Gustavo

Lourenço

NBR 6118-
TOPIC 13.
Limits for dimensions,
displacements, and crack
widths
Introduction

The prescription of minimum

limit values for the
dimensions of concrete
structural elements aims to
prevent unacceptable
performance of the
structural elements and to
provide adequate
execution conditions.
Resumo: - limites
mínimos que objetiva
evitar performance
inaceitável e
fornecer/propiciar
condições de execução
adequadas.
The cross section of beams cannot have a width less than (<):

0 wall-beams 0 beams

1 15 cm 2 12cm

0 Exceptions
In exceptional cases, these
3 values can be reduced to
10cm.
THIS IS A CROSS SECTION OF A BEAM!
 Columns and wall-columns

The cross section of solid In any case, columns

columns and wall-columns,
with a cross-sectional
regardless of their shape,
cannot have a dimension
area less than 360 cm2
less than (<) 19 cm are not allowed.
SOLID SLABS:
The following minimum thickness limits must be respected in solid slabs:

non-cantilever slabs that support

7 cm vehicles with a total 10 cm
slabs weight of up to 30 kN

slabs that support

non-cantilever
vehicles with a total
floor slabs 8 cm
weight greater than
12 cm

30 kN
prestressed slabs
supported on beams,
cantilever slabs with a minimum of l/42
10 cm 15 cm
for simply supported
floor slabs and l/50 for
continuous floor slabs
SOLID SLABS:
The following minimum thickness limits must be respected in solid slabs:

16 cm for flat slabs and 14 cm for mushroom slabs, outside of drop panels.
 "In the design of cantilever slabs, the calculated soliciting forces to be
considered must be multiplied by an additional coefficient gn, according to
the indicated values in chart 13.2."
 Holes and Openings

When holes and openings are planned in structural elements, their effect on
resistance and deformation must be verified, and the limits prescribed in this
Standard must not be exceeded, subject to the provisions of 21.3.

In general, the holes have small dimensions in relation to the structural

element while the openings do not. A set of very close holes should be
treated as an opening.
 Holes and Openings

Regardless of the hole's position (horizontal or vertical), the

minimum distance from a hole to the nearest face(edge) of
the beam must be equal to or greater than(>=) 5 cm and
twice the cover specified for that face(2*c). The
remaining section in this region, after deducting the area
occupied by the hole, must be capable of resisting the
calculated loads and allowing good concreting.
Holes and Openings – Horizontal perspective
Holes and Openings – Horizontal perspective
Holes and Openings – Vertical perspective
Openings that go through slabs in the direction of their thickness.
The guidelines for openings that go
through slabs in the direction of their
thickness are:

a) The dimensions of the opening

should be at most 1/10 of the smaller
span (lx) (see Figure 13.1);

b) The distance between the face of

an opening and the theoretical support
axis of the slab must be equal to or
greater than 1/4 of the span in the
considered direction; and

c) The distance between adjacent

opening faces must be greater than
half the smaller span.
 13.3 Limiting displacements
Limiting displacements are practical values used to verify in service the ultimate limit state of
excessive deformations of the structure. For the purposes of this Standard, they are classified into
the following four basic groups:

a) Sensory acceptability: the limit is characterized by undesirable vibrations or unpleasant visual

effects. Limiting deflection to prevent these vibrations, in special usage situations, should be carried
out as established in Section 23;

b) Specific effects: the displacements may prevent the proper use of the construction;

c) Effects on non-structural elements: structural deformations may cause malfunction of elements

that, although not part of the structure, are connected to it;

d) Effects on structural elements: the deformations may affect the behavior of the structural
element, causing deviation from the adopted calculation hypotheses. If the deformations are
relevant to the element considered, their effects on stresses or on the stability of the structure must
be considered, incorporating them into the adopted structural model.
13.3 Limiting displacements
13.4- Control of cracking and protection of reinforcements -
INTRO

Cracking in reinforced concrete structural elements is

inevitable due to the large variability and low tensile
strength of concrete. Even under service loads, critical
values of tensile stresses are reached. In order to obtain
good performance related to protection of reinforcements
against corrosion and user sensory acceptability, it is
necessary to control the width of these cracks.
Aiming to obtain good performance related to the protection of reinforcements
against corrosion and sensory acceptability, NBR 6118, in item 13.4,
discriminates limits to control the opening of cracks. Table 13.4 presents these
limit values for the characteristic opening- wk of cracks according to the type
of concrete and the class of environmental aggressiveness.