Section Design for Crack width

The Section Design for Crack width can be used to design reinforced concrete sections to
meet specific crack requirements. Both beam and slab sections can be designed for the
combined effects of axial tension, bending moment and temperature.

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Theory and application
The following text gives an overview of the application of the theory.

Design scope
The program can determine reinforcement layouts to contain cracks. Both rectangular beam
and slab sections can be designed to resist the effects of axial tension, bending moment and
temperature and the combination thereof. Temperature effects are also included to evaluate
early cracking and long-term thermal cracking.

Shrinkage
Concrete shrinkage due to hydration is accounted for by a combination of the thermal
expansion coefficient and the restraint factor. The design method employed by the codes is
ideally suited for non-temperate regions like Europe.

Reinforcement type
Concrete cracking has traditionally been correlated with the prevailing tensile steel stress.
Eurocode 2 - 1984 also takes account of the type of reinforcement, i.e. bond between concrete
and reinforcement.

Codes of practice
Design calculations are done according to BS 8007 - 1987 and Eurocode 2 - 1992.

Units of measurement
Both Metric and Imperial units of measurement are supported.

List of symbols
The design code symbols are used as far as possible:

Section dimensions
bt : Width of the section (mm or in).
h : Overall height of the section (mm or in).
he : Effective surface zone depth (mm or in).

Material properties
fcu : Concrete cube strength (MPa or psi).

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 fy : Main reinforcement yield strength (MPa or psi).

Applied loads
R : Restraint factor.
T1 : Hydration temperature difference (°C).
T2 : Seasonal temperature variation (°C).
 : Thermal expansion coefficient of concrete (m/m per °C or in/in per °C).
TSLS : The tensile force on the full section at serviceability limit state (kN or kip).
TULS : The tensile force on the full section at ultimate limit state. (kN or kip).
MSLS : Serviceability limit state moment (kNm or kipft).
MULS : Ultimate limit state moment (kNm or kipft).
Ro critical : The minimum percentage of reinforcement to be supplied.

Design output
Ast : Area of suggested reinforcement layout. (mm² or in²).
fst : Tensile stress in reinforcement (MPa or psi).
Mu : Ultimate moment capacity of section (kNm or kipft).
TU : Ultimate tensile capacity of surface zone (kN or kip).

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Input
The section geometry and loading is entered using the single input table. The following points
require special attention.
 The program evaluates an effective surface zone where crack control would be effective,
rather than the complete section. The surface zone is normally entered as half the section
depth but not more than 250 mm.
 Because only a surface zone is considered, only half of the entered tensile forces
(applicable to the overall section) is used.
 Reinforcement is calculated for the surface zone. The same reinforcement should be
supplied in full in both faces of the section.
 Eurocode 2 requires additional information regarding the type of reinforcement bond
applicable i.e. high-bond or plain bars.
 Select Beam mode if you wish cracking to be evaluated at the section corners as well.

Tip: It is recommended that wide sections be designed using Slab mode.

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 The hydration temperature, T1, is defined as the difference between the environmental
temperature and the peak temperature due to hydration. The value is used to evaluate early
thermal cracking. Typical values, taken from Table A.2 of the code, are given below.

OPC content (kg/m3)

Section 325 350 400 325 350 400
Thickness (mm) Steel formwork 18 mm plywood formwork
300 11* 13* 15* 23 25 31
500 20 22 27 32 35 43
700 28 32 39 38 42 49
1000 38 42 49 42 47 56

* Generally a minimum value of 20°C should be used.

 The seasonal temperature variation, T2, is used to calculate long term thermal cracking:
 If movement joints are provided as per Table 5.1 of the code, the seasonal variation
can normally be set equal to zero when considering early cracking only.
 The seasonal temperature variation should always be considered for long-term thermal
cracking in combination with the applied moments and tensile forces.
Section OPC content (kg/m3)
Thickness (mm) 325 350 400
300 15 17 21
500 25 28 34

 The restraint factor describes the amount of restraint in the system. The factor varies
between 0.0 to 0.5. For more detail, refer to Figure A3 of the code.

Tip: A higher restraint factor generally gives rise to more severe cracking. Therefore, when
in doubt, use a restraint factor of 0.5.

 Enter a value for Ro critical, i.e. the minimum percentage of reinforcement to be supplied.
The value applies to the gross concrete section of the surface zone. The program gives a
default value of 100 · fct / fy, where fct is the three-day tensile strength of the immature
concrete. For more detail, refer to paragraph A.2 of the code.

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Design
The following checks are considered for each load case at serviceability limit state:
 The combined effect of bending moment, tensile force and the seasonal temperature
variation, i.e. MSLS + TSLS + T2.
 Early thermal movement, T1 only.
 Early thermal movement and seasonal variation combined, i.e. T1 + T2.
 The section is also evaluated at ultimate limit state by considering the combined effect of
bending moment and tensile force, i.e. MULS + TULS.

Up to four sets of bars are calculated for slab sections. Each set has a different diameter and
spacing to comply with the crack width requirements. A fifth column is provided where you
could enter a bar configuration of choice.
For beams, up to four sets of bars are calculated. Each set of bars consists of a number of bars
of not more than two different diameters. The bar diameters are chosen to not differ by more
than one size.

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Calcsheets
The crack width design output can be grouped on a calcsheet for printing or sending to
Calcpad. Various settings can be made with regards to the inclusion of design results and
pictures.

Tip: You can embed the Data File in the calcsheet for easy recalling from Calcpad.

Recalling a data file

If you enable the Data File option before sending a calcsheet to Calcpad, you can later recall it
by double-clicking the relevant object in Calcpad. A data file embedded in Calcpad is saved
as part of a project and therefore does not need to be saved in the design module as well.

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