Deflections At Service Loads

 
In order to serve its purpose, a structure must be (1) safe and (2) serviceable. A
structure is safe if it is able to carry, without distress and with some reserve strength, all the
design loads. Serviceability implies, among other things, that deflections and other
distortions under load should be within tolerable amount. For example, excessive beam and
slab deflections can lead to cracking of plastered ceiling and partitions, ill-fitting of doors
and windows, poor drainage, misalignment of sensitive machinery or other equipment,
excessive vibrations, etc. It is therefore important to be able to predict deflections with
reasonable accuracy.
The effective moment of inertia to be used in deflection calculation is given by
The rupture modulus of concrete may be computed by

where
fc’ = compressive strength of concrete
fct = split-cylinder tensile strength

Reduction factors:
If fine and coarse aggregates are lightweight, reduce fr by 0.75.
If fine aggregate is sand and coarse aggregate is lightweight, reduce fr by 0.85.
NSCP Provisions
 
Table 409-1 Minimum thickness of Nonprestressed Beams or
One-way Slabs Unless Deflections are Computed

  Minimum Thickness, h
  Simply One end Both ends Cantilever
Member supported continuous continuous
Members not supporting or attached to partitions or other
construction likely to be damaged by large deflections

Solid one-way        
slabs L/20 L/24 L/28 L/10
Beams or        
ribbed one-way L/16 L/18.5 L/21 L/8
slabs
 Values given shall be used directly for members with normal weight concrete (wc =
2300 kg/m3) and Grade 415 reinforcement. For other conditions, the values shall be
modified as follows:
 
For structural lightweight concrete having a unit weight in the range 1500-2000
kg/m3, the values shall be multiplied by (1.65 – 0.0003wc) but not less than 1.09,
where wc is the unit weight in kg/m3.
For fy other than 415 MPa, the values shall be multiplied by (0.4 + fy/700).
 
 
For continuous members, effective moment of inertia shall be permitted to be taken as
the average of values obtained from [409-9] for the critical positive and negative
moment sections. For prismatic members, effective moment of inertia shall be
permitted to be taken as the value obtained from [409-9] at midspan for simple
and continuous spans, and at support for cantilevers.
 
Unless values are obtained by a more comprehensive analysis, additional long time
deflection resulting from creep and shrinkage of flexural members (normal weight
or lightweight concrete) shall be determined by multiplying the immediate
deflection caused by the sustained load considered by the factor

where ρ’ shall be the value at midspan for simple and continuous spans, and at
support for cantilevers.
It is permitted to assume the time-dependent factor ξ for sustained loads to be
equal to:
Five years or more 2.0
12 months 1.4
6 months 1.2
3 months 1.0
 Table 409-2 Maximum Permissible Computed Deflections

Type of member Deflection to be considered Deflection

Limitations
Flat roofs not supporting or attached    
to non-structural elements likely to Immediate deflection due to live L/1801
be damaged by large deflections load
Floors not supporting or attached to    
non-structural elements likely to be Immediate deflection due to live L/360
damaged by large deflections load
Roof or floor construction That part of the total deflection  
supporting or attached to non- occurring after attachment or L/4803
structural elements likely to be nonstructural elements (sum of
damaged by large deflections long-term deflection due to all
Roof or floor construction sustained loads and the  
supporting or attached to non- immediate deflection due to any L/2404
structural elements not likely to be live load)2
damaged by large deflections
1
Limit not intended to safeguard against ponding. Ponding should be checked by
suitable calculations of deflection, including added deflections due to ponded water,
and considering long-term effects of all sustained loads, camber, construction
tolerances, and reliability of provision for drainage.
2
Long term deflection shall be determined in accordance with 409.6.2.5 or
409.6.4.2, but may be reduced by amount of deflection calculated to occur before
attachment of nonstructural elements. The amount shall be determined on basis of
accepted engineering data relating to time-deflection characteristics of members
similar to those being considered.
3
Limit may be exceeded if adequate measures are taken to prevent damage to
supported or attached elements.
4
But not greater than tolerance provided for nonstructural elements. Limit may be
exceeded if camber is provided so that total deflection minus camber does not
exceed limit.
 
Example 1. Compute the initial deflection of the beam at midspan under service load if
fc' = 28 MPa and fy = 414 MPa.
Solution:
Section properties
Compute moment of inertia of transformed (cracked) section
Compute the effective moment of inertia:

Compute deflections:
Properties of uncracked section
Example 2. A continuous edge girder has a clear span of 7.60 m. It carries a uniform dead load of 19.87
kN/m and a uniform live load of 10.18 kN/m. Verify the immediate and long time deflections assuming
the girder is part of a floor system not supporting or attached to non-structural elements likely to be
damaged by large deflections. Use fc' = 28 MPa and fy = 414 MPa.

Solution.
Allowable deflection due to live load (NSCP Table 409-2)
Cracking moment

Maximum applied unfactored moment

Effective moment of inertia (NSCP 409.6.2.3)

Immediate deflection due to live load,

Longtime deflection