CONTINUOUS BEAM EXAMPLE 3.

Figure above shows a plan view of a school building. It is constructed using cast in-situ
method and the slab spans 3 x 8 m each. Prepare a complete design of beam 2/A-D.
Design data:
Slab thickness = 125 mm
Loads from finishes, partitions etc. = 15 kN/m
Characteristic live load, qk = 10 kN/m
Nominal cover, c = 25 mm
Concretes characteristic strength, fck = 30 N/mm2
Steel characteristic strength (main), fyk = 500 N/mm2
Beam size, bw x h = 250 x 450 mm

CONTINUOUS BEAM EXAMPLE 3.2

Solution

1. Calculate the loads acting on the beam.

Characteristic permanent action on beam, gk
Self-weight of beam = 25 x bw x h

= 25 x 0.25 x 0.45 = 2.81 kN/m

Total charac. permanent action on beam 2/A-D, gk

= self-weight of beam + finishes

= 2.81 + 15 = 17.81

kN/m

Total charac. variable action acting on beam 2/A-D, qk = 10 kN/m

Therefore, design load acting on beam 2/A-D, w = 1.35 gk + 1.5 qk

= 1.35 ( 17.81 ) + 1.5 (10) = 39.04 kN/m

(1.35 gk + 1.5 qk)

CONTINUOUS BEAM EXAMPLE 3.2

2. Draw the shear force (SFD) and bending moment diagram (BMD).
The coefficients from Table 3.5 can only be applied to continuous beam analysis when
all this provisions are fulfilled.
a) Qk Gk = 10 < 17.81 OK!
b) Loads should be uniformly distributed over 3 or more spans = 3 spans OK!
c) Variation in span length should not exceed 15% of the longest =same span OK!
Beam 2/A-D
w = 39.04 kN/m

8m

8m

0.45F

0.55F

8m
0.6F

0.6F
0.11FL

0.09FL

0.55F

0.45F

0.11FL

+
0.07FL

+
0.09FL

CONTINUOUS BEAM EXAMPLE 3.2

3. Calculate the design moments and shear force values.

F = wL = ( 39.04 ) x ( 8 ) = 312.32

kN

w = 39.04 kN/m

8m

8m

140.54

171.78

8m
187.39

187.39

+
224.87

171.78

140.54

274.84

274.84

174.9

224.87

4. Design the main reinforcements.

i)
Calculate the effective depth, d.

Assume bar = 20 mm
link = 8 mm
d = h c - link - bar/2 = 450 25 8 - 20/2
= 407 mm

CONTINUOUS BEAM EXAMPLE 3.2

At mid span A-B and C-D (design as flange section)

M = 0.09 FL = 224.87 kNm

3000 mm

3000 mm

bw = 250 mm

bw = 250 mm

Section A-A

Lo values
Mid span A-B & C-D => lo = 0.85 (8000) = 6800 mm
Mid span B C => lo = 0.7 (8000) = 5600 mm

bw = 250 mm

CONTINUOUS BEAM EXAMPLE 3.2

Calculate the effective width of flange, bf

= , +

, = . + . .
1 = 2 = (3000 250)/2 = 1375
,1 = ,2 = 0.2 (1375) + 0.1(6800) = 0.2 (6800) = 1360
,1,2 () = 1,2 (1375) => !
= , + , + = (955 + 955) + 250 =
< = 1375 + 1375 + 250 = 3000 !

Design the main reinforcement.

= 0.567

Flanged beam

125
= 0.567(30)(2160)(125) 407
= 1582
2
2

Compare Mf with the design moment, M.

M =224.87 kNm < Mf = 1582 kNm

Neutral axis lies in flange / below flange.
Design the beam as rectangular / flanged beam.

224.87 106
= 2
=
= 0.02 <

2160 4072 30

0.167

compression reinforcement is required / not required

= 0.5 + 0.25
use = 0.95d

0.02

= 0.5 + 0.25
= 0.98 > 0.95
1.134
1.134

CONTINUOUS BEAM EXAMPLE 3.2

224.87 106
=
=
= 1337 2
0.87 500 0.95 407
0.87

Provide: 5H20

(Asprov = 1570 mm2)

Check the area of reinforcement.

,

0.26
0.0013

, =
=

0.26 (2.9)(250)(407)
= 153 2 0.0013 (250)(407) = 132 2
500
!
0.04 = 0.04 250 450 = 4500 2
< <

At support B & C (design as rectangular section)

M=
=

0.11 FL = 274.84 kNm

274.84 106

=
= 0.22 > 0.167
250 4072 30
2

compression reinforcement is required / not required

= 0.5 + 0.25
Calculate d
= + +

= 0.82
1.134

20
= 25 + 8 +
= 43
2
2

CONTINUOUS BEAM EXAMPLE 3.2

( ) 2
=
0.87 ( )

Provide: 3H16

( 0.22 0.167)(30)(250)(407)2
0.87 ( 500 )(407 43 )

(Asprov = 603 mm2)

= 416 2

2
0.167(30)(250)( 407 )2
+ =
+ 416 = 1845
0.87
0.87(500)( 0.82 407)

Provide:

(Asprov = 1963 mm2)

3H25

Check the area of reinforcement.

,

0.26
0.0013

, = 153 2

= 4500 2

< <

At mid span B-C (flanged section)

M = 0.07 FL = 174.9 kNm
Calculate the effective width of flange, bf
= , +

, = . + . .
1 = 2 = (3000 250)/2 = 1375
,1 = ,2 = 0.2 (1375) + 0.1(5600) = 0.2 (5600) = 1120
,1,2 () = 1,2 (1375) => !
= , + , + = (835 + 835) + 250 =
< = 1375 + 1375 + 250 = 3000 !

CONTINUOUS BEAM EXAMPLE 3.2

Design the main reinforcement.

Flanged beam

= 1582

Compare Mf with the design moment, M.

M = 174.9 kNm < Mf = 1582 kNm
Neutral axis lies in flange / below flange.
Design the beam as rectangular / flanged beam.

= 2
=

174.9 106
= 0.02 < 0.167
1920 4072 30

compression reinforcement is required / not required

= 0.5 + 0.25
=

0.02

= 0.5 + 0.25
= 0.98 > 0.95
1.134
1.134

174.9 106
=
= 1040
0.87 500 0.95 407
0.87

Provide: 4H20

(Asprov = 1271 mm2)

Check the area of reinforcement.

,

0.26
0.0013

, = 153 2

= 4500 2

< <

CONTINUOUS BEAM EXAMPLE 3.2

5. Design the shear reinforcement.

VEd = V max = 0.6 F = 187.39 kN
Calculate VRd,c
200
=1+
= 1.7 2.0
407

1963
=
= 0.02

250 407
1

, = 0.12(100 )3
1

= 0.12(1.7)100(0.02)(30)3 (250)(407) = 81.26 kN > Vmin

= 0.035 3/2 1/2 = 43.24 kN

VRd.c = 81.26 kN

Compare VEd with VRd,c

VEd (187.39) > VRd,c (81.26) => shear reinforcement is required

Calculate VRd,max
@ 22,
, =

250
( + )

0.36 1

(22 45)

30
0.36 (250)(407) 1
(30)
250
=
= 335.88
( 22 + 22)

CONTINUOUS BEAM EXAMPLE 3.2

Compare VEd with VRd,max

VEd (187.39) < VRd,max (335.88)
Design shear reinforcement

0.78 cot

187.39 103
= 0.48
=
0.78(500)(407)(cot 22)

Try H8, Asw = 2(link)2/4 x 2 legs = 101 mm2

=

101
= 210 < 0.75 = 0.75 (407) = 305.25
0.48

Provide: H8 200 c/c

6. Check beams capacity against deflection.

Check only at mid-span with maximum moment.
=

,
1337
=
= 0.013

250 407

0 = 103 = 5.48 103

> o

= 11 + 1.5
+

12

From table 7.4N, K = 1.3 (end span of continuous beam) where the moment is
maximum
= (1.3) 11 + 1.5 (30)

(5.48 103 )
1
0
(30)
= 18.8
+
(5.48 103 )
12
0.013 0

CONTINUOUS BEAM EXAMPLE 3.2

(i)

Calculate the modification factor

a) Modification factor of tension reinforcement,

310
=

500
500
=
= .
,
1337

500

1570
,

b) Modification factor for flange section,

bf/bw = 2160/250 = 8.64 > 3, therefore the modification factor (flange) = 0.8
c) Modification factor for span length more than 7 m
Effective span length 8 m > 7 m, therefore modification factor span length = 7/l eff
= 7/8 = 0.88
d) Calculate (L/d)allowable

= 18.8 1.17 0.8 0.88 = 15.5

a) Calculate (L/d)actual

8000

=
=
= 19.66


407
b) Compare with (L/d)actual with (L/d)allowable
(L/d)actual > (L/d)allowable

CONTINUOUS BEAM EXAMPLE 3.2

Therefore, the deflection check fails !

Try to increase from 5H20 to 6H20 (As prov = 1890 mm2)

Modification factor for tension reinforcement = Asprov/As req = 1890/1337 = 1.4
Recalculate (L/d)allowable = 18.8 x 1.4 x 0.8 x 0.88 = 18.5

Try to increase from 6H20 to 5H25 (As prov = 2450 mm2)

Modification factor for tension reinforcement = Asprov/As req = 2450/1337 = 1.83
Recalculate (L/d)allowable = 18.8 x 1.83 x 0.8 x 0.88 = 24.2

Compare with L/d actual

(L/d)actual = 19.66 < (L/d)allowable = 24.2
Therefore, the deflection check passes !!

i)
ii)

(L/d)actual (L/d)allowable Beam is safe against deflection (OK!)

(L/d)actual > (L/d)allowable - Beam is not safe against deflection (Fail!)

Therefore, beam is safe / not safe against deflection.

CONTINUOUS BEAM EXAMPLE 3.2

7. Check the beam for cracking.

Check only at mid span with maximum spacing.
i)

Calculate the clear horizontal distance between bars in tension, S1.

250 mm

4H20

S1

= ( 2 2 2 )
=

250 2( 25) 2(8) 2( 20)

+ 0.3

1.15 1.35 + 1.5

= 144

500
17.81 + 0.3 (10)

= 232
1.15 1.35(17.81) + 1.5 (10)

Taking wk = 0.3 mm

Maximum allowable clear spacing =

230 mm

OK!
Crack check passed / failed !!

The value must not exceed its maximum allowable clear

spacing

CONTINUOUS BEAM EXAMPLE 3.2

Minimum bar spacing (check for the closest bar spacing)

Minimum bar spacing between reinforcements
= max {k1. Bar diameter, dg + k2, 20 mm}
i)
ii)
iii)

1.25 = 25 mm
dg + k2 = 20 + 5 = 25 mm
20 mm

Minimum bar spacing = 25 mm

Compare with actual bar spacing = 54.5 mm (5H25) > 25 mm Ok!!