Crack Pattern: /reinforcement

Concrete bridge design to BS 5400
/Reinforcement
--+------.-'-----
-'
_------....
------ Crack
pattern 1
Crack pattern 1
-----7
7
------- ------
------
--
--+----'----'Y
(a) Pattern 1
(bl Crack pattern 2 superposed

on crack pattern 1.
Fig. 7 .6(a),(b) Plan views of crack patterns in solid slab
The tests indicated that in order to obtain a controlled
necessary to consider, in general terms, cracking in slabs.

Beeby
crack pattern, such as that shown in Fig. 7.5(b), with no

cracks passing completely through the flange,
necessary to have at least
it was
I% of transverse reinforcement
in the flange. This reinforcement should be calculated as a

percentage of the minimum flange area. This minimum
reinforcement percentage requirement is given in the Code
for predominantly tension flanges, together with an upper
limit of
(see Fig.
7 .6):
A pattern controlled by the deformation imposed on
I.
the section.
A pattern controlled by the
2.
proximity of the re
inforcement.
1500 mm2/m. The latter value was introduced to
avoid excessive amounts of reinforcement in slabs with
[196] has investigated cracking in slabs spanning
one way and found that there are two basic crack patterns
Beeby
[196] proposed a theory which adequately pre
[194] have suggested
dicts the properties of the two patterns and their interac
that, in such cases, it may be preferable to consider the
tion. In addition, formulae for predicting the widths of
very thick flanges. Clark and Elliott
minimum flange thickness as having two critical layers:
cracks at any point on a slab were derived. These formulae
one layer would be adjacent to the outer face and the other
are too complicated for design purposes and thus Beeby
adjacent to the crown of the void. The thickness of each
[ 182] reduced them to the following single design formula
layer would be equal to twice the relevant cover plus the

bar diameter, and each layer would be provided with a
W=
minimum of I% of reinforcement. This suggestion is simi

lar to that recommended by Holmberg
+ K
[ 195].
In the case of predominantly compression flanges, the
where
Cm;n
(acr Cm;n)
(h x)
-
is the minimum cover to the tension steel and
Code requires that the area of transverse reinforcement
K1 and K2 are constants which depend upon the probability
should be the lesser of
minimum flange area. These values were chosen because
of exceedence of the design crack width. The appropriate

values of K1 and K2 are 3 and 2, respectively, for the 20%
the tests reported by Clark and Elliott
probability of exceedence adopted in the Code. Hence, the
1000 mm2/m or 0.7% of the

[ 194] indicated that
the moment at which such steel would be stressed to
following crack width equation, which is given in the
230 N/mm 2 would be greater than the cracking moment of
Code, is obtained
the section. Thus, if cracking did occur due to an unex

pected severe loading situation, the reinforcement would
(7.5)
not yield suddenly and a controlled crack pattern would

occur.
In addition to the above limitations on the area of trans
verse reinforcement, it is necessary to limit the spacing of
the reinforcement. The Code states that the spacing should
not exceed the solid slab value of
300 mm nor twice the
minimum flange thickness. The latter criterion was intro

duced to discourage the use of large diameter bars if thin
flanges were adopted, since such flanges are subjected to
particularly large stress concentrations.
Flanges
It should be noted that the strain, allowing for tension

stiffening, is used because it is considered that slabs are
relatively lightly reinforced and have load-strain relation
ships similar to that shown in Fig.
7. I. In such cases, the
tension stiffening effect is significant and should be calcu

lated from equation
(7 .3); although, as mentioned earlier
in this chapter, the tension stiffening could be reduced by

repeated loading.
Equation
(7.5) was derived from tests in which the re
inforcement was perpendicular to the cracks. The general
In order to discuss crack control in the flanges of beam and
problem of crack control when the reinforcement is not
slab, cellular slab and box beam construction it is first
perpendicular to the cracks has been considered by Clark
92

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Concrete bridge design to BS 5400

(bl Crack pattern 2 superposed

Fig. 7 .6(a),(b) Plan views of crack patterns in solid slab

The tests indicated that in order to obtain a controlled

necessary to consider, in general terms, cracking in slabs.

crack pattern, such as that shown in Fig. 7.5(b), with no

in the flange. This reinforcement should be calculated as a

A pattern controlled by the deformation imposed on

1500 mm2/m. The latter value was introduced to

avoid excessive amounts of reinforcement in slabs with

[196] has investigated cracking in slabs spanning

[196] proposed a theory which adequately pre

[194] have suggested

dicts the properties of the two patterns and their interac

that, in such cases, it may be preferable to consider the

tion. In addition, formulae for predicting the widths of

very thick flanges. Clark and Elliott

minimum flange thickness as having two critical layers:

cracks at any point on a slab were derived. These formulae

are too complicated for design purposes and thus Beeby

adjacent to the crown of the void. The thickness of each

[ 182] reduced them to the following single design formula

layer would be equal to twice the relevant cover plus the

minimum of I% of reinforcement. This suggestion is simi

In the case of predominantly compression flanges, the

is the minimum cover to the tension steel and

Code requires that the area of transverse reinforcement

K1 and K2 are constants which depend upon the probability

should be the lesser of

minimum flange area. These values were chosen because

of exceedence of the design crack width. The appropriate

the tests reported by Clark and Elliott

probability of exceedence adopted in the Code. Hence, the

1000 mm2/m or 0.7% of the

the moment at which such steel would be stressed to

following crack width equation, which is given in the

230 N/mm 2 would be greater than the cracking moment of

the section. Thus, if cracking did occur due to an unex

not yield suddenly and a controlled crack pattern would

300 mm nor twice the

minimum flange thickness. The latter criterion was intro

It should be noted that the strain, allowing for tension

7. I. In such cases, the

tension stiffening effect is significant and should be calcu

(7 .3); although, as mentioned earlier

in this chapter, the tension stiffening could be reduced by

(7.5) was derived from tests in which the re

inforcement was perpendicular to the cracks. The general

In order to discuss crack control in the flanges of beam and

problem of crack control when the reinforcement is not

slab, cellular slab and box beam construction it is first

perpendicular to the cracks has been considered by Clark

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