‐Cracking 

in flexural member

‐ Deflection in flexural member

‐ Effective Moment Inertia
Eff i M I i

‐ Instantaneous and long‐term deflection
 S i bilit
Serviceability

In addition to the strength design of RC members, it is also important that structural 
In addition to the strength design of RC members it is also important that structural
member performance in normal service be satisfactory, when load are those 
actually expected to act.  
‐Cracking must be thin and uniformly distributed
C ki t b thi d if l di t ib t d
‐ Short‐ and long‐ term deflection must not exceed an acceptable limit
‐ Vibration
‐ Fatigue
 Cracking in flexural member
Cracking in flexural member

Modulus ratio
Modulus ratio
The concrete modulus of rupture Kg/cm2

So during concrete reach its rupture stress the steel stress is

So during concrete reach its rupture stress the steel stress is
Kg/cm2

So the concrete will normally have a flexural crack during its normal load 
condition which is lower than its design strength
The good RC member design must control 
g g
flexural cracks to be thin and uniformly 
distributed because of

‐Less steel corrosion effect
L t l i ff t
Cracking width
Based on Gerely and Lutz’s equation to estimate
the largest flexural cracking width of beam

mm

the largest flexural cracking width of beam (mm)

Steel stress during sustain design load

approximate value if the applied load are unknown

distance from concrete covering to the centroid of lowest part of steel bars 
 Centroid axis
Effective area for 
tension
i

Centroid of reinforcing 
bars

the ratio between h2 / h1

the ratio between h2 / h1

for beam
for beam for one‐way
for one way slab
slab

n    = number of bars 
Allowable cracking width
Allowable cracking width

Allowable cracking width
Case
inch mm

Dry weather

Humid area or member contact to ground

Member contact to chemical substance

Member contact to chemical substance

Member contact to sea water

Flood protecting system
 Allowable cracking width index

ACI code recommend that the cracking width index (z) for beam should be less 
than provided values given β =1.20

Indoor beam kg/cm (w mm)

Outdoor beam kg/cm (w mm)

Indoor one way slab

Indoor one‐way slab kg/cm (w
/ mm)

Outdoor one‐way slab kg/cm (w mm)

E
Example 1: Checking spacing for cracking control
l 1 Ch ki i f ki t l

kg/cm2

cm

cm

cm2

kg/cm    < kg/cm for outdoor beam
 Minimum thickness for beam and one‐way slab
If the minimum thickness has been following this value, there is no need to 
calculate delection

One‐end  Both end  Cantilever

Type of 
Type of Simply 
Simply continuous 
i continuous 
i b
beam
member support beam beam

One‐way
One way slab
slab

Beam

For fy not equal to 4,000 kg/cm2 need to multiply with
Maximum allowable computed deflection
Type of member Deflection to be considered Deflection limitation
Flat roof that is not considered as
Instantaneous deflection
structural part (or) with connection to
from live load
any non‐structural member parts that
could have damage from excessive
deflection
Slab that is not considered as structural
Instantaneous deflection
part (or) with connection to any non‐
from live load
structural member parts that could have
damage from excessive deflection

Flat roof or slab that is considered as Total deflection with

structural part (or) with connection to connection to non‐
non structural member parts that could structural parts, Long‐
have damage from excessive deflection term deflection from
dead and live loads,
Flat roof or slab that is considered as
and Instantaneous
structural part (or) with connection to
non structural member parts that could deflection from live
not have damage from excessive load
deflection
 Deflection calculation
For simply support beam with uniform load

For continuous beam with additional moment at both ends
 For concrete with wc from 1.45 to 2.48 ton/m3

For concrete with wc 2.32 ton/m3

Moment that producing tensile stress in concrete larger 
than
th

Centroid depth

Gross moment of inertia
 Stiffness before and after cracking

Before cracking

After cracking
Moment of Inertia for cracked section, Icr
Moment of Inertia for cracked section, I
Effective Moment of Inertia 

Cracking moment = 

The concrete 
The concrete
for normal weight concrete
modulus of 
rupture
Gross moment of inertia

Ultimate moment
Deflection from dead and live load

Deflection caused by dead load

Deflection caused by dead and live load

Deflection caused by dead  and live load

Deflection caused by live load