DEFLECTION IN REINFORCED CONCRETE STRUCTURES
Course: CE 424 – Design of Reinforced Concrete Structures II
Topic: Serviceability Limit State (SLS) – Deflection
Examples of deflection
Note: Examples are illustrative. Use your selected code (BS 8110 / EC2) and state assumptions.
1. Recap: Key Ideas
Deflection checks ensure serviceability. RC members often crack under service loads, reducing
stiffness. Total deflection includes short-term (immediate) and long-term (creep + shrinkage)
components.
2. Worked Example A: Beam Deflection (Direct Calculation)
Problem statement
A simply supported RC beam spans L = 6.0 m and supports a service uniform load (including self-
weight) of w = 15 kN/m. Estimate (i) immediate midspan deflection using an effective stiffness
approach, and (ii) total deflection including creep using a multiplier.
Given/assumed data
• Span, L = 6.0 m = 6000 mm
• Service UDL, w = 15 kN/m = 15 N/mm
• Concrete modulus, Ec = 28,000 N/mm² (typical for normal-weight concrete)
• Beam section: b × h = 250 × 500 mm (effective depth not required for this simplified
deflection)
• Use effective second moment of area I_eff = 0.40 I_g (to account for cracking)
• Long-term factor for sustained load: λ = 2.0 (typical)
Step 1: Gross second moment of area
For a rectangular section: I_g = b h³ / 12
I_g = 250 × 500³ / 12
500³ = 125,000,000 mm³
I_g = 250 × 125,000,000 / 12 = 2,604,166,667 mm⁴ ≈ 2.604 × 10⁹ mm⁴
Step 2: Effective inertia
I_eff = 0.40 I_g = 0.40 × 2.604 × 10⁹ = 1.042 × 10⁹ mm⁴
Step 3: Immediate deflection (simply supported beam, UDL)
Midspan deflection:
δ_i = 5 w L⁴ / (384 E I)
Compute L⁴:
L² = 6000² = 36,000,000 mm²
L⁴ = (36,000,000)² = 1.296 × 10¹⁵ mm⁴
Now:
Numerator = 5 × 15 × 1.296 × 10¹⁵ = 9.72 × 10¹⁶
Denominator = 384 × 28,000 × 1.042 × 10⁹
384 × 28,000 = 10,752,000
Denominator = 1.0752 × 10⁷ × 1.042 × 10⁹ = 1.121 × 10¹⁶
δ_i = 9.72 × 10¹⁶ / 1.121 × 10¹⁶ = 8.67 mm (≈ 8.7 mm)
Step 4: Long-term and total deflection
Assume sustained load governs creep effects using λ = 2.0:
δ_total ≈ δ_i × (1 + λ) = 8.67 × (1 + 2.0) = 26.0 mm
Serviceability check
Typical limit: δ_allow = L/250 = 6000/250 = 24 mm.
Computed δ_total ≈ 26 mm > 24 mm → NOT OK.
Possible remedies: increase depth, add compression steel, reduce span (secondary beam), or
reduce load.
3. Worked Example B: Slab Deflection (Span/Depth + Quick Check)
Problem statement
A one-way RC slab spans 4.5 m between beams and carries typical office loading. Check whether
the proposed slab thickness t = 150 mm is likely adequate for deflection control using
span/depth rules, then make a quick elastic deflection estimate.
Given/assumed data
• Effective span, L = 4.5 m = 4500 mm
• Slab thickness, t = 150 mm; assume effective depth d ≈ 125 mm (allowing for cover + bar
diameter)
• Service load (typical): g + q ≈ 7.0 kN/m² (illustrative)
• Consider a 1 m wide strip: w = 7.0 kN/m² × 1.0 m = 7.0 kN/m = 7 N/mm
• Concrete modulus Ec = 28,000 N/mm² (typical)
• Assume cracking reduces stiffness: I_eff = 0.35 I_g (illustrative)
• Long-term multiplier λ = 2.0 (typical for slabs with sustained load)
Part (i): Span/depth check (one-way simply supported)
Compute slenderness:
L/d = 4500/125 = 36
Typical basic limit for simply supported members ≈ 20 (modified upward depending on
reinforcement and concrete).
Since 36 is significantly higher than 20, a direct deflection calculation is advisable.
Part (ii): Quick direct deflection estimate (1 m strip, UDL)
For a 1 m strip: b = 1000 mm, h = t = 150 mm
Gross inertia: I_g = b h³ / 12 = 1000 × 150³ / 12
150³ = 3,375,000
I_g = 1000 × 3,375,000 / 12 = 281,250,000 mm⁴ = 2.8125 × 10⁸ mm⁴
I_eff = 0.35 I_g = 0.35 × 2.8125 × 10⁸ = 9.844 × 10⁷ mm⁴
Immediate midspan deflection:
δ_i = 5 w L⁴ / (384 E I)
L⁴: 4500² = 20,250,000; L⁴ = (20,250,000)² = 4.100625 × 10¹⁴ mm⁴
Numerator = 5 × 7 × 4.100625 × 10¹⁴ = 1.435219 × 10¹⁶
Denominator = 384 × 28,000 × 9.844 × 10⁷
384 × 28,000 = 10,752,000 = 1.0752 × 10⁷
Denominator = 1.0752 × 10⁷ × 9.844 × 10⁷ = 1.058 × 10¹⁵
δ_i = 1.435219 × 10¹⁶ / 1.058 × 10¹⁵ = 13.6 mm
Long-term and total deflection
δ_total ≈ δ_i × (1 + λ) = 13.6 × 3 = 40.8 mm
Serviceability check
Typical limit: L/250 = 4500/250 = 18 mm.
Computed δ_total ≈ 40.8 mm > 18 mm → NOT OK.
Remedies: increase slab thickness, introduce drop panels/beams, reduce span, or increase
reinforcement ratio.
4. What to be Emphasize
• Always separate immediate and long-term components.
• Cracking reduces stiffness drastically; use I_eff or code-based expressions.
• Sustained portion of load drives creep; be clear what is sustained vs transient.
• Deflection limits depend on finishes and usage; specify the applicable limit.