Designing a Rectangular

Concrete Beam Using AS3600-

2018
Understanding the design process using the
newly-updated standard

Brooks H. Smith, CPEng, PE, MIEAust, NER, RPEQ

brooks.smith@clearcalcs.com
Outline
• Introduction
• Overview of Major Changes
• Designing a Rectangular Beam
• Flexural Capacity
• Shear Capacity
• Deflection
• Stability Checks
• Crack Control
• Example Beam Calculations
• Conclusion & Questions

18 October 2018 ClearCalcs.com | FEA Structural Design in the Cloud 2

Introduction – About the Presenter

Brooks H. Smith
• Chartered Professional Engineer
• MCivE, MIEAust, NER, RPEQ, P.E. (USA)
• Currently the lead engineering developer for ClearCalcs
• Recently released concrete beam calculator for AS3600-2018
• 8 years of previous experience in:
• Forensic structural engineering, specialising in reinforced and PT concrete
• Research fellowship in system behaviour of thin-walled steel
• Structural engineering R&D consulting, specialising in cold-formed steel

18 October 2018 ClearCalcs.com | FEA Structural Design in the Cloud 3

About ClearCalcs.com
ClearCalcs helps engineers design More Accurate
without compromise by bringing Design more accurately with
together powerful FEA analysis with unrestricted and accessible
easy to use design tools for concrete, FEA analysis
steel, and timber.
Eliminates Wasted Time
Explore our range at clearcalcs.com Eliminate time wasted using
clunky methods or waiting for
software licenses to free up

Available Everywhere
Empower engineers to work
effectively from office, home,
or site
Intro Video Hyperlink

ClearCalcs.com | FEA Structural Design in the Cloud 4

Introduction – Today’s Goals
• To be able to design a rectangular reinforced concrete beam to
AS3600-2018
• No torsion forces
• No prestressing or post-tensioning
• I’ll point out important points where T-beams differ
• Differences to 2009 code will only be broadly addressed
• Detailing will only be broadly addressed
• Provisions are very prescriptive and depend on precise geometries and layout
• We’ll distribute this slide deck and video after the webinar
• Please ask quick questions as I go – best to answer while on the
topic
• I’ll save involved questions until the end

18 October 2018 ClearCalcs.com | FEA Structural Design in the Cloud 5

Outline
• Introduction
• Overview of Major Changes
• Designing a Rectangular Beam
• Flexural Capacity
• Shear Capacity
• Deflection
• Stability Checks
• Crack Control
• Example Beam Calculations
• Conclusion & Questions

18 October 2018 ClearCalcs.com | FEA Structural Design in the Cloud 6

Overview of Major Changes
• Phi factors are revised
• Mostly simplified, increased
• Shear procedure significantly redone
• New methodology for shear strength of concrete
• Rectangular stress block formulas modified
• Deflection calculations modified
• Alternative method & effective moment of inertia changes
• Shrinkage & creep calculations heavily revised
• Simplifying conservative assumptions
• Also: Punching shear, SFRC, some detailing, fatigue, diaphragms
• Though these are outside the scope of this webinar

18 October 2018 ClearCalcs.com | FEA Structural Design in the Cloud 7

Phi Factors Updated (Table 2.2.2)
• Many limit states increased by 0.05
• Shear and torsion for most members with Class N reo: 0.7 → 0.75
• Tension with Class N reo: 0.8 → 0.85
• Compression: 0.6 → 0.65
• Bending without axial increased:

18 October 2018 ClearCalcs.com | FEA Structural Design in the Cloud 8

Shear Procedure Redone (Cl 8.2)
• Procedure almost completely redone
• Forget all the equations you previously learned
• Largely adopted the United States ACI procedure
• Generally simpler
• Explicit alternate (simplified) clauses for non-prestressed beams
• Torsion (formerly Section 8.3) merged into shear (Section 8.2)

18 October 2018 ClearCalcs.com | FEA Structural Design in the Cloud 9

Rectangular Stress Block Formulas (Cl
8.1.3)
• Formulas for the rectangular stress block assumed in flexural
loading have been modified
• Strength of the concrete has less effect on shape of block
• Already modified in 2009’s A1 revision, further modified in 2018

18 October 2018 ClearCalcs.com | FEA Structural Design in the Cloud 10

Deflection Calculations Modified (Cl 8.5)
• Effective moment of inertia equation modified

• 2009’s A2 added in alternative (simpler) non-prestressed

equations
• 2018 fixes an important mistype in there, but otherwise unchanged
since A2
• Parentheses are important!

18 October 2018 ClearCalcs.com | FEA Structural Design in the Cloud 11

Shrinkage & Creep Revised (Cl 3.1.7-8)
• Shrinkage
• Same equations, but factors simplified, made a little more conservative
• Adelaide and Perth, you are no longer lumped into “elsewhere”!

• Creep
• Was completely revised in 2009’s A2 revision
• 2018 further adds a k6 factor to account for non-linear creep at high
stress

18 October 2018 ClearCalcs.com | FEA Structural Design in the Cloud 12

Outline
• Introduction
• Overview of Major Changes
• Designing a Rectangular Beam
• Flexural Capacity
• Shear Capacity
• Deflection
• Stability Checks
• Crack Control
• Example Beam Calculations
• Conclusion & Questions

18 October 2018 ClearCalcs.com | FEA Structural Design in the Cloud 13

Designing a Rectangular Concrete Beam
• Calculate your demands by AS1170.X
• Limit states which must be checked:
• Positive moment flexural capacity (midspans)
• Negative moment flexural capacity (supports)
• Shear capacity
• Deflection
• Stability
• Crack control

18 October 2018 ClearCalcs.com | FEA Structural Design in the Cloud 14

Geometric Derivatives
• First, make sure you’ve calculated some of your basic geometry:
• Ast = total area of tension steel
• d = depth to centroid of outer layer of tension steel
• Asc = total area of compression steel
• dsc = depth to centroid of outer layer of compression steel
• Asv = total area of transverse steel (shear reinforcement)
• n = ratio of elastic modulus of steel to elastic modulus of concrete
• Ig = gross second moment of area / moment of inertia
• Ag = gross cross-sectional area

18 October 2018 ClearCalcs.com | FEA Structural Design in the Cloud 15

Flexural Capacity - Uncracked Beam
Analysis
• Essentially an elastic composite beam calculation using
mechanics
• Needed
𝐴𝐴
later for minimum bending strength calculations
= 𝑛𝑛 − 1 𝐴𝐴
𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠,𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠
𝐴𝐴𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠,𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡 = 𝑛𝑛 − 1 𝐴𝐴𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠

∑ 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 ∗ [𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐]
𝑑𝑑𝑛𝑛,𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢 =
∑[𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎]

𝐷𝐷 2
𝐼𝐼𝑔𝑔,𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢 = 𝐼𝐼𝑔𝑔 + 𝐴𝐴𝑔𝑔 𝑑𝑑𝑛𝑛,𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢 −
2
2
+𝐼𝐼𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠,𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡 + 𝐴𝐴𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠,𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡 𝑑𝑑𝑛𝑛,𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢 − 𝑑𝑑𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠
2
+𝐼𝐼𝑠𝑠𝑐𝑐,𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡 + 𝐴𝐴𝑠𝑠𝑐𝑐,𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡 𝑑𝑑𝑛𝑛,𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢 − 𝑑𝑑𝑠𝑠𝑐𝑐

𝐼𝐼𝑔𝑔,𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢
𝑍𝑍 =
min(𝑑𝑑𝑛𝑛,𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢 , 𝐷𝐷 − 𝑑𝑑𝑛𝑛,𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢 )

18 October 2018 ClearCalcs.com | FEA Structural Design in the Cloud 16

Flexural Capacity – Ultimate (Cl 8.1.3)
• Based upon rectangular stress block theory
• Assuming steel will yield (usually desired)

𝐴𝐴𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 𝑓𝑓𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 𝛼𝛼2 𝑓𝑓𝑐𝑐′

𝑘𝑘𝑢𝑢 =
𝛼𝛼2 𝑓𝑓𝑐𝑐′ 𝛾𝛾𝛾𝛾𝛾𝛾 + 𝐴𝐴𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 𝑓𝑓𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠

𝛾𝛾𝑘𝑘𝑢𝑢 𝑑𝑑
𝑑𝑑𝑛𝑛 = 𝑘𝑘𝑢𝑢 𝑑𝑑

𝛾𝛾𝑘𝑘𝑢𝑢 𝑑𝑑
𝑀𝑀𝑢𝑢 = 𝐴𝐴𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 𝑓𝑓𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 ∗ 𝑑𝑑 − Stress Strain
2

18 October 2018 ClearCalcs.com | FEA Structural Design in the Cloud 17

Flexural Capacity – Minimums (Cl 8.1.6)
• Minimum moment capacity required:

with no prestressing → 𝑀𝑀𝑢𝑢,𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 = 1.2 𝑍𝑍 𝑓𝑓𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐.𝑓𝑓

′

• …unless failure will not lead to reduced collapse load or sudden collapse
• For reinforced beams, this means a minimum quantity of tensile steel:

• In other words, you must meet one of the two above equations

18 October 2018 ClearCalcs.com | FEA Structural Design in the Cloud 18

Flexural Capacity – Finalising (Cl 8.1)
• Check that concrete will not crush (Cl 8.1.3 / 8.1.5)
𝑓𝑓𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 ⁄𝐸𝐸𝑠𝑠 𝑘𝑘𝑢𝑢
𝜀𝜀𝑐𝑐 = ≤ 0.003
1 − 𝑘𝑘𝑢𝑢

• Calculate your ɸ (capacity) factor:

Final Capacity = 𝜙𝜙𝑀𝑀𝑢𝑢

18 October 2018 ClearCalcs.com | FEA Structural Design in the Cloud 19

Shear Capacity – General (Cl 8.2.1-3)
• For most flexural beams, may design by Sectional Design
Method
• Unless near discontinuities (see Cl 8.2.2, not yet included)
• Calculate your effective shear depth
• 𝑑𝑑𝑣𝑣 = max(0.72𝐷𝐷, 0.9𝑑𝑑)
• Make sure you use the correct 𝑑𝑑 – based on tension reo! (Cl 8.2.1.9)
• 𝑏𝑏𝑣𝑣 = 𝑏𝑏𝑤𝑤 = 𝐵𝐵 for rectangular beams
• Shear fitments / ligatures required if 𝑉𝑉 ∗ > 𝜙𝜙𝑉𝑉𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢 or if 𝐷𝐷 ≥ 750𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚
• And the minimum cross-sectional area of fitments is the following:

18 October 2018 ClearCalcs.com | FEA Structural Design in the Cloud 20

Shear Capacity – Concrete (Cl 8.2.4)
• Main equation:

• Can usually use a simplified method to calculate 𝑘𝑘𝑣𝑣 (Cl 8.2.4.3)

• For reo with 𝐹𝐹𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 ≤ 500𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀, 𝑓𝑓𝑐𝑐′ ≤ 65𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀, maximum aggregate size ≥ 10mm

• Mandatory sanity checks (Cl 8.2.4.4-5):

• If creep, shrinkage, differential temperature > 10% of stress, must consider
• If load reversal can cause cracking, then 𝑉𝑉𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢 = 0

18 October 2018 ClearCalcs.com | FEA Structural Design in the Cloud 21

Shear Capacity – Steel (Cl 8.2.5)
• 𝛼𝛼𝑣𝑣 = angle of shear fitments, 𝜃𝜃𝑣𝑣 = 36°

• (these are the same equation)

• Can only include steel strength if you have at least minimum
fitments
• 𝐴𝐴𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 ≥ 𝐴𝐴𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠,𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚

18 October 2018 ClearCalcs.com | FEA Structural Design in the Cloud 22

Shear Capacity – Finalising (Cl 8.2.1-3)
• Check that concrete will not crush:

• Total shear capacity:

• 𝑉𝑉𝑢𝑢 = min(𝑉𝑉𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢 + 𝑉𝑉𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢 , 𝑉𝑉𝑢𝑢.𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 )
• Calculate your 𝜙𝜙 factor:

• That is: 𝜙𝜙 = 0.75 if 𝐴𝐴𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 ≥ 𝐴𝐴𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠.𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 and 𝑉𝑉𝑢𝑢 < 𝑉𝑉𝑢𝑢.𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚

18 October 2018 ClearCalcs.com | FEA Structural Design in the Cloud 23

Deflection – General (Cl 8.5)
• Three methods:
1. Refined – take all strain properties and staged construction into account
2. Deemed-to-conform – set span-to-depth ratios, etc
3. Simplified – our method, likely your most common
• Short-term deflection based on effective second moment of area:

• 𝑏𝑏𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒 = 𝑏𝑏𝑤𝑤 = 𝐵𝐵 for rectangular beams

18 October 2018 ClearCalcs.com | FEA Structural Design in the Cloud 24
Deflection – Long-Term (Cl 8.5.3.2)
• Two methods:
1. Calculate shrinkage and creep by Cl 3.1.7-8 – often a tedious process
2. Estimate factor – our method, likely your most common
• Additional long-term deflection factor:

• 𝛿𝛿𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙 = 𝛿𝛿𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 + 𝑘𝑘𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 𝛿𝛿𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠

• Calculated at midspan for interior spans, and at supports for cantilevers

18 October 2018 ClearCalcs.com | FEA Structural Design in the Cloud 25

Stability Checks (Cl 8.9)
• May use either:
• Full stability analysis
• Deemed-to-conform – our method
• Interior spans:
• 𝐿𝐿1 = distance between lateral restraints
𝐿𝐿1 180𝑏𝑏𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒
• ≤ min , 60
𝑏𝑏𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒 𝐷𝐷

• Cantilevers:
• 𝐿𝐿𝑛𝑛 = clear projection of cantilever
𝐿𝐿𝑛𝑛 100𝑏𝑏𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒
• ≤ min , 25
𝑏𝑏𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒 𝐷𝐷

18 October 2018 ClearCalcs.com | FEA Structural Design in the Cloud 26

Crack Control (Cl 8.6)
• Usually only need to meet:

• For beams that will be fully enclosed in the building after construction,
and cracking will not affect beam’s function, then:
b)
a)

≤ 100mm ≤ 300mm

18 October 2018 ClearCalcs.com | FEA Structural Design in the Cloud 27

Shrinkage & Creep (Cl 3.1.7-8)
• Shrinkage (Cl 3.1.7):
• Sum of autogenous strain (𝜀𝜀𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 )
+ drying strains (𝜀𝜀𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 )
• May typically simply look up in table:

• Creep (Cl 3.1.8):

• 𝜎𝜎0 = stress due to sustained loads

𝜌𝜌1.5 ∗ 0.043 𝑓𝑓𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 , 𝑓𝑓𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 ≤ 40𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀
• 𝐸𝐸𝑐𝑐 = �
𝜌𝜌1.5 ∗ 0.024 𝑓𝑓𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 + 0.12, 𝑓𝑓𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 > 40𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀

18 October 2018 ClearCalcs.com | FEA Structural Design in the Cloud 28

Outline
• Introduction
• Overview of Major Changes
• Designing a Rectangular Beam
• Flexural Capacity
• Shear Capacity
• Deflection
• Stability Checks
• Shrinkage, Creep, etc
• Example Beam Calculations
• Conclusion & Questions

18 October 2018 ClearCalcs.com | FEA Structural Design in the Cloud 29

Example Beam #1 – Simply Supported
Q = 1.5 kPa
G = 0.9 kPa

300mm
3x N12

3500 mm 50mm

130mm

• Office building floor beam

• No transverse shear reinforcement
• Load width of 1000mm
Showing methods and formulas
• 𝑓𝑓𝑐𝑐′ = 32𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀
using ClearCalcs’s new reinforced
concrete calculator

18 October 2018 ClearCalcs.com | FEA Structural Design in the Cloud 30

Example Beam #2 – Complex Beam
Ex #1 Beam @ 7000mm

Q = 1.5 kPa
G = 0.9 kPa

3500 mm 4500 mm 2000 mm

Positive Moment Regions Negative Moment Regions
30mm
2x N12 3x N12
300mm
3x N10 2x N10
• Retail building floor beam
50mm • R6 shear reinforcement @ 200mm
near supports
130mm • Load width of 1500mm
• 𝑓𝑓𝑐𝑐′ = 32𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀

18 October 2018 ClearCalcs.com | FEA Structural Design in the Cloud 31

Outline
• Introduction
• Overview of Major Changes
• Designing a Rectangular Beam
• Flexural Capacity
• Shear Capacity
• Deflection
• Stability Checks
• Shrinkage, Creep, etc
• Example Beam Calculations
• Conclusion & Questions

18 October 2018 ClearCalcs.com | FEA Structural Design in the Cloud 32

Summing It Up
• Major updates in 2018 include:
ɸ factors • Shear • Rectangular stress block • Deflection •
Shrinkage/Creep
• Beam design checks at all sections include:
• Flexure: Uncracked analysis → Rectangular stress block → Minimum
checks
• Shear: Concrete contribution → Steel contribution → Maximum check
• Deflection: Effective 2nd moment of area → Long-term factor
• Stability: Maximum span-to-breadth ratios
• Crack Control: Minimum steel & maximum reo spacings
• We performed examples with simply supported and complex
beams

18 October 2018 ClearCalcs.com | FEA Structural Design in the Cloud 33

Questions?
Q: Will you be adding C sections Explore our broad range of calculations
A: We will be implementing these, starting with cold formed at clearcalcs.com
steel C sections. Hot rolled will be added at a later point Already available:
- Timber
Q: Is % reinforcement available in ClearCalcs? - Steel
- Concrete
A: If you click Details > on the top right of the calculation, and - Connections
then toggle from “Summary” to “Detail” additional info. - Retaining walls

Q: Has 2009 requirement to include shear steel if V*>Vu been In development:

- Cold-formed steel
changed? - Advanced connections
A: yes, it has been replaced in 2018. You only need to include - Foundations
shear steel if V* exceeds phi factor * contribution from concrete - Retaining walls

Q: Can you calculate the beam’s reinforcement using any type And watch for more free webinars
of load? upcoming on designing other types of
A: Yes, you can calculate using any type of load (e.g. wind, members and connections!
seismic) and may include triangular, point load, or moments.

18 October 2018 ClearCalcs.com | FEA Structural Design in the Cloud 34

Appendix
About ClearCalcs

18 October 2018 ClearCalcs Pty Ltd 35

Happy Engineers Using ClearCalcs
ClearCalcs has been used in over 250,000 designs by a growing number of engineers across Australia.

“Faster, more accurate design, “A great tool to ensure quality,

easier to modify calculations, verifiable, and professionally
just all around better” presented comps”
Murray P. Adam M.
Vision Engineers AM-A Engineers

“ClearCalcs has streamlined my “Far superior product to similar

design process with its simplicity I've used and appears to be
and convenience” improving much more rapidly”
Andrew G. Peter M.
Intrax Consulting Engineers Intrax Consulting Engineers

18 October 2018 ClearCalcs Pty Ltd 36

The ClearCalcs Team
A growing team of passionate engineers and programmers

18 October 2018 ClearCalcs Pty Ltd 37

Key Advantages
ClearCalcs is designed for the modern efficiency focused engineering practice

18 October 2018 ClearCalcs Pty Ltd 38