ETS CAMINS, CANALS I PORTS DE BARCELONA

BUILDING STRUCTURES

TWO-WAY FLOOR SLABS

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

2

INDEX
1. Introduction

2. General typology
3. Waffle slab typology

Waffle slab with lost lightening blocks

Waffle slab with framework system
Waffle slab with special framework
Sole plates (or sill plates)

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

3

INDEX
4. Design of structural members
-

Pillars

Edge beams

Drop panels

Slab depth

5. Structural analysis

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

4

1- INTRODUCTION
Two-way floor slabs

Family of R.C. that work along two directions because of being directly
supported on pillars, or because of being supported bidirectional beam
systems. They are reinforced in two directions. They are usually lightened.

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

5

2- GENERAL TYPOLOGY
Types of two-way floor slabs:

Solid two-way slab

Two-way slab with drop panels

Max. span length = 7-8m o 8-9m with drop panels

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

6

Two-way slab with drop caps

Two-way slab with drop caps and

drop panels

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

7

Two-way slab with flat beams

Two-way slab with deep beams

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

8

Lightened two-way slab

Waffle slab

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

9

SUMMARY OF TYPOLOGY

TWO-WAY FLOOR SLABS

SOLID SLABS

REINFORCED

POST-TENSIONED

WAFFLE SLABS

LOST LIGHTENING
BLOCKS

RECOVERABLE
LIGHTENING BLOCKS

SPECIAL
BLOCKS

Ceramic

Polystyrene

Concrete

Metallic
Fibre
Plastic

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

10

3- WAFFLE SLAB TYPOLOGY

Compression layer
Rib

Lightening blocks

Reinforcement

Elements
Cast-in-place ribs
Cast-in-place compression layer
Lightening blocks
Reinforcement: top and bottom principal reinforcement
possible shear reinforcement ribs
specific reinforcement in edge beams and drop panels
distribution reinforcement in the compression layer (mesh)
e=inter-axis distance

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

11

3.1. WAFFLE SLAB WITH LOST LIGHTENING BLOCKS

Ceramic flooring blocks. They are lighter but fragile. Not used in practice.
Concrete blocks. Classic inter-axis = 80 x 80 cm = 70 x70 + 10 cm rib
(max. 1 m according to EHE; max. 1.5 m according to EC2)

Span length: up to 6-7m

Depth: 23-35 cm
Compression topping with minimum thickness of 5 cm according to EHE-08.
Scantlings:

3 pieces

4 pieces

6 pieces

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

12

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

13

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

14

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

15

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

16

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

17

3.2. WAFFLE SLAB WITH RECOVERABLE LIGHTENNING BLOCKS

Span length from 7-8 m to 12 m; if > 12 m prestressing needed

Classic inter-axis : 80 x 80 cm = 68 x 68 cm + 12 cm (rib minimum thickness)
(max. 1 m EHE - max. 1.5 m -EC2) )
Fire protection regulation

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

18

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

19

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

20

3.3. WAFFLE SLAB WITH SPECIAL BLOCKS:

POLYSTYRENE: UNE -53974/April-1998

- Low adhesion to plaster cracks

- Not resistant
- Lower shear resistance
- Lower stiffness against vertical and horizontal actions
- Lower fire resistance and production of smoke and gases
- Lower corrosion protection

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

21

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

22

3.3. WAFFLE SLAB WITH SPECIAL BLOCKS:

FIBRE

- RF-240
- Thermal insulation
- Acoustic insulation
- More expensive
- Non resistant

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

23

3.4. SOLE PLATES

-IGLU and similar systems
(pieces of recycled polypropylene)
Lower volume of concrete
Installations and conductions can be placed
inside

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

24

4- DESIGN OF STRUCTURAL MEMBERS

- Need to verify both resistance and deformability
- Maximum economy: arrangement of cantilevers L = 1 a 2 m
- Theoretical distribution:

EHE deviation in the position of pilars < 10% of their spans

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

25

4.1. PILLARS
Steel:

connection to concrete slab by means of special elements

need to study buckling
location: water pipes
normally 2UPN in a box section or HEB

Concrete:

Minimum depth: 25 x 25 cm to avoid buckling: 30 x 30 cm

dimension: a < 30 cm if b > 100 cm
squared pillar vs. pillars. In circular pillars, increase width by 30%

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

26

Setbacks in order to cancel or diminish the supplementary bending stresses

M1M2

?M
M+M

?M
M+M

?M
M+M

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

27

4.2. EDGE BEAM

Pillars
Flexion
Torsion

Code ACI 318-05 Fictitious rigidity or Moments redistribution

Width of the virtual frame lintel (EHE). Distinction between vertical and horizontal
actions.

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

28

Purpose of the edge beams

Link and tying of the the pillars

Improve the connection of the pillars with the slab
Support of closures
Improving resistance against punching shear
Improve the resistance in seismic zones
Opening of any hole in the slab

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

29

Sections:
- Plane or edge beams

= d

d
= 0.25m
25cm

0.25 (= 0.25m)
25cm(25cm)

1. Armadura a torsin + flexin

1. Torsion
+ flexion reinforcement

2. Torsin + cortante

2. Torsion (s<d/2)
+ shear force (s<d/2)
3. Armadura
torsin + flexin
3. Torsion
+ flexiona reinforcement

0.25
(= 0.25m)
25cm(25cm)

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

30

Edge
flexional
andy
Luz
de beam
clculo
a flexin
torsional
torsin
decalculation
la viga despan
borde

b/2
L

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

31

4.3. DROP PANEL

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

32

3.4. SLAB DEPTH h

Minimum required depth (EHE-08)
h L/32 in solid slabs of constant depth
h L/28 in lightened slabs of constant depth
L is the maximum span in the two directions

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

33

According to EHE: art. 50, it will not be necessary to check the

deflection if the slab has the following span/depth (L/d) ratio:
STRUCTURAL SYSTEM
L/d

Simply supported beam.

One-way or two-way simply
supported slab.
Continuous beam on one end
Continuous unidirectional slab on
only one side.
Continuous beam on both sides.
One-way or two way continuous slab
Exterior panels and corner panels
in slabs without beams supported
on isolated supports.
Interior panels on slabs without
beams supported isolated
supports.
Cantilever

Heavily reinforced
elements: =1,5%

Weakly reinforced
elements: =0,5%

14

20

18

26

20

30

16

23

17

24

Table 50.2.2.1.a EHE. Relations L/d on concrete beams and reinforced concrete slabs
subjected to simple bending.

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

34

STRUCTURAL SYSTEM
L/d

Simply supported beam.

One-way or two-way simply
supported slab.
Continuous beam on one end
Continuous unidirectional slab on
only one side.
Continuous beam on both sides.
One-way or two way continuous
slab
Exterior panels and corner
panels in slabs without beams
supported on isolated
supports.
Interior panels on slabs
without beams supported
isolated supports.

Cantilever

Heavily
reinforced
elements:
=1,5%

Weakly
reinforced
elements:
=0,5%

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

35

3.5. REINFORCEMENT

1.- Classic simple in design and execution

2.- Implies a loss of mechanical arm.
3.- According to the slab lines of stresses. It is not used due to its
constructive difficulty.

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

36

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

37

5- STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS
STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS METHODS

1. Virtual frame method. The two-way slab is modelled as system of 2D

frames.

2. Grillage. The slab is modelled as an equivalent system of linear

elements

3. Finite element method. The slab is modelled by means of plate

elements supported on beam elements (pillars)

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

38

CALCULATION METHODS REGARDING MATERIAL DESCRIPTION

1. Linear analysis
2. Non-linear analysis
3. Linear analysis with limited redistribution
4. Plastic analysis

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

39

VERIFICATION AND PROPORTIONING OF REINFORCEMENT

Ultimate limit states

1. Bending ultimate limit state and determination of bending
reinforcement. It is necessary to consider the effect of the bending
and torsion forces at each point of the slab.
2. Shear ultimate limit state. It is necessary to verify the ribs at their
connection to the drop panes and the edge beams.
3. Torsion ultimate limit state in edge beams
4. Punching limit state in drop panels
Serviceability limit states
5. Limit states of cracking, deformation and vibrations

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

40

Effective width on T sections

Compressed wing
Tensioned wing
b0 = distance between points of null moment

Border rib

Interior rib

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

41

Calculation span
Calculation span

Pillar

Pillar

Free span

Wall

Pillar

Calculation span

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

42

Linear analysis with limited redistribution:

tension
reinforcement
compression
reinforcement

Redistribution
Is NOT admitted
Redistribution
IS admitted

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

43

Linear analysis with limited redistribution:

INITIAL LAW

REDISTRIBUTED LAW

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

44

EQUIVALENT FRAME METHOD

exterior supports strip

central strip
Virtual frame

support strip
Central strip

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

EQUIVALENT FRAME METHOD

REQUESTS FOR THE APPLICATION OF THE EQUIVALENT FRAME METHOD
- The fundamental hypothesis is non interaction between equivalent frames.
- Interaction between frames may appear in the following conditions:
Lack of symmetry in plan or elevation on geometry and /or stiffness
Translational structures. Structures showing some translationality
Presence of lateral stiffening elements such as cores and walls
Non-gravitational actions on non-uniform structures
Significant differences in loads or span lengths in the different spans

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

46

Application to complex geometries

Maximum
deviation admitted
by the code

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

47

Equivalent pillar stiffness

A-Beam working in torsion

The torsional flexibility of the beam A is taken into account,
indirectly, by defining an equivalent stiffness for the pillars
1 / Keq = 1 / Kc + 1 / Kt
Kt = [ (9 Ec C) / (l2 (1 - c2 / l2 )3 ) ]

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

48

Torsional inertia of virtual beam

C = (1-0.63 x/y) x3 (y/3) when

x<y

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

49

Inertia of lintels

Vertical actions (gravity)

The lintel stiffness is the actual stiffness of the slab corresponding to the
equivalent frame width
Horizontal actions (gravity)
The lintel stiffness is taken as 35% of the stiffness of the slab
corresponding to the equivalent frame width
The equivalent support stiffness already defined is used for both vertical
and horizontal actions.

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

50

Moment distribution on the plate

a) Moments due to vertical forces (gravitational action)
Negative moments

In interior support

In exterior support

Support strip

75%

100%

Central strip

25%

20%

Positive moments

In interior support

In exterior support

Support strip

60%

60%

Central strip

40%

40%

b) Moments due to horizontal forces: 100% absorbed by the supports strip

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

51

Moment transmission from plates to pillars

Transmission of bending from the support to the slab: of the moment at the end
of the pillar Md , only a part k Md causes bending to the slab. Supplementary
reinforcement is needed to resist this bending.
The rest is applied as shear stresses on the torsional element (1-k) Md.
c1/c'2

0,5

1,0

2,0

3,0

0,55

0,40

0,30

0,20

c1 = dimension of the support in the direction parallel to the frame

c2 = dimension of the support in the direction perpendicular to the frame. In faade pillars,
c2 is taken as two times this dimension

The tension forces corresponding to k Md must be resisted with reinforcement

placed in a strip equal to the support width plus 1.5 times the depth of slab or
drop panel at each side
The part (1-k) Md must be resisted as torsion by edge and torsional beams. It
must also be taken into account in the punching verification.

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

Simplified calculation of forces by the direct method

REQUESTS FOR THE APPLICATION OF THE DIRECT FRAME METHOD
- The mest defined by the supports has to be ortogonal with devations in support
location limited to 1/10 of the span

- The ratio between the longest and shortest sides of the pannel must no te
greater than 2
- The difference between the span lengths of consecutive spans must not be
greater than 1/3 of the longest span
- Only for uniformly distributed loading. The live load must not be greater than 2
times the permanen load.
- There must be at least three spans in each direction

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

53

Simplified calculation of forces by the direct method

The method is only applicable to vertical loading
Calculation of moments in lintels:
The negative moments in supports and positive moments in spans are taken
as a percentage (see table) of the isostatic moment Mo = (q a L2) / 8,
Where q is the load, a the width and L the span length of the lintel.

Case A

Case B

Case C

Negative moment in exterior support

30%

0%

65%

Positive moment in span

52%

63%

35%

Negative moment in interior support

70%

75%

65%

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

54

Case A: slab
on exterior supports

Case A: slab
supported on wall

Case A: interior panel

(slab on interior
supports)

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

55

Calculation of moments in pillars

A Exterior suport
M pillar superior = (Ks / (Ks + Ki)) 0.3 Mo
M pillar inferior = (Ki / (Ks + Ki)) 0.3 Mo
K = 4 E Ipillar / Lpillar

Lpillar = pilar length

B Interior supports:
Mo = 0.07 [ (gd + 0.5 qd) Lp1 L211 gd Lp2 L2l2]
gd=permanent load; qd=live load

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

56

Reinforcement detailing

The separation between the principal reinforcing bars shall not be > 25 cm or > 2
times the depth h of the slab.

The diameter of the principal bars should must be lesser than h/10

The inferior and superior reinforcement in one direction must have a total section of at
least 25% of the reinforcement in the other direction,

In the edges of the slabs additional reinforcement will be needed to resist possible
concentrated loads

The reinforcement in the support strip must be continuous with the needed overlaps
close to the supports. It must include at least two bars across the pillars, which must
be anchored in the case of the exterior pillar.

Lower side armor should be continuous media ensolapada. 2 bars through the pillars
and is anchored in the outer pillar.

In edge beans of waffle slabs the distance between hoops must be <0.5 d (half of the
depth of the slab)

The length of the reinforcing bars must obey the prescriptions of the following figure.

BUILDING STRUCTURES Two-way floor slabs

57

% of minimum
reinforcement

50

top
Supports strip

The
rest

bottom

100

top

100

Central strip
50

bottom

The
rest

Support face
Exterior support axis

Interior support axis