DEEP BEAMS

P
b

a h

ln

 Deep beams are heavy rigid bodies with large depth-thickness (h/b) ratios.
 Deep beams have clear span-depth (ln/h) ratio of less than 2.5 for concentrated load and less than 4.0 for
uniformly distributed load.
 The shear span (a) is less than twice the depth of the beam (a < 2h).
 For flexural design, ACI-318 defines a deep beam as a beam in which the ratio of the clear span l n to the
overall depth h is less than the limits given below:
simple spans: ln/h < 1.25
continuous spans: ln/h < 2.5
 The concentrated loads exist within a distance 2h from the face of the support.
 Deep beams are structural elements loaded as simple beams in which a significant amount of the load is
carried to the supports by a compression force combining the load and the reaction (strut). As a result, the
longitudinal strain distribution over the depth of the beam is no longer considered linear, and the shear
deformations become significant (and govern) when compared to pure flexure. Shear deformations
generally dominate flexure when h/b < 2.0.
 The main loads and reactions act in the plane of the beam and plane stress is approximated in concrete.
 Deep beams play a very significant role in the design of mega as well as small structures.
 Deep beams are effective and durable for very long span halls without columns, where ordinary beams can
cause flexural failure.

Applications
 Pile Caps
 Bridge Girders
 Wall slabs under vertical loads
 Walls of rectangular tanks and bins
 Floor slabs under horizontal loads
 Floor diaphragms
 Shear walls
 Short span beams carrying heavy loads
 Transfer girders in multistory/tall buildings to provide column offsets
 Offshore structures and foundation walls
 Folded plate roof structures

Behaviour/Differences Between Deep and Simple Beams

 Because of its dimensions, deep beams behave as 2-dimensional rather than 1-dimensional.
 The assumption of “plane section remains plane” cannot be used in deep beam design.
 Unlike ordinary beams, shear deformation cannot be neglected.
 The stress distribution is not linear even in the elastic stage.
 The strain distribution is no longer linear. The flexural reinforcement is designed taking into account
the reduced lever arm due to the non-linearity of the strains' distribution.
 The shear deformation cannot be neglected as in the ordinary beams.
 At the ultimate limit state the shape of concrete compressive stress block is not parabolic.
 The distribution of tensile stress at the bottom fiber is constant over the span.
 The tensile stress in the bottom fiber at support and at midspan is almost the same.
 The tension reinforcement must be extended to the end of supports.
 The maximum tensile stress at the bottom fibers exceed the magnitude of compressive stress.
 Shear design of deep beams is similar to ordinary beams except for the concrete shear strength,
limitation of ultimate shear force and horizontal and verrical stirrups distribution.

Flexure Design
A schematic non-linear stress distribution in a homogeneous deep beam is shown below. It was
experimentally observed that the moment lever arm does not change significantly even after initial cracking.
The tension reinforcement should be placed in the lower segment of beam height such that the segment
height is Y as given in the table below.

h Z

ln

L
Mn = nominal resisting moment
Mu = ultimate/factored/design applied moment which occurs simultaneously with Vu at the critical section
h = overall depth of beam
d = effective depth of beam (in)
b = bw = width of beam web (in)
Z = lever arm
L = effective span measured from c/c of supports or 1.15 times the clear span, whichever is smaller
As = reinforcement area for flexure
fc’ = concrete cylinder compressive strength
fy = steel strength (psi)
ф = flexure strength reduction factor = 0.9
ρ = ratio of main steel area to the area of concrete section (ρ = As / b d)
As = main tension reinforcement (in2)

The following table summarizes the flexural design.

Type Simply Supported Beam Continuous Beam

Moment Strength M n = As x f y x Z
Positive Reinforcement As = Mu / ф x fy x Z ≥ 3 x √fc’ x b x d / fy ≥ 200 b x d / fy
Negative Reinforcement NA As = M u / ф x f y x Z
As minimum ’
√ fc x b x d / 4 x fy ≥ 1.4 b x d / fy 1.4 b x d / fy ≥ √ fc’ x b x d / 4 x fy
Lever Arm Z = 0.2 x (L + 2 x h) for 1 ≤ L/h < 2 Z = 0.2 x (L + 1.5 x h) for 1 ≤ L/h <
Z = 0.6L for L/h < 1 2.5
Z = 0.5L for L/h < 1
Positive Reinforcement
Y = 0.25 x h – 0.05 x L < 0.2 x h
Distribution Zone
Negative Reinforcement NA As1 = 0.5 x (L / h - 1) x As
Distribution As2 = As - As1

The main flexural streel is placed near the tension edge, as usual, although because of the dreater depth of
the tension zone, it is advisable to distribute such steel over the bottom third of the beam.

The ultimate strength of deep beams depend upon strut-and-tie action, in which the main steel is fully
stressed over nearly its entire length rather than only at the maximum moment section.

Minimum Tension Reinforcement

The main steel ratio ρ shall not be less than ρmin = 200 / fy.

Shear Design
The shear provisions of ACI Code 318 apply to top-loaded simple or continuous beams having a (clear
span)/(effective depth) ratio ln/d less than 4. Shear reinforcement is not required if Vu < 0.5 x ф x Vc. However,
minimum shear reinforcemnt must be provided.

Shear force is resisted by concrete and shear reinforcement and the design is based on the following
Equations:

Vu < ф Vn where Vn = Vc + Vs

The nominal shear strength Vn should not exceed the following:

Vn ≤ 8 b d √fc’ for ln/d < 2
’
Vn ≤ 2/3 x b d √fc (ln/d + 10) for 2 < ln/d < 5

Since Vs ≤ 8 b d √fc’ and Vc = 2 b d √fc’, Vn = 10 b d √fc’ for beams with ln/d > 5.

Vn = nominal shear strength

ф Vn = design shear strength
ф = shear strength capacity reduction factor = 0.85
Vu = ultimate/factored/design shear force at the critical section
Vc = concrete shear strength without shear reinforcement
Vs = reinforcement/stirrups shear strength

The shear provided by concrete is calculated from:

Vc = (3.5 – 2.5 Mu / (Vu d)) (1.9 √fc’ + 2500 ρ (Vu d) / Mu) b d ≤ 6 √fc’ b d

The multiplier to allow for strength increase in deep beams = [3.5 - 2.5 (Mu/Vu d)] < 2.5

Shear Strength: Simply Supported Deep Beams

Ultimate shear force calculations are carried out for the critical section defined as follows.

Concentrated load: x = 0.5 x a ≤ d (concentrated load), where a = distance between face of support and load
Uniform load: x = 0.15 x ln ≤ d (UDL)

The shear reinforcement required at the critical section shall be used throughout the span.

In the case where Vu exceeds фVc, a system of orthogonal shear reinforcement is required and must be
provided to carry the excess shear. The contribution Vs of shear reinforcement is given by:

Simplifying the above equation gives

Where

Av = area (in2) of vertical (perpendicular to main bars) web reinforcement within a spacing sv
Ah = area (in2) of horizontal (parallel to main bars) web reinforcement within a spacing sh
fy = strength of the web steel which should not be taken as more than 60000 psi
sv = spacing (in) of the vertical web bars—which must exceed neither d/5 nor 18 in
sh = spacing (in) of the horizontal web bars—which must exceed neither d/3 nor 18 in

The orthogonal mesh provided must satisfy not only the above Equation but also the minimum web
reinforcement requirement given earlier.
In the above Equation, the quantities (1+ln/d)/12 and (11-ln/d)/12 represent weighting factors for the relative
effectiveness of the vertical and horizontal web bars. ACI Code 318 rightly considers that horizontal web
reinforcement is more effective than vertical web reinforcement. At the limiting ln/d ratio of 4, the weighting
factors (1+ln/d)/12 and (11-ln/d)/12 are equal (i.e. vertical and horizontal steel are taken to be equally
effective). As the ln/d ratio decreases, horizontal web bars become increasingly more effective compared with
vertical web bars.

Shear Strength: Continuous Deep Beams

Calculations for continuous deep beams, unlike those for simply supported ones, are not based on the design
shear force at the critical section as defined above. Instead, the shear reinforcement at any section is
calculated from the design shear force Vu at that section.

The nominal shear strength Vn is subject to the same limits as imposed by the above Equation. However, for
continuous deep beams, the concrete nominal shear strength Vc is to be taken as the least value given by the
following Equations:

Where Vu exceeds 0.5фVc, vertical shear reinforcement should be provided to satisfy the condition:

(Av/b sv) > (50/fy)

Where

Av = area (in2) of the vertical shear reinforcement within the spacing sv

fy = strength of the shear reinforcement which should not be taken as exceeding 60000 psi.

When the design shear force Vu exceeds фVc, vertical shear reinforcement shall be provided to carry the excess
shear. The contribution Vs of this shear reinforcement is given by:

Vs = (Avfyd/sv)

Combining above Equations,

(Av/b sv) > ((Vu/ф) - Vc) / b d fy

Web (Shear) reinforcement

An orthogonal mesh of web reinforcement is required. The minimum areas of the vertical and horizontal bars
shall satisfy the following Equations:

Av = 0.0025 x b x sv
Ah = 0.0025 x b x sh
Av = Area of vertical stirrups within the spacing sv
Ah = Area of horizontal stirrups within the spacing sh (dominantly effective for small ln/d)
sv = spacing of vertical stirrups
sh = spacing of horizontal stirrups

The maximum spacing of shear reinforcement is:

Vertical Stirrups: sv ≤ d/5, sv ≤ 12 in (300 mm)

Horizontal Stirrups: sh ≤ d/3, sh ≤ 12 in (300 mm)