REINFORCED CONCRETE DEEP BEAMS 5

Figure 1.2 CIRIA Guide 2—meanings of symbols c1, c2, h, l and lo

The CIRIA Guide considers that the active height ha of a deep beam is
limited to a depth equal to the span; that part of the beam above this height
is taken merely as a load-bearing wall between supports.

1.4.1 CIRIA Guide ‘Simple Rules’

CIRIA’s ‘Simple Rules’ are intended primarily for uniformly loaded deep
beams. They can be applied to both single-span and continuous beams.

1.4.1.1 Flexural strength

Step 1: Calculate the capacity of the concrete section.
(1.3)
where fcu is the concrete characteristic strength and b the beam
thickness.
Step 2: If l/ha .5 go to step 3. If l/ha>1.5 check that the applied moment M
>
does not exceed Mu of Eqn (1.3)
Step 3: Calculate the area As of the main longitudinal reinforcement:
As>M/0.87fyz (1.4)
where M is the applied moment, fy the steel characteristic strength
and z the lever arm, which is to be taken as follows:
z=0.2l+0.4ha for single-span beams (1.5)
z=0.2l+0.3ha for continuous beams (1.6)
Step 4: Distribute the reinforcement As (Eqn (1.4)) over a depth of 0.2ha.
Anchor the reinforcement bars to develop at least 80% of the
maximum ultimate force beyond the face of the support. A proper

© 2002 Taylor & Francis Books, Inc.

6 REINFORCED CONCRETE DEEP BEAMS

anchorage contributes to the confinement of the concrete at the

supports and improves the bearing strength.

1.4.1.2 Shear strength: bottom-loaded beams

Step 1: Calculate the concrete shear capacity:
Vu=0.75bhavu (1.7)
where vu is the maximum shear stress taken from Table 6 of CPI 10
(1972) for normal weight concrete and Table 26 for lightweight
concrete (see also BS 8110: Part 1: clause 3.4.5.2 and Part 2: clause
5.4)
Step 2: Check that the applied shear force V does not exceed Vu of Eqn (1.7)
Step 3: Provide hanger bars in both faces to support the bottom loads, using
a design stress of 0.87fy. The hanger bars should be anchored by a
full bond length above the active height h a or, alternatively,
anchored as links around longitudinal bars at the top.
Step 4: Provide nominal horizontal web reinforcement over the lower
half of the active height ha and over a length of the span equal to
0.4ha measured from each support. The area of this web
reinforcement should not be less than 80% that of the uniformly
distributed hanger steel, per unit length. The bar spacing and
reinforcement percentage should also meet the requirements of
Section 1.4.1.5.

1.4.1.3 Shear strength: top-loaded beams. The proven concept of the clear
shear span x, as used by Kong et al. (1972b and 1975) has been adopted by
the CIRIA Guide. The CIRIA Guide has also accepted the Kong et al.
(1972b) proposal that, for uniformly distributed loading, the effective clear
shear span xe may be taken as l/4.
Step 1: With reference to Figure 1.3, calculate the effective clear shear span
xe which is to be taken as the least of:

i) The clear shear span for a load which contributes more than 50% of
the total shear force at the support.
ii) l/4 for a load uniformly distributed over the whole span.
iii) The weighted average of the clear shear spans where more than one
load acts and none contributes more than 50% of the shear force at
the support. The weighted average will be calculated as S(Vrxr)/SVr
where SVr=V is the total shear force at the face of the support, Vr=an
individual shear force and xr=clear shear span of Vr.

Step 2: Calculate the shear capacity Vu to be taken as the value given by

Eqns (1.8) and (1.9)
(1.8a)

© 2002 Taylor & Francis Books, Inc.