Minimum Steel Reinforcement in Concrete

and Clear Cover Requirements

The minimum amount of steel reinforcement is defined as that for
which "peak load at first concrete cracking" and "ultimate load
after steel yielding" are equal. In this way, any brittle behavior is
avoided as well as any localized failure, if the member is not overreinforced.
In other words, there is a reinforcement percentage range, depending
on the size-scale, within which the plastic limit analysis may be
applied with its static and kinematic theorems.
A minimum area of reinforcement is required to control the cracking,
which occurs in the concrete due to temperature, shrinkage and creep.
It enables cracking to be uniformly distributed and therefore
minimizes individual crack width.
The following criteria have been used to determine the cross-section
area of temperature or minimum reinforcement required in hydraulic
structures. The percentages indicated are based on the gross crosssectional area of the concrete to be reinforced. Where the thickness of
the section exceeds fifteen (15) inches (380 mm), a thickness of
fifteen (15) inches (380 mm) should be used in determining the
temperature or minimum reinforcement.

he minimum ratio of required reinforcement is;

FOR SLABS:
fmin = 0.002 (for fy = 40,000 psi)
Smin = 0.0018 (for fy = 60,000 psi)

FOR WALLS:
For Vertical Steel

fmin = 0.0015

For Horizontal Steel

fmin = 0.0025
The temperature reinforcement shall not be less than inch at nine 9 inch center to center. All
concrete stilling basins, glacis and floors and all concrete aprons structures (with slab thickness >
15 inch ) shall be reinforced in the exposed (top) face with inch bars at twelve (12) inch center
to center, both ways, placed three (3) inch clear from concrete face, unless otherwise designed.
Nominal reinforcement of concrete chute blocks, baffle blocks and sills for stilling basins, aprons
and other portion of structures shall consist of inch bars at twelve (12) inch center to center,
both.
Temperature and shrinkage reinforcement should be uniformly distributed alongside faces of
structure elements to control cracking due to temperature changes, creep, and shrinkage.
Depending on the thickness of the structural element, it is preferred that the centre-to-centre
spacing of the primary and secondary reinforcement be equal to or less than 300 mm; however,
in no case should it exceed 450 mm. The minimum clear distance between bars should not be
less than 1.4 times the bar diameter or 1.4 times the nominal maximum size of the coarse
aggregate, whichever is greater. This requirement also applies to the clear distance between a
contact lap splice and adjacent splices and bars.

The minimum thickness of concrete cover over the reinforcement has been determined by
considerations of adequate fire resistance and durability. The cover for the reinforcement to meet
specified period of fire resistance is detailed as follows:

Beams

Fire

slabs

Resistance

columns

(hours)

Simply
supported

continuous

Simply
supported

continuous

0.5

20

20

20

20

20

1.0

20

20

20

20

20

1.5

20

20

25

20

20

2.0

40

30

35

25

25

3.0

60

40

45

35

25

4.0

70

50

55

45

25

Cover in excess of 40 mm (1.57 inch) may require additional measure to reduce risk of spalling.
Cover Against Spalling

Minimum
Concrete Element

Face in contact with earth

Concrete Cover

(in)

(mm)

75