Unity University

Department of Civil Engineering

Theory & Design of Structures-III
SOLID SLABS &
RIBBED SLABS
(HOLLOW BLOCK SLABS)

By: Feysel N.
(MSc-Geotechnical Engineering & Geo-hazard)
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Introduction
• A reinforced concrete slab is a broad, flat plate, usually horizontal,
with top and bottom surfaces parallel or nearly so.
• Reinforced concrete slabs are mainly used for; roofs and floors of
buildings, parking lots, bridge decks …etc.
• According to ES EN 2; to be considered as a slab, the short span
length shall not be less than five times the overall slab thickness;
that is (Lx ≥ 5D).
• Based on how they are constructed, slabs can be cast in-situ or
precast.

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Introduction
• Based on the support type, slabs can be;
 Supported by reinforced concrete beams (and is poured
monolithically with such beams).
 Supported by masonry or reinforced concrete walls.
 Supported by columns directly.
 Supported continuously by the ground (called slabs on grade).

Solid Slab Flat Slab

Solid Slab

Waffle Slab
Ribbed Slab 3
Introduction
• Slabs are commonly classified as one-way or two-way slabs based
on how the load is transferred to the supports.

• In one-way slabs, the load is transferred to the supports in one

direction only. Hence bending takes place in one direction only.
• In two-way slabs, the load is carried (transferred) to the supports
in both directions. Hence bending takes place in both directions.
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Introduction

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One-Way Solid Slabs
• A solid slab supported by a beam or a wall is considered to be
one-way if;
 It is supported on all four sides & the ratio of the long span
length (Ly) to the short span length (Lx) is greater than two
(Ly/Lx > 2), or
 If two of its sides that are parallel are free (unsupported)
irrespective of the ratio between Ly & Lx.

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One-Way Solid Slabs
For example, in this floor, all of the slabs are one-way slab.
1m

2.5m

2.5m

2.5m

1m 3m 6m 7
One-Way Solid Slabs
• In one-way slabs that are supported on all four sides, the load is
carried in the short span direction (about 90% or more of the
total load is carried by the short span and is transmitted to the
supporting beams in the long direction); hence bending takes
place in the direction of the shorter span as shown in the figure
below.

• Whereas in one-way slabs with two parallel unsupported sides, the

load is carried towards the supporting beams; hence bending takes
place in the direction of the unsupported sides.
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One-Way Solid Slabs
• One-way solid slabs are analyzed and designed as if they are a
series of beams of 1m width. In other words, they are designed as
singly reinforced rectangular beams having 1m width and a depth
equal to the thickness of the slab.
• Multiple span one-way slabs are analyzed as a continuous beam
strip subject to the most unfavorable arrangements of load.

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One-Way Solid Slabs
• Load per unit area (KN/m2) on the slab would be the load per
unit length (KN/m) on this imaginary beam of unit width.
• Since the loads are transmitted to the supporting beams in the
long direction, the main reinforcement shall be placed at right
angles to these beams i.e. the main steel is in the direction of the
span. These main steel should form the outer layer of
reinforcement to give the section maximum lever arm.
• Additional bars known as secondary or distribution reinforcement
shall be placed in the other direction (at right angles to the main
moment steel) to carry temperature and shrinkage stresses. They
also serve the purpose of tying the slab together and distributing
non-uniform loads through the slab.

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Two-Way Solid Slabs
• Slabs that are supported on all four sides are considered to be
two-way slabs if the ratio of the long span length (Ly) to the
short span length (Lx) is less than or equal to two (Ly/Lx ≤ 2).
• In two-way slabs the load is transferred to the four supports and
bending takes place along both spans, hence in these slabs the
main reinforcement runs in both directions.

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For example, this floor has two-way and one-way slab.

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One-Way Ribbed Slab Floor System

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Ribbed Slab Types
• Long-span floors for relatively light live loads can be constructed as a
series of closely spaced T-beams (called joists or ribs).
• They can be formed using temporary shuttering.

• They can also be formed using permanent shuttering made of

clay tile blocks or hollow concrete blocks (HCB); and hence called
hollow block slab.

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Advantages of Ribbed Slab
• The principal advantage of these slabs is the reduction in weight
(self-weight) achieved by removing part of the concrete below the
neutral axis, and in the case of the hollow block slab replacing it
with a lighter form of construction.
• Hollow block slabs are ‘economical’ for buildings having long
spans with light or moderate live loads such as in hospitals and
apartment buildings. They would not be suitable for structures
having a heavy loading.

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Ribbed Slab System

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Ribbed Slab System

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Ribbed Slab System

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Ribbed Slab System

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Ribbed Slab System

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Ribbed Slab System

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Ribbed Slab System

Rib analysis model

≡

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Ribbed Slab System

Rib analysis model

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Ribbed Slab System

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Ribbed Slab HCB Types

For this type, cross-sectional area of a single HCB = 0.048m2 29

Ribbed Slab HCB Types

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Ribbed Slab HCB Types

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Minimum Section Dimensions
Article 5.3.1(6) of ES EN-2 recommends the following size
restrictions for ribbed slabs.
• The rib spacing (c/c) shall not exceed 1500 mm.
• The thickness of the topping (height of the flange) should be;
 For ribs without hollow blocks h f  
50 mm
0.1* clear distance between ribs
40 mm
hf  
 For ribs with hollow blocks 0.1* clear distance between ribs
• The depth of the rib below the flange does not exceed 4 times the
minimum width of the rib. That is; hw  4bw

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Load calculation
• The dead load and live load should be calculated per rib (KN/m).
• Unit-weight, γ (KN/m3), of construction materials and imposed
loads (Live loads in KN/m2) are given in ES EN-1 Part 1-1.
• Sample calculation of dead load for a rib (KN/m) is shown here.

• The live load for a rib (KN/m) will be;

Qk  qk  Rib c / c spacing
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