OVE ARUP PARTNERSHIP a EE ATER Structural Guidance Note 4.6 Holes in Beams 1, IntRopuCTION This Note describes a simple method for local analysis and detailed design around holes within the webs of reinforced concrete beams and ribs. It should not be applied to holes in prestressed or deep r.c. beams. (The latter are treated in the CIRIA design guide’ on deep beams.) No attempt is made to distinguish between holes that are structurally insignificant, and those that require design consideration. The distinction is influenced by a variety of factors including the size and location of the hole relative to both the depth and the span of the beam, The designer's own experience is a more reliable guide than arbitrary limits on size, although it can be said that any hole of length greater than nominal link spacing or depth greater than one-quarter the beam depth will certainly need to be investigated. 1£ doubt exists with smaller holes, they should be checked. 2, BASIS The presence of a rectangular hole is assumed to change the behaviour of the beam or rib such that it acts locally as a Vierendeel frame - see Fig. 1. (Obviously if there are multiple holes at close spacing or if the hole dimensions are large in relation to the beam depth or span, the behaviour of the beam will be altered more radically, and a rigozous overall analysis may then be needed before local effects are considered.) Holes of non-rectengular profile may be very conservatively simlated as a rectangular hole enclosing the extreme limits of the actual profile. But where the hole is of a shape (see Fig. 2) that allows the beam to be simulated locally as a single or double lattice truss, having top and bottom boons and 'diagonals' which can be reinforced to carry loads across the hole, then it November 1983 4.6/1is both more realistic modelling and almost certainly nore economical on reinforcement to adopt this truss analogy. Such an approach can be used when the hole is triangular, circular,or of a shape that can be inscribed within an equivalent circle, but it should be limited to cases where the truss members framing the hole can be sized to have coincident centre-lines at ‘joints! (thereby avoiding the need for a detailed analysis of local bending and force transfer at the joint). It must also be A possible for diagonal bars trimming the hole to be bent alongside and lapped with the top and bottom reinforcement. nq In practice these considerations will restrict the use of the truss analogy method to circular holes whose diameter is at most 1] no more than one-third, and triangular holes whose height or length is no more than two-thirds, of the overall beam depth. Even these limits may be too generous for holes in shallow beams or those near the top or bottom of the bean, The term 'truss' is used to describe the analogy for modelling foxce transfer across the hole and, in practice, the analysis may well - for simplicity of working - assume that members are skeletal and pin-jointed, While this will give a 'safe' estimate of the axial forces to he designed for, it must be remembered that they are, in reality, squat members with monolithic joints, and detailing must take account of this. & € Centre-tine of c Assumed point of oom at centroid 7 fixity of boom “normal’ beam behaviour assumed past this point se eauivalnt rectanguar hele cl +2 eal Sp Sy 7 Rectangular hole ‘Simulation of holes of other profile by rectangle Figure 1 Typical holes to be modelled as local Vierendee! frame November 1983 4.6/2Fillet (if possible) to reduce N.B. diagonals must q Ikelinood of crack at comer intersect on boom lines i oe nN SINS | / n eS ub n Single-lattoe truss Single-tatioe truss Double lattice truss u analogy analogy analooy n Figure 2 Typical holes to be modelled as local truss 1 Figs. 1 and 2 show some typical holes and indicate the ul centre-lines of the surrounding framing or trussing members. " Forces are assumed to be transmitted across the hole as follows: a Overall bending of the beam - by equal compression and tension zs ~~ forces having a lever arm which is the distance between the Hl centroid of the concrete section in compression and the main ih tensile steel centroid {see Fig. 3); fr For simplicity take. u Me Ma(M22M4) then C=T=M_ : ¥ { RNs ¢ ) ( 4 SP SATT qt ! centroid of Tension steel L Rectangular hole il : My Me M 3 M e ( ) . ( ) 7 : I ¥ Centroid of i i tension steel I Lattice truss Figure 3 Model for bending across hole November 1983 4.6/3Vertical shear - rectangular hole, Vierendeel frame analogy (Pig. I): by shear and local bending across the hole. ‘The Gistribution of shear between the concrete boom sections is dependent on the relative stiffnesses of the sections and on the effective span of these between notional points of fixity, which should be at least one-half the overall depth of the boom beyond the extreme end of the hole (see Fig. 4). A method for assessing shear by this approach is given in the Appendix; Vertical shear - triangular or circular hole, truss analogy (Fig. I TS oo 2): by components of compression and tension in the actual ox notional @iagonal sections adjacent to the hole and by shear across the joints where these intersect (see Fig. 4). The boom section spanning between the further ends of the diagonals may be assumed to carry only a nominal shear; For shear distribution Rectangular hole see Appendix PQ Nominal shear Double-lattice truss Figure 4 Model for shear across hole November 1983 4.6/4Local bending (due to loading applied to a boom section above or below the hole) - by bending of the section assuming boam action between fixity points (Vierendeel frane) or joints (teuss analogy) adopted when assessing vertical shear it transnission. Note that such loads can vesult in local q fensions at boom ends which require extra tension steal to u prevent. tearing-out; 1 Axial force (if present) - by axial forces across the reduced i Concrete boon sections. The applied axial force can usually be taken to act at the centroid of the gross concrete beam fn cross-section and can he shared between the top and bottom i boom sections by simple statics (analogous to the sharing of : load effects from a concentrated load on a simply supported beam, with the 'support' locations taken as the centroids of the gross concrete boom sections (see Fig. 5). Note, u however, that the local behaviour of a beam subject to a large axial force is similar to that of a deep beam on its f side and a detailed investigation of the stresses and 4 strains - e.g. by finite element analysis - may, in this case, be essential (but this is outside the scope of this 7 Mote) + l G " ft & | J _o Zam u |< * FR CZ i Rectangular hole Centroids of Pee concrete boom sections i I A SSIRGA j = E FE (1 % Re Lattice truss. =F, pe hu 9 Fel ae’ Pom at Figure 5 Model for axial force across hole (NB. if F is large, check for local j effects around hole) 1 November 1983 4.6/5Torsion (if present) ~ by shear forces of opposite sign acting as ‘a couple having a lever arm which is the distance between the centroids of the concrete boom:sections, and by local lateral bending of these sections. Points of fixity axe assumed at a distance beyond the extreme end face of the hole equal to one-half of the respective section width: a point of contraflexure will occur at the midspan of the section (see Fig. 6). Centroidal lines of ‘concrete boom sections Figure 6 Model for torsion across hole November 1983 4.6/62. OVE ARUP PARTNERSHIP. Reinforcement detailing manual. 1982 (2nd revision). APPENDIX DISTRIBUTION OF VERTICAL SHEAR AT A RECTANGULAR HOLE An applied vertical shear acting on a beam is carried across a rectangular hole by local shearing ana bending of the boom sections. The distribution of shear between the booms can be determined from the assumption that the deflections of the booms across a hole are equal. An initial distribution can thus be made in proportion to the relative I values of the cross concrete sections (assumed uncracked): this will give a safe estimate of shear in the tension boom - which will probably be cracked - but may underestimate that in the largely or Wholly uncracked compression boom. This can, conservatively, be designed to carry 1008 of the shear; if that leads to unacceptably high stresses, the boom I values should be re-calculated allowing for long-term tension stiffening in concrete (as recommended in CP110) and an estimated percentage of tension steel. ‘The design shear on the tension boom should, however, not be reduced from its initially estimated value; the total shear designed for in the two booms will thus exceed the actual value, but this is a conservative approach to a difficult analysis which - if it underestimated shears drastically - could have equally drastic consequences. November 1983 4.6/9T With a flanged beam, it is necessary to assess what flange width 4s to be considered as effective when defining the boom section. If the flange is in tension, it seems reasonable to take only the web or rib width into account. The same width should be assumed when considering vertical shear where the flange is in compression, while a greater width (suggested as the web width plus at least twice the slab depth) should be taken when bending, axial force, and torsion are being considered. 3. METHOD ‘The method can be divided into four stages. 1. Establish the analysis model at the hole - Decide whether the hole is to be analysed as an actual or equivalent rectangle by Vierendeel frame model, or as a triangle or circle using truss analogy - Sketch (to scale preferably) the actual or equivalent hole shape, and locate the centre-lines of the top and bottom boom sections (at the centroids of the gross concrete section), and of actual or notional diagonal sections if present (choosing a realistic breadth of section, related to the forces to be carried and the probable size of reinforcement cage to be used) 2. Establish externally-applied forces _on beam and calculate corresponding local forces acting around hole ~ Determine the components of local forces due to each external force in turn, as described above 3. Check and design sections to resist local forces acting around hole - Assemble envelope of local forces on sections due to ‘worst case’ combination(s) of external forces - Check that sections can resist the individual and combined local forces including axial tension/compression, bending, and shear - Carry out detailed section design - Check section sizes adequate, allowing for cover, bars, space for concreting, etc. - IF SECTION INADEQUATE THEN BITHER REDUCE HOLE SIZE, INCREASE SECTION DIMENSIONS, OR ANALYSE MORE RIGOROUSLY November 1983 4.6/7a REPERENCES Prepare detailing instructions se eneral Check that detailed design satisfies durability and fire resistance needs (e.g. cover and fabric reinforcement) Comply with relevant Detailing Manual” recommendations for the beam or rib generally Main Steel Check that all ‘opening’ re-entrant corners are reinforced with suitably anchored main bars along both faces Provide crack control bars along all faces of the hole Links Provide designed links where called for in boons (nominal links otherwise) Provide hanger bars (e.g. additional vertical links) to resist tensions due to local loading on ‘the boom sections and shear at boom ends Comply with recommended maximum spacing of Links both laterally and longitudinally in relation to effective depth of reduced sections and diameter of longitudinal bars in compression Bends, Anchorages, and Laps B Ensure that longitudinal bars have adequate tension/compression anchorage beyond points of assumed fixity, and that diagonal bars are adequately lapped with longitudinal bars - sketch if necessary to ensure there is sufficient xoom Specify ‘slow’ bends if needea for diagonal bars uildability Finally ensure e.g. by sketching that the details allow enough space for concrete to be placed. 1. OVE ARUP & PARTNERS, The design of deop beams in reinforced concrete. November 1983 CIRIA, 1977. 4.6/8