Design Guide for Reinforced Concrete Diaphragms

Table 7.3 Nominal and Maximum Shear Strengths of Diaphragms

Vn (kips/ft) Vn,max (kips/ft)

Slab Thickness, h (in.)
ƒć = 4,000 psi ƒć = 5,000 psi ƒć = 4,000 psi ƒć = 5,000 psi
4.5 6.8 7.6 27.3 30.5
5.0 7.6 8.5 30.4 33.9
5.5 8.3 9.3 33.4 37.3
6.0 9.1 10.2 36.4 40.7
6.5 9.9 11.0 39.5 44.1
7.0 10.6 11.9 42.5 47.5
7.5 11.4 12.7 45.5 50.9
8.0 12.1 13.6 48.6 54.3
8.5 12.9 14.4 51.6 57.7
9.0 13.7 15.3 54.6 61.1

7.3.4 Shear Transfer

According to ACI 12.3.7, shear transfer between diaphragms, collectors, and vertical elements of the LFRS must be satisfied us-
ing the shear-friction provisions of ACI 22.9 or by mechanical connectors or dowels. In cast-in-place construction, shear transfer
requirements must typically be satisfied at construction joints between the elements.

Where shear-friction provisions are used, the nominal shear strength across the assumed shear plane is determined by ACI
Equation (22.9.4.2):

(7.6)

In this equation, is the coefficient of friction obtained from ACI Table 22.9.4.2, which depends on the contact surface condi-
tion of the concrete and is the area of shear-friction reinforcement that crosses the shear plane with the reinforcing bars
oriented perpendicular to that plane.

The value of across the assumed shear plane must not exceed the limits in ACI Table 22.9.4.4. The equations in this table are
a function of the contact surface condition and the area of the concrete section that resists shear transfer, .

7.3.5 Collectors
According to ACI 12.5.4.2, collectors are to be designed as tension members, compression members, or both in accordance
with the design provisions for axial strength or combined flexural and axial strength in ACI 22.4. In cases where collectors are
subjected to relatively significant effects from gravity forces in addition to those from tension and compression axial forces due
to in-plane lateral forces, design strength interaction diagrams are often constructed to check the adequacy of a collector for all
applicable load combinations, just like for columns. Unlike typical columns, both the axial compression and tension parts of the
interaction diagram are generally needed for collectors.

In addition to the strength requirements noted above, the shear strength requirements in ACI 7.5.3 for one-way slabs and in ACI
8.5.3 for two-way slabs must be satisfied where a portion of a slab is used as a collector. Where beams are utilized as collectors,
the strength requirements for shear or for combined shear and torsion in ACI 9.5.3 and 9.5.4 must also be satisfied.

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Design Guide for Reinforced Concrete Diaphragms

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 Design Guide for Reinforced Concrete Diaphragms

Chapter 8
Determining and Detailing the Required Reinforcement
8.1 Overview
This chapter presents information on how to determine and detail the reinforcement for diaphragms and collectors in accor-
dance with ACI 318 and ASCE/SEI 7 provisions for buildings assigned to Seismic Design Category (SDC) A through F. The fol-
lowing types of reinforcement are covered: chord reinforcement; diaphragm shear reinforcement; shear transfer reinforcement
between the diaphragm and the vertical elements of the lateral force-resisting system (LFRS) and between the diaphragm and
collectors; anchorage reinforcement; and collector reinforcement. A summary of the requirements is given in Section 8.10.

8.2 Diaphragm Reinforcement Limits

According to ACI 12.6.1 and 18.12.7.1, diaphragms assigned to any SDC must contain at least the shrinkage and temperature
reinforcement ratio in ACI Table 24.4.3.2. Additionally, the minimum area of flexural reinforcement, , in ACI 7.6 for one-way
slabs and in ACI 8.6 for two-way slabs must be provided in diaphragms that are part of floor or roof construction (ACI 12.6.2). For
deformed reinforcing bars with , is determined by the following:

(8.1)

where is the gross area of the slab and is the specified yield strength of the reinforcement.

Reinforcement that is required to resist in-plane forces in diaphragms must be in addition to the reinforcement that is required to
resist other load effects, such as those from gravity (ACI 12.6.3). Shrinkage and temperature reinforcement, however, is permit-
ted to also resist diaphragm in-plane forces.

8.3 Reinforcement Detailing Requirements

Requirements for concrete cover, development lengths, splices, bar spacing, and reinforcement detailing for diaphragms and
collectors in buildings assigned to SDC A through C are given in ACI 12.7. Similar requirements are provided in ACI 18.12.7 for
buildings assigned to SDC D through F. A summary of these requirements is given in Table 8.1.

At critical sections in diaphragms and collectors, tension and compression forces in the reinforcement must be adequately
developed on each side of those sections. Tension reinforcement must extend beyond the point at which it is no longer required
a distance equal to at least the tension development length, , determined in accordance with ACI 25.4.2 (ACI 12.7.3.3).

Table 8.1 Reinforcement Detailing Requirements for Diaphragms and Collectors

Seismic Design Category (SDC)

Requirement
A, B, and C D, E, and F
ACI 20.6.1
Concrete cover ACI 20.6.1
ACI 18.12.7.6(a)
ACI 25.4
Development lengths ACI 25.4
ACI 18.12.7.3
ACI 25.5
Splices ACI 25.5 ACI 18.12.7.3
ACI 18.12.7.4
ACI 25.2
Minimum ACI 25.2
ACI 18.12.7.6(a)
Spacing
ACI 18.12.7.1
Maximum ACI 12.7.2.2
ACI 18.12.7.6(a)
One-way slabs ACI 7.7 ACI 7.7
Reinforcement detailing ACI 8.7
Two-way slabs ACI 8.7
ACI 18.14.5

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Design Guide for Reinforced Concrete Diaphragms

The detailing requirements in ACI 18.12.7.5 are applicable to reinforced concrete collector elements in buildings assigned to SDC
D, E, or F. Because of the relatively large forces that must be resisted, beams are usually provided as collector elements in such
cases instead of only a portion of the slab.

Longitudinal reinforcement in collectors must extend into the vertical elements of the LFRS a length equal to at least the greater
of the two lengths given in ACI 12.5.4.3. This requirement is illustrated in ACI Figure R12.5.4.3. Additional information on detail-
ing requirements for collectors is given in Section 8.9 of this publication.

8.4 Chord Reinforcement

8.4.1 Required Area of Chord Reinforcement
As discussed in Chapter 6 of this publication, tension and compression chord forces occur along the edges of diaphragms and
openings in diaphragms due to in-plane bending moments. Where beam models are used to approximate the internal force
distribution within a diaphragm, Equation (6.7) in Section 6.4.2 can be used to determine these forces:

(8.2)

In this equation, is the maximum bending moment in the diaphragm due to the in-plane forces and is the perpen-
dicular distance between the chord forces.

The maximum tension chord force, , must be resisted by reinforcement that is perpendicular to the direction of the applied
in-plane force. At any location within the diaphragm, must be less than or equal to the design tension strength of the chord
reinforcement:

(8.3)

In this equation, for reinforcing bars in tension and is the required area of chord reinforcement. For a given
, Equation (8.3) can be used to determine :

(8.4)

For diaphragms with openings, subdiaphragm tension chord forces are determined by Equation (8.2) where is the
maximum bending moment in the subdiaphragm and is equal to 95 percent of the depth of the subdiaphragm in the direction
of analysis. An approximate method to determine subdiaphragm bending moments is given in Section 6.4.4 of this publication.
Once the subdiaphragm tension chord force is calculated, the required area of chord reinforcement along the edges of the open-
ing perpendicular to the direction of analysis can be determined by Equation (8.4).

Because wind and seismic forces can act in any direction, chord reinforcement is required along all edges of diaphragms and
openings.

8.4.2 Location of Chord Reinforcement

Primary chord reinforcement is often
concentrated near the edges of a dia-
ℓ� ⁄4

phragm. In such cases, the moment arm Uniformly distributed chord reinforcement
developed outside of reinforcement zone
that is used to determine in Equa-
ℓ� ⁄4

tion (8.2) is usually approximated as 95

percent of the diaphragm depth in the
ℓ�

direction of analysis. Alternatively, it is Zones for

ℓ�

permitted to locate chord reinforcement placement

of chord
within zones that extend from the ten-
ℓ� ⁄4

reinforcement
ℓ� ⁄4

sion edge of the diaphragm a distance

equal to 25 percent the depth of the 𝑏𝑏� 𝑏𝑏� Structural framing
diaphragm in the direction of analysis and other reinforcement
not shown for clarity
(ACI 12.5.2.3); placing the chord rein-
forcement within these zones results in
Lateral force
an essentially uniform shear flow over
the depth of the diaphragm just like the Figure 8.1 Location of Chord Reinforcement

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