Two-Way Flat Slabs

Direct Design Method

Behavior of Slab Loaded To failure in flexure

i. Before cracking, acts as an elastic plate ( stresses and strains can be

predicted from an elastic analysis)

ii. After cracking and before yielding (no longer isotropic, tests indicate that the
elastic theory still predicts the moments adequately.)

iii. Yielding of the reinforcement eventually starts in one or more

regions of high moment (moments are redistributed from yielded regions to areas
that are still elastic.)
 Inelastic action in a slab fixed on four sides

iv. Formation of plastic mechanism ( formation of flat compression arch)

Moments in Slabs
 Flat slab Design Procedures
• Direct design method
• Equivalent frame method
 Direct Design Method: Step in Slab Design:

• Choose the layout and type of slab to be used. The choice of type of
slab is strongly affected by architectural or construction
considerations.
• Choose the slab thickness. Excessive deflection, shear
• Choose the design method. DDM or EFM
• Compute the negative and positive moments in the slab
• Determine the distribution of the moments across the width of the
slab.
• If there are beams a portion of the moment should be assigned to
the beams.
• Reinforcement is designed for the moments
• The shear strengths at the columns are checked.
Definition:
Column Strip momEnts
Types
Design Considerations
 Design considerations
• Wall and Column Position

• Optimization of structural layout plan

• Deflection check

• Crack control

• Punching shear

• Lateral stability

• Construction loads
 Design Methodology
• The Finite Element Method

• The Direct Design Method

• The Equivalent Frame Method

Equivalent Frame Analysis of slab systems for vertical
loads

• The slab is divided in to a series of equivalent frames. (the

slab, any beams present and the columns below and above the slab)

• Each floor can be considered separately with the far

ends fixed. (Moment distribution can be used for frame analysis)
Calculation of stiffness carryover and fixed end moments

• It is necessary to calculate the flexural stiffness, CO factors and

FEMs for each of the members in the equivalent frame.

• For a Prismatic member:

K  kEI / L
• CO = 4 and FEM = wl2/12

 Variation of stiffness at slab-column joints, in cross-section at drop

panels. (all members have stiffer section at each end)

 Several methods are available for the determination k, CO and FEM.

 Properties of slab Beams

• May consist of a slab, slab and drop

panel or a slab and a beam running
parallel to the equivalent frame.

– Variation in the moment of inertial

along its length should be taken into
account

– The moment of inertial of the slab

beams from the center of the column to
the face of the column, bracket or
capital shall be taken as the moment of
inertial of the slab beam at the face of
the column, bracket or capital divided
by the quantity (1-c2/l2)2
 Properties of Columns

– The moment of inertial of columns at any cross-section outside

of the joints or column capitals may be based on the gross area
of the concrete, allowing for variations in the actual moment of
inertia due to changes in the column cross section.

– The moment of inertial of columns shall be assumed to be

infinite within the depth of the slab at a joint.
Torsional members and Equivalent Columns