A cement and concrete industry publication

Economic Concrete Frame

Elements to Eurocode 2
A pre-scheme handbook for the rapid sizing and selection of reinforced concrete frame elements
in multi-storey buildings designed to Eurocode 2

C H Goodchild BSc CEng MCIOB MIStructE

R M Webster CEng FIStructE
K S Elliott BTech CEng PhD MICE

mpa

essential materials
sustainable solutions

Foreword
This publication is based on design to Eurocode 2 and updates the original pre-scheme sizing
handbook Economic Concrete Frame Elements which was based on BS 8110 and published in 1997.
Eurocode 2 brings economies over BS 8110 in some areas up to 10% has been reported. While
sizes of frame elements to BS 8110 would generally be safe, they would be sometimes unduly
conservative and uneconomic in increasingly competitive markets. In addition, current British
Standards for structural design are due to be withdrawn by 2010, with BS 8110 Structural use
of concrete being made obsolete in 2008. Thus this new edition of Economic concrete frame
elements has been produced by The Concrete Centre.
The new charts and data have been derived from design spreadsheets that carry out design
to Eurocode 2 and, as appropriate, other Eurocodes, European and British Standards. The
methodology behind the charts and data is fully explained and is, essentially, the same as that
used for the previous version of this publication. However, the following should be noted:

For continuous members, sizes are derived from analysis which, in the case of in-situ beams,
includes the frame action of small columns.
A new method for determining the sizes of perimeter columns is introduced. This takes
account of both axial load and moment.
Generally, in line with BS EN 1990 and its National Annex, loading is based on 1.25Gk +
1.5Qk for residential and ofce areas and 1.35Gk + 1.5Qk for storage areas.
Much of the economy over the charts and data for BS 8110 comes from the treatment of
loads and deection by the Eurocodes please refer to Deection in Section 7.1.2.
Ribbed slabs are an exception. Compared with BS 8110 greater depths are required.

Readers are advised to be conservative with their choices until such time as they become familiar
with this publication and the workings of Eurocode 2.

Acknowledgements
We gratefully acknowledge the help provided by the following:
Andy Truby for guidance on post-tensioned designs
Robert Vollum for guidance on deection
Howard Taylor for providing initial data for precast concrete elements
Nary Narayanan for validations and comment
Members of Construct, Structural Precast Association, Precast Flooring Federation and
Post-Tensioning Association for guidance and comment.
Thanks are also due to Gillian Bond, Sally Huish, Issy Harvey, Lisa Bennett and Derek Chisholm for their help.

Published by The Concrete Centre, part of the Mineral Products Association

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Tel: +44 (0)1276 606800 Fax: +44 (0)1276 606801 www.concretecentre.com
The Concrete Centre is part of the Mineral Products Association, the trade association for the aggregates,
asphalt, cement, concrete, lime, mortar and silica sand industries. www.mineralproducts.org
Cement and Concrete Industry Publications (CCIP) are produced through an industry initiative to
publish technical guidance in support of concrete design and construction.
CCIP publications are available from the Concrete Bookshop at www.concretebookshop.com
Tel: +44 (0)7004-607777
CCIP-025
Published May 2009
ISBN 978-1-9046818-69-4
Price Group P
MPA - The Concrete Centre

All advice or information from MPA - The Concrete Centre is intended only for use in the UK by those who will evaluate the
signicance and limitations of its contents and take responsibility for its use and application. No liability (including that for
negligence) for any loss resulting from such advice or information is accepted by Mineral Products Association or its subcontractors,
suppliers or advisors. Readers should note that the publications from MPA - The Concrete Centre are subject to revision from time
to time and should therefore ensure that they are in possession of the latest version.
Printed by Michael Burbridge Ltd, Maidenhead, UK.

Economic Concrete Frame

Elements to Eurocode 2
Contents
Pictorial index

ii

Symbols

iv

Introduction

Using the charts and data

3
3.1
3.2
3.3

In-situ concrete construction

Slabs
One-way ribbed, troughed, two-way, flat and waffle slabs
Beams
Rectangular beams, inverted L-beams, T-beams
Columns
Internal, edge and corner columns

4
4.1
4.2
4.3

Precast and composite construction

Slabs
Solid prestressed, lattice girder, hollowcore, double-tee, beam and block, and biaxial voided slabs
Beams
Rectangular, L-beams, inverted T-beams, prestressed rectangular and inverted tee-beams
Columns
Internal, edge and corner columns

87
87
106
118

5
5.1
5.2
5.3

Post-tensioned concrete construction

Post-tensioning
Slabs
One-way slabs, ribbed slabs, flat slabs
Beams
Rectangular and 2400 mm wide T-beams

123
123
126
132

6
6.1
6.2

Walls and stairs

Walls
In-situ walls, tunnel form, crosswall and twin-wall construction
Stairs
In-situ and precast stairs

136
136
140

7
7.1
7.2
7.3

Derivation of charts and data

In-situ elements
Precast and composite elements
Post-tensioned elements

142
142
151
154

8
8.1
8.2
8.3
8.4

Actions
Design values of actions
Slabs
Beams
Columns

157
157
158
162
167

9
9.1
9.2
9.3
9.4
9.5
9.6

Concrete benefits
Main design considerations
Cost
Programme
Performance in use
Architecture
Sustainability

170
170
170
171
173
175
175

10

References

179

24
24
44
72

Pictorial index
One-way slabs

Solid (with beams) p 26

(post-tensioned p 126)

Ribbed (with beams) p 30, 32

(post-tensioned p 128)

Solid (with band beams) p 28

Precast and composite slabs (with beams) p 87

Beams
T-beam
internal
Inverted
L-beam

Upstand
(or spandrel)
beam

Band beam
(wide T-beam)

Rectangular p 47; Reinforced inverted L-beams p 51; Reinforced T-beams p 61; Precast p 106; Post-tensioned p 132

ii

Contents

Two-way slabs

Troughed slabs (or ribbed slabs with

integral beams) p 34

Flat slabs

Solid p 38, 40
(post-tensioned p 126)

Solid (with beams) p 36

Waffle p 42

Columns

Walls & stairs

In-situ columns p 72
Precast columns p 118

Reinforced walls p 136

Crosswall, tunnel form and twin-wall p 138
Reinforced and precast stairs p 140

iii