Side Beam Reinforcement Guide
Beam side reinforcements are provided to prevent cracking as the beam size increases. As the depth of the beam increases, the tensile stresses on the lateral surface of the beam also increase. Furthermore, as the volume of concrete increases, it is necessary to provide some reinforcement to control cracking of the beams.
BS 8110 Part 01 provides guidance on the procedure to be followed when the diameter of reinforcement is determined based on the spacing of bars, the characteristic strength of the reinforcement and the width and height of the beam.
To calculate the minimum bar diameter, the following equation from BS 8110, Part 01, Section 3.12.5.4 should be used.
Minimum bar diameter = √(see b b/f j )
Where
S b = Distance between side reinforcements
b = beam width or 500 mm if the width increases by 500 mm
The spacing of the reinforcements must not exceed 250 mm and must be set at 2/3 of the height of the beam, measured from the beam's tension surface.
