RULES OF THUMB

STEELWORK SPAN/DEPTH
Roof Beams 25-30
Office Floor Beams 15-20 Non-Composite
20-25 Composite
Cellforms 80% of weight of normal beam
Portal Rafters 60-70
Portal Stanchions 45-55
CONCRETE SPAN/DEPTH
Flat Slabs 33-38
Solid Slabs 28-33 Continuous
Ribbed Slabs 24-28 Continuous
L-Beams 18-24 Continuous

Shear Walls 12 Height/Length (code rule)

TIMBER SPAN/DEPTH
Domestic Loads, 600c/c 18-19 (50 wide)
Office Loads (2.5), 300c/c 20-21 (50 wide)
 RULES OF THUMB

CONCRETE COLUMNS
Average Stress = 13N/mm2 for C30 & 1%As
Average Stress = 23N/mm2 for C30 & 4%As

For Edge Columns use 1.25xArea Supported, to allow for moments.

For Corner Columns use 1.5xArea Supported, to allow for moments.

CANTILEVER RC RETAINING WALLS

Stem & Base thickness Height/10
Base Width, L wall 2/3xHeight, if base is under retained soil,
0.9xHeight, if base is in front of wall.

PILE SIZE
Pile capacity in kN is approximately the pile diameter in mm.
 QUICK & APPROXIMATE CALC METHODS

PORTAL BRACING
W Let k = h/L x Ir/Ic
Ir
Ic Height Then d = Wh3 / 6EIc x (1/2k + 1)
h
Span L

W Let k = h/L x Ir/Ic

Ir
Ic Height Then d = Wh3 / 6EIc x (3k+2/12k+2)
h
And Mbase = Wh/2 x (3k+1/6k+1)
Span L
 QUICK & APPROXIMATE CALC METHODS

MULTI-STOREY PORTAL BRACING

n = number of storeys
Storey
Ic Height Let k = h/L x Ib/Ic
h
Total and G = n2+(2n2-1)/k
Total Ib
Wind
Height
Ic Load Then d = WH3 G / [48E.Ic.n4].
H
W
If W is in kN,
Ib & H is in m,
Ic
& E = 2.05E-3
& Ic is in cm4
then d is in mm.
Span L
Note - Assumes Partial Base Fixity
 QUICK & APPROXIMATE CALC METHODS

STEEL BEAM DEFLECTIONS

E = 2.05E8
Let deflection = Span/N

Simply Supported UDL (WkN) Imin = NWL2 / 157

With 10% end fixity Imin = NWL2 / 179
Simply Supported Point Load (PkN) Imin = NPL2 / 98

STEEL COMPOSITE BEAM

h = slab depth,
d = concrete depth above ribs
D = steel depth
A = steel area
B = slab effective width

Find b such that pyA = 0.45fcubd (but not more than beam centres or L/4)
Then lever arm = D/2+h-d/2
Hence Mu = (D/2+h-d/2)x (pyA).
Other assumptions on neutral axis location can be made (e.g. at
underside of steel top flange) to give different approximations to Mu
 QUICK & APPROXIMATE CALC METHODS

PILE DESIGN
End Bearing in Clay failure stress = 9c, FOS = 2.5
Shaft Friction in dry Clay failure stress = 0.5c, FOS = 3
Shaft Friction with softening failure stress = 0.3c, FOS = 3

CONCRETE IN BENDING
To quickly find the minimum effective depth for a beam or slab, for n
bars of D diameter in a width of b mm: -

If 0.15fcubd2 = 0.95fyAsz (i.e. section without compression bars)

and z = 0.79d (so that d is as small as possible)
then 0.15fcubd2 = 0.95fy x (nD2π/4) x 0.79d
so d = [0.95fy x (nD2π/4) x 0.79]/[0.15fcub].
if fcu = 35 & fy = 460,
Then dmin = 52nD2/b.

If Mu = 0.95 fyAsz
then Mu = 0.95fy x (nD2π/4) x 0.95dmin (so that d is a minimum)
so dmin = 3067Mu/ nD2 so dmin = 2Mu/n for 40mm bars