CHAPTER 7

SERVICEABLITY AND CRACK OF R/C BEAM

PREPARED BY

Ir. DANIEL R. TERUNA, MT., Ph.D (PE)

CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, UNIVERSITY OF SUMATERA UTARA

 CONTENT

7.1 Introduction
7.2 Importance Deflection
7.3 Control of Deflection
7.4 Basic Theory For Uncracked Section (Homogenous member)
7.5 Calculation od Deflection
7.6 Long Term Deflection
7.7 Example : Simple Supported Beam

7.8 Continuous beam Deflection

7.9 Types of Crack

7.10 Crack Width

7.1 Introduction

Serviceability limit states refer to the performance of structures under

normal service loads and are concerned with the uses and/or occupancy of
structures.

Serviceability is measured by considering the magnitudes of deflections,

cracks, and vibrations of structures, as well as by considering the amounts
of surface deterioration of the concrete and corrosion of the reinforcing.

Vertical vibration for bridge and building floors, as well as lateral and
torsional vibration in tall buildings, can be quite annoying to users of these
structures

The deterioration of concrete surfaces can be greatly minimized by

exercising good control of the mixing, placing, and curing of the concrete.
When those surfaces are subjected to harsh chemicals, special cements
with special additives can be used to protect the surfaces.

The corrosion of reinforcing can be greatly minimized by giving careful

attention to concrete quality, using good vibration of the concrete, using
adequate cover thickness for the bars, and limiting crack sizes.
7.2 Importance Deflection

The adoption of the strength design method, together with the use of
higher-strength concretes and steels, has permitted the use of relatively
slender members. As a result, deflections and deflection cracking have
become more severe problems than they were a few decades ago.

deflections may damage partitions and cause poor fitting of doors and
windows. In addition, they may damage a structure’s appearance or
frighten the occupants of the building, even though the building may be
perfectly safe.

Perhaps the most common type of deflection damage in reinforced

concrete structures is the damage to light masonry partitions. They are
particularly subject to damage because of concrete’s long-term creep.

When the floors above and below deflect, the relatively rigid masonry
partitions do not bend easily and are often severely damaged. The more
flexible gypsum board partitions are much more adaptable to such
distortions.
7.3 Control of Deflection

One of the best ways to reduce deflections is by increasing member

depths—but designers are always under pressure to keep members as
shallow as possible.

Shallower members mean thinner floors, and thinner floors mean

buildings with less height, with consequent reductions in many costs,
such as plumbing, wiring, elevators, outside materials on buildings,
and so on.

Reinforced concrete specifications usually limit deflections by

specifying certain minimum depths or maximum permissible
computed deflections.

• Minimum Thicknesses

Table 4.1 in Chapter 4, which is Table 9.5(a) of the ACI Code, provides a
set of minimum thicknesses for beams and one-way slabs to be used,
unless actual deflection calculations indicate that lesser thicknesses
are permissible.
 Maximum Permissible Computed Deflections

Type of Member Deflection to Be Deflection

Considered Limitation

Flat roofs not supporting or attached to Immediate deflection
nonstructural elements likely to be due to live load L
L
damaged by large deflections 180

Floors not supporting or attached to

nonstructural elements likely to be
Immediate deflection L
due to live load L
damaged by large deflections 360

Roof or floor construction (sum of the long-term 

supporting or attached to deflection due to all L
nonstructural elements likely to be sustained loads and the
damaged by large deflections immediate deflection due
480
to any additional live load)†

Roof or floor construction supporting
or attached to nonstructural
L
elements not likely to be damaged by 240
large deflections
* Limit not intended to safeguard against ponding. Ponding should be checked
by suitable calculations of deflection, including added deflections due to
ponded water, and considering long-term effects of all sustained loads,
camber, construction tolerances, and reliability of provisions for
drainage.

† Long-term deflection shall be determined in accordance with ACI Code

9.5.2.5 or 9.5.4.3 but may be reduced by the amount of deflection calculated
to occur before attachment of nonstructured elements. This amount shall be
determined on the basis of accepted engineering data relating to time-
deflection characteristics of members similar to those being
considered.

± Limit may be exceeded if adequate measures are taken to prevent damage

to supported or attached elements

˄ But not greater than tolerance provided for nonstructural elements. Limit
may be exceeded if camber is provided so that total deflection minus camber
does not exceed limit.
7.4 Basic Theory For Uncracked Section (homogenous member)

Review of theory of deflection of homogeneous beams in elastic flexure:

y
w(x)

dx y (x)

the following observations from geometry

deflection  y (x)

dy
slope 
dx
d2y 1
Curvature 
dx 2
  

y dxdx
 and, with similar observations based on equilibrium for

d2y
Moment; M  EI 2  EI
dx
d 3 y dM
Shear; V  EI 3 
dx dx
d 4 y dV
Load; w  EI 4 
dx dx

M   wdxdx
Coming back to the real world, we see that the relationships developed
for homogeneous members are not applicable to concrete members; new
relationships must be developed
7.5 Calculation of Deflection

Two approaches are common:

Develop a “synthetic” EI for the beam and use the relationships

developed for homogeneous beams -- ACI 318 endorsed this approach
for calculation of service load deflections.

Calculate a relationship between moment and curvature which

considers all levels of moment. This can be used when amore accurate
estimate of deflection is desired or when loads larger than service loads
are considered.

Total deflection is composed of two components:

1) Instantaneous Deflection -- when loads applied

2) Additional deflections which occur over time due to creep and
shrinkage
Regardless of the method used for calculating deflections, there is a
problem in determining the moment of inertia to be used. The trouble
lies in the amount of cracking that has occurred.
For the portion of a beam where the moment is less than the
cracking moment, M cr , the beam can be assumed to be uncracked,
and the moment of inertia can be assumed to equal I g .

When the moment is greater than M cr , the tensile cracks that develop in
the beam will, in effect, cause the beam cross section to be reduced, and
the moment of inertia may be assumed to equal the transformed value, I cr
.
The problem is even more involved than indicated in the Figure. It is true
that at cross sections where tension cracks are actually located, the
moment of inertia is probably close to the transformed I cr , but in
between cracks, it is perhaps closer to I g .

Furthermore, diagonal tension cracks may exist in areas of high shear,

causing other variations. As a result, it is difficult to decide what value of I
should be used.
 (a) Actual beam

M cr M cr

(b) Moment diagram

cracks
(c) Cracks where M  M cr

(d) Effect of cracks on effective beam cross section

Figure 7. 1 Effects of cracks on deflections.

 (b) Beam and loading.

(a) Load-deflection diagram

Figure 7.2. Load–deflection

behavior of a concrete beam

various of EI along the length of beam

ACI code Section 9.5.2.3 of the code gives a moment of inertia
expression that is to be used for deflection calculations. This
moment of inertia provides a transitional value between and I g
I cr that depends upon the extent of cracking caused by applied
loads.

It is referred to as I e , the effective moment of inertia, and is based

on an estimation of the probable amount of cracking caused by the
varying moment throughout the span (Branson, D.E 1965)

3
 M cr   M 
3

I e    I g  1   cr
 M


 I cr (ACI Equation 9-8)
M
 a   
  a  
I g is the gross amount of inertia (without considering the steel)
fr I g
M cr  is cracking moment, f r  0.7 f c'
yt
M a is the maximum service-load moment occurring for the
condition under consideration.

I cr is the transformed moment of inertia of the cracked section

7.6 Long Term Deflection

Long-term or sustained loads, however, cause significant increases in

these deflections because of shrinkage and creep.

The factors affecting deflection increases include humidity, temperature,

curing conditions, compression steel content, ratio of stress to strength,
and the age of the concrete at the time of loading.

If concrete is loaded at an early age, its long-term deflections will be

greatly increased. Excessive deflections in reinforced concrete structures
can very often be traced to the early application of loads.

The creep strain after about five years (after which creep is negligible)
may be as high as four or five times the initial strain when loads were
first applied 7 to 10 days after the concrete was placed, while the ratio
may only be two or three when the loads were first applied 3 or 4
months after concrete placement.

Because of the several factors mentioned above, the magnitudes of

long-term deflections can only be estimated.
The ACI code (9.5.2.5) states that to estimate the increase in deflection
due to these causes, the part of the instantaneous deflection that is due to
sustained loads may be multiplied by the empirically derived factor λ at the
end of this paragraph and the result added to the instantaneous
deflection.

 A '
  ,  '
 s
(ACI Equation 9-11)
1  50  ' bd
In this expression, which is applicable to both normal- and
lightweight concrete,  is a time-dependent factor

TABLE 7.1 Time Factor for Sustained Loads (ACI Code 9.5.2.5)
Duration of Sustained Load Time-Dependent Factor ξ
5 years or more 2.0
12 months 1.4
6 months 1.2
3 months 1.0
Should times differing from the values given in Table 7.1 be used, values 
of may be selected from the curve of Figure 7.5.

Duration of loads, month

FIGURE 7. 3 Multipliers for long-time deflections. (ACI Commentary

Figure R9.5.2.5.)
The full dead load of a structure can be classified as a sustained load, but the
type of occupancy will determine the percentage of live load that can be called
sustained.

apartment house or for an office building, perhaps only 20% to 25% of the
service live load should be considered as being sustained, whereas perhaps
70% to 80% of the service live load of a warehouse might fall into this category.

It is logical to assume that the live load cannot act on a structure when the
dead load is not present. As a result of this fact, we will compute an effective
I e and a deflection  D for the case where the dead load alone is acting.
Then we will compute an I e and a deflection  D L for the case where both
dead and live loads are acting. This will enable us to determine the initial live
load part of the deflection as follows:

 L   D L   D
The long-term deflection will equal the initial live load deflection,  L , plus
the infinitely long-term multiplier,  , times the dead load deflection,  D
, plus t , the live load sustained multiplier, times the initial live load
deflection,  SL .
  LT   L   D  t  SL

The steps involved in calculating instantaneous and long-term deflections can

be summarized as follows:

(a) Compute the instantaneous or short-term deflection,  D , for dead load

only.

(b) Compute instantaneous deflection,  D L , for dead plus full live load.

(c) Determine instantaneous deflection,  L , for full live load only.

(d) Compute instantaneous deflection due to dead load plus the sustained
part of the live load,  D   SL .
(e) Determine instantaneous deflection,  L , for the part of the live load
that is sustained.

(f) Determine the long-term deflection for dead load plus the sustained part
of the live load,  LT .
7.7 Example : Simple Beam deflection

Suatu balok memikul beban tetap dan beban hidup seperti gambar. Diminta:

1. Tentukan lendutan sesaat (short term deflection) untuk beban tetap +

beban hidup
1. Tentukan lendutan (long term deflection) bila dianggap 30% beban hidup
bekerja pada balok selama 3 tahun

WLL  10kN / m (beban hidup)

f c'  25Mpa
WDL  20kN / m f y  400 Mpa
9m

d'
As' h  800mm b  400mm
d d '  70mm
As As  5D 22 As'  3D 22
d'
b
• Menentukan N.A

Es 200000
d ' n   8.5
As' y Ec 4700 f c'

d
dy
As
d'

nAs ( d  y )  0.5by 2  ( 2n  1) As' ( y  d 1 )

y  355mm

1 3
I cr  by  ( 2n  1) As' ( y  d ' ) 2  nAs ( d  y ) 2
3

I cr  9.718 x10 9 mm 4
 1 1
Ig  bh 
3
( 400)(800) 3  17.06 x10 9 mm 4
12 12

fr I g 0 .7 f c' I g
M cr    149.275 kNm
yt dy
Berat sendiri balok = 0.4x0.8x24 kN/m =7.68 kN/m
• Lendutan sesaat akibat beban tetap/mati

1
Ma  (7.68  20) x9 2  280.26 kNm
8
M cr / M a  0.53

 M cr 
3
 M 
3

I e    I g  1   cr

  I cr
 Ma    M a 
 
 
I e  0.149( I g )  0.851( I cr )  10.812 x10 9 mm 4
 5 wL4
D   9.3mm
384 Ec I e
• Lendutan sesaat akibat beban tetap dan beban hidup
1
M a  (7.68  20  10) x9 2  381.51 kNm
8
M cr / M a  0.39

 M cr 
3
  M cr  
3

I e    I g  1  
 
  I cr
 
M
 a   M
  a  

I e  0.059( I g )  0.941( I cr )  10.151x10 9 mm 4

5 wL4
 D L   13.5mm
384 Ec I e
• Lendutan awal akibat beban hidup

 L   D  L   D  13.5  9.3  4.2mm

• Lendutan awal akibat beban tetap +30% beban hidup (  D   SL )

1
Ma  (7.68  20  0.3 x10) x9 2  310.63kNm
8
M cr / M a  0.48

 M cr 
3
  M cr  
3

I e    I g  1  
 
  I cr
 
M
 a   M
  a  
I e  0.111( I g )  0.889( I cr )  10.533x10 9 mm 4

5 wL4
 D   SL   10.6mm
384 Ec I e
• Lendutan awal akibat 30% beban hidup,  SL

 SL  ( D   SL )   D  10.6  9.3  1.3mm

• Lendutan Jangka Panjang (Long term deflection) akibat beban tetap +30%
Beban hidup selama 3 tahun.

As' 1140
 
'
  0.0039
bd 400 x730

 2
    1.67
1  50  1  50 x0.0039
'

 3tahun 1.80
3 tahun    1.51
1  50  1  50 x0.0039
'

 LT   L   D  t  SL

 LT  4.2  1.67 x9.3  1.51x1.3  21.7mm

7.8 Continuous Beam Deflections

For continuous beam the effective moment of inertia used for

calculating deflections varies a great deal throughout the member

Section 1-1
+ moment

Section 3-3
Section 2-2
near inflection point
– moment
ACI committee suggests the use of the following expressions in which I em , I e1
and I e 2 are the computed effective moments of inertia at the midspan and
the two ends of the span, respectively.

• Beams with two ends continuous

I e, ave  0.7 I em  0.15( I e1  I e 2 )

• Beams with one ends continuous

I e, ave  0.85 I em  0.15( I e,cont .end )

The midspan deflection for a continuous beam with uniform loads and
unequal end moments can be computed with the use of superposition, as
shown in Figure
   o  1   2
assuming that M O (the moment at midspan due to uniform loads on a simple
beam), M 1 and M 2 are all positive, so that the signs will be compatible, we
have
 5 M 0 L2 3 M 1 L2 3 M 2 L2
  
48 EI 48 EI 48 EI

The midspan moment M m is : M m  M 0  M 1 / 2  M 2 / 2

5 L2
 M m  0.1(M 1  M 2 )
48 EI

M1 M2


=
o
+

M1
+
1

2
Figre 7. 4 Calculation of deflection for a beam with unequal end
moments.
7.10 Cracks Width

The following equation was developed for the purpose of estimating the
maximum widths of cracks that will occur in the tension faces of flexural
members

w  0.076  h f s 3 d c A

w = the estimated cracking width in thousandths of inches

 h = ratio of the distance to the neutral axis from the extreme tension
concrete fiber to the distance from the neutral axis to the centroid of the
tensile steel (values to be determined by the working-stress method)
f s = steel stress, in kips per square inch at service loads (designer is
permitted to use 0.6 f y for normal structures)
d c = the cover of the outermost bar measured from the extreme tension
fiber to the center of the closest bar or wire (for bundled bars, d c is
measured to the centroid of the bundles)
A = the effective tension area of concrete around the main reinforcing
(having the same centroid as the reinforcing) divided by the number of
bars)
 N . A(elastic analysis )

Shaded area is
d2 d1 concrete that has the
same centroid as the
reinforcing steel.
dc

bw
d 2d c xbw
h  1 A
d2 4