Strip Method Design For Slabs MsC 2015 Prof. Mokhtar M.
Aburawi
Lecture 2
Strip Method Design For Slabs
Strip Method (Hillerborg 1956)
Basis
Assume that the loads on a slab panel are carried by a set of intersecting 1-way
spanning beam strips acting independently.
Based on lower bound theorem of plasticity
Design must satisfy:
Equilibrium (i.e. provide load paths via the strips).
Ductility (i.e. design reinforcement in each strip to resist applied moment).
A Strip Method model needs to be
developed for a rectangular reinforced
concrete plate with a hole and simply
supported on three sides as shown
below.
The plate has the same ultimate bending
moment capacity in all both directions
and for both positive and negative
moments:
The plate geometry
The lower limit p- for the load-carrying capacity of this plate shall be estimated for
an uniform load p over the plate.
Step 1:
A number of strips (similar to beams,
floorboards, planks and similar) must be
placed an cover all the plates area.
We start therefore with strip 1, which is
placed from one simple support to
another.
Strip Method Design For Slabs MsC 2015 Prof. Mokhtar M. Aburawi
Step 2:
We continue with another set of
strips (no. 2), also placed from one
simple support to the next.
Step 3:
We must now place a new layer of
strips (no 3) on top of strips 1 and
3.
This layer of strips is not directly
supported, but rests on top of the
strips 1 and 2.
Step 4:
We continue in the same manner
with a layer of strips (no 4) on top
of strips 1 and 2.
Strip Method Design For Slabs MsC 2015 Prof. Mokhtar M. Aburawi
Step 5:
We must now start to put the
loading on the strips and to decide
how the strips are supported
(directly or by the other strips).
We must always start with the last
strip (as we place the loading on
the uppermost layer of strips)
So we start with strip 4.
Step 6: The strip 4 is simply
supported at the end, but rest also
on strips 1 and 2.
We name the unknown reaction r1
(and later reactions r2, r3 etc.).
The strip 4 rests on top of strip 1
and 2, which may press up with a
distributed reaction or force. These
are unknown and are therefore
named p1 and p2..
Step 7: We continue with strip 3.
The plate is symmetrical and loaded
by a uniform load. We see therefore
that the strip 3 should be the same as
strip 4 and we use this information.
Note that taking the symmetry into
account reduce the amount of
calculations we have to carry out –
but note also that the most optimal
solutions to symmetrical problems
tend to be symmetrical.
Strip Method Design For Slabs MsC 2015 Prof. Mokhtar M. Aburawi
Step 8: We see that the strips 3
and 4 load the strip 2 with a load
p2 in the areas, where the strip 2
is covered by the strips 3 ad 4.
The strip 2 is directly loaded by p
in the middle, where no other
strips are placed above this strip.
The strip is symmetrical with a
symmetrical load and the
unknown reactions at the ends are
therefore identical and we name
them r2.
Step 9: The last strip, strip 1, is
loaded in the same manner as
strip 2, although the loads from
strip 3 and 4 are denoted p1.
The unknown reactions at the
end of the symmetrically loaded
and supported strip are named r3.
Step 10: As the last part of our
development of the model, we
indicate on the drawing how the
strips in the two directions share
the uniform load p.
Strip Method Design For Slabs MsC 2015 Prof. Mokhtar M. Aburawi
Step 11: We remove the lines, which indicated the strips on the drawing and have
now established our model.
This setup of a model is widely used in the literature – whereas the drawing of the
actual lines for the strips is normally left out (but they are a good tool in the
learning process)
Please note that this drawing of the model for all the strips along with the plan of
the plate with the loads indicated on is a very
good way of checking that the models correspond to the load-distribution ion the
plan and that the load transferred in the two directions actually add up to the full
load.
Procedure
Illustrated with a simple example
Total factored uls design load = udl of w
Strip Method Design For Slabs MsC 2015 Prof. Mokhtar M. Aburawi
a) Assess the likely directions in which different areas of loading will be carried
back to the supports using engineering judgment.
b) Subdivided the plan area into reasonable number of (normally) perpendicular
strips, and design areas of loading appropriate to each strip.
c) Define support and loading conditions for
each strip:
d) Determine bending moments and shear
forces in each strip.
e) Design reinforcement for each strip.
(usually provide constant reinforcement in each
strip)
Note: That the strip method gives the loads on
the supporting beams.
Example
Design ultimate load = n
Note:
Load dispersion system is only are of many that could be chosen
Subdivided slab into simple zones.
Strip Method Design For Slabs MsC 2015 Prof. Mokhtar M. Aburawi
Strip in y-direction in zone B
Total load = 0.9n×6 = 5.4n
For elastic solution 5wl 3wl
35.4n
2.025n 2.1n kN
8 8
R
8
Position of zero shear maximum
bending moment
R 2.1n
y 2.333m
w 0.9n
0.9n 62
Msup port 2.1n 6
2
3.6n (kN.m / m' )
Reinforcement for strip in y-direction in zone B
Say n = 20 kN/m2
Mmax.= 2.45 × 20 = 49 kN.m/m’
Msupport = -3.60 × 20 = 72 kN.m/m’
Strip in y-direction in zone A
R= 2.1n × 0.4/0.9= 0.933n (kN)
Mmax.= 2.45n × 0.4/0.9 = 1.09n (kN.m/m’)
Msupport = -3.60 × 0.4/0.9 = -160n (kN.m/m’)
Strip in x-direction zone (A&B)
Example:
Using the strip method with the
load dispersion system.
Calculate the maximum
sagging and hogging bending
moments in the various slab
strips.
Strip Method Design For Slabs MsC 2015 Prof. Mokhtar M. Aburawi
Middle strip y-direction
at a-a zero moment
r ×1.5 (6 +1.5/2) = 0.3n ×6 × 6/2
10.125 r = 5.4n
r = 0.53n kN
Hogging moment
RA=(n ×1.5 + 0.3n×6) - 0.53n = 2.77n
Moment at (a) ----------is zero
M = 2.77n ×1.5 – n ×(1.52/2) = 3.03n kN.m/m
= 3.03 ×12 = 36.36 kN.m/m
Sagging moment
Maximum moment at y from the face of unsupported
y = (0.53n/0.3n) = 1.77 m
M = 0.53n × (1.77+1.5/2) - 0.3n×(1.772/2) =0.87n kN.m/m
= 0.87 × 12 = 10.44 kN.m/m
Edge Strip at y-direction
at a-a moment equal zero
r ×1.5(6+1.5/2) = 0
r=0
M = 0.5n(1.52/2)=0.56n
= 0.56×12 = 6.75 kN.m/m
Middle Strip at x-direction
at b-b moment equal zero
RA1 = RB1 = 0.7n × 6.5/2 = 2.275n kN
M1 = 2.275n × 1.5 - 0.7n × 1.52/2
= 2.63n kN.m/m
M1 + M1 =wl2/8 = 0.7n×6.52/8
M1 = (0.7n×6.52/8) – 2.63n =
= 1.07n kN.m/m
RA2 = RB2 = 0.3n×1.5 = 0.45n kN
M2 = 0.45n × 1.5 - 0.3n × 1.52/2
= 0.338n
Total hogging moment = M1 + M2
= 2.63n + 0.338n = 2.97×12=35.64 kN.m/m
Total sagging moment = M1 =1.07n kN.m/m
= 1.07 × 12 12.84 kN.m/m
Strip Method Design For Slabs MsC 2015 Prof. Mokhtar M. Aburawi
Unsupported edge x-direction
M1 = wl2/12 =1.53n (6.5)2/12
= 5.39n kN.m/m
M1 = wl /24 =1.53n (6.5)2/24
2
= 2.69n kN.m/m
M2 = 0.53n×1.5×1.5 - 0.53n×1.52/2
= 0.6n kN.m/m
Total hogging moment
M1 – M2 = 5.39n – 0.6n
= 4.79n
= 4.79 × 12 = 57.48 kN.m/m
Total sagging moment
= 2.69n
= 2.69 × 12 = 32.28 kN.m/m
