Bridge Structures 7 (2011) 43–52 43

DOI:10.3233/BRS-2011-018
IOS Press

Serviceability cracking check of circular

section piers
Ioannis A. Tegos, Nikolaos C. Giannakas and Theodoros A. Chrysanidis∗
Division of Structural Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering, School of Engineering,
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece

Abstract. The obvious, if not “scandalous”, preference of Codes in rectangular sections (regarding the mathematical expressions
of their resistances, etc.) compared to other types of sections rules out circular sections; although circular sections possess a
significant share in constructions, especially concerning columns and piers. A common deficit is the serviceability cracking
check of circular section columns and piers. This check proves to be critical at bridges of large span, mainly due to constrained
expansion/contraction of the bridge superstructure. In the present study, an analytical investigation of the problem regarding
circular sections takes place. Afterwards, the current work suggests two groups of diagrams, as far as the serviceability cracking
check is concerned. One group has to do with the environmentally favourable cases and the other with the unfavourable cases.
On one hand, the consultation of those diagrams takes place through the service eccentricities and on the other hand through the
longitudinal reinforcement ratio. Both the maximum compression stress of concrete and the tensile stress of reinforcement are
defined in this way. The latter is defined either in the centre of gravity of the tensile zone or in the extreme fiber of the tensile
zone. The work herein concerns mainly designers and it covers a subject that neither Design Codes nor international bibliography
provides sufficient data.

Keywords: Circular sections, compact, hollow, serviceability

1. Introduction state, which includes serviceability cracking check. The

risk of cracking is small in cases where, for example,
The columns of the centre piers and the piles of the foundation piles are strained both under moments
the foundations, which belong to monolithic bridges and a large compressive axial force, too. But there are
of large span, are strained under constraint moments of cases where the strain due to moments prevails and so
significant value. These moments are caused by hin- the safety regarding serviceability cracking can display
dered expansions and contractions. The same thing a serious problem under certain circumstances.
happens to structures, which have plans of large area. The authors of the current work have once visited
It is a common secret, that the reinforcement of cen- a monolithic concrete bridge that was constructed as
tre piers and foundation piles is defined based on the a part of a large motorway. This concrete bridge had
results of the analysis for the ultimate limit state with- centre piers of small height. During the winter period,
out considering the results due to constraints. Moreover, it displayed service cracks (bending-type cracks at the
this reinforcement is not checked for serviceability limit head and foot of the short piers) that had a width larger
than the value of 0.3 mm. A sketch of those cracks
is shown in Fig. 1. This phenomenon was imputed to
∗ Corresponding author. T.A. Chrysanidis, MSc, DIC Civil Engi-
the fact that a serviceability cracking check never took
neer, Division of Structural Engineering, Department of Civil
place for the bridge in question.
Engineering, School of Engineering, Aristotle University of
Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece, Tel.: +30 6937759972; Cracking check is realized easily in rectangular sec-
Fax: +30 2310454366; E-mail: theodoros [email protected]. tions. The steel stress can be defined by an estimation of

1573-2487/11/$27.50 © 2011 – IOS Press and the authors. All rights reserved
44 I.A. Tegos et al. / Serviceability cracking check of circular section piers

A need for a further investigation is supported from

the fact that the use of new DIN 1045-1 [3] and DIN-
Fachbericht 102 [4] changes the way cracking check
is performed in comparison to older DIN 1045 [2].
The latest versions investigate exclusively the point of
time where formation of final cracks takes place. In
the future, the point of time where formation of the
first crack takes place has to be, additionally, certified.
With the appearance of the first crack, a rapid increment
in steel stress is noticed. Under certain circumstances,
this steel stress can be bigger than the stress which
strains steel during the formation of the final cracks.
Recently, a group of professors [8] at the Techni-
cal University of Dresden carried out the first attempt
internationally to solve this problem. The result of their
efforts was the production of certain nomograms. Based
on these nomograms, one can perform the serviceability
Fig. 1. Sketch of the cracking pattern of a pier. cracking check at columns and piles of circular section.
Nevertheless, these diagrams present imperfections,
they are hard to use and they need, like all new coming
the shape of the compressive zone using the equilibrium works, to be verified from other works [7] which utilize
conditions of the section. Reinforcement in rectangular a different path to reach to the result, like the current
sections is gathered in the tensile flange of the sections, work. Moreover, the aforementioned work from other
even when many layers of reinforcement bars exist. researchers has to be documented based on “regina pro-
Due to this fact, it is logical to assume that every rein- batiorum”, meaning experimental research. Also, the
forcement bar, which lies in the tensile zone, displays aforementioned effort [8] did not include the case of
approximately the same stress. In contrast to rectangu- hollow sections. This case is still unsettled internation-
lar sections, perimetrically reinforced circular sections ally and for the first time it is dealt herein.
display more oddities. At extreme fibers of the section
only a very small part of the circular section exhibits
maximum stress. This fact leads to the conclusion that 2. Analytical investigation
circular sections display a larger compressive zone and
a smaller internal lever arm when comparing them to 2.1. Basic design assumptions and theoretical
rectangular sections with the same static depth. As far background
as the allocated reinforcement at the periphery of the
section is concerned, one part lies in the tensile zone As is well-known, serviceability limit state dif-
and the other part lies in the compressive zone. fers from ultimate limit state in the magnitude of
At the same time, the stress at steel bars is different at stresses which arise from the analysis of the com-
each height of the section due to the distribution of bars mon load combinations. Consequently, serviceability
at the periphery. While the steel bar, which lies as far as limit state differs also from ultimate limit state in the
possible in the tensile zone, is possible to have yielded, mechanical behaviour of structural elements and their
other steel bars, which lie near to the compressive zone, materials, meaning concrete and steel [6]. The distri-
are subject to zero stress. Since, only a small num- bution of material stresses at the section, which results
ber of reinforcement steel bars display the maximum from the service strain of concrete structural elements,
stress, it is more probable the critical check of design to Figs 2 and 3, is different from the distribution which is
coincide with the serviceability cracking check. If ser- obtained by observing failure laws of materials and the
viceability cracking check is neglected, this could result stress distribution before failure of the structural ele-
to crack widths bigger than the ones allowed from envi- ment. Consequently, the familiar stress-strain diagrams
ronmental conditions and the aimed performance of the of concrete and steel, which are included in Codes and
structure. It should be noted that this danger is bigger refer to ultimate limit state conditions, are not valid for
in circular sections compared to rectangular ones. serviceability limit state conditions. The reduced strain
 I.A. Tegos et al. / Serviceability cracking check of circular section piers 45

Fig. 2. Diagram of service stresses at columns with a circular section.

The normalised values of forces are given below,

Fig. 2:
For circular compact sections:
Nd
␯d = (1a)
␲ · r2 · ␴ c
Md
␮d = (1b)
2␲ · r3 · ␴c
Fig. 3. Stress distribution along the height of section under service
loading. For circular hollow sections:
Nd
␯d =
 (2a)
␲· r2 − rs 2 · ␴ c
of structural elements in serviceability limit state, in M
contrast to the strain in ultimate limit state, on one ␮d =
d  (2b)
2␲ · r · r2 − rs 2 · ␴c
hand results to the elastic behaviour of column and
consequently to an approximately linear variation of where:
material stresses. On the other hand, the values of mate-
rial stresses differ significantly from the values of their Md service moment applied at column
yield limit. Nd service axial force applied at column
Based on the aforementioned, the normalised forces r radius of concrete circular section
␮ (normalised bending moment) and ␯ (normalised rs internal radius of concrete circular hollow
axial force), which are applied at the column during section and
the serviceability state, should be released from terms σc maximum concrete stress under service load
related to the ultimate limit state. Specifically, one of
The relative eccentricity of column ␧ is taken into
these terms is concrete design resistance. The values
account in order to deviate initially from the need to
of normalised forces ␮ and ␯ should be taken from
calculate the service compressive stress of concrete
Eqs. (1) and (2). These equations have a general form.
␴c . The relative eccentricity can be calculated from
Moreover, they have the specialness, compared to the
the applied service section forces and the geometry of
familiar equations of normalised forces at ultimate limit
column based on Equ. (3):
state, of not being immediately applicable because the
service stress of concrete ␴c , which is implicated in the Md ␮
␧= = d (3)
calculations, is not directly known at this point. 2 · r · Nd ␯d
46 I.A. Tegos et al. / Serviceability cracking check of circular section piers

Based on the equilibrium equations of the section and the conservative solution of the problem, the service-
expressing the normalised forces ␮d and ␯d as functions ability limit state relates to the stress of the extreme
of the reinforcement ratio ␳ and the angle ␸, which tensile fiber of the section of the structural element.
corresponds to the angle that the vertical axis z forms According to the rational solution, the serviceability
with the radius r at the point of neutral axis, Fig. 2: limit state relates to the stress at the point of the resultant
Circular compact sections:
 
Nd 1 1 3 n · cos ␸
␯d = = · (π − ␸) · cos ␸ + sin ␸ − sin ␸ + ·␳ (4)
π · r2 · ␴ c π · (1 + cos ␸) 3 1 + cos ␸
  
2
Md 1 1 1 2 n · 1 − 2 · dh1
␮d = = · π − ␸ + sin 2␸ · + sin ␸ + ·␳ (5)
2π · r3 · σc 8π · (1 + cos ␸) 2 3 4 · (1 + cos ␸)

Circular hollow sections:

   
(π − ␸) · cos ␸ + sin ␸ − 13 · sin3 ␸ n · cos ␸ 2 t
␯d = + ·␳− · 1− · sin3 ␸ (6)
π · (1 + cos ␸) 1 + cos ␸ 3π r · (1 + cos ␸)


2  
π − ␸ + sin 2␸ · 21 + 13 · sin2 ␸ n · 1 − 2 · dh1 1 t
␮d = + ·␳− · (1 − cos 2␸) · 1 − (7)
8π · (1 + cos ␸) 4 · (1 + cos ␸) 4π r · (1 + cos ␸)
The term n, which is implicated in the above equa- of tensile stresses of the reinforcement. It should be
tions, is the known ratio of modulus of elasticity of steel noted that the conservative solution of the problem
over modulus of elasticity of concrete Es /Ec . Its value is proposed for unfavorable environmental conditions,
is considered equal to n = 15 in the calculations. Wiese, while the rational solution is proposed for favorable
Curbach et al. [8] and Bergfelder [1] propose that the environmental conditions Fig. 3.
ratio of moduli of elasticity should take values equal
to n = 7 for experimental loads of short-term nature ␴s d1
and equal to n = 10 for long-term loads, which exist at ␴c
1
· (1 − cos ␸) −
␴s = 2 h
(8)
real structures. Nevertheless, on one hand the influence ␴c +n 1− d1
h
mainly of creep and on the other hand the reduced value
of secant modulus of elasticity compared to the value of where:
tangent modulus of elasticity, establish the aforemen-
tioned values of bibliography [1, 8] as improper for the
␴s the value of stress of extreme tensile reinforce-
calculation of service stresses. A value equal to 32 GPa
ment for service loading,
(that corresponds to concrete grade C30/37 according
␴c the value of stress of extreme compressive
to Greek Concrete Code [5]) is assumed for concrete
fiber of the section for service loading,
modulus of elasticity and a value equal to 200 GPa
n the ratio of steel modulus of elasticity over
is assumed for steel modulus of elasticity. Hence, the
concrete modulus of elasticity Es /Ec (equal to
ratio of moduli of elasticity n takes a value equal to
15) and
n = 6.25. If a minimum creep factor ␸∞ = 1.00 is taken
␸ the angle which is formed by vertical axis z
into account, then the ratio of moduli of elasticity takes a
with radius r at the point of neutral axis.
value equal to n = 6.25 · (1+␸∞ ) = 12.5. Consequently,
the minimum value of ratio n cannot be less in reality
␴s d1
than the value 12.5. If realistic values for creep factor ␴c 0.8 − cos ␸ − 1.6 ·
are taken into account, then the value for the ratio of ␴s
= d1
h
(9)
␴c +n 1.8 − 1.6 · h
moduli of elasticity of materials is equal to n = 15 or
bigger.
Based on the notation of the diagram of Fig. 2, ␴s /␴c where:
and ␴s /␴c can be written as functions of angle ␸ and
ratio d1 /h. This can be done both for the conservative ␴¯ s the value of stress at the point of the resultant
and the rational solution of the problem. According to of tensile stresses for service loading.
 I.A. Tegos et al. / Serviceability cracking check of circular section piers 47

Fig. 4. Serviceability cracking check diagrams for circular compact sections.

2.2. Proposed diagrams for design against abscissa corresponds to the normalised service moment
cracking ␮ and axis of ordinates corresponds to the normalised
service axial load ␯, as they are defined in Equs. (1)
The construction of diagrams in Figs 4 and 5 was and (2).
realized by applying the aforementioned equations in Values of stress ratios ␴s /␴c and ␴¯ s /␴c have been
appropriate computer software (MATLAB 7.0.1) [6]. designed like “rays” using a discontinuous line in the
Calculations took place for values of reinforcement resulted diagrams. These values are given in Figs 4
ratio from 1.0% till 4.0%. This range of values results and 5 for various values of the ratio d1 /h and angle
from the minimum and maximum requirements for ␸, both for the conservative and the rational solution of
longitudinal reinforcement of columns which are spec- the problem. Furthermore, the diagrams include radial
ified at the 18th Chapter of Greek Concrete Code [5]. lines, which correspond to relative eccentricity ␧.
As far as angle ␸ is concerned, calculations took place The application procedure of diagrams for the ser-
for angles ranging from ␸ = ␲/2 till ␸ = 2␲/3, with an viceability cracking check is realized as follows:
increment of ␲/36. These values of angles are the ones
which mark the limits for the cases of applications. • Initially, the relative eccentricity ␧ is found based
Various pairs of values have resulted from the calcula- on Equ. (3) using the service loads Md and Nd ,
tions for the normalised forces ␮ and ␯. These values which result from the analysis of the static system
are depicted in diagrams for ratios d1 /h = 0.05, 0.10 for the load combination of the serviceability limit
and 0.15 for circular compact sections and for ratios state.
t/r = 1/3, t/r = 1/4.5 and t/r = 1/6 for circular hollow sec- • The requested point on the diagram results by
tions. In the diagrams in question, Figs 4 and 5, axis of applying the diagram for the line depicting the rel-
48 I.A. Tegos et al. / Serviceability cracking check of circular section piers

Fig. 5. Serviceability cracking check diagrams for circular hollow sections.

ative eccentricity ␧ (that has turned up from the 2.3. Example

previous step of this procedure) and for the rein-
forcement ratio ␳ that was chosen during bending 2.3.1. Example Wiese, Curbach et al. [8, 9]
design at ultimate limit state. This point corre- N = −320.5 kN, M = 408.02 kNm, h = D = 90 cm,
sponds to a pair of values ␮d and ␯d and to a C30/37, fcd = ␣·fck /␥c = 17 MPa, ds /h = 0.9 hence
discontinuous line of stress ratio ␴s /␴c (or ␴s /␴c ). d1 /h = 0.05.
• Maximum concrete stress at compressive zone Calculation results for serviceability limit state and
␴c is calculated from Eqs. (1) and (2). Value of ultimate limit state are shown concisely at Table 1.
ratio ␴s /␴c (or ␴s /␴c ) is calculated from Eqs. (8) These results are based both on the methodology of
and (9). Having calculated ␴c and ratio ␴s /␴c (or Wiese, Curbach et al. [8, 9] and the proposed method-
␴¯ s /␴c ), the value of steel stress ␴s can be defined at ology.
this point. In the first case, this value corresponds Table 15.1 of the Greek Concrete Code [5] is
to the stress acting at the extreme tensile reinforce- advisable for moments caused by constraints and its
ment bar of the section (conservative solution). In application gives the value of the maximum permis-
the second case, the same value corresponds to the sible reinforcement bar diameter. This value is bigger
stress acting at the point of exercise of the resultant than the placed bar diameter of 20 mm. The case of con-
of tensile stresses (rational solution). servative estimation gives for the case of unfavourable
environmental conditions a result of Ø = 28 mm instead
Having calculated the value of steel stress ␴s , the of Ø = 20 mm, which is more economical but it is more
maximum permissible reinforcement bar diameter of “unsafe”. Because of this difference (although this dif-
longitudinal reinforcement can be defined using Table ference resulted from only one comparative example), it
15.1 of the Greek Concrete Code [5]. This table is was found necessary for an experiment to be conducted
advisable for strains due to constraints. (“the king of proofs”).
 I.A. Tegos et al. / Serviceability cracking check of circular section piers 49

Table 1 The loading of circular section beams was composed

Example of Wiese, Curbach et al. [8, 9] from a single load at the centre of the static span for
ULS ␯Ed /␮Ed −0.0388/0.042 hollow test specimens and from two symmetrically
␳0l 0.025
placed loads for compact test specimens, as it can be
As 29.9 cm2
seen in Fig. 7.
SLS (Wiese, n = N/D2 −0.396 A high definition crack width gauge measuring in
Curbach m = M/D3 0.56
et al.) [8, 9] ␳0l 0.0075 DIVS units (10 DIVS = 0.2 mm) was used for the mea-
As 46.34 cm2 suring of crack width in every test specimen. In this
15Ø20 are chosen according to the familiar way, cracks could be measured immediately after their
diagram appearance.
SLS ␧ = ␮/␯ 1.414
according As 47.14 cm2 (15Ø20)
3.2. Results
to proposed ␳ 0.0074
diagrams ␯/␮ −0.0525/0.0744
␴c 9.60 MPa Test specimen D1 with circular compact section, see
␴s (Rational) 127.68 MPa Fig. 8, which was loaded with two symmetrically placed
␴s (Conservative) 155.50 MPa
loads, displayed initially bending-type cracking and
then typical bending-shear-type cracking.
Test specimen D2 presented a service cracking
3. Experimental investigation of cracking of moment at 80 kNm while test specimen D3 at 123 kNm.
circular sections As far as crack width of specimen D4 is concerned,
the value 0.3 mm, which is set as a crack width limit
3.1. Test specimens – loading setups – from Codes [2, 3, 5], was overcome a few moments
Measurements before the failure of the test specimen.
Specimen D5 was constructed using half of the longi-
The experimental research, which was conducted, tudinal reinforcement that specimen D4 had and failed
included the construction of six test specimens of cir- from bending, as it was expected. The first bending-type
cular section [5]. Half of them had a compact section cracks appeared at the sides of the central compact part,
and the other half had a hollow section. All test speci- where the compact and the hollow parts of the speci-
mens were constructed at a scale 1 : 3. Test specimens men are connected. Measuring width of cracks, it was
were loaded like simply supported beams with a static found that the serviceability limit of 0.3 mm appeared
span equal to 1.60 m for compact sections and 1.50 m during the second loading cycle for a load value equal
for hollow sections. to 70 kN.
All test specimens had a diameter of 300 mm, while Specimen D6 overcame serviceability limit of
the ones with a hollow section had a ring thickness equal 0.3 mm of Codes [2, 3, 5] that corresponded to a service
to 30 mm. Concrete cover was equal to 7.5 mm for all moment of 50 kNm. The failure of specimen took place
six specimens. Ribbed bars of high ductility were used when cracking reached 0.6 mm, meaning a value which
as reinforcing steel for the longitudinal reinforcement. is two times bigger than the Code limit [2, 3, 5].
Ribbed spiral reinforcement was used as reinforcing
steel for the transverse reinforcement. Loading charac- 3.3. Appreciation of results
teristics, qualities of materials and spacing of bars of
the test specimens are presented at Table 2. Details of As far as the circular compact section is concerned,
cross sections are displayed in Fig. 6. the experimental service load of specimen D1 was com-

Table 2
Loading characteristics and qualities of materials
Test Section ␣ fck Longitudinal fyw Transverse fy Spacing of bars Concrete cover
specimen [cm] [MPa] reinforcement [MPa] reinforcement [MPa] [mm] [mm]
D1 Compact 65 23 48Ø8 520 Ø4.2/15 760 27 7.5
D2 Compact 65 32 16Ø10 520 Ø4.2/20 760 53 7.5
D3 Compact 65 23 32Ø10 520 Ø4.2/20 760 45 7.5
D4 Hollow 75 25 16Ø10 520 Ø4.2/20 760 53 7.5
D5 Hollow 75 20 8Ø10 520 Ø4.2/20 760 103 7.5
D6 Hollow 75 35 16Ø10 520 Ø4.2/20 760 53 7.5
50 I.A. Tegos et al. / Serviceability cracking check of circular section piers

(a) Test Specimen D1 (b) Test Specimen D2 (c) Test Specimen D3

(d) Test Specimen D4 (e) Test Specimen D5 (f) Test Specimen D6

Fig. 6. Cross sections of test specimens.

Fig. 7. Loading setups of test specimens.

pared with the service load that resulted analytically that their service limit was defined by the first visible
from the two methodologies. Two more experiments of appearance of cracks during the experiment, since they
circular compact sections were utilised in order to verify were not detailed recordings of crack widths.
the comparison results of the first specimen D1. For the Particularly, maximum force of specimen D1, that
latter two test specimens (D2 and D3), it was assumed corresponds to service cracking of width equal to
 I.A. Tegos et al. / Serviceability cracking check of circular section piers 51

Table 3
Geometrical characteristics and analytical and experimental values
of service moments of test specimens D2 and D3
Test specimen D2 D3
Characteristics of test Ac [cm2 ] 314 707
specimens As [cm2 ] 12.57 25.13
(16Ø10) (32Ø10)
␳ 0.040 0.035
␴s [MPa] [5] 400 400
Conservative solution ␴s /␴c 19.925 21.670
␮ 0.189 0.187
␴c [MPa] 20.075 18.460
MS [kNm] 23.840 73.200
Rational solution ␴s /␴c 16.705 18.200
␮ 0.189 0.187
␴c [MPa] 23.940 21.980
MS [kNm] 28.440 87.153
Wiese/Curbach et al. [8, 9] MS [kNm] 18.800 58.600
Fig. 8. Test specimen D1. (Cracks are clarified electronically.) Experiment MS,exp. [kNm] 80 123

which arise based on experiments. The proposed analyt-

ical solution and specifically the rational one, according
to which the assumed service stress of reinforcements
relates to the centre of gravity of tensile zone, consti-
tutes an approximation closer to the real behaviour.
The validity of the above results was investigated
with the help of two more test specimens (D2 and
D3) having circular compact sections. Service moments
were computed based both on diagrams of bibliography
and diagrams of current work and they were compared
with the critical service moments, which correspond to
the load that created the first visible cracks. Geometrical
characteristics of test specimens D2 and D3 are given
in Table 3, along with the experimental results and the
Fig. 9. Comparative diagram of compact test specimen D1.
calculations which have turned up based, both, on the
proposed diagrams and diagrams of Wiese et al. [8].
It is noticed that the analytical values of service
moments have a significant distance from the exper-
0.3 mm, on one hand, was calculated based on the dia- imental values of service moments (which cause the
grams of bibliography [8] and on the other hand on same width of cracking) for both specimens. The
proposed diagrams of this current work. Service load- experimental service moment Ms was applied under
ing and cracking load Pcrack defined the theoretical lines short-term loading. If it was possible to produce a long-
in diagram of Fig. 9. These lines refer to the conser- term experimental loading, e.g. for several months or
vative and rational ways of the proposed solution and years, then the width of cracking would reach the value
to the solution proposed in bibliography. Direct com- of 0.3 mm after the passing of this long period of loading
parison between experimental value of crack width and for a value of experimental moment equal to the theo-
analytical estimations is possible by following this way. retical value of the analytical method. This fact would
As it can be seen in Fig. 9, the experimental value take place because of the influence of creep effects.
of service limit load of test specimen D1 is fairly big- Creep of the compressive zone increases the length of
ger than the analytical value according to Wiese and the tensile zone. Therefore, initial cracks of small width
Curbach et al. [8, 9]. Analytical solution of bibliogra- widen without the increment of the value of experimen-
phy gives much more conservative results compared, on tal moment. Consequently, because of the lack of creep
one hand to the suggested, in the current article, ana- effects in experiments, a bigger value of experimental
lytical solution and on the other hand to the real results moment was necessary in order to produce experimen-
52 I.A. Tegos et al. / Serviceability cracking check of circular section piers

tally the same width of cracking (equal to 0.3 mm) as service stresses, to the definition of the permissible
in theory. diameter of longitudinal bars of bending reinforce-
ment, with the intervention of Table 15.1 of Greek
4. Conclusions Concrete Code [5]. Therefore, the suggested dia-
grams can be characterized as easy to use and they
In the framework of the current work, an analytical are linked to the existing “familiar way”.
investigation of the problem of serviceability cracking
of circular section columns (compact and hollow) was
attempted, since this matter is “terra incognita”, not
only for Codes [2, 3, 5] but for bibliography. There References
is only one work of the same kind to display that is
relatively recent. The discovered small difference of [1] J. Bergfelder and J. Dittfach, Crack limitation in reinforced con-
crete piles, Beton- and stahlbetonbau 87(1) (1992), 4–8 and
results (through only one example) between the two 46–49.
analytical proposals led to the conduction of an exper- [2] DIN 1045: 1988-07. Reinforced concrete – Design and execu-
imental program that aimed to the unravelling of this tion.
small difference. [3] DIN 1045-1: 2001-07. Concrete structures, Reinforced and pre-
stressed concrete – Part 1: Design and construction.
The following main conclusions can be noted: [4] DIN-Fachbericht 102: 2001. Concrete bridges. German Institute
for Standardisation e. V., Beuth Verlag GmbH.
• Based on results of a limited number of appropri- [5] Earthquake Planning and Protection Organisation, 2000. Greek
ate test specimens of the conducted experimental Concrete Code 2000.
investigation, it is possible to outline the conclu- [6] N. Giannakas and I. Tegos, Design of circular compact and
sion that the current analytical research ends up to hollow sections against shear, 15th Greek concrete conference,
TEE, 2006.
results which are closer to the experiment while [7] N. Giannakas and I. Tegos, The reinforcement of circular
the previous research of the bibliography ends up columns under axial load and biaxial bending of earthquake
to more conservative results. One probable expla- resistant structures. 3rd Greek Conference on Earthquake Engi-
nation of this difference might be the fact that the neering and Engineering Seismology, 5–7 November, 2008,
Athens.
latter research (of the bibliography) emphasizes [8] H. Wiese, M. Curbach, K. Speck, S. Weiland, L. Eckfeld
on the case of piles, while the first research (of the and T. Hampel, Verification of crack limitation for reinforced
current work) emphasizes on columns of centre concrete elements. Monographic series for civil engineering,
Dresden, 2002.
piers.
[9] H. Wiese, M. Curbach, K. Speck, S. Weiland, L. Eckfeld and
• The proposed diagrams lead eventually, through T. Hampel, Verification of crack limitation for circular cross
concrete service stresses and mainly through steel section, Beton- and stahlbetonbau 99(4) (2004), 253–261.