A STUDY OF NEW IS 456:2000

VIS-
VIS-À-VIS

IS 456:1978

BY:

SURENDRA PRASAD

SURVEYOR OF WORKS -II

O/ 0 PCE BSNL, LUCKNOW

INDIAN STANDARD
PLAIN & REINFORCED CONCRETE
CODE OF PRACTICE
(Fourth Revision)
PREFACE:-
IS: 456 (fourth revision) was adopted by BIS, after the draft finalized
by the Cement and concrete sectional committee had been approved by the
Civil Engineering Division Council. The code was first published in 1953
and has undergone revisions in 1957, 1964, 1978 and 2000. This revision
was taken up with a view to keeping abreast with the rapid development in
the field of concrete technology and to bring in further
modifications/improvement in the light of experience gained while using the
earlier version.

In recent years, durability of concrete structures has become cause of

concern to all concrete technologists. Keeping the trend world over, this
revision codifies the durability requirements in order to introduce in-built
protection from factors affecting a structure.

A durable concrete is one, which performs, satisfactorily in the working

environment during its anticipated exposure conditions during service. Main
characteristics influencing the durability are its permeability to the ingress of
water, oxygen, carbon dioxide, chloride, sulphate and other deleterious
substances. The factor influencing durability is environment, cover to steel,
type and quality of materials, the cement content and water cement ratio,
workmanship and the shape and size of the member.

This revision has made specific provisions in respect of each of these

factors. The inclusion of requirements for durability in this code is the most
significant change vis-à-vis IS 456-1978. Other changes have been listed
under the headings of new and modified clauses of this review.

REVIEW OF NEW CLAUSES OF IS 456: 2000

DETAILS OF NEWLY ADDED CLAUSES :
1. CLAUSE 1.1.1

For the purpose of this standard, plain concrete structures are those where
reinforcement, if provided is ignored for determination of strength of structure.

2. CLAUSE 5.2 MINERAL ADMIXTURES

New IS code permits use of fly ash, silica fume, rice husk ash and metakaoline in the
category of pozzuolanic admixtures and ground granulated blast furnace slag in the
category of non pozzola nic admixtures. In all these cases IS code specifies that uniform
blending with cement shall be ensured.

3. CLAUSE 8.2 REQUIREMENTS OF DURABILITY

New code defines requirements for durability under following heads:

1. Shape and size of member – The shape and size of members should be such as
to promote good drainage of water and to avoid standing pools and rundown of
water.

2. Exposure Conditions - The general environment to which concrete will be

exposed has been categorised into mild, moderate, severe, very severe and
extreme.
 3. Abrasives – Special literatures may be referred to, for durability of concrete
surfaces exposed to abrasive action in case of machinery and metal tyres.

4. Freezing and Thawing action - Percentage of air entrainment has been defined
to get enhanced durability for grades of concrete lower than M50 and for 20mm
and 40mm nominal size of aggregates.

5. Exposure to sulphate attack – New code gives recommendations for the type of
cement, maxm. Free water/cement ratio and minm. Cement content, which are
required at different sulphate concentrations in near- neutral ground water having
pH of 6 to 9.

6. Nominal cover has been specified for different exposure conditions. For mild,
moderate, severe, very seve re and extreme conditions the cover shall not be less
than 20,30,45,50 and 75 mm respectively.

7. Concrete mix proportions - Approximate values for minimum cement content

and the maximum free water cement ratio are given for different exposure
conditions.

8. Mix constituents – For concrete to be durable, careful selection of the mix and
materials is necessary, so that deleterious constituents such as chlorides, sulphates
and alkali-aggregate reaction do not exceed the limits.

9. Concrete in aggressive soils and water – Where structures are partially

submerged or are in contact with
aggressive soils or water on one side only, the ground water shall be lowered by
drainage so that it will not come
into direct contact with the concrete.

10. Compaction, finishing and curing – Adequate compaction without segregation

should be ensured by providing suitable workability. Overworking the surface and
the addition of water/cement to aid in finishing shall be avoided.

11. Concrete in seawater - Concrete in seawater or exposed directly along the

seacoast shall be at least M20 Grade in the case of plain concrete and M30 Grade
in case of Reinforced concrete. Care shall be taken to protect the reinforcement
from exposure to saline atmosphere during storage, fabrication and use.

4. CLAUSE 21.0 FIRE RESISTANCE.

Minm. Requirement of concrete cover, member dimensions for concrete

members, to have required fire resistance has been given.

5. CLAUSE 22.4.2.1 SUBSTITUTE FRAME (OLD CLAUSE 21.4.2)

 Where side sway consideration becomes critical due to unsymmetrical geometry
or loading, rigorous analysis may be required.

6. CLAUSE 28.1 CONCRETE CORBELS

Special design requirements of concrete corbels are dealt in this clause.

7. CLAUSE 34.5 NOMINAL REINFORCEMENT IN FOOTINGS

The new code specifies that minm. Reinforcement and spacings shall be as per
requirements of the solid slab.

The nominal reinforcement for concrete sections of thickness greater than 1m

shall be 360 mm2 per metre length in each direction on each face. This provision
does not supersede the requirement of minm. Tensile reinforcement based on the
depth of the section.

8. CLAUSE 40.5 ENHANCED SHEAR STRENGTH OF SECTIONS CLOSE

TO THE SUPPORT

The enhancement of shear strength may be taken into account in the design of
sections near a support by
increasing design shear strength of the concrete to 2 d cc / av provided that design
shear stress at the support
remains less than ccmax.In this case ‘d’ is the effective depth, ‘cc’ is the shear
strength of the concrete and ‘av ’ is
the distance of the failure plane from the edge of the support. If shear
reinforcement is required a formula has been
given to calculate the same.

9. ANNEXURE F CALCULATION OF CRACK WIDTH

Formulas have been given for calculation of the crack width.

REVIEW OF MODIFIED CLAUSES OF IS 456: 2000

DETAILS OF CLAUSES WHICH HAVE BEEN MODIFIED IN NEW CODE :

1. CLAUSE 5.1 CEMENT (OLD CLAUSE 4.1 CEMENT)

In the new code ten types of cements are specified for use. All the three grades of
Portland cement, namely 33 grade, 43 grade and 53 grade have been included. Both
flyash based and calcined clay based Portland Pozzuolana cement has been covered. In
addition low heat Portland cement and sulphate resisting Portland cement have also been
included.

2. CLAUSE 5.3.3 SIZE OF AGGREGATE (OLD CLAUSE 4.2.4)

Earlier code specified that for RCC work, aggregates having nominal size of 20mm
are considered satisfactory. As per new code, for most of the work 20 mm aggregate
is suitable. Where there is no restriction to the flow of concrete into sections, 40 mm
or larger size may be permitted.

3. CLAUSE 5.4 WATER (OLD CLAUSE 4.3)

Permissible limits for sulphates and chlorides for RCC work have been reduced from
500 mg/l and 1000 mg/l respectively in the old code to 400 mg/l and 500 mg/l
respectively in the new code.

4. CLAUSE 5.6 REINFORCEMENT (OLD CLAUSE 4.6)

Hot rolled deformed bars conforming to IS: 1139-1966 existing in old code has been
removed along with Rolled steel made from structural steel conforming to IS: 226-
1975.In their place Structural steel conforming to Grade A of IS 2062 has been
substituted.

5. CLAUSE 6.1 GRADES OF CONCRETE (OLD CLAUSE 5.1)

Earlier code specified grades from M10 to M40, whereas the new code specifies grades
from M10 to M80.

6. CLAUSE 6.2.3.1 MODULUS OF ELASTICITY OF CONCRETE (OLD

CLAUSE)

The modulus of Elasticity can now be assumed as Ec= 5000( fck)1/2

in the earlier code it was 5700 instead of 5000.

7. CLAUSE 7.1 WORKABILITY (OLD CLAUSE 6.1)

In the absence of proper correlation between compacting factor, vee bee time and slump,
workability has now been specified in terms of slump only.

8. CLAUSE 9.2 DESIGN MIX CONCRETE (OLD CLAUSE 8.2)

As per new code the contractor shall carry out the mix design and the mix so designed,
shall be approved by the Employer. The target mean strength of the concrete shall be
equal to the characteristic strength plus 1.65 times the standard deviation. The values of
standard deviation if not calculated shall be assumed as per values given in the concrete
for different grades of the concrete. Minm. grade of concrete recommended for RCC
shall be M20.

9. CLAUSE 10.2 BATCHING (OLD CLAUSE 9.2)

The accuracy of the measuring equipment shall be within + - 2% of the quantity of

cement being measured and within + - 3% of the quantity of aggregate, admixtures and
water being measured. There was no such limit in the old code.

10. CLAUSE 11.3 STRIPPING TIME (OLD CLAUSE 10.3 )

Vertical formwork to columns, walls and beams can now be removed after 16 to 24
hours. The period for the same work was 24 to 48 hours in the old code.

11. CLAUSE 13.2 PLACING OF CONCRETE (OLD CLAUSE 12.2)

The maximum permissible free fall of concrete has been defined as 1.5 m. No such
value was specified in the old code.

12. CLAUSE 13.4 CONSTRUCTION JOINTS (OLD CLAUSE)

This clause has been generalised and the numerical limits placed on the thickness of
fresh mortar and concrete on old concrete, which were there in the old code have not
been removed.

13. CLAUSE 16.0 ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA (OLD CLAUSE 15.0)

Acceptance criteria of the concrete have been changed. Minm. Acceptable mean
strength and individual strength has been defined for acceptability both in respect of
compressive strength and flexural strength.

14. CLAUSE 17.0 INSPECTION (OLD CLAUSE 16.0)

The clause on inspection has been modified to give more emphasis on quality assurance.

15. CLAUSE 22.2 EFFECTIVE SPAN (OLD CLAUSE 21.2)

Effective length of cantilever has been added. It shall be taken as its length to the face of
the support plus half the effective depth except where it forms the end of the continuos
beam, where length to the centre of the support shall be taken.

16. CLAUSE 23.2.1 MODIFICATION FACTOR FOR TENSION

REINFORCEMENT

Graph has been modified. Earlier it was given in terms of mild steel, Fe 415 and Fe500
but now it has been given in terms of Fs, where
Fs= 0.58 fy x Area of cross- section of steel required.
Area of cross-section of steel provided.

17. CLAUSE 24.4.1 RESTRAINED SLABS WITH UNEQUAL CONDITIONS AT

ADJACENT PANEL.

The values of moments obtained from coefficients given for two-way slabs have to be
modified in accordance to the provisions of this clause, for restrained slabs with unequal
conditions at adjacent panels.

18. CLAUSE 26.2.5.1 LAP SPLICES (OLD CLAUSE 25.2.5.1)

Where lap occurs for a tension bar located at the top of a section as cast and minm. cover
is less than twice the dia. of the lapped bar ,the lap length shall be increased by a factor
1.4 .

Where lap occurs for a tension bar located at the corner of a section and the minimum
cover to either face is less than twice the diameter of the lapped bar or where the clear
distance between the adjacent laps is less than 75mm or 6 times the diameter of the
lapped bar, whichever is greater, the lap length should be increased by a factor of 1.4.
These provisions were not there in the old code.

19. CLAUSE 26.2.5.2 STRENGTH OF WELDS (OLD CLAUSE 25.2.5.2)

The design strength of mechanical connection can now be assumed as 100% of the
strength of joined bars. Earlier this value was 80%.

20. CLAUSE 26.3.3 MAXIMUM DISTANCE BETWEEN BARS IN TENSION

(OLD CLAUSE 25.3.2)

In slabs the horizontal distance between parallel reinforcement bars shall not be more
than three times the effective depth or 300 mm whichever is smaller. Earlier it was
450mm instead of 300 mm.

21. CLAUSE 26.4.1 NOMINAL COVER TO REINFORCEMENT ( OLD

CLAUSE 25.4)

Nominal cover has now been linked to durability and hence to degree of exposure. The
values for mild, moderate, severe, very severe and extreme are 20,30,45,50 and 75mm
respectively. For footings the minimum cover is recommended to be 50mm.

22. CLAUSE 26.5.1.5 MAXM. SPACING OF SHEAR REINFORCEM ENT (OLD

CLAUSE 25.5.1.5)
The maxm. Spacing of shear stirrup shall not exceed 0.75d or 300mm whichever is less.
Earlier it was limited to 450mm instead of 300 mm.

23. CLAUSE 26.5.1.6 MINM. SHEAR REINFORCEMENT (OLD CLAUSE

25.5.1.6)

Minm. Shear reinforcement shall be such that :

ASV >= 0.4

B sv 0.87 fy
Where Asv= Area of stirrup
B= breadth
Sv =spacing of stirrup
Fy = characteristic strength of steel

Earlier 0.87 was not there in the denominator.

24. CLAUSE 26.5.3.2 PITCH OF LATERAL TIES (OLD CLAUSE 25.5.3.2)

Pitch shall not be more than the least lateral dimension nor 16 times the smallest dia. of
the longitudina l bar nor 300 mm. In the earlier code the third condition was 48 times the
dia. of transverse reinforcement instead of 300 mm.

25. CLAUSE 32.0 WALLS (OLD CLAUSE 31.0)

Walls have been dealt in greater detail in the new code. The code now gives empirical
design method for walls subjected to in plane vertical loads. Formulas have now been
given for effective height, axial strength of the wall, for design of walls for horizontal
shear and design of shear reinforcement. Earlier clause that walls can be designed as
columns and then their strength increased depending upon the slenderness ratio , has
now been removed.

26. CLAUSE 35.3.2 CRACKING (OLD CLAUSE 34.3.2)

New code gives a formula for calculation of crack width, which was not there in the
old code. It limits the crack width to 0.3 mm in general cases, to 0.2 mm in cases
where cracking in tensile zone is harmful and to 0.1 mm in particularly aggressive
environments. Old code specified that in particularly aggressive environments crack
width should not exceed 0.004 times the nominal cover to the main reinforcement.

27. ANNEXURE B WORKING STRENGTH METHOD (OLD CODE SECTION

6)

Everything is same except that values of different parameters are now given up to M50.
Earlier values were given for grades up to M40.
28. ANNEXURE ‘E’ EFFECTIVE LENGTH OF COLUMNS (OLD CODE
APPENDIX ‘D’)

To determine whether a column is a no sway or a sway column, a formula has been

given to calculate stability index. If stability index is less than or equal to 0.04 then the
column in the frame may be taken as no sway column.