CE5510B Advanced Structural

Concrete Design to EC2

10. Flat Slab System

Professor Tan Kiang Hwee

Dept of Civil & Environmental Engrg
National University of Singapore

Contents
10.1 General 3
10.2 Analysis of flat slabs 4
Example 9
10.3 Detailing of flexural reinforcement 13
10.4 Punching shear 15
10.4.1 Design for punching shear 16
10.4.2 Punching shear calculations 20
10.4.3 Punching shear reinforcement 22
10.5 Deflection 26
10.6 Example 27

© Tan K H, NUS 2
10.1 General

Offer several advantages over slab-on-beam construction:

(a) simplified formwork and reduced storey heights;
(b) greater fire resistance due to absence of sharp corners.

© Tan K H, NUS 3

10.2 Analysis of Flat Slabs

cL cL
Column Column
Grillage, FEM, YLM
Equivalent frame
method
flat slab structure is
divided longitudinally & cL Panel
transversely into frames cL Column
each frame is cL Panel
analysed using a cL Column
suitable method
total load should be
used for each direction

© Tan K H, NUS 4
 Division of panels

© Tan K H, NUS 5

 Distribution of design moments

© Tan K H, NUS 6
 C
D

A B
Approx. mt.
dist. in slabs
(in
longitudinal
direction*)
*the same dist.
applies to mt.
in transverse
dir.
© Tan K H, NUS 7

Negative Positive
moment @ moment @
supports mid-span
Column strip 60 – 80% 50 – 70%
(C) (75%) (55%)

Middle strip 40 – 20% 50 – 30%

(D) (25%) (45%)
Values in parentheses are conventional values in practice

If column strip is narrower because of drops, the design moments to

be resisted by the middle strip should be increased proportionately,
while those resisted by the column strip decreased correspondingly.

© Tan K H, NUS 8
Example – Flat Slab with external &
central columns

Office Building

Assume

h = 275 mm;
d = 241 mm;
Finishes: 0.5
kN/m2
Imposed load:
5.0 kN/m2
C30/37 concrete
H16 bars

© Tan K H, NUS 9

Loading:
Permanent load = 25x0.275 + 0.5 = 7.4 kN/m2
Max. ultimate load = 1.35 x 7.4 + 1.5 x 5 = 17.5 kN/m2
Min. ultimate load = 1.35 x 7.4 = 10.0 kN/m2

Equivalent frame method:

Relative stiffness of columns to slab is negligible
 Design as an equivalent continuous flexural member.

© Tan K H, NUS 10
 17.5 x 6 =105 kN/m

473 kNm

105 kN/m 10 x 6 =60 kN/m

400 kNm

371 kNm

+ alternate spans loaded  max M(+) = 328 kNm 305 kNm

© Tan K H, NUS 11

N-S direction
mx’ mx’ mx’ Hogging moments:
mx’ (column strip)
= 475 x 0.75 / 3 = 118 kNm/m
mx’ (middle strip)
= 475 x 0.25 / 3 = 39 kNm/m
mx mx mx

Sagging moments:
mx (column strip)
= 305 x 0.55 / 3 = 56 kNm/m
mx (middle strip)
mx’ mx’ = 305 x 0.45 / 3 = 39 kNm/m
mx’
Similarly for E-W direction.

12
10.3 Detailing of flexural
reinforcement
Detailed according to rules for slabs
Should be spread across respective strip
For negative moments in column strip
2/3 of reinforcement to be located in central ½-strip width

} 1/6 As

½ x col.
strip width } 2/3 As

} 1/6 As

2 bottom bars to be provided through column (to ensure

robustness)
© Tan K H, NUS 13

Reinforcement perpendicular to a free edge

required to transmit bending moments from the slab (limited
to 0.17bed2 fck) to an edge or corner columns
should be placed within the effective width be

reinforcement arrangement

© Tan K H, NUS 14
10.4 Punching shear failure

Pipers Row Car Park

© Tan K H, NUS 15

10.4.1 Design for punching shear

Basic control perimeter

 Taken at 2d from
loaded area and should
be constructed to
minimise its length

 d = ½ (dy + dz)

© Tan K H, NUS 16
 Control perimeters

© Tan K H, NUS 17

Column with column head:

rectangular   circular

© Tan K H, NUS 18
 Design shear stress

Recommended  values are applicable

VEd : design shear force
for structures whose lateral stability is
ui : control perimeter
not dependent on frame action bet.
d : effective depth
slabs & columns, and where adjacent
 : factor to account for unbalanced
spans do not differ by > 20% in length.
moments
(EN1992-1-1:2004, Cl. 6.4.3 for others.)
© Tan K H, NUS 19

10.4.2 Punching shear calculations

 Check punching shear stress at column face:
vEd =  VEd/uod ≤ vRd,max = 0.5 fcd [Note:  = 0.6(1 – fck / 250)]
where
free edge
uo = 2(c1 +c2) for interior columns c1
free edge

free edge

uo = c2 + 3d ≤ c2 + 2c1 for edge columns c2 c2

uo = 3d ≤ c1 + c2 for corner columns c1 c1

 Check punching shear resist. at basic control perimeter u1:

vEd ≤ vRd,c  no punching shear reinft. required
vEd > vRd,c  provide punching shear reinft.
Consider reduced u1* for edge & corner columns (next slide)

 Control perimeter at which shear reinft. is not longer needed:

uout =  VEd/(vRd,cd) Note: l = (ly lz ) ≤ 0.02
taken over c+2x3d width
© Tan K H, NUS 20
 Reduced basic control perimeter u1*

u1* = c2 + 2d + min {3d, c1} u1* = d + min {3d, 0.5(c1+c2)}

© Tan K H, NUS 21

10.4.3 Punching shear reinforcement

 Asw = (vEd – 0.75vRd,c) sr u1 /(1.5fywd,ef) (assuming  = 90o)

vRd,c = (0.18/c) k (100l fCK)1/3  0.035k3/2 fCK1/2]

u1 is the length of basic control perimeter

 minimum area of a link leg, Asw,min , is given by

Asw,min  (1.5 sin  + cos ) / ( sr  st )  (0.08 fck ) / fyk
where
sr : spacing of shear links in the radial direction
st : spacing of shear links in the tangential direction
© Tan K H, NUS 22
 Using bent-up bars
Using vertical links
© Tan K H, NUS 23

Placement of punching shear reinft

(Explanatory notes)
• Should be provided between the column face and kd inside the
outside perimeter where shear reinft. is no longer required. k is 1.5,
unless the perimeter at which reinft. is longer required is less than 3d
from the column face. In this case, the reinft. should be placed in
the zone 0.3d to 1.5d from the column face.

• There should be at least two perimeters of shear links.

• The radial spacing of the links should not exceed 0.75d.

• The tangential spacing of the links should not exceed 1.5d within 2d
of the column face, and 2d for any other perimeter.

• The distance between the face of the column and the nearest shear
reinft. should be less than 0.5d.

© Tan K H, NUS 24
 Shear stud
reinforcement

© Tan K H, NUS 25

10.5 Deflection
Deflection can be
calculated using crossing-
beam analogy (aka Wide
Beam Method).

 1

 2a n

 alternatively, check using span/depth ratio

© Tan K H, NUS 26
10.6 Example

2d

 Given:
 Gk = 5 kN/m2 ; Qk = 2.5 kN/m2
 fck = 30 MPa ; fyk = 500 MPa

 Determine punching shear

reinforcement at an internal
column.

© Tan K H, NUS 27

 VEd = (1.35x5 + 1.5x2.5) x 6 x 6  Check punching shear resist. at

= 10.5 x 36 = 378 kN
 Check punching shear stress at
column face:
uo = 2(c1 +c2) = 2(400+400)
= 1600 mm
d = (dx + dy)/2 = (174 + 162)/2
= 168 mm
vEd =  VEd/uod
= 1.15x378x103 / (1600x168)
= 1.62 MPa
vRd,max = 0.5 fcd
= 0.5x[ 0.6(1 – 30/ 250)]x30/1.5
= 5.28 MPa  vEd … 
© Tan K H, NUS
basic control perimeter u1:
u1 = 2(c1 +c2) + 2  (2d)
=2(400+400)+2(2x168)= 3711mm
Neglect load bet. column
perimeter & control perimeter:
vEd =  VEd/u1d =1.15x378x103/
(3711x168)= 0.697 MPa
 = 113 / (150 x 168) = 0.00448
k = 1+(200/168)1/2 = 2.09 > 2
vRd,c = (0.18/c) k (100 fCK)1/3
= (0.18/1.5) x 2 x (0.448 x 30)1/3
= 0.571 MPa  0.035k3/2 fCK1/2
= 0.035 x 23/2 x 301/2 =0.542 MPa
 vEd > vRd,c  provide punching
shear reinft.
28
 Control perimeter at which  Calculate Asw :
shear reinft. is not longer fywd,ef=250+0.25d =292 MPa < fywd
needed:
 vEd = vRd,cs = 0.75vRd,c+ 1.5(d/sr)Asw
uout =  VEd/(vRd,cd) fywd,ef(1/(u1d)) gives
= 1.15x378x103/(0.571x168) Asw = 284 mm2
= 4532 mm
 at 466.6 mm or 2.78d (< 3d)  Prov. H8 shear links @ 250 mm in 2
from face of column perimeters in the zone 0.3d (50 mm)
to 1.5d (252 mm) from column face
50 400 Check: sr = 125 mm  0.75d
125 st = 250 mm  1.5d
Also, Asw = 8 x  x 82 / 4
= 402 mm2 > 284 mm2 
250  Check min. area of link leg:
Asw,min = ( srst/1.5)(0.08fck)/fyk
= (125x250/1.5)(0.0830)/500
= 18.3 mm3 <50.3 mm2 (1H8) 
© Tan K H, NUS 29

 Check deflection using l / d ratio:

 = 0.00448 < o = 30 x 10-3 = 0.00548

K = 1.2 (see Table NA.5, lecture on deflection)

 l / d = K [11 + 1.5 fck (o /  ) + 3.2 fck (o /  – 1)3/2]

= 1.2 [11 + 1.530(0.00548/0.00448) +
3.230(0.00548/0.00448 – 1)3/2]
= 1.2 x 22.9 = 27.5

< 6000/168 = 35.7 

 Need to incorporate drop panels to reduce effective span.

© Tan K H, NUS 30
Exercise 1
A flat plate floor is designed to
carry a factored load of
15.5 kN/m2 . Check for
punching shear at column
B1 if a shear force of 470
kN is to be transmitted to
the column.

Given:
Slab thickness, h = 190 mm
Effective depth, d = 150 mm
Concrete grade C28/35
fyk = 500 MPa

Assume reinforcement details

1 2
as in Example on Slide #27.

© Tan K H, NUS 31

Exercise 2

A flat slab 250 mm in thickness is supported by 400 mm

by 400 mm square columns arranged on a 7.2 m grid.
The slab is provided with H16-150 at the top in each
direction within a 1.8 m wide strip centered with the
column, as tension reinforcement. The lateral stability
of the structure does not depend on frame action,
and the design shear force arising from maximum
design load applied to all panels adjacent to the
column is VEd = 854 kN. Determine the punching shear
reinforcement required to resist the force. Given: fck =
40 MPa, fywk = 500 MPa, average d = 210 mm.

© Tan K H, NUS 32
Test Your Understanding –
Flat Slab System
1. What are the available methods of analysis for flat slabs?
Ans:

2. How are column strips and middle strips defined?

Ans:

3. How can punching shear be prevented in flat slabs?

Ans:

4. How is the SLS of deflection and cracking verified for flat slabs?
Ans:

33

Further reading:

 Darwin, D., Dolan, C.W. & Nilson, A.H., “Design of Concrete

Structures”, 15e (Int’l. Ed.), 2016, Ch 13.
 Wight, J.K., “Reinforced Concrete: Mechanics & Design”, 7e
(Global Ed.), 2016, Ch 13.
 Moss, R. and Brooker, O., “How to design concrete structures
using Eurocode 2 : Flat slabs”, The Concrete Centre, 2006,

34