Notes by M. E.

HABERSHON OBE MEng MlStructE MICE,

W. HUNTER ROSE MSc MlStructE MICE1 FGS
and 0. A. KERENSKY CBE BSc MlStructE MICE (Member of Council)
CP 114 : The Structural Use of Reinforced Concrete in
Buildings (1965 Edition)
The revision of the 1957 edition of CP 114 was first
suggested to the Institution of Structural Engineers, the
convening institution, by the British Standards Institu-
tion in November 1961. This request followed representa-
tions made to the Codes of Practice for Building Com-
mittee by the Reinforced Concrete Association and the
Cement and Concrete Association.
Initially it was thought desirable to defer such a review
until the impending report of the European Concrete
Committee had been published and consideration given
to the best method of unifying the common requirements
of all the structural codes. The Reinforced Concrete
Association and the Cement and Concrete Association
did not concur with this approach and as an alternative
suggested a limited revision of the present 1957 document
which could be dealt with in a comparatively short time.
This modified approach was accepted by the Institution
of Structural Engineers in October 1962.
CP 114 Committee was then reconvened and held its
first meeting on 27 November 1962, Mr. M. E. Habershon
being the Chairman and Dr. F. G. Thomas the Vice-
Chairman. So far as practicable the other members were
those who had served on the committee when it last met.
The Committees terms of reference consisted of the
rapid and limited revision of those parts of the Code
referred to them by the Institution of Structural
Engineers. The main items related to:--
(1) concrete mixes and permissible stresses in concrete;
(2) permissible stresses in reinforcement;
(3) bond and anchorage;
(4) resistance to shear;
(5) the use of high-alumina-cement concrete;
(6) lightweight concrete;
(7) fire resistance.
New clauses have been introduced for Designed
Concrete Mixes and these replace the old clauses for
Special Concrete Mixes . Special attention is given to
quality control requirements including the statistical
review of both trial mix and works cube tests. Provision
is also made for standard mixes where the making of
special trial mixes is not justified. The maximum allowed
works cube strength for these designed concrete mixes is
raised to 7500 lbf/in2.
Consideration was given to the omission of Nominal
Concrete Mixes but they were retained as meeting the
needs of small jobs. No variation was made in the
strength requirements for these mixes.
A new clause has been included dealing with durability.
This supplements the cover requirements and stresses
the need in cases of severe exposure in industrial areas
and the like for a higher grade of concrete and greater
strength than would be justified solely from structural
considerations.
The permissive concrete stress in bending for designed
concrete mixes is raised by 10 per cent of the specified
works cube strength to 1/2 -73 of this strength. No
increase is allowed for the nominal concrete mixes.
The permissive tensile stress in steel reinforcement
consisting of high-bond bars and high-yield wire mesh
having a guaranteed yield or proof stress has been
raised to 0 - 55 of such guaranteed yield or proof stress
but not more than 33,000 lbf/in2 for bars not exceeding
8 in effective diameter and 30,000 lbf/inZ for bars
exceeding 8 in effective diameter. Similarly the permis-
sive tensile stress in shear reinforcement and the permis-
sive compressive stress have both been raised to 0 -55 of
the guaranteed yield or proof stress but not more than
25,000 lbf/in2.
No change has been made in the permissive stresses
for mild-steel bars to BS 785.
Modifications have been introduced into the Stiffness
of Members clause to restrict the former permissible
values of span/depth ratio of beams and slabs to members
with steel stresses not more than 20,000 lbf/in2 and
concrete stresses not more than 1500 lbf/inz. For
members with greater steel stresses OR greater concrete
stresses the span/depth ratio is not to exceed 90 per cent
of the table values and for members with greater steel
stresses AND greater concrete stresses this ratio is not
to exceed 85 per cent of the table values.
Dimensions are now specified for hooks in high-yield
bars.
A new clause allows the bond stress in high-bond bars
to be increased by 40 per cent provided the bond strength
exceeds that of a plain bar by 40 per cent.
A new clause has been included limiting members
without shear reinforcement to those of secondary
importance and even then adopting a conservative
approach in calculating the shear resistance of such
members. This is a matter which will require amplifica-
tion when the next revision of the Code is made, and
more research data are available. I n the meantime, it
was considered desirable to give this warning.
For main beams required now to have shear rein-
forcement even though the shear stresses are less than
the permissible values for the concrete, the amount of
reinforcement is not specified. I n general it need not be
sufficient to take the whole shear (as is necessary for
main beams of lightweight-aggregate concrete, see
Clause 344) but should probably be not less than about
0 -15 per cent of the horizontal area of the concrete,
and should increase as the shear stress approaches the
permissible value for the concrete. This is in accordance
with normal good practice but, with the present confused
position with regard to shear resistance, no specific
recommendation could be included in Amendment No. 1.
Where the load-factor method of design is used, beams
and slab may be designed to have a load-factor generally
of 1 -8 in place of 2 .O as at present. Similarly for columns
a load-factor generally of 1 .8 may be used.
A special section has been introduced for reinforced
lightweight-aggregate concrete. I n general these have
been based on the Building Research Station Studies.
A new clause has been added dealing with the bending
aside of steel reinforcement at construction joints.
For bonds tests, details of the reinforcement of the
cubes for pull-out tests are specified.
The Fire Resistance clauses have been revised in
accordance with the recommendations of the J oint Fire
Research Organization.
THE STRUCTURAL ENGINEER J UNE 1965 No 6 VOLUME 43 195
A special appendix dealing with high-alumina-cement
concrete has been included in the Code. This covers the
same ground as the Report of the Institution of Structural
Engineers, The Use of High-Alumina Cement in.
Strzcctural Engineering, but all the recommendations of
the Report are not necessarily included in the Code.
One of the main aims of this appendix is to warn designers
of the harmful effects of conversion, but it also codifies
general information on the proper use of high-alumina-
cement concrete.
Special care was taken to ensure that there was no
serious conflict with the new BS Code of Practice CP 116:
The Structural Use of Precast Concrete, which was being
finalized at the same time as these revisions of CP 114.
The Committee had referred to it many items which
did not come within its terms of reference for the limited
revision agreed upon. Some of these have been referred
to in these notes but there are others and many may have
to be dealt with at an early date. It is assumed that this
will be done as part of the new procedure for the periodic
revision of all structural codes which has been initiated
recently by the Institution.
CP 116: The Structural Use of Precast Concrete
The recently published British Standard Code of Practice
for precast concrete is the result of four years' work by
a committee convened by the Institution of Structural
Engineers. The Chairman was Mr. W. Hunter Rose,
MSc, MIStructE, MICEI, FGS. who represented the
Institution on the Committee.
Throughout the Code it is assumed that the design
and manufacture of the precast units will be under the
overall control of a Chartered Structural or Civil Engi-
neer experienced in concrete technology, and it is for his
guidance-as well as for that of architects and consul-
tants-that the Code is written.
I n all, the Code has seven main sections, which cover
permitted materials, design considerations, standards of
workmanship, inspection and testing requirements, fire
resistance gradings, high-alumina cement concrete and
autoclaved aerated concrete. I n addition there are three
appendixes, dealing respectively with statistical calcula-
tions and quality control, movement joints and bond
tests. These are all subjects of great importance to the
precast structural concrete industry and their inclusion
in the Code is intended to make it self-contained and
self-explanatory.
Much of the information given on materials has never
been included in structural codes before. High-alumina
cement is introduced for the first time as a permitted
cement for use in precast concrete and a separate section
of the Code gives detailed guidance on its use. It is
recognized that variations in the strength of mixes are
unavoidable, but great importance is attached to
reducing these variations as much as possible, by proper
statistical quality control methods, to ensure the pro-
duction of concrete of consistent quality.
One of the main features of the materials section is
the new concept of relating the amount of concrete cover
to the steel to ( a) the environment in which the concrete
unit will be placed and ( b) the grade of concrete. The
aim is to secure maximum durability in relation to the
conditions of exposure. The minimum concrete cover
to all steel is 8 in (for internal sites only), and this may
be extended to 2 in or more in outdoor positions where
the concrete may be exposed to sea water, chemical
attack or other corrosive atmospheres.
The design section follows fairly closely that of
CP 114 for in-situ reinforced concrete, but some of it
has been brought up to date and a number of points of
special interest to the precast concrete industry have
been brought out in greater detail. Although for the
moment this section of the new Code is fairly closely
related to CP 114 and 115, it is emphasized that there
is ample scope for change and progress. The design
section covers reinforced concrete beams and slabs,
columns, walls and bases, together with prestressed
structures and composite (in-situ precast) constructions.
I t also deals with lightweight-aggregate concrete.
Many parts of the workmanship section have never
been codified before, notably the information given on
surface finishes and on dimensional tolerances. It is
hoped that the inclusion of these points in the Code will
help to settle any disputes which may arise between
manufacturers and architects. The subject of curing-
and the factors influencing the choice of curing treat-
ment-is dealt with in detail.
Several of the testing methods suggested have never
appeared in a code or standard before, although they
have been used successfully in the industry. The tests
are designed to ensure that finished units have reached
the required standards of finish, dimensional accuracy
and strength.
Where a manufacturer uses quality-control methods
covering the entire manufacturing process, and keeps
records-certified by the engineer-which show that he
is regularly producing units of a quality not less than
that required by the Code, these m;ly be accepted as
confirming that the required quality has been reached.
The drafting committee had a good deal of help from
the J oint Fire Research Organization in preparing the
requirements for precast units required to be fire
resistant.
The section on high-alumina cement is completely up
to date and fully in line with the recent Report of the
Institution of Structural Engineers on this subject, while
the section on autoclaved (high-pressure steam-cured)
aerated concrete is a useful first step towards giving this
new material official recognition.
CP 117: Composite Construction in Structural Steel and
Concrete, Part l-Simply Supported Beams for Buildings
When, in J une 1961, a Committee was set up by the
BSI and the Institution of Structural Engineers to
produce a Code of Practice for Composite Construction
in Structural Steel and Concrete, it probably came as a
surprise to all concerned that so few factual data about
this form of construction were available in Great Britain,
and that so many problems still remained unsolved.
The Committee, meeting under the Chairmanship of
Mr. 0. A. Kerensky, CBE, BSc, MIStructE, MICE
(Member of Council), began its work by a detailed survey
of existing composite structures, foreign regulations and
research carried out to date. The results of this survey
were published in March 1964 as an Institution Report.
Part 1 of the Code, dealing with simply supported beams
in buildings, i.e. beams subjected to the loads specified
in Chapter V of CP 3, took another year of hard work.
Parts 2 and 3, which will deal with simply supported
and continuous beams in bridges and with columns,
should be ready early in 1966.
I n general the Code deals in detail only with matters
concerned with composite action. Materials, workman-
ship and the design of the steel section and of the con-
crete slab should be in accordance with the relevant
Specifications and Codes of Practice.
Part 1 stipulates that the composite section can be
designed on the elastic theory (using M= 15) or, alterna-
tively, on ultimate strength by the load factor method.
With the recommended load factor of 1.75 for the steel
section it will be found that the latter method will,
almost always, produce a more economic solution. To
allow for the greater variability of concrete, its com-
pressive strength is taken as 8 of the nominal slab crush-
ing strength, so that the load factor against failure of
the concrete element is 3/ 2 x 1-75, i.e. approximately 2.6.
196 VOLUME 43 No 6 J UNE 1965 THE STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
This however, should hardly ever be the controlling
factor. Using these factors may result in high working
stresses in either of the elements. The Code stipulates
that these should not exceed 0.9 of the guaranteed yield
stress of steel and Q of the crushing strength of the
concrete slab, respectively. Deflexions under working
loads should also be checked and must comply with the
requirements of BS 449.
The only special element in composite construction
is the shear connector. This is a structural device to
interconnect the steel beam and the reinforced concrete
slab in such a way that they act compositely, without
significant slip or separation, throughout the life of the
structure, independently of any natural bond between
the two elements.
For both elastic and load factor designs the shear
connectors are to be designed by the load factor method
thus ensuring that the connectors are fully effective up
to the point of failure. Ultimate safe loads for a few
types of connectors are tabulated. For any other type
the value can be obtained by standard tests, as laid down
in the Code.
Useful appendixes are added illustrating the load
factor design of the composite section and the calcula-
tion of the required number of shear connectors.
This first part of the Code has been intentionally made
as simple as possible. The various complex phenomena
associated with composite construction, such as the
effects of shrinkage, creep, variations of the elastic
modulus of concrete, elasticity of shear connectors and
the presence of other stresses in the slab due to the
imposed loads, have been considered and, where not
specifically mentioned, can be deemed to have been
provided for. All the above matters will be dealt with
more fully in Part 2 (Beams for Bridges). However, if
appreciable difference of temperature between the steel
and concrete elements can arise, its effect, especially on
deflexions, should be allowed for in the normal way.
There is no doubt that by ensuring a composite action
between the steel beam and the concrete slab appreciable
saving in the weight of steel, and a saving in cost, can
be achieved, combined, generally, with greater rigidity
of construction and an almost infinite variety of form.
Furthermore, the overall saving in weight and depth of
floors should result in additional consequential saving in
the cost of the structure.
It is hoped that CP 117 will help to make the best use
of the two materials of our time, steel and concrete, and
will bring closer together the two vital sectors of the
structural industry.
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