Chapter 8

Bond and Anchorage

8.1 Introduction

In the design of concrete structures we assume that the concrete and reinforcement act to-
gether to form a composite structure. This is only possible if stresses can be transmitted
from the concrete to the reinforcement without causing the bond to fail.

8.2 Design Ultimate Bond Stress

Consider the case where a reinforcing bar is anchored into concrete as shown in Fig. 8-1.
The aim here is to determine the anchorage length L required to prevent the bar from being
pulled from the concrete. The force in the bar is given by the product of the cross-section
area of the bar and the stress in the bar

p f2
T = As f s = fs (8.2-1)
4

where f = nominal bar diameter

fs = stress in the bar

The anchorage force in the concrete is the product of the contact area and the average bond
stress

T = (p f La ) f bu (8.2-2)
La

f fbu
T

Figure 8-1: Anchorage of a bar in tension.

8-1
8-2 Bond and Anchorage

where fbu is the ultimate anchorage bond stress.

Equating the force in the bar and the force in the concrete from Eqs. (8.2-1) and (8.2-2)

p f2
f s = (p f La ) f bu
4
f
La = s f (8.2-3)
4 f bu

Values for fbu as recommended by SABS 0100 are given in Table 8-1 for bars in tension
and compression. Bars in compression have a higher values for fbu because of the addi-
tional resistance provided by the concrete at the end of the bar. If bars are bundled, f is the
diameter of an equivalent bar with the same cross-sectional area as the bundle (see
section 9.1.1).

Table 8-1: Design ultimate bond stress fbu in MPa (SABS 0100).

Bar type Concrete grade

20 25 30 ³ 40
Plain bar in tension 1.2 1.4 1.5 1.9
Plain bar in compression 1.5 1.7 1.9 2.3
Deformed bar in tension 2.2 2.5 2.9 3.4
Deformed bar in com- 2.7 3.1 3.5 4.2
pression
Reduce these values by 30% for deformed top bars and by 50% for plain top bars
in elements where the depth exceeds 300 mm.

The bond strength is influenced by factors such as:

• the ratio of cover to bar diameter

• amount of transverse steel
• concrete strength
• bar type (smooth of deformed)
• presence of transverse compression stresses (for example: bottom bars anchored at sup-
ports)
• depth of bar in section.
Design Ultimate Bond Stress 8-3

The bond strength increases with the square root of the characteristic cube strength fcu. De-
sign codes such as BS8110 give the bond strength as

f bu = b f cu (8.2-4)

where b is given in Table 8-2. These values include a partial material safety factor gm = 1.4.
Substituting different values for fcu into the above, approximately produces the values in
Table 8-1.

Table 8-2: Values for bond coefficient b (BS 8110).

Bar Type Bars in tension Bars in compression

Plain bars 0.28 0.35
Type 1: deformed bars 0.40 0.50
Type 2: deformed bars* 0.50 0.63
Fabric 0.65 0.81
*
Type 2 bars correspond to the deformed bars used in South Africa

Transverse steel will significantly improve the bond strength. Links have the further ad-
vantage that it prevents longitudinal splitting on the concrete along the bar (see section
6.2.4). For the values in Tables 8-1 and 8-2 it is assumed that minimum links (section 6.5)
are present. In the unlikely event where minimum links are not provided, plain bars should
be assumed when using these tables, irrespective of the actual bar type. However, this only
applies to beams and not to slabs.

In members more than 300 mm deep, settlement of the plastic concrete around a bar could
cause a void to develop below the bar and cracking above the bar (see Fig. 8-2). In the top
of a section the concrete is less compacted and contains a higher water-cement ratio, lead-
ing to lower strengths there. Values for fbu are therefore reduced by the amounts given in
the note below Table 8-1.

Reinforcement

Void

Figure 8-2: Plastic settlement of concrete.

8-4 Bond and Anchorage

In design it is often required to determine anchorage length required for a bar to develop its
full design strength, i.e. fs = 0.87 fy. By making use of Table 8-1 and Eq. (8.2-3) by substi-
tuting fy = 250 MPa for plain bars and fy = 450 MPa for deformed bars, the values in Ta-
ble 8-3 can be generated. The anchorage length is expressed as a multiple of the bar size

La = K f (8.2-5)

where K is given in Table 8-3 for different bar types and concrete strengths.

Table 8-3: Ultimate anchorage bond length as a multiples of the bar size.

Bar type Concrete grade

20 25 30 ³ 40
Plain bar1 in tension 46 39 37 29
Plain bar1 in compression 37 32 29 24
Deformed bar2 in tension 45 40 34 29
Deformed bar2 in com- 37 32 28 24
pression
1
Mild steel fy = 250 MPa
2
High yield steel fy = 450 MPa
Reduce these values by 30% for deformed top bars and by 50% for plain top bars
in elements where the depth exceeds 300 mm.

8.3 Anchorage of Hooks and Bends

If the full anchorage length required by Eq. (8.3-3) cannot be provided because of limited
space, a hook or a bend can be provided. The effective anchorage provided by a hook or a
bend is measured from the start of the bend to a distance 4 diameters beyond the bend as
shown in Fig. 8-3b and c. The actual length of the bar, including any length of bar extend-
ing beyond the bend or hook at B, may be used as the anchorage length if this is greater
than the effective anchorage length given in the Figure, provided that the bearing stress
within the bend is not exceeded (see section 8.5). If the bar does not extend beyond B, the
bearing stress within the bend need not be checked.

The minimum radius rmin for mild steel bars is 2 f and for high yield stress bars is 3 f. If
the radius is not specified in the bending schedule, the minimum radius will be used.

Note that anchorage of links have been discussed in section 6.5.

Lapping of Bars 8-5

Straight anchorage length L

(a) Straight bar

B
4f
r
f

L–B Effective anchorage B

= lesser of 4 r and 12 f
(b) Bend

4f

r
f

L–H Effective anchorage H

= lesser of 8 r and 24 f
(c) Hook

Minimum radius: Mild steel (fy = 250 MPa) rmin = 2 f

High yield strength (fy = 450 MPa) rmin = 3 f

Figure 8-3: Equivalent anchorage of a hook and a bend.

8.4 Lapping of Bars

Suppliers of reinforcement will usually stock bars up to 13 m in length. Longer lengths can
be obtained by special arrangement but should not exceed 18 m for handling and transpor-
tation (SABS 82, 1997). The shorter dimension of a bent bar should not exceed 2.2 m for
packing and transportation purposes. The maximum volume of concrete that can be placed
at one time requires construction to take place in phases. This means that bars have to
lapped to achieve continuity in a structure.

The following points should be kept in mind when lapping bars:

• Laps should not occur where bars are highly stressed (see Fig. 8-4a).
• Laps should not all occur at the same position. Stagger laps where possible.
• Minimum lap length must be the greater of 15 f or 300 mm for bars and 250 mm for
fabric.
• Lap lengths for bars of different diameters can be based on the smaller diameter.
• Tension laps must at least be as great as the design anchorage length in tension.
8-6 Bond and Anchorage

Incorrect Correct

Plan Plan

Elevation Elevation

(a) Lapping of bars

´ 1.4 ´2 Cover < 2 f

f = Diameter of main
reinforcement

Cover < 2 f
´ 1.0 ´ 1.4

(b) Increasing lap lengths

Figure 8-4: Details for lapping bars.

• Anchorage in the top of the section is reduced by the lower concrete strength. A bar in
the corner of a section will be less confined yielding reduced anchorage. Tension laps
are therefore increased in the following cases (also see Fig. 8-4b):
(a) When the cover in the top of a section as cast is less than 2 f

lap length = lap length ´ 1.4

(b) When the cover in a corner of a section is less than 2 f to either face, or the clear
distance between adjacent laps is less than 75 mm or 6 f, whichever is the greater

lap length = lap length ´ 1.4

(c) When both (a) and (b) occur

lap length = lap length ´ 2

• Compression laps must be 25% greater than design anchorage length in compression.
Bearing Stress Inside a Bend 8-7

• When both bars in a lap are 25 mm or greater in size, and the cover is less than 1.5 times
the smaller bar size, then transverse links of at least 1/4 of the smaller bar size should be
provided at a maximum spacing of 200 mm.
• The sum of the reinforcement diameters in a particular layer should not be greater than
40 % of the section width at that level.
• If bars are placed in a bundle, only one bar at a time may be lapped. The maximum
number of bars in a bundle, including laps, should not be more than 4.

8.5 Bearing Stress Inside a Bend

The bearing stress inside a bend need not be checked if:

(a) the bar does not extend beyond 4 bar diameters past the end of the bend (see Fig. 8-3b
and c)
(b) it is assumed that the bar is not stressed beyond 4 bar diameters past the end of the
bend.

Consider a bar with diameter f, bent through an angle q, with an inside radius of r (see
Fig. 8-5a). A relationship between the force in the bar Fbt, due to ultimate loads, and the
bearing stresses inside the bend fb is determined in the following.

θ
2 r sin
2

Bar diameter = f
fb

q/2
r q/2 q/2 r
Fbt Fbt

(a) Equilibrium of a bend in a reinforcing bar

fb dy
fb f ds

ds dx
dx
f b f ds
ds ds dy
= f b f dx dx
fby
(b) Concrete stresses inside a bend

Figure 8-5: Bearing stress inside a bend.

8-8 Bond and Anchorage

The force in the bar is conservatively assumed here to be the same at both ends of the bend.
It is also assumed that the bearing stresses acting on the concrete inside the bend will be
uniformly distributed.

By considering a free-body of concrete, with the same width f as the reinforcing bar, it can
be shown (see Fig. 8-5b) that the stresses fby acting on the bottom of the free-body will be
equal to fb.

Returning to the free-body in Fig. 8-5a, the bearing surface is given by

é qù
fê2 r sin ú (8.5-1)
ë 2û

so that the resultant of the bearing stresses is given by

é qù
R = f b fê2 r sin ú (8.5-2)
ë 2û

The vertical component of the forces in the bar is given by

é qù
R = 2ê Fbt sin ú (8.5-3)
ë 2û

Equating the above two equations, the bearing stress on the inside the bend is given by

é qù
2ê Fbt sin ú
ë 2 û Fbt
fb = = (8.5-4)
é qù r f
fê2 r sin ú
ë 2û

The maximum allowable stress inside the bend is given by

2 f cu
f b ,max = (8.5-5)
æfö
1+ 2ç
ç ÷ ÷
è ab ø

where ab is the centre-to-centre distance between bars perpendicular to the bend, or, for a
bar adjacent to the face of the member it is the cover plus f (see also Fig. 8-7).

Fbt 2 f cu
To summarize: £ (8.5-6)
rf æfö
1+ 2ç
ç ÷ ÷
è ab ø
Demonstration Problems 8-9

ab ab

Figure 8-7: Definition of ab.

If bars are bundled, f is the diameter of an equivalent bar with the same cross-sectional
area as the bundle (see section 9.1.1).

8.6 Demonstration Problems

Problem 8.1

Figure 8-6a shows a beam-column connection where the beam reinforcement have to be
anchored in the column (column reinforcement are not shown). Find the required cutting

A
R10 links 2 Y25 Llap
Lcut 2 Y25 @ 200 mm
600 Lap length
2 Y16

A
450 450
Section A-A
(a) 2 Y25 bars for main reinforcement (b) Lap length

A Cover to all reinforcement = 25 mm

5 Y16 R10 links 5 Y16 Concrete strength fcu = 30 MPa
Lcut @ 200 mm
600
2 Y16

A
450 450
Section A-A
(c) 5 Y16 bars for main reinforcement

Figure 8-6: Design details for Problem 8-1.

8-10 Bond and Anchorage

length Lcut if 2 Y25 bars are used as main reinforcement for the beam (Fig 8-6a). Note that
the minimum radius cannot be used for these bars because of the high bearing stresses in-
side the bend. Also determine the required lap length for these bars as shown in Fig 8-6b.

Problem 8.2

Repeat Problem 8.1 using 5 Y16 bars as main reinforcement for the beam (see Fig 8-6c).
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the two options shown in Fig 8-6a and c.