Example

A RC floor system consists of flat slab framed on system of columns with four and five
panels in the long and short directions, respectively. The panels are 6.0 x 8.0 m on
centerline of columns and the floor is intended to give service to characteristic live load
of 5 kN/m2 and load from partitions 2.0 kN/m2. Determine the cross-sectional
dimensions of various elements of the floor system and reinforcement detail for atypical
interior panel. Materials include concrete C-25 class I works with steel S-300. Assume
column size 550 mm x 550 mm. Use the direct method, and neglect loading pattern
requirements.

6m

6m

6m

6m

8m 8m 8m 8m 8m

Solution
(i) Proportioning and dimensioning of the various parts

Panel sizes:

Ly= 8.0 m

Lny= 8-0.55=7.45m

Lx = 6.0 m
Lnx=6-0.55=5.45m

Column size:

550mm x 550 mm

Thickness of slab for deflection requirements:

d ≥ (0.4 + 0.6 * fyk /400)*Le/β

= (0.4 + 0.6 * 300/400)* 8000/24 .................................Note d depends on the larger span

d= 0.85*8000/24= 283 .................Assuming Φl4 bars and a cover of 15mm;

D>283+O.5*14+ 15=305mm= use D=320mm

Note that this depth would have been 160 mm if the panels were beam supported two-way slab.

Strip Division:
Short direction:
Half-column strip =0.25 Lx= 1500 mm
Middle strip=Lx - 2* 1500=3000 mm

Long direction:
Half-column strip = 0.25 Lx= 1500 mm
Middle strip= Ly-2* 1500=5000mm

Drop Panel:
Size of drop panel can be square or rectangular in plan with a length in each direction not
less than Lx/3= 2000 mm. However, the total column strip width is 2 x 1500 = 3000 mm.
For economy and practical design reason, keep the size of drop equal to the total width of
column strip, i.e. 3000 mm x 3000 mm.
Thickness of Drop Panel:
The thickness of drop may be kept between 25 to 50 percent more than the thickness of
the slab.
Let's consider the thickness of the drop 1.25 * 320=400
Use Dd= 400 mm
Effective depth: - Assume bar diameter of Φ14 will be used
Slab: Flexible portion
ds1=Ds-15- 14/2= 298mm
dss= Ds-15- 14-0.5*14 = 284mm

Slab: dsav= 0.5*(298+284) =291mm

Drop: Thicker portion

ddl =Dd-15-0.5*14=378mm

ddS =Dd-15-1.5*14=364mm
Drop: ddav= 0.5*(378 + 364) = 371 mm

Thus the various dimensions of the slab are shown in the following figure.
 3000mm
6000mm
m

3000mm 6000mm
6000mm
6000mm
A A
m m

3000mm
6000mm
m
Column Strip Middle Strip Column Strip
3000mm 5000mm 3000mm
6000mm 6000mm 6000mm

m 8000mm
m m
6000mm
m
Ds
Dd

(ii) Loading

For load computation, assume an average slab thickness of

½ (320+400)=360mm

Dead load from slab 0.360 * 25= 9.00 kN/m2

Deal load floor finish and partition 0.05 * 23+2= 3.15 kN/m2
Total permanent load Gk= 12.15 kN/m2
Variable load Qk = 5.00 kN/m2
Design load Pd = 1.3 Gk + 1.6 Qk = 15.80 + 8.00 = 23.80 kN/m2

•-

(iii) Design strength of materials and constants

fck = 0.8* f cu = 20 MPa;

fcd =0.85fck/1.5 = 11.33 MPa;

f ctk = 0.21 f ck 1/3 = 1.55 MPa

f ctd =fctk/l.5 =1.04 MPa

fyd=fyk/l.l5=260.87MPa

ρmax=0.019

(iv) Check for shear [only the interior panel shall be considered]

Punching shear is critical at d/2 from the edge face of column or drop panel.
• Average effective depth:
Drop: ddav= 0.5*(378 + 364) = 371 mm
Slab: dsav=0.5* (298+284)=291mm
• Punching perimeter:
Around column ud = (550 + 371) * 4 = 921*4 =3684mm
Around drop us =(3000+29l)*4=3291*4=13,164mm

Shear stress resistance (capacity) of the section is given by:

Vcp = 0.5 fctd k1 k2 ud assume an average steel ratio, ρ of 0.007. (Usual value is from
0.004-0.007)

K1= (1 + 50ρ) = 1.35

K2 = 1.6—0.371 = 1.229

Around columns: a1 = (0.92 1) (0.92 1)

Vdu=(A—al)Pd =(6 * 8-0.9212)* 23.80= 1122.2lkN
Punching shear stress around the periphery of column
Vcdp =VdU = 1122 .21*103 =0.82MPa
ud ddav 3684 *371

The maximum punching shear which the section around column can sustain:
Vcp=O.5*1.04 * 1.35 *1.229=0.86MPa> Vcdp ok!

Hence, the depth of drop is adequate which otherwise would have required to have
column capital or increment of depth.

Around drop panel, drop + dsav = 3000 + 291 = 3291 mm a2 = 3.2912

VdU=(A_a2)pd=(6*8_3.2912)*23.80=884.63kN

Vcdp = 884.63*103 _____ = 0.23 Mpa

13164 *291
Vcp =0.50 * 1.035 * 1.35 * (1.6—0.291)=0.91 Mpa> Vcdp Ok!
Hence, depths of slab and drop are adequate against punching shear failure.

(v) Design for flexure

Design bending moment
M=CFL, where F=PdLxLy=23.80 * 8 * 6= 1142.4KN
Moment along the longer span of the interior panel:

L = (8 —2 hc/3) m, hc= √ (4d2c / π) = 4*5502/π = 620 mm, Diameter of equivalent

circular section
L = (8 — 2/3* 0.620) m = 7.59 m
Ms, y = -0.055 FL = -476.89 kNm / 6 m width.
Mf,y= 0.O71FL= 615.63 kNm/6mwidth.

Moment along the short span of the interior panel:

L = (6 —2 hc/3) m, hc= √ (4d2c / π) = 4*5502/π = 620 mm, Diameter of equivalent
circular section
L= (6_2/3* 0.620) m=5.59m
Ms,x=0.055 FL = -351.23 kNm / 8 m width.
Mf,x=0.071 FL= 453.41 kNm/ 8mwidth.
Proportioning the design moments

Proportioning the design moments to the respective strips is carried out in accordance
with EBCS2, 1995 as follows:
Column strip: - 75% negative moment and 55% positive moment, .while
Middle strip: - 25% negative moment and 45% positive moment.

As the width of column strip is equal to the size of the drop in the respective directions no
adjustment will be made. However, had the drops been smaller than the actual column
strips, the middle strips would be larger because the column strips would be taken equal
to the drop width. So one should increase the middle strip moment and decrease the
column strip moment in proportion to the width variation.
 Total The Moment in Column The Moment in Middle
Direction
Moment strip strip
of span KN-m
KN-m KN-m

Long M-= - 476.69 0.75(M) = -357.67 0.25(M) = -119.22

Direction M+= 615.63 0.55 (M) = 338.60 0.45 (M) =277.03

Short M-= - 351.23 0.75(M) = -263.42 0.25(M) = -87.81

Direction
M+= 453.41 0.55 (M) = 249.38 0.45(M) = 204.03
Reinforcement is computed for each strip in the table below.

M d Width b As
.
Strip S Required S Provided
(kN-m) (mm) (mm) (mm2)

Column L (-) -357.27 378 3000 3772 Φ14c/c 121 Φ14c/c 120

Column L (+) 338.32 298 3000 4631 Φ14c/c 99 Φ14c/c 90

Column S (-) 364 3000 Φ14c/c 160 Φ14c/c 160

-263.42 2860
3000 3535 Φ14c/c 129 Φ14c/c 120
.
Column S (+) 249.38 284
-119.22 3000 1565
Middle L (-) 284 Φ14c/c 293 Φ14c/c 290

Middle L (+) 277.03 298 3000 3860 Φ14c/c 122 Φ14c/c 120

Middle S (-) -87.22 284 5000 1196 Φ14c/c 639 Φ14c/c 300

Middle S (+) 204.03 284 5000 2818 Φ14c/c 271 Φ14c/c 270

Working drawing showing reinforcements detail both in plan and cross-section including
bars scheduling is left as an exercise.