6/11/2008

Engineer’s Responsibility
for Detailing Reinforced
Concrete Structures
Neal S. Anderson, PE, SE, FACI
Vice President of Engineering

Dilbert !!

What is Rebar Detailing?

ƒ The art of placing reinforcing in a

concrete member to follow the
design intent

ƒ Thou shall follow the design &

placing rules of ACI ,
AASHTO, and CRSI . . . .
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Why is Detailing Important?

ƒ It is how the project gets built

ƒ Not everything gets caught
ƒ It makes the SE think
ƒ When problems occur . . .
» Delays in the project
» Cost implications
» Possible finger pointing
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U.S. Detailing Practice

Structural Design – A/E

Building Bridge

Drawings / Structural –
Specs Placing
Drawings
Placing
Drawings
5

Detailing of Rebar in Concrete

ƒ Buildings
ƒ Bridges
ƒ Role of SE & Detailer
ƒ Two Case Studies
ƒ What can we (SEs) do?

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Buildings

Building Deliverables

ƒ Drawings
» Structural
» Architectural
ƒ Project Specifications
» Section 03200 - Reinforcing
ƒ General Notes

ACI 318 – Building Code

ƒ Dawn of time
ƒ Current version is
2008
ƒ Governs buildingg
design
ƒ Contains info on
reinforcing

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ACI 318, Section 1.2.1 –

Drawings, Details & Specs
ƒ Specified strength / grade of
reinforcement
ƒ Size and location of all
» Structural elements
» Reinforcement
» Anchors

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ACI 318, Section 1.2.1 –

Drawings, Details & Specs
ƒ Reinforcement anchorage lengths
ƒ Lap splices
» Location
» Length
ƒ Mechanical & welded splices
» Type
» Location
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Building Drawings

ƒ Beams / girders
ƒ Columns
ƒ Walls
ƒ Foundations
ƒ Plans, sections, & details

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Building Drawings

Many elements are shown TYPICAL

ƒ Beam / g
girder table
ƒ Column schedule

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Typical Beam Detail

14
umn Details
Typical Colu

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Building Drawings

ƒ Structural (& arch) drawings

ƒ Many typical details
» Schedules, tables
» Bar size & spacing (#5 @ 12” o.c.)
ƒ Detailer’s role
» Placing plans development
» Bill of material for fabrication
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Bridges

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Bridge Deliverables

ƒ Drawings
» Structural – rebar placing
» Rebar schedules
» Civil
ƒ General / structural notes
ƒ Project special provisions
» Rebar covered in Std Specs.
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Plans – Bar Schedule

A. Bar ID (unique)
B. Quantity (or #)
C. Rebar size
D
D. Total length
(including
bends)
A B C D E E. Depiction of
shape
(E) = Epoxy coated
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Plans – Bend Diagrams

Stirrups

L-bars

Straight with
180° hook

Bar ID from
schedule 20

Rebar Markings for Deck

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Plans – splices
Bridge deck plan

Contact lap
splice length
Splice
locations &
length
22

Bridge Drawings

ƒ Structural & placing drawings

ƒ Very prescriptive by DOT
» a(E) & b(E) bars ~ deck
» h(E) & v(E) bars ~ wall
ƒ Detailer’s role
» Check engineers layout
» Bill of materials
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Buildings vs. Bridges

Buildings - Private Bridges - Public

ƒ Bidding package ƒ Bidding package
» Lump sum » Unit prices
ƒ Furnish and install » Itemized
ƒ Rebar lumped in ƒ Rebar
» Weight ~ plain & (E)
ƒ Change orders
» Placing unit
ƒ RFIs
ƒ Not many COs / RFIs

ƒ Unique nature - not

cookie cutter ƒ Bridges are more
typical
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Detailing Practice – The Roles

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Detailing Responsibilities

ƒ Admittedly, this is more focused

on the building side
ƒ What are the issues / concerns?
ƒ Why worry?
» Costs
» Project delays
» Structural issues

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Meet Mr. Detailer . . .

ƒ Detailer
» Technically trained individual
» Interprets contract
documents
ƒ Responsible for
» Placing plans development
» Bill of material for fabrication

They are not design professionals

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Meet Mr. SE . . .
ƒ Structural Engineer
» BSCE, MSCE, or PhD
» FE (EIT), PE, or SE
ƒ Responsible for
» Design of concrete
» Preparing design plans &
specifications
» Placing / shop drawing review
» Anything else to ensure our
designs get built properly

We are licensed design professionals28

SE Point of View . . . .

ƒ What are the perceived “normal”

relationships between SE and
detailer?
ƒ How can this relationship be
improved?
ƒ How do we solve the problems?
ƒ Who takes the lead to avoid
problems?
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SE Relationship Perception

ƒ Detailer prepares placing drawings

» SE and architectural drawings
» CRSI “Manual of Standard Practice”
ƒ SE provides background drawings to
Detailer to “assist” in starting plans
» Detailer verifies their scale & redraws if
necessary
ƒ SE expectations:
» Detailer to be properly trained or
» Working under the supervision of an
experienced detailer 30

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SE Relationship Perception

ƒ SE expects interpretation questions

during the preparation stage & prior
to reviewing placing drawings
» SE will provide quick response to
questions
ƒ Placing drawings to be complete
with unanswered issues clouded
ƒ SE will review promptly and clearly
mark comments
31

SE Relationship Perception

ƒ SE will not transmit design

changes during the placing
drawing preparation
» During mark-ups
ƒ Detailer addresses mark-ups prior
to fabricating & issuing final
drawings
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How Can SEs Get Better? Part 1

ƒ Recognize the tools available

» Publications
ƒ Get familiar with rebar detailing
» Make buildable designs
» Aids in placing drawing review
ƒ Field issues cannot always be
solved with a BFH

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CRSI – Manual of Std. Practice

ƒ First published by
CRSI in 1927
ƒ Industry “Standard
Practices” for all
activities related to
steel reinforcing bars
ƒ Essential reference
for the A / E

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ACI Committee 315 Report

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ACI Detailing Manual

ƒ Current Edition ~ 2004
ƒ Contains ACI 315 report
ƒ Illustrative standards
ƒ Example drawings
» Slabs
» Walls
» Footings
» Bridges
» Etc.

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 Typical Bar Bends Typical Bar Bends

Typical Stirrups

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Typical Column Ties

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End Hook Dimensions

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Stirrups and Ties

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Two “What Went Wrongs”

ƒ Continuous beams
ƒ Slab folds

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Continuous Beam

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SE Typical “Screw Ups”

ƒ Conflicting reinforcing over support

» Different sizes called on adj. beams
ƒ Too many bars for beam width
» Specify layers
ƒ No direction on rebar location at
intersecting beams
ƒ Full length bars not taken into account
ƒ Congestion over columns
» Take column reinforcing into consideration
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Slab Folds

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Slab Folds Again

ƒ Two Way Slabs
ƒ Difficult for
detailers
ƒ Slab elevation
differences and
the complexity of
a two-way slab

47

SE Typical “Screw Ups”

ƒ Detail is not cut on plan

ƒ Extent of fold not clearly shown
ƒ Fold not coordinated with architectural
ƒ No inst
instructions
uctions are provided when fold
depth exceeds “maximum fold allowed”
ƒ Fold location – many bar lengths
» Framing bars
» Fill bars spliced to longer bars

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Typ. Detailer “Screw-Ups”

ƒ Slab reinforcing is “replaced” by

fold reinforcing
» Two-way reinf. not considered
ƒ Other structural components in
vicinity are effected
ƒ Incorrect laps
» Location , length

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Problem Resolution

ƒ Identify issues ASAP & communicate

to all parties
ƒ Share possible solutions
ƒ Document,
Document but “do not point fingers”
ƒ Implement best solution ASAP
» Keeps job moving
ƒ Learn from problems & don’t repeat
» At least not on the same job

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Improving the Relationship

ƒ Allow communication between parties

ƒ Provide Detailer with latest set of
contract documents
» Including architectural drawings
ƒ Encourage detailer to contact SE
during placing drawing preparation
ƒ Share “lesson learned” experience
from previous projects
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Improving the Relationship

ƒ Identify potential problems

ahead of time
ƒ Simplify and standardize details
ƒ Follow latest codes & practices
ƒ Keep Detailers trained and
current

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Meetings !!

ƒ If needed, call early project meeting

» Detailer, Subs, & GC
» Discuss project “misunderstandings”
ƒ Sub / Detailer may request meeting
» Details confusing or not clear
» He/she proposes alternate detail
» Without changing intent, if these have
worked previously
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Stretch Time . . . .

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How Can SEs Get Better? Part 2

ƒ Take the lead !!

ƒ Identify potential issues in
design phase
» Draw details to scale to visualize
» Detail / think out the “tuffys”
» Go beyond dots & lines
» Recognize congestion issues

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SE Takes the Lead . . .

ƒ Design process begins with EOR / SE

ƒ In-house training of young engineers
» Starts ASAP upon hiring from college
» Mentoring from experienced engineers
» In-house seminars, site visits, lessons
learned
ƒ Clarify intent at pre-constr. meeting
ƒ Contact detailer early
» Initial placing drawings indicate a lack of
understanding of design intent
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U.S. Bar Sizes

ƒ Diameter
Bar Size Nominal Weight, Diameter, in. Cross
[metric] lb/ft [ mm ] Sectional
# [Nominal Mass, Area, in.2
kg/m ] [mm2] approx.
3 [10] 0.376 [0.560] 0.375 [9.5] 0.11 [71]
ƒ Based on
4 [13] 0.668 [0.994] 0.500 [12.7] 0.20 [129]
weight
5 [16] 1 043 [1
1.043 [1.552]
552] 0 625 [15
0.625 [15.9]
9] 0 31 [199]
0.31
6 [19] 1.502 [2.235] 0.750 [19.1] 0.44 [284]
7 [22] 2.044 [3.042] 0.875 [22.2] 0.60 [387]
8 [25] 2.670 [3.973] 1.000 [25.4] 0.79 [510]
9 [29] 3.400 [5.060] 1.128 [28.7] 1.00 [645]
10 [32] 4.303 [6.404] 1.270 [32.3] 1.27 [819]
11 [36] 5.313 [7.907] 1.410 [35.8] 1.56 [1006]
14 [43] 7.650 [11.38] 1.693 [43.0] 2.25 [1452]
18 [57] 13.60 [20.24] 2.257 [57.3] 4.00 [2581] 57

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U.S. Bar Sizes

Bar
Size
Nominal
Diameter
Outside
Diameter
ƒ Figure 6-1 from
( in. ) ( in. ) CRSI’s Manual of
3 3/8 7/16 Standard
4 1/2 9/16 Practice
5 5/8 11/16
6 3/4 7/8
7 7/8 1
8 1 1-1/8
9 1.128 1-1/4
10 1 270 1-7/16
11 1.410 1-5/8
14 1 693 1-7/8
18 2 257 2-1/2 58

Common Problem Areas

ƒ Beam – column joints

ƒ Brackets / haunches / ledges
ƒ Integrity steel
ƒ T-Joints
ƒ Top of columns

Avoid Congestion
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Beam-Column Joints

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Beam-Column Joints

Perimeter of
Column Reinf.

Think curtains or
planes of steel
reinforcing
61

Beam-Column Joints

ƒ Congestion is a given
ƒ Consider making beams wider
» By 4 in , 2 in each side
» Corner beam bars don’t interfere
ƒ Consider ⊥ beams
» Different depths or elevations
» Top & bottom bar interferences
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Beam-Column Joint

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Column Brackets
ƒ Where located on
column?
ƒ What is the size?
ƒ Bar spacing?
ƒ How does this
effect the strut-
and-tie model?

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Bottom Integrity Rebar

ƒ Lap outside column to avoid

congestion
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Retaining Wall T-Joints

Easier for
contractor

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Retaining Wall T-Joints

Performs
better

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Coupling Beams

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Scale Drawing of Rebar

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nfiguration
Final Con

70

Shear Wall Ends – L to M

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Shear Wall Ends – L to M

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Shear Wall Ends – Special

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Shear Wall Ends – Special

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Shear Wall Ends – Special

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Column Ends – Headed Bars

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Punching Shear Studs

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SE Need to Knows - Rebar

ƒ Standard rebar stock length

» (40 to) 60 ft
» Special lengths possible (coordinate
with mill or fabricator)
ƒ Try to use same steel grade
throughout project
ƒ #14 & #18 may require lead time

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SE Need to Knows - Rebar

ƒ Use largest bar size possible

ƒ Repeat bar sizes & lengths
ƒ Provide minimum 4 - 6 in. gap
between top bars
ƒ Follow ACI 315 for bending details
ƒ Minimize bar bends & hooks
ƒ Keep bars in one plane
79

SE Need to Knows - Columns

ƒ Multi-story construction, usual

practice
» Limit column bar lengths to one story
ƒ For larger bars & couplers
» Two and three story heights possible
» Bar sizes of #9 & > have sufficient
stiffness to use free standing two
story heights.
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SE Need to Knows - Columns

ƒ Use same column size, vary

» Bar size
» Concrete strength
g
ƒ Lap splices permitted up to #11
ƒ #14 & #18 bars have to be
mechanically spliced or welded,
if tension splice
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Rebar Splicing - Coupler

ƒ Couplers are:
» Grouted
» Threaded
» Screw type
ƒ Manufacturer’s literature

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Rebar Splicing - Couplers

ƒ Couplers take up space

» Greater diameter than rebar
ƒ Stagger
gg couplers
p
ƒ Can they be installed?
» Grouting
» Set screws

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Better SEs - Review

ƒ Identify potential issues

» Draw details to scale to visualize
» Detail / think out the “tuffys”
y
» Go beyond dots & lines
» Recognize congestion issues
ƒ Get familiar with rebar detailing

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What Can Mr. CRSI Do?

ƒ Manuals of Standard Practice

» Keep current / up to date
» Reflect latest Code changes
ƒ Encourage & promote detailer training
ƒ Promote field experience importance
» Young engineers
ƒ Work with college professors
» Discuss importance of detailing
» Properly expressing design in contract docs

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Questions?

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