Direct Design

Method
Design of Two way floor system for
Flat slab
 Given data
Figure-1 shows a flat slab floor with a total area of 12,500 sq ft. It
is divided into 25 panels with a panel size of 25 ft x 20 ft.
Concrete strength is fc 3000 psi and steel yield strength is
fy=40,000 psi. Service live load is to be taken as 120 psf. Story
height is 10 ft. Exterior columns are 16 in. square and interior
columns are 18 in. round. Edge beams are14 24 in. Overall;
Thickness of slab is 7.5 in. outside of drop panel and 10.5 in.
through the drop panel. Sizes of column capital and drop panels
are shown in Fig.-1.

2
Fig.-1

3
4
 [Problem-1]

Compute the total factored static moment in the long and short
directions of an interior panel in the flat slab design as shown in
Fig.1.

5
Neglecting the weight of the drop panel, the service dead load is
(150/12)(7.5)=94 psf; thus

wu=1.2wD +1.6wL

=1.2(94) +1.6(120)

=132 + 204

=336 psf
2 5
2 2
1 2 2c 1 2

Mo w uL 2L1 1 0.336 20 25 1 395 ft kips
8 3L1 8 3 25
(in long direction)

0.336 25 20 2 1 2 5
2 2
1 2c 1
Mo w uL 2L21 1 292 ft kips
8 3L1 8 3 20
(in short direction)
6
The equivalent square area for the column capital has its side
equal to 4.43 ft; then, using Eq.1, with Ln measured to the face
of capital (i.e., equivalent square),
1 1
w uL 2L2n 0.336 20 25 4.43 356 ft kips
2
Mo
8 8
(in long direction)
1 1
Mo w uL 2L n 0.336 25 20 4.43 255 ft kips
2 2

8 8
(in short direction)
So far as flat slabs with column capitals are concerned, it
appears that the larger values of 395 ft-kips and 292 ft-kips
should be used because Eq.8 is specially suitable; in particular,
ACI states that the total factored static moment shall not be less
than that given by Eq.1. 7
 Given data [Problem-2]

Review the slab thickness and other nominal requirements for the
dimensions in this flat slab design described in problem-1.

8
(a) Stiffness of edge beams.

Before using Table-1, the values for the edge beams are
needed. The moment of inertia of the edge beam section
shown in Fig.2 is 22,9000 in4. Thus the value for the long
edge beam is

Fig.-2

9
 Stiffness of edge beams.

The moments of inertia Ib and Is refer to the gross sections of

beam and slab within the cross-section. ACI permits the slab on
ch side of the beam web to act as a part of the beam, this slab
tion being limited to a distance equal to the projection of the beam
ove or below the slab, whichever is greater, but not greater than
r times the slab thickness, as shown in Fig.

10
 bw h 3
Ib k
In which 12

t t
2 3
bE t t bE
1 1 4 6 4 1
bw h h h bw h
k
bE t
1 1
bw h

where
h = overall beam depth
t =overall slab thickness
bE =effective width of flange

bw = width of web
 Ib 22,900 22,900
5.42
Is 120 7.5 3
4220
12
and for the short edge beam, it is
Ib 22,900 22,900
4.34
Is 150 7.5 3
5270
12

These values are entered on Fig.3.

(b) Minimum slab thickness using Table-1. The long and short
clear spans for deflection control are:
Ln = 25-4.43 = 20.57 ft; Sn = 20-4.43 = 15.57 ft. From which
L n 20.57
1.32 12
Sn 15.57
 13
Fig.-3
 Table-1 Minimum thickness of slab without interior beams

WITHOUT DROP PANELS WITH DROP PANELS

f*y EXTERIOR PANELS INTERIOR EXTERIOR PANELS INTERIOR
(ksi) =0 0.8 PANELS =0 0.8 PANELS
40 Ln Ln Ln Ln Ln Ln
33 36 36 36 40 40
Ln Ln Ln Ln Ln Ln
60
30 33 33 33 36 36

Ln Ln Ln Ln Ln Ln
75
28 31 31 31 34 34

*For fy between 40 and 60 ksi, min. t is to be obtained by linear

interpolation.
For fy=40 ksi, a flat slab with drop panel, and = smaller of 4.34
and 5.42, Table-1 gives

L n 20.57(12)
min t 6.17 in.
40 40

For both exterior and interior panels.

(c) Nominal requirement for slab thickness.

The minimum thickness required is, from part (b), 6.17 in. The 7.5
in. slab thickness used is more than ample; 6.5 in. should
probably have been used.
15
(d) Thickness of drop panel.

Reinforcement within the drop panel must be computed on the

basis of the 10.5 in. thickness actually used or 7.5 in. plus
one-fourth of the projection of the drop beyond the column
capital, whichever is smaller.

In order that the full 3-in. projection of the drop below the 7.5 in.
slab is usable in computing reinforcement, the 6 ft 8 in. side of
the drop is revised to 7 ft so that one-fourth of the distance
between the edges of the 5-ft column capital and the 7-ft drop is
just equal to (10.5 - 7.5) = 3 in.

16
 Given data [Problem-3]

For the flat slab design problem-1, Compute the longitudinal

moments in frames A, B, C and D as shown Fig.-1, 4 & 5.

17
 18
Fig.-4
 19
Fig.-5
Longitudinal moments in the Frame.
The longitudinal moments in frames A, B, C, D are computed
using Case 4 of Fig.23(DDM) for the exterior span and
Fig.19(DDM) for the interior span. The computations are shown
in Table-1 and the results are summarized in Fig.4&5. 20
(a) Check the five limitations (the sixth limitation does not apply
here) for the direct design method. These five limitations are
all satisfied.

(b) Total factored static moment M0.

Referring to the equivalent rigid frames A, B, C, and D in Fig.
4&5, the total factored static moment may be taken from the
results previously found; thus

M0 for A = 395 ft-kips

M0 for B = 0.5(395) =198 ft-kips

M0 for C = 292 ft-kips

21
M0 for D = 0.5(292) =146 ft-kips
 Table-1: Longitudinal Moments (ft-kips) for the flat slab

FRAME A B C D
M0 395 198 292 146
Mneg at exterior support, 0.30M0 118 59 88 44
Mpos in exterior span, 0.50M0 198 99 146 73
Mneg at first interior support, 0.70M0 276 139 204 102
Mneg at typical interior support, 0.65M0 257 129 190 95

Mpos in typical interior span, 0.35M0 138 69 96 51

22
 Given data [Problem-4]

For the flat slab design problem-1, compute the torsional constant
C for the edge beam and the interior beam in the short and
long directions.

23
For the short or long edge beam Fig.6(a), the torsional constant C is
computed on the basis of the cross-section shown in Fig.6(a).

Fig.-6

24
 The torsional constant C equals,
x x3 y
C 1 0.63 (17 )
where y 3

x = shorter dimension of a component rectangle

y = longer dimension of a component rectangle

and the component rectangles should be taken in such a way

that the largest value of C is obtained.
 Fig.-7

x x3 y
C 1 0.63
y 3
0.63(7.5) (7.5)3 (51.5) 0.63(14) (14)3 (16.5)
C 1 1
51.5 3 16.5 3
6575 7025 13,600 in4
or
0.63(14) (14)3 (24) 0.63(7.5) (7.5)3 (37.5)
C 1 1
24 3 37.5 3
26
13,890 4610 18,500 in4 Use
 Fig.-8
For the short or long interior beam [Fig.6(b)], a weighted slab
thickness of 8.5 in. is used, on the assumption that one-third
of the span has a 10.5 in. thickness and the remainder has a
7.5 in. thickness.

0.63 x x 3 y 0.63(8.5) (8.5)3 12( 4.43)

C 1 1
y 3 12 ( 4 . 43 ) 3
9800 in4
27
 Given data [Problem-5]

Divide the five critical moments in each of the equivalent rigid

frames A, B, C and D in the flat slab design problem-1, as
shown in Fig.4&5, into two parts: one for the half column strip
(for frames B and D) or the full column strip (for frames A and
C), and the other for the half middle strip (for frames B and D)
or the two half middle strips on each side of the column line
(for frames A and C)

28
 The percentages of the longitudinal moments going into the
column strip width are shown in lines 10 to 12 of Table-2. The
column strip width shown in line 2 is one-half of the shorter
panel dimension for both frames A and C, and one-fourth of this
value for frames B and D. The sum of the values on lines 2 and
3 should be equal to that on line 1, for each respective frame.
The moment of inertia of the slab equal in width to the
transverse span of the edge beam is:

240(7.5)3
IS in t for A and B 8440 in4
12
and
300(7.5)3
IS in t for C and D 10,600 in4 29
12
These values are shown in line 5 of Table-2.

The percentages shown in lines 10 to 12 are obtained from Table-

2A, by interpolation if necessary.

Having these percentages, the separation of each of the

longitudinal moment values shown in Fig.4&5 into two parts is a
simple matter and thus is not shown further.

30
Table-2 Transverse distribution of longitudinal moment for flat slab
LINE
NUMBER EQUIVALENT RIGID FRAME A B C D
1 Total transverse width (in.) 240 120 300 150
2 Column strip width (in.) 120 60 120 60
3 Half middle strip width (in.) 2@60 60 2@90 90
4 C(in4) from previous calculations 18,500 18,50 18,50 18,50
0 0 0
5 Is(in.4) in t 8,440 8,440 10,60 10,60
0 0
6 t= EcbC/(2EcsIs) 1.10 1.10 0.87 0.87
7 1 from previous calculations 0 5.42 0 4.34
8 L2/L1 0.80 0.80 1.25 1.25
9 1 L2/L1 0 4.33 0 5.43
10 Exterior negative moment, percent to 89.0% 91.6% 91.3% 88.7%
column strip
11 Positive moment, percent to column 60.0% 81.0% 60.0% 67.5%
strip
12 Interior negative moment, percent to 75.0% 81.0% 75.0% 67.5%
31
column strip
Table-2A:Percentage of longitudinal moment in column strip

ASPECT RATIO L2/L1 0.5 1.0 2.0

Negative moment at 1L2/L1 = 0 t=0 100 100 100
exterior support t2.5 75 75 75
1L2/L1 > 1.0 t = 0 100 100 100
t> 2.5 90 75 45
Positive moment 1L2/L1 =0 60 60 60
1L2/L1 > 1.0 90 75 45
Negative moment at 1L2/L1 =0 75 75 75
interior support 1L2/L1 > 1.0 90 75 45
 Given data [Problem-6]

Design the reinforcement in the exterior and interior spans of a

typical column strip and a typical middle strip in the short

direction of the flat slab problem-1. As described

earlier, fc 3000 psi f y=40,000 psi.

33
(a) Moments in column and middle strips

The typical column strip is the column strip of equivalent rigid frame
C of Fig.5; but the typical middle strip is the sum of two half middle
strips, taken from each of the two adjacent equivalent rigid frames C.
The factored moments in the typical column and middle strips are
shown in Table-3.

34
Table-3: Factored moments in a typical column strip and
middle strip

EXTERIOR SPAN INTERIOR SPAN

Line Moments at critical Negative Positive Negative Negative Positive Negative

number section (ft-kips) moment moment moment moment moment moment

1 Total M in column -88 +146 -204 -190 +96 -190

and middle strips
(Fig.5) (frame C)

2 Percentage to 91.3% 60% 75% 75% 60% 75%

column strip
(Table-2)
3 Moment in column -80 +88 -153 -142 +58 -142
strip
4 Moment in middle -8 +58 -51 -48 +38 -48
strip

35
(b) Slab thickness for flexure

For fc' 3000 psi and fy 40,000 psi, the maximum percentage
for tension reinforcem ent only is 0.75b 0.0278.
The actual percentage used (lines 6 of Table - 4 and 5)
are nowhere near this maximum. Thus there is ample compressiv e
strength in the slab. This phenomenon is usual because of the
deflection control exerted by the minimum slab thickness requiremen ts.

1
Rn f y (1 m)
2
fy
m
0.85 f c
36
Table-4: Design of reinforcement in column strip
EXTERIOR SPAN
INTERIOR SPAN

LINE ITEM NEGATIV POSITIV NEGATIV NEGATIV POSITIV NEGATIV

NUMBE E E E E E E
R MOMENT MOMEN MOMENT MOMENT MOMEN MOMENT
T T

1 Moment, Table-2, line 3 (ft- -80 +88 -153 -142 +58 -142
kips)
2 Width b of drop or strip (in.) 100 120 100 100 120 100
3 Effective depth d (in.) 8.81 6.44 8.81 8.81 6.44 8.81
4 Mu/ (ft-kips) -89 +98 -170 -158 +64 -158
5 Rn(psi)= Mu/(bd2) 138 236 263 244 154 244
6 , Eq. or Table A.5a 0.35% 0.62% 0.70% 0.64% 0.39% 0.64%
7 As = bd 3.08 4.79 6.17 5.63 3.01 5.63
8 As =0.002bt* 2.40 1.80 2.40 2.40 1.80 2.40
9 N=larger of (7) or(8)/0.31 9.9 15.5 19.9 18.2 9.7 18.2
10 N=width of strip/(2t) 5 8 5 5 8 5
11 N required, larger of (9) or 10 16 20 19 10 19
(10)
37
*bt=100(10.5)+20(7.5)=1200 in for negative moment region.
2
 Table-5: Design of reinforcement in Middle Strip

EXTERIOR SPAN INTERIOR SPAN

LINE ITEM NEGATIV POSITIV NEGATIV NEGATIV POSITIV NEGATIV
NUMBE E E E E E E
R MOMENT MOMEN MOMENT MOMENT MOMEN MOMENT
T T

1 Moment, Table 3, line 4 (ft- -8 +58 -51 -48 +38 -48

kips)

2 Width b of strip (in.) 180 180 180 180 180 180

3 Effective depth d (in.) 6.44 5.81 6.44 6.44 5.81 6.44
4 Mu/ (ft-kips) -9 +64 -57 -53 +42 -53
5 Rn(psi)= Mu/(bd2) 14 126 92 85 83 85
6 0.04% 0.32% 0.23% 0.22% 0.21% 0.22%
7 As = bd 0.46 3.30 2.67 2.53 2.20 2.53
8 As =0.002bt 2.70 2.70 2.70 2.70 2.70 2.70
9 N=larger of (7) or(8)/0.31* 8.7 10.6 8.7 8.7 7.1 8.7
10 N=width of strip/(2t) 12 12 12 12 12 12
11 N required, larger of (9) or 12 12 12 12 12 12
(10)
38
*A mixture of #5 and #4 bars could have been selected.
(c) Design of Reinforcement

The design of reinforcement for the typical column strip is

shown in Table-4; for the typical middle strip , it is shown in
Table-5. Because the moments in the long direction are larger
than those in the short direction, the larger effective depth is
assigned to the long direction wherever the two layers of steel
are in contact. This contact at crossing occurs in the top steel
at intersection of middle strips and in the bottom steel at the
intersection of middle strips. Assuming #5 bars and in.
clear cover, the effective depths provided at various critical
sections of the long and short directions are shown in Fig.9
39
Fig.-9

40
 Given data [Problem-7]

Investigate the shear strength in wide-beam and two-way actions

in the flat slab design for an interior column with no bending
moment to be transferred. We have f 3000 psi
c

41
 Wide beam action. Investigation for wide beam action is made
for sections 1-1 and 2-2 in the long direction, as shown in
fig.10. The shot short direction has a wider critical section and
short span; thus it does not control. For section 1-1, if the entire
width of 20 ft is conservatively assumed to have an effective
depth of 6.12 in. Fig.-10

42
 Vu 0.336 20 9.52 64 kips (sec tion 1 1)
1
Vn Vc 2 fc 240 6.12 161 kips
1000
Vn 0.85161 137 kips Vu OK

Wide beam action.

if however bw is taken as 84 in. and d as 9.12 in. on the

contention that the increased depth d is only over a width of 84
in.
1
Vn Vc 2 fc 84 9.12 84 kips
1000
This later value is probably unrealistically low. For section 2-2 the
shear resisting section has a constant d of 6.12 in; thus
43
 Vu 0.336 20 7.82 53 kips (sec tion 2 2)
Vn 137 kips Vu OK

It will be rare that wide beam (one way) action will govern.

(b)Two way action. The critical sections for two way action are the
circular section 1-1 at d/2 = 4.56 in. from the edge of the
column capital and rectangular section 2-2 at d/2 =3.06 in. from
the edge of drop, as shown in fig.11. Since there are not
shearing forces at the centerlines of the four adjacent panels,
the shear forces around the critical sections 1-1 and 2-2 in
fig.11 are 44
 Fig.-11

5.76 2 5.76 2
Vu 0.336 500 1.2 0.038 7 8.33
4 4
159.2 1.7 161 kips (sec tion 1 1)
45
In the second term, the 0.038 is the weight of the 3in. drop in ksf.
Vu 0.336 500 8.84 7.51 146 Kips (sec tion2 2)

Compute the shear strength at section 1-1 around the perimeter of

the capital( fig.11)
bo 217.1
bo 5.76 12 217.1 in. 23.8
d 9.12
bo
Since 20, and c 1, Eq.22(DDM) controls. Thus
d
10
Vn Vc 2 fc bo d (3.68 fc bo d)
23.8

0.85 3.68 fc 217.1 9.12
1
1000
339 kips

At sec tion 2 2, Fig.11

bo 392.4
bo 2 8.84 2 7.51 12 392.4 in.; 64.1
d 6.12 46
 bo
and sin ce 20, Eq.22(DDM) controls. Thus
d
40
Vn Vc 2 fc bo d (2.62 fc bo d).
64.1
1
0.85(2.62 fc ) 392.4 6.12
293 kips
1000

Though both sections 1-1 and 2-2 have Vn significantly greater

than Vu, the section around the drop panel is loaded to slightly
higher percentage of its strength (50% for section 2-2 vs 47%
for section 1-1). Shear reinforcement is not required at this
interior location.

47