Example: Design of composite slab

Check the design of a composite slab 160 mm deep, with beams 4.5 m centers, and using
the deck shown below. (This design is carried out to EN1994-1-1 part 1-1).
Steel thickness, t =0.86 mm (bare thickness of steel)
Steel yield strength, f yp.d = 450 MPa ( A = 1.0)
Effective area of cross section, A pe = 1276 mm2
Second moment of area of cross section. I p = 92.77 cm4/m = 0.9277 106 mm4/m
Characteristic plastic sagging moment of resistance, M Pa = 9.3 kN-m/m
Characteristic plastic hogging moment of resistance, 7.50 kN-m/m
Distance of centroidal axis above base, e = 29.6 mm
Weight of the steel deck profile = 0.103 kN/m2
For resistance to longitudinal shear, m = 212 N/mm2
k = 0.1409 N/mm2
For partial-interaction design,
u.Rd = 0.240 N/mm2
Volume of lightweight concrete , 0.127 m3 per sq.m of floor
Weight of concrete (dry density), 14.5 kN/m3
Compressive strength, f cm = 60 MPa and f ck =55 MPa, E cm = 17.5 GPa
Loads
Imposed load = 5.0 kN/m2
Partitions (imposed load) = 1.2 kN/m2
Floor finish = 1.3 kN/m2
Construction load (temporary) = 1.0 kN/m2
9m

4.5 m

Plan

Figure 25 Design example structure for a typical floor

At construction condition

Self weight of slab is,

Composite Slabs with Profiled Steel Sheeting

g k1 = 0.103 +0.12714.5=1.9445 kN/m2

In EN 1991-1-1, for fresh concrete the weight density should be increased by 1.0 kN/m3,
so initial loading on the sheeting
g k1 = 1.9554+0.127 =2.0715 kN/m3

steel mesh (bar dia 10mm)

Lightweight filler

ht =160

dd
130

Figure 26 Cross section of profiled sheeting and composite slab

Total design load, w d = 2.0715 1.35 + 1.0 1.5 = 4.30 kN/m2
It is assumed that the sheet is propped at mid-span during construction.
Effective length, L e = (4.5-0.1)/2 = 2.2 m
Wet concrete

Imposed load

Sheeting

50 mm

A
2200 mm

2200 mm

C
50 mm

Fig. 27 Profile sheeting during construction

Design sagging moment, M Ed = 4.30 2.22/8 = 2.60 kN-m/m < M Pa =9.3 kNm/m
Design hogging moment at prop location, M Ed =0.1254.32.22 =2.6 kNm/m < 7.5
kNm/m (considering both span loaded)
Deflection
Permanent load on the sheeting = 2.0715 + 1.0 =3.0715 kN/m2
Maximum deflection in AB, if BC is unloaded and C is attached with beam flange
=
max

wL4e
3.0715 2.24
=
= 2.0 mm ,
185 Ea I p 185 0.210 0.9277

(span/1102)

Composite Slabs with Profiled Steel Sheeting

If C is not attached with beam flange,

=
max

5wL4e
5 3.0715 2.24
=
= 4.81 mm ,
384 Ea I p 384 0.210 0.9277

(Span/457)

These are less than the limit of span/180 and also less than 1/10 of slab thickness = 16
mm, so the ponding effect may be ignored in the design of steel sheeting.

At composite condition
9.7.2
&
9.7.5

Flexural and vertical shear

All slabs are simply supported with effective length, L e = 4.40 m for moment calculation.
Dead load, g k = 1.9445 (slab) + 1.3 (floor finish) = 3.2445 kN/m2
Live load, q k = 5.0 (imposed) + 1.2 (partitions) = 6.2 kN/m2
The design ultimate load, w d = 3.2445 1.35 + 6.2 1.5 = 13.68 kN/m2
Applied moment in composite condition
M Ed = w d L e 2/8 = 13.68 4.42/8 = 33.11 kN-m/m
Flexural resistance of the slab:

For equilibrium, N p = N cf
Force in steel: N cf =A pe f yp.d = 1276450 = 574.2 kN/m

hc = 100 mm

Neutral axis depth in concrete

N cf
574.2 103
= 18.424 mm < h c = 100 mm
=
x pl =
0.85 b f cd 0.85 103 ( 55 /1.5 )
z = d p 0.5 x =130.4 0.518.424 = 121.188 mm
Plastic moment resistance of the composite section
M Rd = N cf z = 574.2 121.188/1000 = 70.0 kN-m/m applied, M Ed = 33.11 kN-m/m
Therefore, the plastic moment resistance of the section is more than adequate, subject to
check on longitudinal shear.

Composite Slabs with Profiled Steel Sheeting

Vertical Shear Resistance

The design vertical shear for a span of 4.5 m is
V Ed = 2.25(3.2445 1.35 + 6.2 1.5) = 30.78 kN /m

b =300

b0

Shear strength of concrete,

=
vmin 0.03 1 + (200 / d p )1 2

32

f ck1 2

32

=
vmin 0.03 1 + (200 / 200)1 2 551 2 =0.629 N/mm2
From Equation 27 with b 0 = 144.5 mm, b = 300 mm and d p = 130.4 mm (Fig. 20),

Vv.Rd = ( b0 b ) d p vmin = (144.5 300 ) 130.4 0.734 = 39.51 kN/m > V Ed = 30.78 kN/m
which is sufficient.
Composite condition - Longitudinal shear
9.7.3

Longitudinal shear will be checked by both m-k and partial-interaction methods.

Longitudinal shear by m-k method:
For longitudinal shear, it is assumed that there is no end anchorage, so that clause 9.7.3 is
applicable. From clause 9.7.3(4), the design shear resistance is
Vl.Rd b.d p (m
=

Ape
bLs

+ k)

VS

Where, b = 1.0 m, d p = 130.4 mm, A pe = 1276 mm2/m, L s = L/4 = 4500/4 = 1125 mm, m
= 212 N/mm2, k = 0.1409 N/mm2 and VS =1.25
1276
1

= 39.78 kN /m > V Ed = 30.78 kN/m

Vl.Rd = 1000 130.4 212
+ 0.1409
1000 1125

1.25 1000

So, the slab is strong enough using this method.

Longitudinal shear resistance by partial-interaction method:

The design shear resistance of the profile with this concrete,

u.Rd = 0.240 N/mm2

For full composite or full shear connection, the required length of shear span to develop
the force N cf (in absence of any anchorage system) is
Lsf =

N cf

u , Rd b

= 574.2 /(0.2401000) = 2.393 m > Span(4.4 m)/2 = 2.2 m

So full interaction is not achieved in a span of this length.

The depth of full interaction stress block in the concrete is x pl = 18.424 mm,

Composite Slabs with Profiled Steel Sheeting

The degree of shear connection is given by

=N c /N cf = L x /L sf = x/x pl
N c is the force in the concrete block and x is the depth of stress block with partial
interaction
z = h t 0.5x pl e p =160-0.518.424 32.3 = 127.7- 9.212 mm
[Note: e p should be given by the manufacturer, if not given, assume e = e p ]
M pr =1.25 9.3 (1- ) = 11.625 - 11.625 M pa = 9.3 kNm
so
0.2
The plastic resistance is
M Rd = N c z + M pr = 574.2 (z/1000)+ M pr = 73.325 -5.292 + 11.625-11.625
M Rd = 11.625 + 61.7 5.29 2 for 0.2

For 0.2
M Rd = N c z + M pr = 73.325 -5.292 +9.3 (here M pr = M pa )
= 9.3 + 73.325 -5.292

70
Bending
moment 60
kNm

50

MRd

40
30

MEd

20

9.3 10
0
0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

Fig. 28 Design partial-interaction diagram

The curve M Rd is plotted with curve M Ed . The curve M Rd lies above the curve M Ed at all
the cross-sections, showing that there is sufficient resistance to longitudinal shear.
Local effects of point load
The design point load is, Q Ed = 7.51.5 = 11.25 kN acting on any area 50 mm square.
a p = b p = 50 mm, thickness of floor finish h f = 20 mm, d p = 130.4 mm.
The small rib of the sheeting is neglected, so h c = 100 mm
5

Composite Slabs with Profiled Steel Sheeting

Punching area,

cP = 2 hc + 2 ( bP + 2hf ) + 2 ( aP + 2hf + 2d P 2hc )

=2100+2(50+220)+2(50+220+2130.4-2100)=1110 mm
Steel mesh (10 mm bar at 300 mm spacing, both ways) is used on the top of the sheeting.
The area of the steel bar per unit width of slab, A sx = A sy = (102/4)/300 = 0.262 mm2.
The reinforcement ratios are,
p x = p y = 0.262/100=0.00262 , therefore, p l = (0.002620.00262)1/2 = 0.00262 < 0.02
The design shear stress for lightweight concrete is,
1
1
vl.Rd =
ClRd,c1 1 + ( 200 / d ) 2 (100 l f lck ) 3 1vmin

where, 1 = 0.40+0.60/2200 in which is the upper limit of the density for the relevant
class in accordance with EN 1992-1-1, Table 11.1. The recommended value for C lRd,c is
0,15/ c .
d is the mean of the effective depths of the two layers of reinforcement, but not less than
200 mm.

1 = 0.40+0.601450/2200 = 0.795
v l.Rd = (0.15/1.5)0.795[1+1](1000.0026255)1/3= 0.387 n/mm2
The design punching resistance, V Rd = v l.Rd c p d = 0.387 1110 (100-10) =38.66 kN >
Q Ed
This is more than sufficient to resist concentrated load Q Ed =11.25 kN.
Serviceability of composite slab
Deflection
The modular ratio n can be considered as the average value of the short and long term
modular ratio.
n 0 = E s /E cm = 210/17.5 = 12
Note: The long-term compressive strain of these concretes under permanent loads is about
three times the initial elastic strain, due to creep. In elastic analysis, this would require
separate calculations for permanent and variable loads. For buildings, EN 1994 permits
the simplification that all strains may be assumed to be twice their short-term value. This
is done by using modular ratios n = 2n 0 .
Therefore, n =2n 0 =2(210/17.5) = 24
Neutral axis form top surface of the cracked composite section,
xc =

24 1276
2bd p
nApe
2 1000 130.4
1 =
1+
1 =
63.845 mm
1 +

nApe
b
1000
24 1276

For sagging loading, the second moment of area Icc per unit width of the cracked section
is,

Composite Slabs with Profiled Steel Sheeting

I cc

bx 3
= c +
12n

xc 2
)
3
2 + A (d x ) 2 + I = 1000 63.845 + 1276 (130.4 63.845) 2 + 0.9277 106
p
p
c
p
3 24
n

bxc (

I cc =10.2 106 mm4 /m

For un-cracked section
Position of the neutral axis
bhc hc
b bd d
b bd d

+ Ape d p + s d d + hc + u d d + hc
2
n 2
nCs 3
nC

s
xu =
bhc
bd d (bu + bs )
+ Ape +
n
nCs

=79.65 mm

Where, Wr = average rib width

d d = steel deck depth = 60 mm,
b u = Bottom flange dimension = 120 mm
b s = Horizontal width of the inclined web = 25 mm
Second moment of area for un-cracked composite section,
2

bhc xu c
2
2
3
2
bhc
bd d bs d d2 bu d d2
dd
dd
2

+
+
+
+ bs ht xu + + bu ht xu + Ape ( d p xu ) + I p
Iu =

n
nCs 18
12n
12
3
2

Iu = 16.4106 mm4 /m
I avg =

Ic + Iu
2

= (10.2 106+16.4106 )/2 = 13.33106 mm4/m

The self weight of the slab is 1.9445 kN/m2, so the load on the prop at B, treated as the
central support of a two span beam, is
F = 20.6251.9445 2.2 =5.35 kN/m
It is assumed that this is a line load acted on the slab at mid-span after removing of the
prop.
In service stage, the total un-factored load acting on the slab, w k = Dead load, g k + Live
load, q k = 3.2445 +6.2 = 9.4445 kN/m2
For a simply supported slab, the mid-span deflection,
=

L3e F
5
+
wk L4e
48 Es I ave 384

= 3.40 + 16.5 = 19.9 mm

Hence, /Le = 19.9/4400 =1/221

The calculated deflection should be checked with the national annex. If it is found that the
deflection is excessive, additional measure should be taken to reduce the deflection.