Design Guide for Reinforced Concrete Diaphragms

1 4A

𝑤𝑤��� � 0.17 -kip⁄�t

𝑤𝑤��� � 0.07 -kip⁄�t

N

15� -0″ 35� -4″

𝑅𝑅� � 1.60 -kip 𝑅𝑅� � 1.48 -kip 𝑅𝑅� � 3.02 -kip

1.60 1.78

0.30
Shear �-kips

3.02
29.0

14.8

Moment �� -kips
ft

30.3�

Figure 10.4 Equivalent distributed load, shear diagram, and moment diagram for wind in the south direction.

In the east segment of the diaphragm:

• Wind in the west direction

In the north segment of the diaphragm, the maximum moment is equal to 38.1 ft-kips (see Figure 10.5). There-
fore, using Equation (6.7), the maximum chord forces are equal to the following:

In the south segment of the diaphragm:

(e) Determine the unit shear forces, net shear forces, and collector forces.
• Wind in the south direction
The maximum unit shear force in the diaphragm for wind in the south direction occurs at Wall 1:

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Design Guide for Reinforced Concrete Diaphragms

E AA

𝑤𝑤��� � 0.15 -kip⁄�t

𝑤𝑤��� � 0.09 -kip⁄�t
E

27� -8″ 27� -8″

𝑅𝑅� � 2.75 -kip 𝑅𝑅� � 0.60 -kip 𝑅𝑅� � 3.35 -kip

2.75

0.45
Shear �-kips
0.15

3.35
38.1 38.9
38.0

Moment �� -kips
ft

26.4�

31.3�

Figure 10.5 Equivalent distributed load, shear diagram, and moment diagram for wind in the west direction.

The unit shear forces, net shear forces, and collector forces in the diaphragm at Wall 2 are given in Figure 10.6
assuming that the collector is the portion of the slab in line with Wall 2 and that the width of the collector is
equal to the thickness of Wall 2.

• Wind in the west direction

The maximum unit shear force in the diaphragm for wind in the west direction occurs at Wall 5:

The unit shear forces, net shear forces, and collector forces in the diaphragm at Wall 4 are given in Figure 10.7
assuming that the collector is the portion of the slab in line with Wall 4 and that the width of the collector is
equal to the thickness of Wall 4.

• Step 5 – Determine Combined Load Effects

Combined load effects are determined for this building that is assigned to SDC A using the applicable strength design load
combinations in ACI 5.3 (see Table 5.1 of this publication) and ASCE/SEI 2.6.1 (see Figure 9.4).

The governing combined out-of-plane load effects are determined in Part 2(b) of Step 2 above. The maximum factored uni-
form load on the roof slab due to dead and rain loads is equal to 184.2 psf (see Table 10.1).

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 Design Guide for Reinforced Concrete Diaphragms

0.03 kips⁄ft 0.05 kips⁄ft 0.02 kips⁄ft

1.48
� 0.05 kips⁄ft
27.7

27� -8″
②

④
0.6 kips

0.30
� 0.01 kips⁄ft
27.7
1.78
� 0.03 kips⁄ft
55.4
27� -8″

0.02 kips⁄ft 0.02 kips⁄ft

N
𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔 𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍 𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂

Figure 10.6 Unit shear forces, net shear forces, and collector forces in the diaphragm at Wall 2.

The governing in-plane load effects are due to wind in this example (see Parts 1(a) and 1(b) in Step 3 above). Thus, ACI Equa-
tion (5.3.1d) must be used where the load factor on is equal to 1.0. The shear and collector forces in the diaphragm are
given in Figures 10.4 and 10.6 for wind in the south direction and in Figures 10.5 and 10.7 for wind in the west direction.

• Step 6 – Determine the Chord Reinforcement

The flowchart in Figure 9.5 is used to determine the required area of chord reinforcement in both directions.

The chord forces in the north-south and east-west directions are determined in Part 3(d) of Step 4 above.
1. Wind in the north-south direction
In the north-south direction, the chord forces in the west and east segments of the diaphragm are essentially equal,
and the required area of chord reinforcement is determined by Equation (8.4) of this publication:

2. Wind in the east-west direction

In the east-west direction, the required area of chord reinforcement in the north and south segments is equal to the
following using the larger of the two calculated values of :

Because the required area of chord reinforcement is very small in both directions, it is safe to assume that the flexural
reinforcement at the edges of the slab along column lines A, C, E, 1, 2, and 4 is adequate and no additional chord rein-
forcement is needed.

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Design Guide for Reinforced Concrete Diaphragms

15� -0″ 17� -8″ 17� -8″

0.60 0.15
� 0.040 kips⁄ft � 0.004 kips⁄ft
15.0 35.3
N
④

0.45
� 0.009 kips⁄ft
50.3

0.040 kips⁄ft

𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔𝐔
0.009 kips⁄ft 0.013 kips⁄ft

0.031 kips⁄ft

𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍

0.013 kips⁄ft

0.5 kips

𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂
𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂𝐂

Figure 10.7 Unit shear forces, net shear forces, and collector forces in the diaphragm at Wall 4.

• Step 7 – Determine the Diaphragm Shear Reinforcement

The flowchart in Figure 9.6 is used to determine the area of shear reinforcement, if required.

The largest factored unit shear force in the diaphragm occurs along Wall 5 for wind in the west direction and is equal to 0.08
kips/ft (see Part 3(e) in Step 4 above). The design shear strength of the diaphragm is determined using Equation (7.3) of this
publication where and assuming the shear reinforcement :

Alternatively, can be determined from Table 7.3 of this publication: for a 7.0-in. slab thickness,
, and 4,000-psi concrete. Thus, .

Therefore, the shear strength of the diaphragm is adequate without shear reinforcement.

• Step 8 – Determine the Shear Transfer Reinforcement

The flowchart in Figure 9.7 is used to determine the required areas of shear transfer reinforcement between the diaphragm
and the walls and the diaphragm and the collector elements.

1. Determine shear transfer reinforcement between the diaphragm and the walls.
(a) Wind in the north-south direction
The largest unit shear force occurs in Wall 1 and is equal to 0.06 kips/ft (see Part 3e of Step 4 above).
The required area of shear-friction reinforcement between the diaphragm and Wall 1 can be determined by Equa-

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