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Concrete Reinforcing
Steel Institute
Technical Note
ETN-C-3-14
Note: Bar supports omitted for clarity. Actual supports used and
application varies.
Figure 2 Effect of Dropping Structural Bars on Concrete Cover Option #1
Option #1
The required concrete cover to the outer-most layer of
bottom bars will be maintained, as shown in Fig. 2. This
option requires the dropped support bars to encroach
into the bottom concrete cover. This option will result in
a slight increase in the effective depth of the reinforcement in the inner-most bottom layer, which will mean a
slight increase in the moment capacity of the cross section. However, concrete cover for those dropped bars
in the layer will be reduced by one bar diameter (of the
dropped bars). For a footing or foundation this may not
be an issue, as the concrete is likely placed on undisturbed soil or a level, prepared sub-base, and the concrete cover may be 3 in. per ACI 318 [2011]. The intrusion
into the bottom cover may be viewed as minor by the
LDP, depending on bar size.
Note: Bar supports omitted for clarity. Actual supports used and
application varies.
Note: Bottom reinforcement not shown for clarity.
Figure 4 Typical Foundation Mat/Footing Section with Dropped
Structural Bars in Top Layer
Note: Bar supports omitted for clarity. Actual supports used and
application varies.
Figure 3 Effect of Dropping Structural Bars on Concrete Cover Option #2
Option #2
The required concrete cover to the outer-most layer of
bottom bars is provided to the dropped support bars, as
shown in Fig. 3. This option moves the main bottom bars
upward by one bar diameter, which will reduce the effective depth of these bar layers by one bar diameter.
The section moment capacity will be reduced proportionately in each direction. Notice that the bars in the inner-most layer of bottom bars will also be moved up one
bar diameter and so reduce their effective depth as well.
2
Note: Bar supports omitted for clarity. Actual supports used and
application varies.
Figure 5 Typical Foundation Mat/Footing Section with Dropped
Structural Bars in Top and Bottom Layers
Dropping Main Reinforcing Bars for Use as Support Bars [ETN C-4-14]
Note: Bar supports omitted for clarity. Actual supports used and
application varies.
Figure 6 Typical Slabs on Ground Section (Only Single Mat
Required) with Dropped Structural Bars
Glossary of Terms
Effective Depth Distance measured from the extreme compression fiber to the centroid of longitudinal tension reinforcement for the direction under
consideration.
Support Bars Reinforcing bars used to ease the
placement of reinforcing bars.
Figure 8 Typical Standees
less, and #5 bar standees are used for concrete thickness from 2 to 4 feet [600 to 1,200 mm]. Figure 8 shows
typical standee configurations: bar bend Types 25 and
26.
The design of a support system for top steel for either slabs on ground or foundation mats over 4 feet
[1,200 mm] thick is generally the responsibility of the
Contractor. The reinforcing bar Supplier cannot design
the support system due to lack of knowledge and control of construction loads and placement methods. The
reinforcing bar Supplier will quote the support system
based on the Customers/Buyers design.
More information on bar supports for foundations, and
bar supports in general, can be found in Chapter 3 of
CRSIs Manual of Standard Practice [2009].
Conclusion
For foundation mats and slabs on ground, the practice of lowering in elevation (dropping) some of the
main reinforcing bars to serve as support bars for the
entire reinforcement mat is an accepted and common
practice. However, this practice can affect the moment
capacity of the member cross section and possibly the
concrete cover on the reinforcement. For these reasons, the Designer must give his/her approval and all
concerned parties (Contractor, Placer, Inspector, and
Fabricator) must have a clear understanding of the
specific reinforcement arrangement. Although the examples in this Technical Note only highlight foundations
mats and slabs on ground, dropping bars can also be
employed in walls, elevated slabs, and other reinforced
concrete members.
References
American Concrete Institute - ACI Committee 318 (2011), Building
Code Requirements for Structural Concrete (ACI 318-11) and Commentary (ACI 318R-11), American Concrete Institute, Farmington
Hills, Michigan, 503 pp.
Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute - CRSI (2009), Manual of
Standard Practice, 28th Edition, Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute,
Schaumburg, IL, 144 pp.
Concrete
Reinforcing
Steel
Institute
Contributors: Robert Hall, Dale Rinehart, Chris Stowers and Neal S. Anderson, PE, SE, with review by members
of the CRSI Placing Reinforcing Bars Committee.
Keywords: Concrete cover, contractor bar, dropped bar, effective depth, flexural capacity, reinforcing bar, reinforcement support
Reference: Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute CRSI [2014], Dropping Main Reinforcing Bars for Use as Support Bars, CRSI Technical Note ETN-C-3-14, Schaumburg, Illinois, 4pp.
Historical: None. New Technical Note.
Note:This publication is intended for the use of professionals competent to evaluate the significance and limitations
of its contents and who will accept responsibility for the application of the material. The Concrete Reinforcing Steel
Institute reports the foregoing material as a matter of information and, therefore, disclaims any and all responsibility for
application of the stated principles or for the accuracy of the sources other than material developed by the Institute.