HOW TO DESIGN

CONCRETE
STRUCTURES
Slabs
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How to design concrete structures using Eurocode 2

3. Slabs
Introduction Designing to Eurocode 2
This to be redrafted as appropriate in
each country.
This guide covers the analysis and design of slabs to Eurocode 21.
Eurocode 2 does not contain the derived formulae or specific guidance
This publication is part of the series of
on determining moments and shear forces. This has arisen because it
guides entitled How to design concrete
has been European practice to give principles in the codes and for the
structures using Eurocode 2.Their aim
detailed application to be presented in other sources such as textbooks.
is to make the transition to Eurocode 2:
Design of concrete structures as easy
The first guide in this series, How to design concrete structures using
as possible by drawing together in one
Eurocode 2: Introduction to Eurocodes2, highlighted the key differences
place key information and commentary
between Eurocode 2 and the national codes, including terminology. A
required for the design of typical
separate guide in this series covers the design of flat slabs3.
concrete elements.
Where NDPs occur in the text in this publication, recommended values
in EN 1992 are used and highlighted in yellow. The UK values have
been used for NDPs embedded in figures and charts and the relevant
NDPs are scheduled separately to assist other users in adapting the
figures and charts. (Derivations can be found at www.eurocode2.info.)
A list of symbols related to slab design is given at the end of this guide.

Design procedure
A procedure for carrying out the detailed design of slabs is shown in
Table 1 This assumes that the slab thickness has previously been
determined during conceptual design. More detailed advice on
determining design life, actions, material properties, methods of
analysis, minimum concrete cover for durability and control of crack
widths can be found in the accompanying guide How to design concrete
structures using Eurocode 2: Getting started4.

Fire resistance
Eurocode 2, Part 1–2: Structural fire design5, gives a choice of
advanced, simplified or tabular methods for determining the fire
resistance. Using tables is the fastest method for determining the
minimum dimensions and cover for slabs. There are, however, some
restrictions which should be adhered to. Further guidance on the
advanced and simplified methods can be obtained from specialist
literature.

Rather than giving a minimum cover, the tabular method is based on

nominal axis distance, a. This is the distance from the centre of the
main reinforcing bar to the surface of the member. It is a nominal
(not minimum) dimension, so the designer should ensure that
a ≥ cnom + φlink + φbar /2. The requirements for various types of slab are
given in Table 2.
Figure 1 Flexure
Procedure for determining flexual reinforcement
The design procedure for flexural design is given in
Figure 1; this includes derived formulae based on the
simplified rectangular stress block from Eurocode 2.
Where appropriate, Table 3 may be used todetermine
bending moments and shear forces for slabs. Further
information for the design of two-way, ribbed or waffle
slabs is given in the appropriate sections on pages 5
and 6.
Eurocode 2 offers various methods for determining the
stress-strain relationship of concrete. For simplicity the
Deflection
method presented here is the simplified rectangular
Eurocode 2 has two alternative methods of designing for
stress block (see Figure 2).
deflection, either by limiting span-to-depth ratio or by
assessing the theoretical deflection using the Expressions
The Eurocode gives recommendations for the design of
given in the Eurocode. The latter is dealt with in detail in
concrete up to class C90/105. However, for concrete
another guide in this series, How to design concrete structures
greater than class C50/60, the stress block is modified.
using Eurocode 2: Deflection6.
It is important to note that concrete strength is based
on the cylinder strength and not the cube strength (i.e.
The span-to-depth ratios should ensure that deflection is
for class C28/35 the cylinder strength is 28 MPa,
limited to span/250 and this is the procedure presented in
whereas the cube strength is 35 MPa).
Figure 3.

Note
Design for shear
It is not usual for a slab to contain shear reinforcement,
therefore it is only necessary to ensure that the concrete
shear stress capacity without shear reinforcement
(vRd,c – see Table 7 is more than applied shear stress
(vEd = VEd/(bd)). Where shear reinforcement is required,
e.g. for ribs in a ribbed slab, refer to How to design
concrete structures using Eurocode 2: Beams7.

Two-way slabs
There is no specific guidance given in Eurocode 2 on how
to determine the bending moments for a two-way slab.
The assessment of the bending moment can be carried
out using any suitable method from Section 5 of the Code.
However, co-efficients may be obtained from Table 8 ( to
determine bending moments per unit width (Msx and Msy)
where:

Msx = βsxwlx2

Msy = βsywlx2

Where βsx and βsy are coefficients, lx is the shorter span

and w (load per unit area) is the STR ultimate limit state
combination. For more information on combinations refer
to How to design concrete structures using Eurocode 2:
Introduction to Eurocodes2.
Ribbed or waffle slabs Figure 6
Procedure for determining flexural capacity of flanged ribs
Current practices for determining forces in ribbed and waffle
slabs may also be used for designs to Eurocode 2. Where a
waffle slab is treated as a two-way slab refer to previous
section, but note that their torsional stiffness is significantly
less than for a two-way slab and the bending moment
co-efficients may not be applicable. Where it is treated as a
flat slab reference may be made to How to design concrete
structures to Eurocode 2: Flat slabs3

The position of the neutral axis in the rib should be

determined, and then the area of reinforcement can be
calculated depending on whether it lies in the flange or web
(see flow chart in Figure 6. Where a slab is formed with
permanent blocks or a with a topping thickness less than 50
mm and one-tenth of the clear distance between ribs it is
recommended that a longitudinal shear check is carried out
to determine whether additional transverse reinforcement
isrequired (see EN 1992–1–1,Cl 6.2.4).
Rules for spacing andquantity of
reinforcement
Minimum area of principal reinforcement
The minimum area of principal reinforcement in the main
direction is As,min = 0.26 fctm bt d/fyk but not less than
0.0013btd, where bt is the mean width of the tension zone
(see Table 6). For a T-beam with the flange in compression,
only the width of the web is taken into accountin calculating
the value of bt.

Minimum area of secondary reinforcement

The minimum area of secondary transverse reinforcement is
20% As,min. In areas near supports, transverse reinforcement
is not necessary where there is no transverse bending
moment.

Maximum area of reinforcement

Outside lap locations, the maximum area of tension or
compression reinforcement should not exceed
As,max = 0.04 Ac

Minimum spacing of reinforcement

The minimum clear distance between bars should be the
greater of:
■ 1.0 xBar diameter
■ Aggregate size plus 5 mm
■ 20 mm

Maximum spacing of reinforcement

For slabs less than 200 mm thick the following maximum
spacing rules apply:
■ For the principal reinforcement: 3h but not more than
400 mmn
■ For the secondary reinforcement: 3.5h but not more than
450 mm

The exception is in areas with concentrated loads or areas

of maximum moment where the following applies:
■ For the principal reinforcement: 2h but not more than
250 mm
■ For the secondary reinforcement: 3h but not more than
400 mm
Where h is the depth of the slab.

For slabs 200 mm thick or greater crack control might limit the
spacing and reference should also be made to section 7.3.3
of the Code or How to design concrete structures using
Eurocode 2: Getting started5.
References
1 Eurocode 2: Design of concrete structures – Part 1–1 General rules and rules for buildings. EN 1992–1–1:2004.
2 NARAYANAN, R S & BROOKER, O. How to design concrete structures using Eurocode 2: Introduction to Eurocodes.
The Concrete Centre, 2005.
3 MOSS, R M & BROOKER, O. How to design concrete structures using Eurocode 2: Flat slabs. The Concrete Centre, 2006.
4 BROOKER, O. How to design concrete structures using Eurocode 2: Getting started. The Concrete Centre, 2005.
5 EN 1992–1–2, Eurocode 2: Design of concrete structures. General rules – structural fire design, BSI 2004.
6 WEBSTER, R & BROOKER, O. How to design concrete structures using Eurocode 2: Deflection calculations. The Concrete
Centre, 2006.
7 MOSS, R M & BROOKER, O. How to design concrete structures using Eurocode 2: Beams. The Concrete Centre,2006.

Acknowledgements

This guide was originally published by BCA and The Concrete Centre in the UK. The authors of the original publication were
R M Moss BSc, PhD, Ceng, MICE, MIStructE and O Brooker BEng, CEng, MICE, MIStructE.

Europeanised versions of Concise EC2 and How To Leaflets

Convention used in the text
1. Nationally determined parameters that occur in the text have been highlighted yellow

2. Text is highlighted in pink indicates that some action is required on the part of the
country adapting the documents for its use