ECBEAM - Reinforced Concrete Beam Design

This part of user manual describes how to use ECBEAM for the design of REINFORCED CONCRETE BEAM. ECPlus applications are designed as wizard type which is a step by step guided input procedure. If you are new to ECPlus applications, click here for general guidance.

Prerequisites: The user is expected to have a basic understanding of foundation design concepts.
The minimum input data required to use this application is as follows:

• ❶ Dimension and Material Properties
• ❷ Concrete and Reinforcement Grades
• ❸ Allowable safety factors
• ❹ Crack width and its limit

Following sections are presented with various input pages of ECBEAM application with descriptions:

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Reinforced Concrete Beam module is available in British, European and American Standards.

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Dimensions

This page allows to enter dimensions of the reinforced concrete beam.

Breadth - b

Enter the breadth of the beam.
↔ Range: 50 to 2500 mm (1 to 100 inches)

Depth - h

Enter the depth of the beam.
↔ Range: 50 to 2500 mm (1 to 100 inches)

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Reinforcement

This page allows to enter the reinforcement details such as cover, top, bottom and shear reinforcement details, based on selected Reinforcement Calculation.

Cover

Enter the cover for top and bottom reinforcement.

Effective Cover

When Reinforcement Calculation is set to   Program   or   Area  , enter the effective cover as input.

Effective Cover for Bottom - E_ob

Enter the effective cover for bottom reinforcement.
↔ Range: 15 to 150 mm (0.6 to 6 inches)

Effective Cover for Top - E_ot

Enter the effective cover for top reinforcement.
↔ Range: 15 to 150 mm (0.6 to 6 inches)

Clear Cover

When Reinforcement Calculation is set to   Diameter  , enter the clear cover as input.

Clear Cover for Bottom - C_ob

Enter the clear cover for bottom reinforcement.
↔ Range: 15 to 150 mm (0.6 to 6 inches)

Clear Cover for Top - C_ot

Enter the clear cover for top reinforcement.
↔ Range: 15 to 80 mm (0.75 to 10 inches)

Side Cover - C_os

Enter the clear cover for both sides reinforcement.
↔ Range: 15 to 80 mm (0.75 to 10 inches)

Bottom

Enter the reinforcement details for bottom portion.

Bottom - Program

On selecting Reinforcement Calculation as   Program  , bottom reinforcement required will be calculated by the program, based on the moment applied in the section.

Bottom - Area

On selecting Reinforcement Calculationn as   Area  , enter the total area of bottom reinforcement.

Area of Bottom Reinforcement - A_sbp

Enter the total area of bottom reinforcement.
↔ Range: 10 to 500000 mm² (0.4 to 20000 in²)

Bottom - Diameter

On selecting Reinforcement Calculation as   Diameter  , provide the number and size for bottom reinforcement.

Number of bars

Select the number of bars from the dropdown.

Size of bar

Select the size of bar from the dropdown. Size of bar can also be entered manually.
↔ Range: 4 to 60 mm

Spacing between Layers - L_sb

If more than one layer of reinforcement are provided, enter the spacing between two layers.
↔ Range: 0 to 100 mm

Reinforcement can be given up to three layers with two different size of bars on each layer.

Top

Enter the reinforcement details for top portion.

Top - Program

On selecting Reinforcement Calculation as   Program  , top reinforcement required will be calculated by the program.

Top - Area

On selecting Reinforcement Calculation as   Area  , enter the area of top reinforcement.

Area of Top Reinforcement - A_stp

Enter the total area of top reinforcement.
↔ Range: 10 to 500000 mm² (0.4 to 20000 in²)

Top - Diameter

On selecting Reinforcement Calculation as   Diameter  , select the number and size for top reinforcement.

Number of bars

Select the number of bars from the dropdown.

Size of bar

Select the size of bar from the dropdown. Size of bar can also be entered manually.
↔ Range: 4 to 60 mm

Spacing between Layers - L_st

If more than one layer of reinforcement are provided, enter the spacing between two layers.
↔ Range: 0 to 100 mm

Reinforcement can be given upto three layers with two different size of bars on each layer.

Shear

Enter the reinforcement details for shear.

Shear - Program

On selecting Reinforcement Calculation as   Program  , shear reinforcement required will be calculated by the program.

Shear - Area

On selecting Reinforcement Calculation as   Area  , enter the area of shear reinforcement.

Area of Shear Reinforcement - A_svp

Enter the total area of shear reinforcement.
↔ Range: 10 to 500000 mm²/m (0.4 to 20000 in²/in)

Shear - Diameter

On selecting Reinforcement Calculation as   Diameter  , select the number of legs, diameter and spacing for shear reinforcement.

Number of Legs - N_s

Select the number of bars from the dropdown.

Diameter of Shear Reinforcement - D_s

Select the size of bar from the dropdown. Size of bar can also be entered manually.
↔ Range: 4 to 60 mm

Spacing between Stirrups - L_s

Enter the spacing between the consecutive stirrups.
↔ Range: 20 to 450 mm (1 to 20 in)

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Design Loads

This page allows to enter the load details such as ultimate shear force, ultimate and service moment for the design.

Design Moment - M

Enter the design moment for the calculation of main reinforcement.
↔ Range: -10000 to 10000 kNm (-7000 to 7000 kip-ft)

Design Shear Force - V

Enter the shear force for the calculation of shear reinforcement.
↔ Range: 0 to 10000 kNm (0 to 7000 kip-ft)

Service Moment - M_s

Enter the service moment for the calculation of crack width. Service moment is enabled only when check for crack width is checked in design setting.
↔ Range: 0 to 10000 kNm (0 to 7000 kip-ft)

Negative value indicates hogging moment.

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Design Setting

Setting for various Design Data such as Concrete, Material and Safety Factors are presented in this section. This setting pop-up can be accessed by clicking the bottom panel below the left navigation.

Reinforcement Calculation

This popup allows to set reinforcement calculation method.

Area of reinforcement calculated by program

Area of reinforcement required will be calculated by the program itself.

Area of reinforcement verified by program

Area of reinforcement required will be calculated by the program and will be checked with the provided reinforcement area.

Rebar configuration verified by program

Area of reinforcement provided will be calculated based on the rebar details and will be verified by the area of reinforcement required calculated by the program.

Materials - British

Enter the various material properties and safety factors in this popup.

Concrete Grade - f_cu

↔ Range: 15 to 100 N/mm²

Main Reinforcement Grade / Shear Reinforcement Grade - f_y / f_yv

↔ Range: 200 to 600 N/mm²

Modulus Elasticity of Steel - E_s

↔ Range: 50 to 300 kN/mm²

Aggregate Size - h_agg

↔ Range: 5 to 60 mm

Concrete in Compression - γ_mc

↔ Range: 1 to 3

Concrete in Shear - γ_mcs

↔ Range: 1 to 3

Reinforcement - γ_ms

↔ Range: 1 to 3

Materials - European

Enter the various material properties and safety factors in this popup.

Compressive Cylinder Strength - f_ck

↔ Range: 12 to 100 N/mm²

Main Reinforcement Grade / Secondary Reinforcement Grade
f_yk / f_yv

↔ Range: 200 to 600 N/mm²

Aggregate Size - h_agg

↔ Range: 5 to 60 mm

Modulus of Elasticity of Steel - E_s

↔ Range: 100000 to 300000 N/mm²

Concrete - γ_c

↔ Range: 1 to 3

Reinforcement - γ_s

↔ Range: 1 to 3

Materials - American

Enter the various material properties and safety factors in this popup.

Concrete Type

Select the concrete type from the drop down list from which concrete modification factor will be taken.

Compressive Strength of Concrete - f'_c

↔ Range: 2500 to 15000 psi

Yield Strength of Reinforcement - f_y

↔ Range: 40000 to 80000 psi

Concrete Modification Factor - λ

↔ Range: 0.75 to 1

Aggregate Size - h_agg

↔ Range: 0.2 to 2.4 in

Density of Reinforced Concrete - w_c

↔ Range: 90 to 160 lb/ft³

Modulus Elasticity of Steel - E_s

↔ Range: 15000 to 40000 ksi

Crack Width

This popup allows to select options for crack width calculation, only on using Diameter as Reinforcement Calculation.

☐   Check for crack width
Enable this option to include crack width check in calculation.

Maximum Allowable Crack Width - w_k

Select the maximum allowable value for crack width in case of British, European and American (Metric) Standards. In case of American (English) Standard, enter the limiting value for crack width.
↔ Range: 0.004 to 0.014 in

Nation Annex

This popup allows to select options for national annex in case of European Standard.

Nation

Select the nation based on which the coefficient value to be considered. The available standards are Recommended, UK, Finland, Ireland, Malaysia, Norway, Singapore, Sweden and User Defined.

User Defined

Select this option to enter the coefficient values.

k1

↔ Range: 0.3 to 0.5

k2

↔ Range: 1 to 1.5

k3

↔ Range: 0.3 to 0.6

k4

↔ Range: 1 to 1.5

α_cc

↔ Range: 0.7 to 1.2

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Error Handling

Errors and Warnings are generated to prevent any inadvertent error in the input data. This section describes how to handle the errors and warnings. These errors are displayed at the bottom of the input page when the data in one or more input fields invalidate each other.