DESIGN OF SLABS

Reinforced concrete slabs are large flat plates that are supported by reinforced concrete
beams, walls, or columns, by masonry walls, by structural steel beams or columns, or
by the ground.

 Types of Slabs

If they are supported on two opposite sides only, they are referred to as one-way slabs
since the bending is in one direction only, that is, perpendicular to the supported edges.
Should the slab be supported by beams on all four edges, it is referred to as a two-way
slab since the bending is in both directions. Actually, if a rectangular slab is supported
on all four sides, but the long side is two or more times as long as the short side, the
slab will, for all practical purposes, act as a one-way slab, with bending primarily
occurring in the short direction. Such slabs are designed as one-way slabs.

Lb
2 (One-way slab)
La

 Design of One-Way Slabs

A one-way slab is assumed to be a rectangular beam with a large ratio of width to

depth. Normally, a 1-meter-wide piece of such a slab is designed as a beam (see Figure
7.1), the slab being assumed to consist of a series of such beams side by side. The
method of analysis used is somewhat conservative due to the lateral restraint provided
by the adjacent parts of the slab. Normally, a beam will tend to expand laterally
somewhat as it bends, but this tendency to expand by each of the 1-m strips is resisted
by the adjacent 1-m-wide strips, which tend to expand also. In other words, Poisson’s
ratio is assumed to be zero.

La

Lb

1m
Temperature/Shrinkage
Reinforcement

Main Reinforcement

Figure 7.1. Unit Strip Basis for Flexural Design

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 The load supported by the one-way slab including its own weight is transferred to
the members supporting the edges of the slab. Obviously, the reinforcing for flexure is
placed perpendicular to these supports, that is, parallel to the long direction of the 1-
meter beams. This flexural reinforcing may not be spaced farther apart than 3 times the
slab thickness, or farther than 450 mm according to Section 407.7.5 of the NSCP. Of
course, there will be some reinforcing placed in the other direction to resist shrinkage
and temperature stresses (Section 407.13 of the NSCP).

1. 3t
s (1)
2. 450 mm

The thickness required for a particular one-way slab depends on the bending,
deflection, and shear requirements. Section 409.6.2.1 of the NSCP provides minimum
permissible beam and slab depths (see Table 409.1). The purpose of such limitations is
to prevent deflections of such magnitudes as would interfere with the use of or cause
injury to the structure.

Table 409.1 – Minimum Thickness of Nonprestressed Beams or

One-Way Slabs Unless Deflections are Computed.
Minimum Thickness, h
Simply One end Both ends
Cantilever
Member Supported continuous continuous
Members not supporting or attached to partitions or other
construction likely to be damaged by large deflections
Solid one-way
L/20 L/24 L/28 L/10
slabs
Beams or
ribbed one way L/16 L/18.5 L/21 L/8
slabs
*Span length L is in millimetes
Members given shall be used directly for members with normal weight concrete (w c=2,300
kg/m3) and Grade 415 reinforcement. For other conditions, the values shall be modified as
follows.
a) For structural lightweight concrete having unit weight in the range 1,500-
2,000 kg/m3, the values shall be multiplied by (1.65 - 0.0003wc) but not
less than 1.09, where wc is the unit weight in kg/m3.
b) For fy other than 415 MPa, the values shall be multiplied by (0.4 + fy / 700)

As concrete hardens, it shrinks. In addition, temperature changes occur that

cause expansion and contraction of the concrete. Section 407.13.1 of the NSCP states
that shrinkage and temperature reinforcement must be provided in a direction normal to
the main reinforcement for one-way slabs. The NSCP (Section 407.13.2.1) states that
the minimum area of shrinkage and temperature reinforcement is equal to:

A st  0.0020bt for Grade 230 and Grade 275 deformed bars

A st  0.0018bt for Grade 415 deformed bars or welded wire fabric

Where: b = 1000 mm

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 t = thickness of the slab
Section 407.13.2.2 of the NSCP states that shrinkage and temperature
reinforcement may not be spaced farther apart than five times the slab thickness, or 450
mm.
1. 5t
s st   (2)
2. 450 mm

The NSCP (Section 407.8.1) states that the minimum concrete cover for
reinforcement in slabs (36 mm  and smaller bars) is 20 mm clear when the slab is not
exposed to weather or in contact with ground. For concrete cast against and
permanently exposed to earth a minimum cover of 75 mm is required.

SAMPLE PROBLEMS: DESIGN OF ONE –WAY SLABS

Example 1.
Design a one-way slab (located inside a building) with a simple span of 3.0 m. The slab
carries a floor liveload of 7.20 kPa. Use fc  27.6 MPa and fy  276 MPa.
'

Solution: wu (kN/m)

1. Determine the slab thickness, t :

(Based on the minimum thickness
provided on Section 409.6.2.1 of L=3m

the NSCP)
L  fy  3000  276 
t min   0.4    0.4   119 mm
20  700  20  700 
Say, use 125 mm slab thickness

2. Calculate the ultimate loads,

Note: Consider only a 1-meter-wide strip of the slab.

wDL  23.5  1.00   0.125   2.94 kN/m

wLL  7.20  1.00   7.20 kN/m
w u  1.4  2.94   1.7  7.20   16.36 kN/m

3. Calculate Mu ,
w L2 16.36  3 
2

Mu  u   18.4 kN.m
8 8

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4. Calculate R u ,

Note: d  t  25  125  25  100 mm

18.4(10)6
Ru   2.044 MPa
0.9(1000)(100)2

5. Calculate the required  ,

0.85(27.6)  2(2.044) 
  1  1    0.00776
(276)  0.85(27.6) 

6. Check for min ,

fc ' 1.4
min  
4fy fy
27.6
min   0.004759
4(276)
1.4 1.4
  0.005072
fy 276
Therefore, min  0.005072 <   0.00776 Ok!

7. Check for max ,

0.75(0.85)(0.85)(27.6)  600 
max  0.75b   
276  600  276 
max  0.037115 >   0.00776 Ok!

Note: When   max increase slab thickness.

Therefore, use   0.00776 .

8. Calculate As,

A s  bd  0.00776(1000)(100)  776 mm2

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 9. Select bar size and compute the required spacing,

Using 12mm bars (Ab = 113 mm2)

1000A b 1000(113)
s   145 mm
As 776

10. Check for minimum spacing,

 1. 3t  3(125)  375mm
s max  
2. 450mm

Therefore, use 12 mm  main bars at 125 mm O.C.

11. Design of Shrinkage and Temperature Steel,

A st  0.002bt  0.002  1000   125   250 mm2

Using 10mm bars (Ab = 78.5 mm2)
1000A b 1000(78.5)
s st    314 mm
A st 250
Check for minimum spacing of shrinkage and temperature bars,
 1. 5t  5(125)  625mm
s st / max  
2. 450mm

Therefore, use 10 mm  shrinkage and temperature bars at 300 mm O.C.

 NSCP Coefficients for Continuous Beams and Slabs

(Approximate Analysis)

A very common method used for the design of continuous reinforced concrete
structures involves the use of the NSCP coefficients given in Section 408.4.3 of the
NSCP. These coefficients, which are reproduced in Table 1, provide estimated
maximum shear and moments for buildings of normal proportions. The values
calculated in this manner will usually be somewhat larger than those that would be
obtained with an exact analysis.
According to the NSCP, this method serves as an alternative to the more exact
analysis provided:
1. there are two or more spans,
2. spans are approximately equal, with larger of two adjacent spans not greater
than the shorter by more than 20 percent,
3. loads are uniformly distributed,
4. unit live load does not exceed three times unit dead load, and
5. members are prismatic

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Table 1. NSCP Coefficients

POSITIVE MOMENT:

End Spans
1 2
Discontinuous end unrestrained - - - - - - - - - - - - - - wuL n
11
1 2
Discontinuous end integral with support - - - - - - - - wuL n
14
1 2
Interior spans - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - wuL n
16

NEGATIVE MOMENT:

At exterior face of first interior support

1 2
wuL n
Two spans - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
9
1 2
More than two spans - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - wuL n
10
1 2
At other faces of interior supports - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - wuL n
11

At face of all supports for: slabs with spans not

Exceeding 3 meters; and beams where ratio of
sum of column stiffnesses to beam stiffness exceeds
1 2
eight at each end of the span - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - wuL n
12

At interior face of exterior support for

members built integrally with supports:
1 2
where support is a spandrel beam - - - - - - - - - - - - wuL n
24
1 2
where support is a column - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - wuL n
16

SHEAR:

1.15 2
At first of first interior support - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - wuL n
2
1 2
At first of all other supports - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - wuL n
2

Where: w u = factored load per unit length of beam or per unit area of slab
L n = clear span for positive moment or shear and average of
adjacent clear spans for negative moment

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Example 2.
Design the continuous slab of Figure 7.2 for moments calculated with the NSCP
coefficients. The slab is to support a service live load of 7.20 kPa in addition to its own
weight. Use fc  20.7 MPa and fy  276 MPa.
'

4.00 m 4.60 m 4.30 m

Figure 7.2. Example 2 (One-way Slab Design)

Solution:

1. Check if the NSCP coefficients are applicable,

a. There are two or more spans - - - Ok! There are three spans.
b. Spans are approximately equal, with larger of two adjacent spans not
greater than the shorter by more than 20 percent
4.60  4.00
 100   15 % < 20% Therefore, Ok!
4.00
c. Loads are uniformly distributed - - - Ok!
d. Unit live load does not exceed three times unit dead load
assume t = 150 mm
wDL  23.5  1.00   0.150   3.53 kN/m
wLL  7.20  1.00   7.20 kN/m
wLL 7.20
  2.04  3 Therefore, Ok!
wDL 3.53
e. Members are prismatic - - - Ok!

Therefore, the NSCP coefficients are applicable!

2. Determine the slab thickness, t :

(Based on the minimum thickness
provided on Section 409.6.2.1 of
the NSCP)

For end span:

L  fy  4300  276 
t min   0.4    0.4   142.3 mm
24  700  24  700 

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 For interior span:

L  fy  4600  276 
t min   0.4    0.4   130.5 mm
28  700  28  700 

Say, use 150 mm slab thickness.

Then, d = 150 – 25 = 125 mm

3. Calculate the ultimate loads,

Note: Consider only a 1-meter-wide strip of the slab.

wDL  23.5  1.00   0.150   3.53 kN/m

wLL  7.20  1.00   7.20 kN/m
wu  1.4  3.53   1.7  7.20   17.18 kN/m

4. Compute Moments,  values, A s requirements, and spacing, as shown in

Figure 7.3

1 2 1 2 1 2
(+) Mu =
 wuL n  wuLn  wuL n
14 16 14
4.00 m 4.60 m 4.30 m

1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2
(-) Mu =  wuL n  wuL n  wuL n  wuL n
24 10 10 24
Mu (kN.m) = -11.45 +19.63 -31.77 +22.72 -34.02 +22.69 -13.24

Ru (MPa) = 0.814 1.396 2.259 1.616 2.419 1.614 0.942

Req'd. = 0.003020 0.005276 0.008791 0.006152 0.009468 0.006144 0.003414

Use  = 0.005072 0.005276 0.008791 0.006152 0.009468 0.006144 0.005072

As (mm2) = 634 660 1099 769 1184 768 634

Req’d. s (mm) = 178 171 102 146 95 147 178

Use s (mm) = 175 150 100 125 75 125 175

Figure 7.3. Mu from NSCP Coefficients ,  values, As requirements and spacing s

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Notes:
fc ' 1.4
min  
4fy fy
27.6
min   0.004759
4(276)
1.4 1.4
  0.005072 Therefore, min  0.005072
fy 276
0.75(0.85)(0.85)(27.6)  600 
max  0.75b   
276  600  276 
max  0.037115

Maximum spacing,

 1. 3t  3(125)  375mm
s max  
2. 450mm

5. Design of Shrinkage and Temperature Steel,

A st  0.002bt  0.002  1000   150   300 mm2

Using 10mm bars (Ab = 78.5 mm2)
1000A b 1000(78.5)
s st    261 mm
A st 300
Check for minimum spacing of shrinkage and temperature bars,
 1. 5t  5(125)  625mm
s st / max  
2. 450mm

Therefore, use 10 mm  shrinkage and temperature bars at 250 mm O.C.

L1/4 L1/3 L2/3 L2/3 L3/3 L3/4

“d” “e” “f” “g”

“a” “b” “c”

L1/8 L1/8 L2/8 L2/8 L3/8 L3/8

L1 L2 L3

“a” = 12mm  bottom bars @ 150 mm O.C. “d” = 12mm  top bars @ 175 mm O.C.
“b” = 12mm  bottom bars @ 125 mm O.C. “e” = 12mm  top bars @ 100 mm O.C.
“c” = 12mm  bottom bars @ 125 mm O.C. “f” = 12mm  top bars @ 75 mm O.C.
Note: Extend 1 of every 3 bars for bottom bars “g” = 12mm  top bars @ 175 mm O.C.

Figure 7.4 Recommended Bar Details (Cut-off points) for continuous beams and slabs

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  Design of Two-Way Slabs (By the Coefficient Method)

Lb La
2 or  0.50 (Two-way slab)
La Lb
La (clear span in short direction)

Column Strip Middle Strip Column Strip

Lb / 4 Lb / 2 Lb / 4 Main bars in
long direction

Column Strip
La / 4

Middle Strip
La / 2

Column Strip
La / 4
The precise determination of moments in two-way slabs with various conditions of
L (Clear span in long direction) Main bars
continuity at the supported edges is mathematically formidable and b
notinsuited to design
short direction
practice. For this reason, various simplified
Figure 7.5. Middle and methods have been adopted for determining
Column Strips
moments, shears, and reactions of such slabs.
While the Coefficient Method was not part of the latest edition of the NSCP, its
continued use is permissible under Section 413.6.1 of the NSCP which states that a
slab system my be designed by any procedure satisfying conditions of equilibrium and
geometric compatibility, if shown that the design strength at every section is at least
equal to the required strength, and that serviceability requirements are met.
The method makes use of tables of moment coefficients for a variety of
conditions. These coefficients are based on elastic analysis but also account for
inelastic redistribution. In consequence, the design moment in either direction is smaller
by an appropriate amount than the elastic maximum moment in that direction. The
moments in the middle strips in the two directions are computed from

2
Ma  C a wL a (Short direction moment) (3)
2
and Mb  Cb wL b (Long direction moment) (4)

where C a , Cb = tabulated moment coefficients (from table)

w = uniform load
L a , L b = length of clear span in short and long directions respectively

78
 The method provides that each panel be divided in both directions into a middle
strip whose width is one-half that of the panel and two edge or column strips of one-
quarter of the panel width. (See Figure 7.5)

Note: The moments in both directions are larger in the center portion of the slab than in
regions close to the edges. Correspondingly, it is provided that the entire middle strip be
designed for the full, tabulated design moment. In the column strips the moment is
assumed to be one-third of the midspan moment.

Reinforcement for Two-way edge-supported slabs

1. Consistent with the assumptions of the analysis of two-way edge-supported

slabs, the main flexural reinforcement is placed in an orthogonal pattern, with
rebars parallel and perpendicular to the supported edges.
2. As the positive steel is placed in two layers, the effective depth d for the upper
layer is smaller than that for the lower layer by one bar diameter.
3. Because the moments in the long direction are the smaller ones, it is economical
to place the steel in that direction on top of the bars in the short direction.
4. Either straight bars or bent bars may be used for two-way slabs, but economy of
bar fabrication and placement will generally favor all straight bars.
5. The precise locations of inflection points are not easily determined and the
recommended cut-off points in Figure 7.4 may be used for two-way slabs (in both
directions).
6. According to Section 413.4.1 of the NSCP, the minimum reinforcement in each
direction for two-way slabs is that required for shrinkage and temperature crack
control.
Min. A s  A st
A st  0.0020bt for Grade 230 and Grade 275 deformed bars

A st  0.0018bt for Grade 415 deformed bars or welded wire fabric

7. Section 413.4.2 of the NSCP states that the spacing of reinforcement at critical
sections shall not exceed two times the slab thickness. ( s  2t )
8. Section 413.4.3 of the NSCP states that the positive moment reinforcement
perpendicular to the discontinuous edge should extend to the edge of slab and
have embedment, straight or hooked, at least 150 mm.
9. The negative moment reinforcement perpendicular to a discontinuous edge
should be bent, hooked or anchored in spandrel beams, columns or walls
according to Section 413.4.4 of the NSCP.
10. Section 413.4.6.3 of the NSCP states that special reinforcement should be
provided for a distance in each direction from the corner equal to one-fifth the
longer span. This special reinforcement (Section 413.4.6.4 of the NSCP) should
be placed in a band parallel to the diagonal in the top of the slab and a band
perpendicular to the diagonal in the bottom of the slab (See Figure 7.6).
Alternatively, the special reinforcement shall be placed in two layers parallel to
the sides of the slab in both the top and bottom of the slab.

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 Bottom Bars
Lb/5

Lb/5

Top Bars

Figure 7.6. Special Reinforcement at the Corner

Minimum Thickness of Two-way slabs

Section 409.6.3.3 of the NSCP states that the minimum thickness for slabs with beams
spanning between the supports on all sides should be as follows:
1. For m  0.20 , the minimum thickness should be 100 mm (See Section
409.6.3.2 of the NSCP for the more detailed treatment of this situation).
2. For 0.20  m  2.00 , the thickness should not be less than

 f 
L b  0.8  y 
 1500  but t  125 mm
t
36  5  m  0.2 

3. For m  2.00 , the thickness should not be less than

 f 
L b  0.8  y 
1500  but t  90 mm
t 
36  9

4. At discontinuous edges, an edge beam should be provided with a stiffness

ratio  not less than 0.80 or the minimum thickness required presented
above should be increased by at least 10% in the panel with a
discontinuous edge.

EbeamIbeam Lb
Note:  , 
E slabIslab La
m = average value of  for all beams on edges of a panel

80