In the past, we have blogged about how ACI 318-14 has been completely reorganized to be a member-based document. The idea is that within each chapter devoted to a particular member type such as beam or column, the user will find all the requirements necessary to design that particular member type. Through its 2011 edition, certain chapters of ACI 318 contained provisions that applied to all member types, while there were other chapters that contained requirements specific to a particular member type. The advantage of moving to the new member-based format of ACI 318-14 becomes evident from the following question we recently responded to.

Q. I have a question about Table 10.7.6.5.2 in the new ACI 318-14. The table shows the maximum spacing of shear reinforcement in columns. I do not recall this table in ACI 318-11. When a column requires shear reinforcement (Vu>φVc/2), has the requirement always been that maximum spacing must be less than d/2 per 11.4.5.1 (ACI 318-11) or does this requirement not apply to columns (compression members)? I always thought this limitation applied to all members subjected to shear but many engineers in my office do not agree with that statement. It is pretty clear in this new code but was somewhat vague in the old. Thanks for any help.

A. The provisions of ACI 318-11 Sections 11.1 through 11.4 have always applied to beams as well as columns. If ACI 318 did not mean them to be applicable to columns, that would have been specifically stated. If different provisions were meant to apply to beams and columns, a clear distinction would have been made between the requirements for beams and those for columns. ACI 318-11 Sections 11.1-11.4 in fact apply to all structural members for which specific provisions are not included in Chapter 11. Such structural members are: Deep beams (11.7), Brackets and corbels (11.8), Walls (11.9), and Slabs and footings (11.11). Please note that 318-11 Section 11.10 gives you provisions for beam-column joints.

There’s no change in the above regard from ACI 318-11 to ACI 318-14. The tabular format used as often as possible in ACI 318-14 just makes certain things clearer, as you yourself have noted.