AAiT, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering Reinforced Concrete II

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1. CONTINUOUS BEAMS AND ONE-WAY RIBBED SLABS .............................. 2

1.1. Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 2
1.2. Analysis and design of one-way slabs ................................................................................. 2
1.3. General Requirements:......................................................................................................... 5
1.3.1. Ribbed slab proportions ................................................................................................ 5
1.4. Procedure for design of ribbed slabs .................................................................................... 6

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AAiT, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering Reinforced Concrete II

CHAPTER 1. ONE-WAY RIBBED SLABS

1.1. INTRODUCTION
Continuous beams, one-way slabs and continuous one-way ribbed slabs are indeterminate
structures for which live load variation has to be considered. This is because dead load is always
there but live load might vary during the life time of these structures.

One-way slabs transmit their load mainly in one direction (i.e., the direction. of span). A 1m strip
is taken in the direction of span and treated similar to continuous beams.

Elastic analysis such as slope-deflection, moment distribution and matrix method or plastic
analysis or approximate method such as the use of moment coefficient or such methods as portal
or cantilever can be used.

1.2. ANALYSIS AND DESIGN OF ONE-WAY SLABS

The concept of one way slabs was introduced in reinforced concrete structures 1, but for the
purpose of the subsequent discussion basic principles are recalled here as follows.

Slabs are flat plates used to provide useful horizontal surfaces mainly for roofs and floors of
buildings, parking lots, airfields, roadway etc.

Classification: Beam supported slabs may be classified as:

1. One-way slabs - main reinforcement in each element runs in one direction only. (Ly/Lx
>2). There are two types· one way solid slabs and one way ribbed slabs.
2. Two-way slabs - main reinforcement runs in both directions where ratio of long to short
span is less than two. (Ly/Lx ≤ 2)

Others types of slab include flat slab, flat plates, two way ribbed or grid slabs etc.

One-ways slabs are considered as rectangular beams of comparatively large ratio of width to depth
and ratio of longer span to width (short span) is greater than two.

When Ly/Lx > 2, about 90% or more of the total load is carried by the short span, i.e., bending takes
place in the direction of the shorter span.

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AAiT, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering Reinforced Concrete II

Figure 1.3.1-1 One-way slab

Analysis and design is than carried out by assuming a beam of unit width with a depth equal to the
thickness of the slab, continuous over the supporting beam and span equal to the distance between
supports (in the short direction or strip A and B) as shown in figure 2.3-2. The strip may be
analyzed in the same way as singly reinforced rectangular sections. Near the ends the panel
adjacent to the girders, some load is resisted by bending in the longitudinal strips (strips C) and
less by the transvers strips (strip A). But for design purpose the effect is ignored and is indirectly
accounted by extending top reinforcements into the top of the slabs on each side of the girders
across the ends of the panel.

Figure 1.3.1-2 One-way and two-way slab action

The load per unit area on the slab would be the load per unit length on this imaginary beam of unit
width. As the loads being transmitted to the supporting beams, all reinforcement shall be placed
at right angles to these beams. However some additional bars may be placed in the other direction

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AAiT, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering Reinforced Concrete II

to carry temperature and shrinkage stresses. The same procedure carried out for design of singly
reinforced rectangular beam sections, can be adopted for one-way slabs Analysis and design of
one-way ribbed slabs

Long-span floors for relatively light live loads can be constructed as a series of closely spaced,
cast-in-place T-beams (or joists or ribs) with a cross section as shown in figure 2.4-1. The joists
span one way between beams. Most often, removable metal forms referred to as fillers or pans are
used to form the joists. Occasionally, joist floors are built by using clay-tile fillers, which serve as
forms for the concrete in the ribs that are left in place to serve as the celling.

Figure 1.3.1-3 Ribbed slab layout

Ribbed slabs are more economical than solid slabs for long spans with relatively light loads. They
may be constructed in a variety of ways as discussed above. Two principal methods of construction
are:

1. ribbed slabs without permanent blocks,

2. Ribbed slabs with permanent hollow or solid blocks.

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AAiT, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering Reinforced Concrete II

Figure 1.3.1-4 (a) Ribbed slab; (b) ribbed slab with hollow blocks

Topping
Rib
Block

Figure 1.3.1-5 Typical ribbed slab cross-section

1.3. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS:
The topping or concrete floor panels between ribs may or may not be considered to contribute to
the strength of the slab. The hollow or solid blocks may also be counted in assessing the strength
using rules given in the codes. The design of slabs with topping taken into account but without
permanent blocks is discussed as follows.

1.3.1. RIBBED SLAB PROPORTIONS

The main requirements of proportions for ribbed slabs without permanent blocks are as follows:

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AAiT, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering Reinforced Concrete II

1. The centers of ribs should not exceed 1.5 m;

2. The depth of ribs excluding topping should not exceed four times their average width;
3. The minimum rib width should be determined by consideration of cover, bar spacing and
fire resistance. Referring to Figure 1.3.1-4in the code, the minimum rib width is 125 mm;
4. The thickness of structural topping or flange should not be less than 50 mm or one tenth of
the clear distance between ribs.

1.4. PROCEDURE FOR DESIGN OF RIBBED SLABS

1. Shear forces and moments: Shear forces and moments for continuous slabs can be
obtained by elastic analysis.
2. Design for moment and moment reinforcement: The mid-span section is designed as a T-
beam with flange width equal to the distance between ribs. The support section is designed
as a rectangular beam. The slab may be made solid near the support to increase shear
resistance. Moment reinforcement consisting of one or more bars is provided in the top and
bottom of the ribs. If appropriate, bars can be curtailed in a similar way to bars in solid
slabs
3. Shear resistance and shear reinforcement:
4. Reinforcement in the topping: a mesh reinforcement with a cross-sectional area of not less
than 0.12% of the area of the topping in each direction should be provided. The spacing of
wires should not exceed one-half the center-to-center distance of the ribs. The mesh is
placed in the center of the topping and requirements of cover in the code should be satisfied.
If the ribs are widely spaced the topping may need to be designed for moment and shear
as a continuous one-way slab between ribs.

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