ESTIMATION OF FLEXURAL CRACKWIDTH FOR BEAM SECTION

DESIGN CODE ACI 318-2019 & ACI 224.1R-07

The flexural crack-width is checked on the edge of the tensile zone. Thus, for a beam section with sagging bending
moment, the bottom edge and side edge (below neutral axis) can be considered as a tension surface to calculate crack-
width. Maximum strain in the tension reinforcement is calculated for applied bending moment. Corresponding strain in
concrete is considered to calculate the crack-width.
The calculation of crack-width is depend on the various parameters like strain in the reinforcement, cover to tension
reinforcement, c/c spacing between tension reinforcement, concrete grade, applied force etc.
Based on these parameters, crack-width can be checked at various location. Whichever location gives the maximum crack-
width value, should be consider as critical in designing of beams. Below sketch shows the various locations on tension
surface to calculate crack-width.

Critical Location for Flexural Crack-width:

P1: At extreme edge of tensile zone
P2: At extreme corner of tensile zone
P3: On side edge at mid height between NA and center of tension reinforcement rebars
In this paper, calculation of flexural crack-width is performed at various location marked above and results are compared.

Input / Defaults
BeamNo : B1
B ≔ 18 in ----------- Width of the Beam
D ≔ 36 in ----------- Depth of the Beam
BM ≔ 243.63 kip ⋅ ft ----------- Bending moment from analysis
f'c ≔ 6 ksi ----------- Grade of Concrete (Cylindrical Strength)
fy ≔ 60 ksi ----------- Grade of Main Reinforcement
fsy ≔ 60 ksi ----------- Grade of Shear Reinforcement
Cc ≔ 1.5 in ----------- Nominal Bottom Cover to Tension Reinforcement
CcS ≔ 1.5 in ----------- Nominal Side Cover to Tension Reinforcement
Es ≔ 29007.55 ksi ----------- Modulus of elasticity of reinforcement
λ≔1 ----------- Modification factor
Wcr_lim ≔ 0.008 in ----------- Permissible Crack-Width
Tension reinforcement Provided
ϕ1 ≔ 1 in ----------- Diameter of Tension Reinforcement at Bottom Most layer
N1 ≔ 4 ----------- No of Rebars at Bottom most Layer
ϕ2 ≔ 1 in ----------- Diameter of Tension Reinforcement at Inner layer
N2 ≔ 0 ----------- No of Rebars at Inner Layer

π ⋅ ϕ1 2 π ⋅ ϕ2 2
Ast ≔ ――― ⋅ N1 + ――― ⋅ N2 = 3.142 in 2 ----------- Area of Tension Reinforcement Provided
4 4

Compression reinforcement
 π ⋅ ϕ1 2 π ⋅ ϕ2 2
Ast ≔ ――― ⋅ N1 + ――― ⋅ N2 = 3.142 in 2
4 4

Compression reinforcement
ϕ3 ≔ 1 in ----------- Diameter of Compression Reinforcement at outer Most layer
N3 ≔ 0 ----------- No of Rebars at top most Layer
ϕ4 ≔ 1 in ----------- Diameter of Compression Reinforcement at Inner layer
N4 ≔ 0 ----------- No of Rebars at Inner Layer

π ⋅ ϕ3 2 π ⋅ ϕ4 2
Asc ≔ ――― ⋅ N3 + ――― ⋅ N4 = 0 in 2 ----------- Area of Compression Reinforcement
4 4 Provided
1 in
deff ≔ D - Cc - ϕ1 - ―― = 33 in ----------- Effective depth for tension reinforcement
2

Ec ≔ 57000 ⋅ ‾‾‾‾‾‾
f'c ⋅ psi = 4415.201 ksi ----------- Modulus of elasticity of concrete

Es
m ≔ ―― = 6.57 ----------- Modular ratio
Ec
Ast
pt ≔ ――― = 0.005 ----------- Percentage Reinforcement
B ⋅ deff

k ≔ ‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾
((2 ⋅ pt ⋅ m)) + ((pt ⋅ m)) 2 - ((pt ⋅ m)) = 0.231 ----------- Neutral Axis depth factor

x ≔ k ⋅ deff = 7.628 in ----------- Neutral Axis depth

fc_perm ≔ 0.45 ⋅ f'c = 2.7 ksi ----------- Clause A.3.1 (ACI 318-99)

BM
fc ≔ ――――――― = 1.398 ksi
⎛ x ⎛ x ⎞⎞
⎜B ⋅ ―⋅ ⎜deff - ― ⎟⎟ -------- Concrete compressive stress
⎝ 2 ⎝ 3 ⎠⎠
Check ≔ ‖ if fc ≤ fc_perm | | = “Singly Reinforced Section”
‖ ||
‖
‖ ‖ “Singly Reinforced Section” | |
‖ else ||
‖ ||
‖ ‖‖ “Doubly Reinforced Section” | | -------- Check for Type of Beam
‖ |
Section Properties at cracking stage

ϕ1
dc ≔ ―― + Cc = 2 in
2
B 1
F1 ≔ ―――= 0.872 ―
((m ⋅ Ast)) in
Asc
F2 ≔ ((m - 1)) ⋅ ―――= 0
((m ⋅ Ast))

⎛ ‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾
⎛ ⎛ Cc ⎞⎞ ⎞
⎜ ((2 ⋅ F1 ⋅ deff)) ⋅ ⎜1 + ⎜F2 ⋅ ―― ⎟⎟ + ((1 + F2)) - ((1 + F2))⎟
2

⎝ ⎝ ⎝ deff ⎠⎠ ⎠
y ≔ ―――――――――――――――――― = 7.628 in
F1
((D - y))
β ≔ ―――― = 1.118 -------- ratio of distance between NA and tension face to
((deff - y)) distance between NA and centroid of reinforcing steel

⎛⎝B ⋅ D 3 ⎞⎠
Ig ≔ ―――= ⎛⎝6.998 ⋅ 10 4 ⎞⎠ in 4 -------- Moment of inertia of concrete gross section
12
y3
Icr ≔ B ⋅ ―― + m ⋅ Ast ⋅ ((deff - y)) 2 + ((m - 1)) ⋅ Asc ⋅ ((y - Cc)) 2 = ⎛⎝1.595 ⋅ 10 4 ⎞⎠ in 4
3
-------- Moment of inertia of concrete crack section

fr ≔ 0.62 ⋅ ‾‾‾‾‾‾
f'c ⋅ psi = 0.048 ksi -------- Concrete modulus of rupture
 fr ≔ 0.62 ⋅ ‾‾‾‾‾‾
f'c ⋅ psi = 0.048 ksi -------- Concrete modulus of rupture

fr ⋅ Ig
Mcr ≔ ―― = 15.56 kip ⋅ ft -------- Cracking Moment
⎛D⎞
⎜―⎟
⎝2⎠
((deff - y))
fs ≔ m ⋅ BM ⋅ ―――― = 30.554 ksi -------- Steel tensile stress
Icr
2
fs_perm ≔ ―⋅ fy = 40 ksi -------- Permissible steel stress
3

fc = 1.398 ksi -------- Concrete compressive stress at service load level

Check ≔ ‖ if fs ≤ fs_perm| | = “Ok”

‖ ||
‖ ‖ ‖ “Ok” || -------- Check for stress in steel
‖ else ||
‖ ||
‖ ‖ ‖ “Revise” | ||
‖
Check ≔ ‖ if fc ≤ fc_perm| | = “Ok”
‖ ||
‖ ‖ ‖ “Ok” || -------- Check for stress in Concrete
‖ else ||
‖ ||
‖ ‖ “Revise” | ||
‖ ‖
Crack-width calculation at Point P1

((B - 2 ⋅ Cc - ϕ1))
s ≔ ―――――― = 4.667 in ----------- c/c spacing between Rebar at Outer layer
N1 - 1
ϕ1
dc ≔ ―― + Cc = 2 in ----------- Thickness of cover from tension face to
2 center of closest bar
fs ‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾
⎛ s ⎞2
Wcr ≔ 2 ⋅ ―― ⋅ β ⋅ dc 2 + ⎜― ⎟ = 0.007 in -------- Eq 1-2 ( ACI 224.1R-07)
Es ⎝2⎠
Check ≔ ‖ if Wcr ≤ Wcr_lim| | = “Ok”
‖ ||
‖ ‖ ‖ “Ok” ||
‖ else || -------- Check for crack-width
‖ ||
‖ ‖ “Revise” | ||
‖ ‖
Governing Factors:
1. c/c spacing between tension rebars
2. Area of Tension reinforcement
3. Clear Cover at bottom

Crack-width calculation at Point P2

Governing Factors:
1. c/c spacing between tension rebars
2. Area of Tension reinforcement
3. Clear Cover at bottom

Crack-width calculation at Point P2

ϕ1
dc ≔ ―― + Cc = 2 in ----------- Thickness of cover from tension face to
2 center of closest bar
ϕ1
dcs ≔ ―― + CcS = 2 in ----------- Thickness of Side cover from tension
2 face to center of closest bar
fs
Wcr ≔ 2 ⋅ ―― ⋅ β ⋅ ‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾
dc 2 + ((dcs)) 2 = 0.007 in -------- Eq 1-2 ( ACI 224.1R-07)
Es

Check ≔ ‖ if Wcr ≤ Wcr_lim| | = “Ok”

‖ ||
‖ ‖ ‖ “Ok” ||
‖ else || -------- Check for crack-width
‖ ||
‖ ‖ “Revise” | ||
‖ ‖
Governing Factors:
1. c/c spacing between tension rebars
2. Area of Tension reinforcement
3. Clear Cover at Side face
if the Side cover is more than the c/c spacing between rebar is more, then it is recommanded to check the crackwidth
at P2 location
Crack-width calculation at Point P3

((deff - y))
s ≔ ―――― = 12.686 in ----------- Distance between P3 and center of
2 tension reinforcement
ϕ1
dcs ≔ ―― + CcS = 2 in ----------- Thickness of Side cover from tension
2 face to center of closest bar
 ϕ1
dcs ≔ ―― + CcS = 2 in ----------- Thickness of Side cover from tension
2 face to center of closest bar

((deff - y))
P3loc ≔ ―――― + y = 20.314 in ----------- Location of P3 from compression edge
2
((P3loc - y))
β ≔ ―――― = 0.5 -------- ratio of distance between NA and P3 point to
((deff - y)) distance between NA and centroid of reinforcing steel

fs
Wcr ≔ 2 ⋅ ―― ⋅ β ⋅ ‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾
dcs 2 + ((s)) 2 = 0.014 in -------- Eq 1-2 ( ACI 224.1R-07)
Es

Check ≔ ‖ if Wcr ≤ Wcr_lim| | = “Revise”

‖ ||
‖ ‖ ‖ “Ok” ||
‖ else || -------- Check for crack-width
‖ ||
‖ ‖ ‖ “Revise” | ||
‖
Governing Factors:
1. c/c spacing between tension rebars
2. Area of Tension reinforcement
3. Clear Cover at Side face

The various values used to estimate crack-width at P3 location are considered based on the definition available in the
code. There is no guidelines available to estimate the crack-width at this location. The proportionate Strain in the
concrete is calculated at P3 location. The distance from the centre of the tension reinforcement to location of P3 is
considered for check.
As the diagonal distance of P3 and corner rebar is more, the crack-width value calculated at this location is more than
the crack-width at other locations.
User should take a decison whether to calculate the crack-width at P3 location based on design requirements.