Eng.

Hasan Shehada

Eng. Ruba Awad

 Introduction:
It can be noticed that one of the important factors that affect the design of the structure is
economy factor. For that reason, we must use less materials in order to minimize the cost of this
structure, and one of the materials that significantly affects the cost of the project is steel
reinforcement.
ACI code provides reinforcement detailing that help saving a lot of reinforcement while
designing the structure. The code gives two choices for this purpose:
1- Development length requirement, which will be time wasting for large projects.
2- ACI 315-02 provides some values as portions with respect to lengths and spans of beam.
This method will be discussed in details in this lecture.
Of course, the values given will vary between negative moment, positive moment, and
cantilever reinforcement. Each one will be discussed in details below.

Negative Moment Reinforcement:

The reinforcement in both positive and negative moment sections, there will be two types of
reinforcement, one is continuous, and the other is cut and found only in the sections where
maximum moment exists.
-

For continuous reinforcement:

For continuous reinforcement at the top of the beam, there must be at least:
Two bars for beams with a width less than 60 cm.
Four bars for beams with a width between 60 cm and 100 cm.
Six bars for beams with a width more than 100 cm.
Note:
Since we have bars with limited lengths (practically), then the continuous bars must be cut
and then tied with the following bars with a shared length that equal 60*diameter of bar. This
cut must be at the middle of the span where negative moment is at its minimum.

These continuous bars must go through the support (column) with at least 0.5*width of
support or 15 cm. The figure below shows the details of continuous bars.

Eng. Hasan Shehada

Eng. Ruba Awad

For cut reinforcement:

The reinforcement that is cut will be at the support area where negative moment is at its
maximum. The remaining bars of required reinforcement will be extended a length equals to
width of support plus (L/3) from both sides, where L is the largest of the two spans. The
figure below shows these values.

Eng. Hasan Shehada

Eng. Ruba Awad

 Positive Moment Reinforcement:

As we saw for negative moment sections, we have two types of bars, continuous bars and cut
bars.
-

For continuous reinforcement:

The minimum for continuous bars must be the greatest of:

Two bars for less than 60 cm width beam, four bars for beams with a width of 60 cm to 100
cm, and six bars for beams with a width greater than 100 cm.
One third of the required reinforcement.
Minimum required reinforcement.

And knowing that we dont have enough length of bars to use along the beams, it must be cut
and linked with the following bar. The cut must be at the supports where the positive bending
moment is at its minimum. The figure below shows the details of continuous reinforcement
in the positive moment section.

For Cut reinforcement:

The remaining reinforcement will be put in the middle of the span where maximum positive
moment exists. The length of bar will be equal to length of span subtracted from it 0.15Lc
from middle of support, and 0.10Lc for end support. The figure below shows the details of
these bars.
Eng. Hasan Shehada

Eng. Ruba Awad

 Cantilever Reinforcement:
For cantilever reinforcement, it must be extended along the length of the span plus 1.5* length of
the span and this extra length must be extended in the following span. The figure below shows
the details of cantilever beam reinforcement.

Eng. Hasan Shehada

Eng. Ruba Awad

 Example:

The beam shown above was analyzed by ROBOT structural analysis software. The results of
analysis are:

The dimensions of columns are as follows:

C1width is 25 cm, the remaining columns width is 40 cm. Design the beam for bending
moment.
Solution:
First, we find the percentage of steel needed at each critical section in both positive and negative
moments using the following excel sheet:

Eng. Hasan Shehada

Eng. Ruba Awad

Position
A
Mid AB
B
Moment (t.m)
-7.02
4.94
-10.26

0.005279 0.00366 0.007907

(chosen)
0.005279 0.00366 0.007907
As (cm2)
7.854493 5.445651 11.76587
Diameter of bar (mm)
14
14
14
No. of bars
6
4
8
No. of Layers
1
1
1
Spacing
9.12
16.13333 6.114286

Mid BC
2.28
0.001659
0.00333
4.95504
14
4
1
16.13333

C
-10.26
0.007907
0.007907
11.76587
14
8
1
6.114286

Mid CD
D
8.31
0
0.006309
0
0.006309 0.00333
9.387334 4.95504
14
14
7
4
1
1
7.366667 16.13333

f'c (kg/cm2)
280
fy (kg/cm2)
4200
b (cm)
60
d (cm)
24.8

0.9
(min)
0.00333
(=0.005) 0.018
Cover (cm)
2

Now we will take an example for negative, positive, and cantilever moments.
-

For continuous reinforcement in negative moment sections:

No. of bars that must be extended all over the beams is four bars because the width of beam
is 60 cm, and this reinforcement must be cut at the middle of spans where negative moment
is at its minimum.
Take D to C as an example:
Length of bar = [0.5W1 > 15 cm] + L1 + W2 + L2/2 - 30
= 0.15 + 3.775 + 0.4 + 3.1/2 + 30*0.014 = 6.3 m (Use 6.5 m)
-

For Cut Reinforcement in negative moment sections:

The remaining reinforcement will be put at each negative moment section. Take section C as
an example:
No. of bars remaining = 4 bars
Length of bars = 2*(L/3)

[where L is the larger of L1 and L2]

= 2*(4/3) = 2.7 m (use 3 m length)

-

For continuous reinforcement in positive moment sections:

No. of bars that will be extended must be the largest of:

4 bars (due to width of beam)
(1/3) of maximum No. of bars [ (1/3)*7 = 2.33 ] which means 3 bars
Minimum reinforcement (4 bars)
So we choose to extend four bars.
Length of bars = span length + (W1/2 > 15 cm) + W2 + 30
= 4 + 0.15 + 0.2 + 30*0.014 = 4.1 m [use 4 m bars]
Eng. Hasan Shehada

Eng. Ruba Awad

For Cut Reinforcement in Positive moment sections:

The remaining reinforcement will be put in the middle of the span at maximum positive
moment section.
Length of bar = (Span length center to center - width of columns)*(1-0.1-0.15)
= (4 0.325)(0.75) = 2.75 m (Use 3.0 m)
-

For cantilever reinforcement:

For cantilever reinforcement, no cut of bars. Al required bars will be extended the required
distance.
Length of bar = Lc + 1.5*Lc = 1.2 + 1.5*1.2 = 3.5 m

The final drawing will be as follows

Eng. Hasan Shehada

Eng. Ruba Awad