c = 4000 PSI,
Grade 60 bars

Lecture 36 - Page 9 of 11
Example 1
GIVEN: A square tied column using f’c = 4000 PSI and Grade 60 bars has
an applied axial service load = 120 kips and an applied service moment =
40 kip-feet. Assume the column is “short”. Use # 3 ties.
REQUIRED: Design the column using the interaction diagram above.

Step 1 – Determine Load Eccentricity “e”:

M
Load Eccentricity “e” =
P

40kip − ft (12" / ft )
=
120 Kips

= 4”

Step 2 – Determine the curve from graph above:

Using P = 120 kips

e = 4” Use curve “9” → 16” side dims
4 - #8 bars

Step 3 – Design ties:

Least col. dimension

Spacing of ties = smaller of 16 x vert. bar diameter

48 x tie bar diameter

16”

Spacing of ties = smaller of 16 x (8/8) = 16”

48 x (3/8) = 18”

#3 Tie Spacing = 16”

Lecture 36 - Page 10 of 11
 Step 4 – Draw column cross-section:

16”

#3 Grade 60 ties @
16” o.c. 16”

f’c = 4000 PSI 4 - #8 Grade 60

concrete bars

Lecture 36 - Page 11 of 11