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
Concrete’s 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 = 24 x bw x h = 25 x 0.25 x 0.45 = 2.81 kN/m

Total charac. permanent action on beam B/1-2, gk = self-weight of beam + finishes

= 2.81 + 15 = 17.81 kN/m

Total charac. live load acting on beam B/1-2, 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 8m

0.45F 0.55F 0.6F

+ + +

- - -

0.6F 0.55F 0.45F

0.11FL 0.11FL
- -

+ + +

0.09FL 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 8m

140.54 171.78 187.39

+ + +

- - -

187.39 171.78 140.54

274.84 274.84
- -

+ + +

224.87 174.9 224.87

4. Design the main reinforcements.

i) Calculate the effective depth, d.

Assume bar = 20 mm

link = 8 mm
d
h
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 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

 CONTINUOUS BEAM EXAMPLE 3.2

Calculate the effective width of flange, bf

Flanged beam
Design the main reinforcement.

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.

 compression reinforcement is required / not required

 use = 0.98d
 CONTINUOUS BEAM EXAMPLE 3.2

Provide: 5H20 (Asprov = 1570 mm2)

Check the area of reinforcement.

 At support B & C (design as rectangular section)

M= 0.11 FL = 274.84 kNm

 compression reinforcement is required / not required

Calculate d’
 CONTINUOUS BEAM EXAMPLE 3.2

Provide: 3H16 (As’prov = 603 mm2)

Provide: 3H25 (Asprov = 1963 mm2)

Check the area of reinforcement.

 At mid span B-C (flanged section)

M = 0.07 FL = 174.9 kNm

Calculate the effective width of flange, bf

 CONTINUOUS BEAM EXAMPLE 3.2

Flanged beam
Design the main reinforcement.

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.

 compression reinforcement is required / not required

Provide: 4H20 (Asprov = 1271 mm2)

Check the area of reinforcement.

 CONTINUOUS BEAM EXAMPLE 3.2

5. Design the shear reinforcement.

VEd = V max = 0.6 F = 187.39 kN

Calculate VRd,c

= 81.26 kN > Vmin

= 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,
 CONTINUOUS BEAM EXAMPLE 3.2

Compare VEd with VRd,max

VEd (187.39) < VRd,max (335.88)

 Design shear reinforcement

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

Provide: H8 – 200 c/c

6. Check beam’s capacity against deflection.

Check only at mid-span with maximum moment.

 > o

From table 7.4N, K = 1.3 (end span of continuous beam) – where the moment is
maximum
 CONTINUOUS BEAM EXAMPLE 3.2

(i) Calculate the modification factor

(ii) Calculate (L/d)allowable

a) Calculate (L/d)actual

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

(L/d)actual < (L/d)allowable

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

ii) (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
mm

5H20

mm2
S1 S1

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