Beam Design Limits per ACI 318-19 with ideCAD

How does ideCAD control reinforced concrete beam design limits according to ACI 318-19?

Minimum beam depth is controlled automatically.

Deflection limits is controlled automatically.

Beam dimensions are determined by the user.

Notation

A_g= gross area of concrete section, in²
b_f = effective flange width, in.
b_w = web width or diameter of circular section, in.
c₁ = dimension of rectangular or equivalent rectangular column, capital, or bracket measured in the direction of the span for which moments are being determined, in.
c₂ = dimension of rectangular or equivalent rectangular column, capital, or bracket measured in the direction perpendicular to c₁, in.
E_c= modulus of elasticity of concrete, psi
E_s= modulus of elasticity of reinforcement, psi
f_c^'= specified compressive strength of concrete, psi
f_y= specified yield strength for nonprestressed reinforcement, psi
h = overall thickness, height, or depth of member, in.
l = span length of beam or one-way slab; clear projection of cantilever, in.
l_n = length of clear span measured face-to-face of supports, in.
P_u= factored axial force; to be taken as positive for compression and negative for tension, lb
s_w = clear distance between adjacent webs, in.
ϕ = strength reduction factor

Minimum beam depth

For nonprestressed beams, the limits of overall beam depth h are given in ACI Table 9.3.1.1.

Supoort condition	Minimum depth, h

Supoort condition	Minimum depth, h
Simply supported	l/16
One end continuous	l/18.5
Both ends continuous	l/21
Cantilever	l/8

The expressions in ACI Table 9.3.1.1 shall be multiplied by (0.4 + f_y/100,000) if reinforcement yield strength f_y is different than 60,000 psi.

Deflection limits

If nonprestressed beams do not satisfy ACI 9.3.1, immediate and time-dependent deflections are calculated according to ACI 24.2 and checked not to exceed the maximum values in ACI Table 24.2.2.

Member	Condition		Deflection to be considered	Deflection limitation

Member	Condition		Deflection to be considered	Deflection limitation
Flat roofs	Not supporting or attached nonstructural elements likely to be damaged by large deflections Immediate deflection due to L		Immediate deflection due to maximum of L_r, S, and R	l/180
Floors			l/360
Roof or Floors	Sıpporting or attached to nonstructural elements	Likely to be damaged by large deflections	That part of hte total deflection occurring after attachment of nonstructural elements, which is the sum of the time-dependent deflection due to all sustained loads and the immediate deflection due to any additional live load	l/480
Roof or Floors	Sıpporting or attached to nonstructural elements	Not likely to be damaged by large deflections		l/240

Reinforcement strain limit in beams

If P_u< 0.10f_c’A_g for nonprestressed beams, the strength reduction factor ϕ used for tension-controlled according to ACI Table 21.2.2.

Beams of Earthquake-Resistant Structures

Ordinary moment frames

All the design limits described above are valid for beams of ordinary moment frames.

According to ACI 18.3.2;

Beams should have a minimum of two continuous bars at the top and bottom faces.
The area of continuous bottom bars should not be less than one-fourth of the maximum area of the bottom bars along the span. These bars should be anchored to develop f_y in tension at the face of support.

Intermediate moment frames

All the design limits described above are valid for beams of ordinary moment frames.

According to ACI 18.4.2.1;

Beams should have a minimum of two continuous bars at the top and bottom faces.
The area of continuous bottom bars should not be less than one-fourth of the maximum area of the bottom bars along the span. These bars should be anchored to develop f_y in tension at the face of support.

According to ACI 18.4.2.2;

The positive moment strength at the face of the joint should be greater than one-third of the negative moment strength provided at that face of the joint.
Along the length of the beam, both the positive and the negative moment strength at any section should be greater than one-fifth of the maximum moment strength provided at the face of either joint.

Special moment frames

All the design limits described above are valid for beams of special moment frames. Beams of special moment frames shall frame into columns of special moment frames.

According to ACI 18.6.2.1, beams of special moment frames should satisfy the conditions given below;

The minimum clear span l_n should be 4d
Minimum width b_w should be lesser than 0.3h and 10 in.
The beam width projection beyond the supporting column's width on each side should be less than the smallest value of c₂ and 0.75c₁.

According to ACI 18.6.3.2;

The positive moment strength at the face of the joint should be greater than one-half of the negative moment strength provided at that face of the joint.
Along the length of the beam, both the positive and the negative moment strength at any section should be greater than one-fourth of the maximum moment strength provided at the face of either joint.

Beams should have a minimum of two continuous bars at the top and bottom faces. Minimum reinforcement conditions are given in the Beam Reinforcement Limits per ACI 318-19 with ideCAD title.