DESIGN OF REINFONCED CONCRETE SLAB

BY ENG:KUSUNDWA
0757-537605
simeojumanne@gmail.com
4. REINFORCED CONCRETE SLABS
4.1. Types of Slabs and Design Methods
4.1.1. Introduction
Slabs are plate like elements forming floors and roofs in buildings
and decks of bridges. Slabs normally carry uniform distributed load,
and other loads such as:
- Line load due to partitions converted to equivalent uniform
distributed loads
- concentrated loads due to columns or wheel loads.

4.1.2. Classification
(i) According to method of support, slabs are defined as:
• One-way slab – spanning between beams or walls
• Two-way slab – spanning between beams or walls
• Flat slabs carried on columns and edge beams or wall with
no interior beams.
(ii) Otherwise
– Solid slabs of uniform thickness (includes flat slabs)
– Ribbed slabs with ribs in one or two directions
– Sloping slabs – stairs, ramps: (E.g., Kariakoo shimoni,
Extelecom’s, Mellenium tower parking and TAZARA ramp in
Dar es Salaam etc.)

(iii) According to end/support conditions

– Simply supported one panel slab where the corners can be
lifted up from the supports
– One panel slab held down on four sides by integral edge
beams (the stiffness of the edge beam affects the design)
– Continuous slabs: with edges continuous over supports
– Slabs with one or two or three continuous edges over
supports;
the discontinuous edge may be simply supported or held by
integral edge beams.
 4.2. Analysis
4.2.1. Elastic Analysis
 Idealization into strips or beams
spanning one way or
a grid with strips spanning two ways.
 Elastic plate analysis
theory of plates
 Finite element analysis
best for
irregular shapes and
non uniform loads
 Method of design coefficient based on yield line
analysis
Yield –line and Hillerbong strip methods. These are limit
designs or collapse loads methods
4.3. One-Way Solid Slabs
In long narrow slabs where the length is greater than twice the
breadth, the slab action is effectively one-way. In such a case
the slab should be designed as a beam (either simply supported
or continuous depending on the prevailing conditions).

4.3.1 Idealization for Design

Figure 4.1: Uniformly Loaded Slabs

 x
L

w  c  2.4  (1  x / L)

0.6L  c w c  loaded width

Parabolic equation
Effective width varies with 1.2  (1  x / L)
x, L and loaded width c

0.3L  c Figurew 4.2

Concentrated loads

w  c  2.4  (1  x / L)  e  c  1.2  (1  x / L)
Design of One way Spanning Slab
The slab is designed as consisting of a series of beam of 1m
breadth.
DETAILING
Main reinforcements provided in the direction of span and secondary
or distribution steel is required in the transverse direction.
The main steel should form the outer layer of steel to give it the
maximum lever arm.

Calculation of the main steel is the same as for rectangular beams.

Provide minimum transverse steel as distribution bars

Table 4.1: Ultimate bending moment and shear forces in continuous

one way spanning slabs
4.4. Two-Way Spanning Solid Slab

Strip spanning between supports Edge beam or wall support

Figure 4.3

Failure of Slabs with Consistent Concrete

4.3.1. Slab Action, Analysis and Design
Two-Way spanning action occurs when floor slabs are supported on
four sides.
Where length to breadth ratio is less than two (2) the slab action is
effectively Two-way.

Classification of two-way spanning solid slabs according to edge

conditions:
– Single panel slabs on simple supports simply supported – corners
lift up
– Single panel slabs with sides restrained by integral edge beams
– Slabs with all edges continuous over supports
– Slabs with one, two or three edges continuous over supports;
other edge(s) beings discontinuous on simple support(s) or
restrained by edge beams
Slabs can be:
– Regular shaped, e.g. rectangular, circular, parallelogram.
– Irregular shaped, e.g. polygonal , etc.
– Made with openings
– Made to carry non- uniform load
4.3.2 Simply supported Two-way slabs
Simply supported slabs do not have adequate provision for
torsion nor to prevent corners form lifting up.

M sy

Lx

M sx

Ly
Figure 4.4: Slab moment strip
In the design of Two – Way Simply supported slabs, the maximum
moments Msx and Msy at mid- spans of strips of unit width for spans
of Lx and Ly respectively are determined using the equations
(BS8110 Part 1 Clauses 3.5.3.3):

M sx   sx nlx2 Equation 10 of the BS

M sy   sy nlEquation
2
x 11 of the BS

Where: lx  ly 
the length of shorter span, length of longer
span
n  1.4Gk  1.6Qk
total ultimate load per unit area
 sx ,  sy
are moment coefficients from table 3.14 of BS 8110
Part 1 (eqns 12&13)
(Table 3.14) Bending moment coefficient
l y / lx 1 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.75 2

 sx 0.062 0.074 0.084 0.093 0.099 0.104 0.1113 0.118

 sy 0.062 0.066 0.059 0.055 0.051 0.046 0.037 0.029

As l y / lx increases the shorter span takes an increasing share of

the load. And for l y / lx ,2.0 the slab action is effectively one way.
The coefficients  sx and  sy are derived from equations:

l / lx 
2
y
 sx  Equation 12 (BS 8110)

8 1   l y / lx 
4

l / lx 
4
y
 sy 
 Equation4 13 (BS 8110)
8 1   l y / lx  
The tension reinforcement is obtained by using the formulae for
singly reinforced rectangular beams or design charts according to
BS 8110 Part 3

M
As  Per meter strip and
0.87 f y zsx
M
As  per meter strip
0.87 f y zsy
 k sx 
Where zsx  d  0.5  0.25    0.95d
 0.9 
for one-meter strips
M sx
K sx  2 b  1m
bd f cu
But
M sx
K sy 
bd 2 f cu
and
zsy are K defined in the same way as above.
sy
The minimum reinforcement according to BS8110, shall be as
indicated below:

s / bd  0.24
100 Afor f y  250 N / mm 2
for  0.15 f y  410 N / mm 2
for  0.13 f y  460 N / mm 2

12
M4
M3
M2
M1
M max

Figure 4.5: Curtailment of reinforcement

Curtailment philosophy involves:
- Theoretical cut-off points
- Practical cut-off points

- 40% of the mid-span reinforcement should extend to the support

and anchored 12 beyond the centre of support (Figure 3.25).
- The bars should be curtailed at 0.1L from support
(check figure 3.25)

Load distribution to beams and loads causing shear on strips of

1.0m width are as shown in figure 4.6 below
 Load on Beam B
Beam B



Beam A

1.0m
Load on Beam A

1.0m

Figure 4.6: Load distribution from slab to beams

Solid slabs are not normally designed for shear. The shear
resistance is checked using clause 3.5.5 (BS 8110) T 3.17
Deflection:
It is sufficient to check the span-effective depth ratio of unit strip spanning
in the shorter direction.
The amount of steel in the direction of shorter span is used for the check.
Table 3.10 & 3.11. – 3.12

(Table 3.10) Basic span/ effective depth ratio for rectangular or flanged beams

Support Rectangular Flanged beams

Condition section
Cantilever 7 5.6
Simply supported 20 16.0
Continuous 26 20.8
For crack control in slabs Cl. 3.12.11.2.7 gives;
 S  3d  750mm , ( S– reinforcement spacing, d slab effective depth)
o o
no further check is required on bar spacing if:
1) f  250 N / mmis2 used and
y
h  250mm
2)
f y  410 N / mmis2 used and h  200mm
3) The reinforcement percentage (100 A / bd ) is less than 0.3%
s
Where minimum recommended amount of steel
As 
Maximum spacing of tension reinforcement
The clear spacing between bars in tension can be
assessed from the equation:
47000
So   300mm
fs

Where f y estimated service stress obtained from equation

8 in BS8110
4.4. Restrained solid slabs
4.4.1 Design
In restrained slabs corners are prevented from lifting and provision is
made for torsion. The maximum moments at mid span on strips of
unit width for spans l x and l y are give by:
M sx  ………………..Equation
nl
sx x
2
14
M sy  …………….….Equation
sy nl 2
x 15 of BS8110

Equation 14 and 15 may be used for continuous slabs when the

following conditions are satisfied
 g and q on adjacent panels are approximately the same
k k
 Spans of adjacent panels in direction perpendicular to
common support are approximately equal
Design rules for slab:
• The slab is divided into middle and edge strips as shown in
Figure 4.7
• Moment coefficients are determined from Table 3.15 of BS8110

fy ly
ly / 8 ly / 8
(3) fy
lx / 8 Edge Strip
fy
(1) fy (2)
lx Middle Strip
fy fy
lx / 8

(4) fy

Figure 4.7: Slab Strips

Table 4.4: Bending Moment Coefficients
 Case 4 Case 3 Case 4

2
Case 2 Case 1 4 3

Figure 4.8: Slab Panels

Table 4.5: Two adjacent side discontinuous

Location
l y / lx  1 l y / lx  1.5
Short Span 1 -0.0047 -0.078
Span 2 0.036 0.059

Long Span 3 -0.045 -0.045

Span 4 0.034 0.034
Maximum design moments apply only to middle strips. The moment
reinforcement is designed using formulae for singly reinforced rectangular
beams (section)

Asx  M sx / 0.87 f y zsx

and Asy  M sy / 0.87 f y zsy

where: 100 As / bd  0.24for f y 250 MPa

 0.15 for f y 410 MPa
for  0.13 f y 460 MPa

The bars are spaced uniformly across the middle strip. Reinforcement
detailing in accordance with simplified rules of cl.3.11.10.3 illustrated in
figure 3.25 of code. At the discontinuous edge, top steel of 50% the area of
the bottom steel at mid span is to be provide for crack control.

Reinforcement provided in an edge strip, parallel to the edge should be

equal to the minimum area of tension reinforcement, cl.3.12.5
Torsion reinforcement to be provided at the
corners of discontinuous edges.
Torsion reinforcement should consist of top and bottom layers with bars
parallel to both edges and extending form edges a distance of
0.2lx (shorter span)

The amount of torsion reinforcement in each of the four layers should be

75% the area at mid span (maximum design moment).

At corners where only one of the edges forming is discontinuous, torsion

reinforcement 37.5% of area provide at mid span is required .

No torsion reinforcement is required at continuous corners.

X Y Y X
With reference to Fig.4.9;
Torsional reinforcement is
required at “X” and “Y”.
Z Z
At “X” 75% of area provided at
mid-span required for each layer
Z Z
At “Y” 37.5% of area provide at
mid-span
X Y Y X
At “Z” no torsional reinforcement
Figure 4.9:isTorsional
required steel positions
4.4.2 Shear forces and resistance/load on supporting beams
Shear force coefficient  vx and  vy for various support cases for
continuous slabs are given in Table 3.16 (BS8110:1:1985) and Table
3.15 (BS8110:1:1997) produced here as table 4.4. The design shear
load on supporting beams per unit width are given by:
Vsx   vx nlx
………………….. Equation 19
  vy nlx
Vsy………………….. Equation 20

Shear resistance of solid slabs is provided for in cl. 3.5.5. The shear
at a section in a solid slab is given by:

V
v
bd
Where: V the force due to ultimate load
theb width
 of the slab
thed effective
 depth of the slab
Calculations are usually considered in a strip of 1m. The code
requires that for a solid slab:
2
1. v  the lesser of 0.8 f cu or 5 N / mm
whichever is less
2. v  vc for a slab thickness less than 200mm
3. If v  vc , shear reinforcement must be provided in slabs more
than 200mm thick.

If shear reinforcement is required, then as for beam, nominal steel

should be provided when v   vc and 
0.4designed shear reinforcement
provided for higher values of . v
 4.4.3. Deflection and Crack Control
This is achieved trough checking the following;
• Span effective depth ratio
• Bar spacing rules (check minimum area of tension re-bars)

Table 4.5: Basic span/effective depth ratio for rectangular or flanged

beam (Table 3.9, BS 8110: 1997)

Support condition Rectangular section Flanged Beams with

Cantilever 7 5.6
Simply Supported 20 16.0
Continuous 26 20.8
Table 4.5: Modification factor for tension reinforcement

5 f y As ,req 1
fs  . . equation 8
8 As , prov b

fs  5 / 8 f y
Example 4.1
A slab in an office building measuring 5.0m x 7.5m is simply supported at
the edges with no provision to resist torsion at the corners or to hold the
corners down. The slab is assumed initially to be 200mm thick. The total
dead load including self-weight, screed, finishes, partitions , services etc. is
6.0 kN/m2. The imposed load is 2.5 kNm2. If the cover is 30mm, design
the slab using grade 30 concrete and grade 460 steel reinforcement .

Solution:
Grade of concrete = 30 N/mm2
Grade of steel = 460 N/mm2

Thickness of slab = 200 mm

Assume bar diameter of 10 mm

d x  200  30  10 / 2  165mm
 d y  165  10  155mm
 l y / lx  7.5 / 5  1.5
Design load: n  1.4  6.0   1.6  2.5   12.4kN / m 2

Moments:
From table 4.2;  x  0.104,  y  0.046,

Hence : M sx   sx nl x2  0.104  12.4  52  32.24kN / m

M sy   sy nl x2  0.046  12.4  52  14.26kN / m

M sx 32.24 106
Kx  2   0.0395  0.045
bd x f cu 1000 165  30
2

Therefore z x  0.95d x  0.95  165  155.1mm

M sx 32.24 106
Asx    519mm 2
0.87 f y z 0.87  460 155.1
Provide T 12  200 c / c A s  565mm 2 / m 
 M sy 14.26 106
Ky    0.0198  0.045
bd y2 f cu 1000 155  30
2

z y  0.95d y  0.95 155  147.3mm

M sy 14.26 106
Asy    245mm 2
0.87 f y z 0.87  460 147.3

Provide T 10  300 c / c As  261mm 2 / m 

 Preliminary determination of slab effective depth “d” and
thickness, “h”
h  d  c ;where 
  0.5 bar diameter

Table 4.11: (Table 3: Istruct E) Span effective depth ratios for

initial design of slab

One Way Spanning Slab Two-Way Spanning

Characteristic
Imposed Flat
loading slab
(including Simply Simply without
Continuous Cantilever Continuous
finishes) Supported Supported drop
kN/m2

5.0 27 31 11 30 40 36
10.0 24 28 10 28 39 33
Example 4.2
A corner panel of a slab with several bays in each direction has sides 5.0m
and 6.0 m long. The total ultimate load is 15 kN/m2. Design and detail all
the reinforcement needed for the panel. Use fcu = 20 N/mm2 and fy = 410
N/mm2. Assume a concrete cover of 30mm.

Solution
Section Dimension:
(i) Since this is normal restrained solid
slab; 5.0m
From Table 4.11
d  lx / 40, (  125mm)
6.0m Assume bars of 12 mm 
h  125  30  12  6  173mm
Figure 4.10: Two way slab take h=175 mm
Therefore
Effective depth:

d x  175   cov er
2
12
d x  175   30  139mm;
2
12
d y  175  12   30  127 mm;
2
(For short span bottom reinforcement)

l y / lx  6 / 5  1.2
(ii) Ultimate design load, n  15kN / m 2
(iii) Moments:

M sx  n sx lx2 ;  sx  Table
0.063;16  0.047
M sy  n sy lx2 ;  sy  0.045;  0.034
Short Span Moment

ve M sx    15  0.063  52   23.6kNm / m

 ve M sx   15  0.047  52  =17.6kNm / m
Long Span moment

ve M sy    15  0.045  52   16.9kNm / m

 ve M sy   15  0.034  52  =12.75kNm / m
(iv) Deflection: Check mid-span of short span

M sx   17.6kNm / m
M sx 17.6 106
Kx  2   0.0455  0.156  K '
bd x f cu 1000 139  20
2
  Kx 
z x  d x  0.5  0.25  
 0.9 
 0.0455 
z x  139  0.5  0.25    139  0.947  0.95d
 0.9 
z x  131.6mm
M sx 17.6 106
Asx    375mm 2
0.87 f y z 0.87  410 131.6

Try to provide T 10  200mm c / c ( As  392mm 2 )

Service stress

5 f y As , req
fs  1
8 As , prov
 5  410  375
fs   1  245 N / mm 2 M / bd 2  0.91
8  392
Therefore , modification factor 1.63
5000
dx   118Ok
mm  139mm
26  1.63

(v) Reinforcement Design

Short span:
- At mid-span provide T10-200 c/c
- Support reinforcement

M sx  23.6kNm / m
M sx 23.6 106
Kx  2   0.061  0.156  K '
bd x f cu 1000  139  20
2
  Kx 
z x  d x  0.5  0.25  
 0.9 
 0.061 
z x  139  0.5  0.25    139  0.927  0.95d
 0.9 
z x  128.8mm
M sx 23.6 106
Asx    514mm 2
0.87 f y z 0.87  410 128.8

Provide T 10  150mm c / c ( Asx  523mm 2 )

Long Span
Effective depth d y  127 mm
Mid-span
M sy   12.75kNm / m
M sy 12.75 106
Ky    0.0395  0.156  K '
bd y2 f cu 1000 127  20
2

 0.0395 
z y  d  0.5  0.25    0.954d  0.95d
 0.9 
z y  0.95 127  120.7 mm
M sy 12.75  106
Asy    296mm 2
0.87 f y z y 0.87  410 120.6
Provide
T10  250 mm
c/c
 sy
A  314 mm 2

Support Moments;

M sy  16.9kNm / m
M sy 16.9 106
Ky    0.052  0.156  K '
bd y2 f cu 1000 127  20
2

 0.052 
z y  d y  0.5  0.25    0.94d y  0.95d
 0.9 
z y  119mm
M sy 16.9 106
Asy    398mm 2
0.87 f y z 0.87  410 119
Provide T 10  180 mmc/c
 sy
A  436 mm 2

Check spacing (cl. 3.12.11.2.7; BS 8110)

S  3d x  750
S  3 139  417Ok
mm

According to BS 8110
460 200  460
no further check is required
h  200   224mm
fy 410

Shear check
Short Span

Vsx   vx nlx  0.47  15  5  37.5kN / m

Vsx 37.5 103
vsx    0.27 N / mm 2
bd x 1000 139
Ok
vc  0.55 N / mm  vsx
2
 Long Span
Vsy   vy nlx  0.40 15  5  30.0kN / m
Vsy 30.0 103
vsy    0.24 N / mm 2
bd y 1000 127
vc  0.55 N / mmOk
2
 vsy

(vii) Minimum edge strip reinforcements and distribution

reinforcements

0.15 1000 175

100 As ,min  0.15%bh   263mm 2
100
Provide: T 10  275mmc/c ( As  285mm 2 )
(viii) Torsion reinforcements
• Torsion reinforcement is required at three corners
• Corner with two discontinuous sides
4 layers each with As  (3 / 4)(392)  294mm / m
2

• Corner with one discontinuous sides

4 layers each with As  (37.5 / 100)(392)  147 mm 2 / m

• At corner: A  294mm Provide

2 c/c mm
(greater than
s T 10  250
minimum amount of steel)
• At semi-exterior corner: A  263mm 2
Provide c/c (greater
T 10  275 mm
s
than torsional steel)
Slab Reinforcement Details
Reinforced Concrete Works

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