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Queensferry

Module 08

Reinforced-concrete beams

The whole design, end to end: sizing, actions, bending, bar selection, shear, curtailment and serviceability — one beam, every check, in the order a designer actually does them.

What this module covers

  • Size a beam before any calculation, and say what governs the guess
  • Carry a beam from actions through to a reinforcement layout
  • Choose bars that fit, not just bars with enough area
  • Design links and set their spacing against both strength and detailing limits
  • Complete the serviceability check and know what to do when it fails
  • Recognise which check governed, and what that tells you about the design

Lessons

  1. 8.1

    Sizing, and the order of the checks

    Why the first guess matters, and why the design is circular until you break the circle deliberately.

    Start lesson →
  2. 8.2

    A complete beam design

    One beam, from the loading to the bar schedule, with every check and nothing skipped.

    Start lesson →

Module checkpoint

Check what you have taken in

6 questions

  1. Question 1

    A simply supported beam spans 6.0 m. Using the rule of thumb, what overall depth would you start with, in mm?

  2. Question 2

    A 250 × 500 beam has 35 mm cover, H8 links and H25 main bars in one layer. What is the effective depth, in mm?

  3. Question 3

    A beam's bending design passes but its span/depth check fails. Which change helps MOST?

  4. Question 4

    A beam carries gk = 20 kN/m and qk = 12 kN/m over a 6.5 m simply supported span. What is the design moment, in kNm?

  5. Question 5

    For that beam, what is the design shear at the support, in kN?

  6. Question 6

    In the complete design in this module, which check had the least spare capacity?