Background
A number of significant updates have been made with AS3600:2018 Amdt 2, whose key effects are on the spacing and quantity of shear fitments / ligatures required. ClearCalcs has updated its calculator for consistency with this new amendment. ClearCalcβs concrete calculators affected by Amendment 2 changes are:- L-Type Cantilever Retaining Wall
- Rectangular Concrete Beam
- Rectangular Concrete Column
- Concrete Pad Footing
- One-Way Concrete Flat Slab
- Concrete Wall Footing
Capacity Reduction Factor (Bending Moment with compression)
- Table 2.2.2 (d) has changed the Ξ¦β factor to be equivalent to . There is a minor impact on the reduction factor where columns are slender or where , refer to calculations for .
Shear Strength
- Upper limit shear strength has been reduced by 10% in Equation 8.2.3.3(1).
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Factor (simplified method) increases the concrete shear capacity by up to 50% from Amendment 1, in particular for thinner depth sections without reinforcement.
Previously a limit of was placed for any beam where minimum shear reinforcement was not satisfied or no fitments were provided. This has now been increased to . Refer Clause 8.2.4.3(a).
Fitment Detailing / Spacing Requirements
- The minimum reinforcement spacing is now relaxed for beams with low shear force. Where , the fitments may now be spaced at 500mm or whereas previously 300mm or limit was imposed under all circumstances apart from very large beams.
- For a short column satisfying , Amendment 2 has introduced minor changes to the max allowable fitment spacing to reflect the actual fitment strength instead of previously in accordance with Clause 14.5.4(b).
- For beams of , shear fitments are now required even when . An additional factor has been added factoring down the upper limit shear force that may be taken without adding fitments in Clause 8.2.1.6(1).
Renaming of Variables
- is now renamed to (smaller column cross-sectional dimensions). Refer Clause 1.7.
- is now renamed to (Beam Depth Factor to Determine Reinforcement Required). The definition of in Clause 1.7 has not been updated in Amendment 2 from its previous version. It is believed that this definition should be further expanded in future revisions to reflect its use in Clause 8.2.1.6(1).
Assumptions
- The above is not a comprehensive list of Amendment 2 changes. However, they do reflect all the changes that are relevant to calculations performed in ClearCalcs.
- ClearCalcs concrete calculators utilise the Simplified Method for calculating and in compliance with Clause 8.2.4.1. Therefore, the Amendment 2 updates for the βGeneral Methodβ in Clause 8.2.4.2 are not listed above. `