PROBLEM 1

The steel framework is used to support the reinforced

stone concrete slab that is used for an office. The slab is
200 mm thick. Sketch the loading that acts along members
BE and FED. Take a = 2m and b = 5m.

SOLUTION:
1  Check if the system is one – way or two – way:
Longer (b)/shorter (a) = 5/2 = 2.5 > 2 (it’s a one way system, loads are distributed in one direction only.)
A 1m B 1m C
2  Sketching tributary area for beam BE:
 Since it’s a one – way system, Beam BE will directly carry half of
slab ABEF and half of slab BCDE. Thus, the tributary area
supported by beam BE is as shown:
5m

F E D
2m 2m
A 1m B 1m C
3  Solving for loads (per unit length) acting on beam BE:
o for dead load (WDL):
Referring to table 1.2 from our previous lesson:
Reinforced stone concrete (unit weight) = 23.6 kN/m3
5m WDL = unit weigh (ϒ ) x thickness of slab (t) x width of tributary area (w)
WDL = (23.6kN/m3) (0.20m) (2.0m)
WDL = 9.44 kN/m

o For live load (WLL):

F E D
Referring to table 1.4 from our previous lesson:
2m 2m Office Buildings (Offices) = 2.4 kN/m2
WDL = unit weigh (ϒ ) x width of tributary area (w)
WDL = (2.4kN/m2) (2.0m)
WDL = 4.80kN/m

Total load per unit length : 9.44 + 4.80

Total load per unit length : 14.24kN/m
  Drawing the load acting on beam BE:
4 According to our handout (“Tributary Loadings”, page 2), it is ideal for steel and
timber structures to assume their joints as pin and/or roller connection.
Therefore, beam BE will be:
14.24kN/m
5  Solving for reactions at B and E:
Since the load is rectangle (symmetrical), reactions at B and
B E E are equal (RB = RE), the load will be divided equally
5m between them.
Σ fy = 0
*** to find the resultant load:
RB + RE - 14.24 (5) = 0
RB R E
Total load = area of rectangle 2RE = 71.2kN
RE = 35.6 kN
(You can also use summation of moments)
 We can now sketch the loadings on beam FED:
6 35.5kN
 Beam FED will not carry load directly from the
given slab, since it’s a one - way slab. Beam BE
will transfer a load on it because they are F D
E
connected. Beam FED will suffer a
concentrated load on its center / midspan
caused by beam BE (equal to magnitude of RE 4m
RF RD
but opposite direction).
Sketch required by the problem:
For beam BE:
14.24kN/m

B E
5m

RB = 35.5kN RE = 35.5kN

For beam FED:

35.5kN

 This sketch shows the effect of

F D beam BE only, though beam AF
and CD will also transfer loads
to beam FED at point F and D. I
4m just didn’t include them in the
RB RE diagram since we solved beam
BE only.
 Problem 1 :
PROBLEM 2 The steel framework is used to support the reinforced
stone concrete slab that is used for an office. The slab is
Solve Prob. 1 with a = 3m and b = 4m. 200 mm thick. Sketch the loading that acts along members BE
SOLUTION: and FED.

1  Check if the system is one – way or two – way:

Longer (b)/shorter (a) = 4/3 = 1.333 < 2 (it’s a two - way system, loads
are distributed in two - way actions as shown)
 Sketching tributary area for beam BE:
2
 Since it’s a two – way system, Beam BE will carry the load as
shown. Thus, the tributary area supported by beam BE is:
1.5m 1.5m

***Note B
 To draw the tributary area of a two – way slab: 1.5m 1.5m
A B C
1) Draw lines parallel to the beam at midspan
(like beam BE), dividing the slabs into two 4m
equal parts ( like beam BE as shown).
2) Draw diagonals bisecting (so, the angle would
4m
be 45o) the vertices of the slabs.
3) Then the area inside the intersecting lines (lines
mentioned above) will be the tributary area.
E F E D
3m 3m
 B 1.5m
A 1.5m C
45o 3  Solving for loads (per unit length) acting on beam BE:
1.5m o for dead load (WDL):
Referring to table 1.2 from our previous lesson:
4m Reinforced stone concrete (unit weight) = 23.6 kN/m3
WDL = unit weigh (ϒ ) x thickness of slab (t) x width of tributary area (w)
4m
WDL = (23.6kN/m3) (0.20m) (3.0m)
WDL = 14.16 kN/m

o For live load (WLL):

Referring to table 1.4 from our previous lesson:
F E D
3m 3m Office Buildings (Offices) = 2.4 kN/m2
WDL = unit weigh (ϒ ) x width of tributary area (w)
WDL = (2.4kN/m2) (3.0m)
WDL = 7.20kN/m

Total load per unit length : 14.16 + 7.20

Total load per unit length : 21.36kN/m
(peak load)
  Drawing the load acting on beam BE:
1.5 1.0 1.5
4 According to our handout (“Tributary Loadings”, page 2), it is ideal for
steel and timber structures to assume their joints as pin and/or roller
connection. Therefore, beam BE will be: Drawn not to scale

1m

21.36kN/m
5  Solving for reactions at B and E:
B E Since the load is rectangle (symmetrical), reactions at B and
E are equal (RB = RE), the load will be divided equally
4m between them.
Σ fy = 0
RB *** to find the resultant load: RE RB + RE - (1/2)[(1+4)m] (21.36kN/m)= 0
Total load = area of trapezoid 2RE = 53.40 kN
RE = 26.70 kN
(You can also use summation of moments)
1.5m 1.5m
A B C
6  Solving for loading acting on beam FED:
 Since the slab acts on two – way action, beam FED will
also directly carry the slab, the tributary area of loads
that will act on the beam will be as shown: 4m

1.5m
F E D
3m 3m
 7  Solving for loads (per unit length) acting on beam FED:
TRIBUTARY LOADING o For dead load (WDL)
Referring to table 1.2 from our previous lesson:
1.5m 1.5m Reinforced stone concrete (unit weight) = 23.6 kN/m3
A B C WDL = unit weigh (ϒ ) x thickness of slab (t) x width of tributary area (w)
WDL = (23.6kN/m3) (0.20m) (1.50m)
WDL = 7.08kN/m
4m
o For live load (WLL):
Referring to table 1.4 from our previous lesson:
1.5m
Office Buildings (Offices) = 2.4 kN/m2
F E D WLL = unit weigh (ϒ ) x width of tributary area (w)
3m 3m
WDL = (2.4kN/m2) (1.50m)
WLL = 3.60 kN/m
Total load per unit length : 7.08 + 3.60
Total load per unit length : 10.68 kN/m
(peak load)
26.70kN
10.68kN/m 10.68kN/m
8  We can now sketch the loadings on beam FED:
 Beam FED will also directly carry the slab and will suffer a
F D
concentrated load on its center / midspan caused by beam E
BE (equal to magnitude of RE but opposite direction) at the
same time. 3m 3m
6m
RF RD
Sketch required by the problem:
For beam BE:
1m

21.36kN/m
B E
4m

RB =26.70kN RE = 26.70kN

For beam FED:

26.70kN
10.68kN/m 10.68kN/m
 This sketch shows the effect of
beam BE only, though beam AF
F D and CD will also transfer loads
to beam FED at point F and D. I
just didn’t include them in the
diagram since we solved beam
6m
RF RD BE only.