ACI STRUCTURAL JOURNAL

TECHNICAL PAPER

Title No. 111-S63

Time-Dependent Deflection of Composite Concrete Slabs

by Alireza Gholamhoseini, R. Ian Gilbert, Mark Bradford, and Zhen-Tian Chang
Relatively little research has been reported on the time-dependent
in-service behavior of composite concrete slabs with profiled steel
decking as permanent formwork, and little guidance is available
for calculating long-term deflections. The drying shrinkage profile
through the thickness of a composite slab is greatly affected by the
impermeable steel deck at the slab soffit, but this has not yet been
quantified satisfactorily. This paper presents the results of longterm laboratory tests on composite slabs subjected to both drying
shrinkage and sustained loads. Based on laboratory measurements,
a design model for the shrinkage strain profile through the thickness of a slab is proposed. In addition, an existing analytical model
developed by the authors to calculate the time-dependent deflection
of composite slabs is used to calculate the final deflection of the test
slabs. The calculated deflections are shown to be in good agreement with the experimental measurements.
Keywords: composite slabs; creep; deflection; profiled steel decking;
serviceability; shrinkage; time-dependent.

INTRODUCTION
Composite one-way concrete floor slabs with profiled
steel decking as permanent formwork are commonly used in
the construction of floors in buildings (Fig. 1(a)). The steel
decking supports the wet concrete of a cast-in-place reinforced or post-tensioned concrete slab and, after the concrete
sets, acts as external reinforcement. Embossments on the
profiled sheeting provide the necessary shear connection to
ensure composite action between the concrete and the steel
deck (Fig. 1(b)).
Despite their common usage, relatively little research
has been reported on the in-service behavior of composite
slabs. In particular, the drying shrinkage profile through
the slab thickness (which is greatly affected by the impermeable steel deck) and the restraint to shrinkage provided
by the deck have only recently been quantified.1-4 In their
research, Gilbert et al.1 measured the nonlinear variation of
shrinkage strain through the thickness of several slab specimens, with and without steel decking at the soffit, and sealed
on all exposed concrete surfaces except for the top surface.
Carrier et al.5 measured the moisture contents of two bridge
decks; one was a composite slab with profiled steel decking,
and the other was a conventional reinforced concrete slab
permitted to dry from the top and bottom surfaces after the
timber forms were removed. The moisture loss was significant only in the top 50 mm (2 in.) of the slab with profiled
steel decking and in the top and bottom 50 mm (2 in.) of the
conventionally reinforced slab.
As a consequence of the dearth of published research,
little design guidance is available to structural engineers for
predicting the in-service deformation of composite slabs.
The techniques used to predict deflection and the onset of
ACI Structural Journal/July-August 2014

Fig. 1Profiled steel decks (Fielders Australia).

cracking in conventionally reinforced concrete slabs6-8 are
often applied inappropriately. Although techniques are available for the time-dependent analysis of composite slabs,8 due
to lack of guidance in codes of practice, structural designers
often specify the decking as sacrificial formwork, instead of
timber formwork, and ignore the structural benefits afforded
by the composite action. This provides a conservative
ACI Structural Journal, V. 111, No. 4, July-August 2014.
MS No. S-2012-335.R2, doi: 10.14359/51686629, was received April 1, 2013, and
reviewed under Institute publication policies. Copyright 2014, American Concrete
Institute. All rights reserved, including the making of copies unless permission is
obtained from the copyright proprietors. Pertinent discussion including authors
closure, if any, will be published ten months from this journals date if the discussion
is received within four months of the papers print publication.

765

estimate of strength. The non-uniform shrinkage caused by

the steel decking at the bottom surface of the slab, however,
may lead to significant deflection, and this should not be
ignored.
In this paper, the results of an experimental study of
the long-term deflection of composite concrete slabs due
to sustained service loads and shrinkage are presented.
Deflections caused by creep of the concrete and the effects
of drying shrinkage are reported and discussed. Based on
the experimental results, a shrinkage profile is proposed for
design purposes, and an analytical technique is proposed for
determining the time-varying deflections of composite floor
slabs with profiled steel decking.
RESEARCH SIGNIFICANCE
The paper provides experimental evidence of the dominant
role played by drying shrinkage in the long-term deflection
of composite concrete slabs with steel decking as permanent
formwork. Based on the experimental results, the shrinkage
model proposed by ACI Committee 2099 is adapted to
provide a shrinkage strain profile through the slab thickness
suitable for use in structural design. An analytical method
proposed by the authors1 is also shown to accurately predict
final long-term deflections. The study provides previously
unavailable guidance for determining long-term deformations in composite slabs and for designing such slabs at the
serviceability limit states.
EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM
Overview
The experimental program involved the testing of 10 largescale simple-span composite one-way slabs under different
sustained, uniformly distributed service load histories for
periods of up to 240 days. Two different decking profiles
were considered (KF40 and KF70,10 as shown in Fig. 1(c)).
The creep coefficient and drying shrinkage strain for the
concrete were measured on companion specimens cast with
the slabs and cured similarly. Additionally, the compressive strength and the elastic modulus of concrete at the age
of first loading and at the end of the sustained load period
were measured on standard 100 mm (4 in.) diameter cylinders, while the concrete flexural tensile strength (modulus
of rupture) was measured on 100 x 100 x 500 mm (4 x 4 x
20 in.) concrete prisms. The elastic modulus Es and the yield
stress fy of the steel decking were also measured on coupons
cut from the decking.
Crack locations and crack widths on the side surfaces
of the slabs were recorded throughout the long-term test,
together with the time-dependent change in concrete and
steel strains, midspan deflection, and the slip between the
steel decking and the concrete at each end of the specimen.
The objectives of the experimental program were to
obtain benchmark, laboratory-controlled data on the longterm structural response of composite slabs under different
sustained service loads, particularly the time-varying deflection, and to analyze the effect of creep and shrinkage on the
long-term behavior of composite slabs. The laboratory data
was then used to validate analytical models for the predic766

tion of time-dependent behavior1,8 and to assist in the development of design-oriented procedures to assess the serviceability of composite slabs.
Test specimens and instrumentation
Each slab was 3300 mm (130 in.) long, with a cross
section 150 mm (5.9 in.) deep and 1200 mm (47 in.) wide,
and contained no reinforcement (other than the external steel
decking). Each slab was tested as a single, simply supported
span. The center-to-center distance between the two end
supports (one hinge and one roller) was 3100 mm (122in.).
Five identical slabs with KF70 decking were cast at the same
time from the same batch of concrete. An additional five
identical slabs with KF40 decking were cast at a different
time from a different batch of concrete (but to the same specification and from the same supplier). The thickness of the
steel sheeting in both types of decking was ts = 0.75 mm
(0.03 in.). The cross section of each of the five slabs with
KF70 decking is shown in Fig. 2. The choice of specimen
variables was made to examine the effects of shrinkage
and sustained load levels on long-term deflections for slabs
with two different deck profiles, while keeping slab thickness and concrete properties the same for each specimen.
Further testing will be necessary to consider the effects of
varying the concrete properties and slab thickness on longterm deflection.
Each slab was covered with wet hessian and plastic sheets
within 4 hours of casting and kept moist for 6 days to delay
the commencement of drying. At an age of 7 days, the side
forms were removed, and the slabs were lifted onto the
supports. Subsequently, the slabs were subjected to different
levels of sustained loading provided by means of different-sized concrete blocks. A photograph of the five KF70
slabs showing the different loading arrangements and the
slab designations are also shown in Fig. 2. The first digit in
the designation of each slab is the specimen number (1 to
10), and the following two letters indicate the nature of the
test, with LT for long-term. The next two numbers indicate
the type of decking (with 70 and 40 for KF70 and KF40,
respectively). The final digit indicates the approximate value
of the maximum superimposed sustained loading in kPa
(1kPa = 20.9 lb/ft2).
The section properties of the steel decking profiles are
provided in Table 1, and the self-weight and cross-sectional
properties of the composite slabs are given in Table 2.
The midspan deflection of each slab was measured
throughout the sustained load period, with dial gauges at
the soffit of the specimen. Dial gauges were also used to
measure the slip between concrete and steel deck at the ends
of the slab at both roller and hinge supports in all slabs. At
the midspan of each slab, the concrete strains were measured
on the top and bottom surfaces using 60 mm (2.4 in.)
long strain gauges. The strain gauges were glued onto the
concrete surface and steel sheeting after removing the wet
hessian at an age of 7 days. Internal embedded wire strain
gauges were used to measure the concrete strains at different
depths through the thickness of Slabs 2LT-70-3, 5LT-70-8,
7LT-40-3 and 9LT-40-6, with locations shown on the cross
section in Fig. 2.
ACI Structural Journal/July-August 2014

Table 1Properties of profiled steel decking

Deck
profile
type

Deck
thickness ts,
mm (in.)

Section area Centroid

As, mm2/m height ys,
(in.2/ft)
mm (in.)

Mass,
kg/m2
(lb/ft2)

Ixx,
mm4/m
(in.4/ft)

KF70

0.75 (0.03)

1100 (0.520)

27.7
(1.09)

9.17
(1.88)

584,000
(0.428)

KF40

0.75 (0.03)

1040 (0.491)

14.0
(0.55)

8.67
(1.78)

269,000
(0.197)

Table 2Properties of composite slabs

Fig. 2Cross sections and view of KF70 slabs under load.

The location, height, and width of the cracks were
measured on the side faces of each specimen and recorded
throughout the test. Of particular interest was the timedependent development of cracking and the increase in
crack widths with time. Crack widths were measured using
a microscope with a magnification factor of 40. The average
relative humidity in the laboratory throughout the period of
testing was 67 and 72% for the KF70 and KF40 test specimens, respectively.
Loading procedure
Each of the KF70 slabs was placed onto its supports at an
age of 7 days, and remained unloaded (except for its selfweight, see Table 2) until an age of 64 days. At 64 days,
with the exception of 1LT-70-0, each slab was subjected to
superimposed sustained loads in the form of concrete blocks.
Each concrete block was placed on 60 mm (2.4 in.) high
timber blocks to ensure a largely uninterrupted air flow over
the top surface of the slabs and allow the concrete to shrink
freely on the top surface. The block layouts are illustrated in
Fig.3 (and are also shown in the photograph of Fig.2(c)).
Slab 1LT-70-0 carried only self-weight for the full test
duration of 240 days. Slabs 2LT-70-3 and 3LT-70-3 were
identical, carrying a constant superimposed sustained load
of 3.4 kPa (71.0 lb/ft2) from 64 to 247 daysthat is, a total
sustained load of 6.4 kPa (134 lb/ft2). Slab 4LT-70-6 carried
a constant superimposed sustained load of 6.0 kPa (125lb/ft2)
from 64 to 247 days, that is, a total sustained load of 9.0kPa
(188 lb/ft2). Slab 5LT-70-8 carried a constant superimposed
sustained load of 6.1 kPa (127 lb/ft2) from 64to 197days,
that is, a total sustained load of 9.1 kPa (190lb/ft2);
from 197to 247days, the superimposed sustained load
ACI Structural Journal/July-August 2014

Slab deck
profile

Specimen selfweight, kPa (lb/ft2)

Gross section
(Ixx)gross, mm4
(in.4)

Cracked section
(Ixx)cr, mm4
(in.4)

KF70

3.0 (63)

278 106 (668)

102 106 (245)

KF40

3.2 (67)

310 106 (745)

111 106 (267)

was 7.9kPa (165lb/ft2)that is, a total sustained load of

10.9kPa (228 lb/ft2).
Each of the KF40 slabs was placed onto the supports
at an age of 7 days and remained unloaded except for its
self-weightthat is, 3.2 kPa (66.8 lb/ft2)until 28 days.
At 28 days (after 21 days of drying), with the exception
of 6LT-40-0, each slab was subjected to superimposed
sustained loads with the block layouts similar to that used for
the KF70 slabs and shown in Fig. 3. Slab 6LT-40-0 carried
only self-weight for the full test duration of 244 days. Slabs
7LT-40-3 and 8LT-40-3 were identical, carrying a constant
superimposed sustained load of 3.4 kPa (71.0 lb/ft2) from 28
to 251 days, that is, a total sustained load of 6.6 kPa (138 lb/
ft2). Slabs 9LT-40-6 and 10LT-40-6 were also identical and
carried a constant superimposed sustained load of 6.4 kPa
(134 lb/ft2) from 28 to 251 days, that is, a total sustained load
of 9.6 kPa (201 lb/ft2). The loading history for each slab is
summarized in Table 3.
EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS
Material properties
The measured compressive strength, modulus of elasticity,
and flexural tensile strength are presented in Table 4. The
measured creep coefficient versus time curve for concrete
cylinders cast with the KF70 slabs and first loaded at an age
of 64 days is shown in Fig. 4(a). The creep coefficient at
the end of test was jcc = 1.62. For the KF40 slabs, the creep
coefficient at the end of the test (251 days) for the concrete
first loaded at 28 days was jcc = 1.50.
The development of the drying shrinkage strain for
the concrete in the KF70 slabs is shown in Fig. 4(b). The
curve represents the average of the measured shrinkage on
two standard shrinkage prisms, 75 x 75 x 275 mm (3 x 3 x
10.8in.), from the day after removing the wet hessian until
the end of the test. The average measured shrinkage strain
at the end of test was sh = 512 . Similarly, for the KF40
slabs, the average measured shrinkage strain at the end of
tests was sh = 630 .
The average of the measured values of yield stress and
elastic modulus taken from three test samples of the KF70
767

Table 3Equivalent uniformly distributed load

history for each slab specimen, kPa (lb/ft2)
Slab

From age 7 to
64days

From age 64 to
197 days

From age 197 to

247 days

1LT-70-0

3.0 (63)

3.0 (63)

3.0 (63)

2LT-70-3

3.0 (63)

6.4 (134)

6.4 (134)

3LT-70-3

3.0 (63)

6.4 (134)

6.4 (134)

4LT-70-6

3.0 (63)

9.0 (188)

9.0 (188)

5LT-70-8

3.0 (63)

9.1 (190)

10.9 (228)

Slab

From age 7 to 28
days

From age 28 to 251 days

6LT-40-0

3.2 (67)

3.2 (67)

7LT-40-3

3.2 (67)

6.6 (138)

8LT-40-3

3.2 (67)

6.6 (138)

9LT-40-6

3.2 (67)

9.6 (201)

10LT-40-6

3.2 (67)

9.6 (201)

decking were fy = 544 MPa (78.9 ksi) and Es = 212 GPa

(30,740 ksi), respectively. Similarly, from three test samples
of the KF40 decking, average values were fy = 475 MPa
(68.9 ksi) and Es = 193 GPa (27,990 ksi), respectively.
Midspan deflection and end slip
The variations of midspan deflection with time for the
KF70 and KF40 slabs are shown in Fig. 5 and 6, respectively. Key deflection values are summarized in Table 5. The
measured deflection includes that caused by shrinkage, the
creep-induced deflection due to the sustained load (including
self-weight), the short-term deflection caused by the superimposed loads (blocks), and the deflection caused by the loss
of stiffness resulting from time-dependent cracking (if any).
It does not include the initial deflection of the uncracked
slab at an age of 7 days due to self-weight (which has been
calculated to be approximately 0.5 mm [0.02 in.] for both the
KF70 and KF40 slabs).
The measured end slips were very small, with maximum
values of approximately 0.1 and 0.12 mm (0.0039 and

Fig. 3Sustained load configuration for KF70 slabs.

768

ACI Structural Journal/July-August 2014

Table 4Concrete properties

fc, MPa (psi)

Slab type
KF70

KF40

Ec, MPa (ksi)

fct.f, MPa (psi)

64 days

28.0 (4060)

64 days

30,725 (4455)

64 days

3.50 (508)

247 days

29.8 (4320)

247 days

31,650 (4590)

247 days

4.54 (658)

28 days

35.5 (5150)

28 days

28,200 (4090)

28 days

3.80 (551)

251days

42.70 (6190)

251 days

31,600 (4580)

251 days

5.05 (732)

Fig. 5Midspan deflection versus time for KF70 slabs.

Fig. 4Creep coefficient and shrinkage strain versus time

curves for KF70 slabs.
0.0047in.) at the supports in 3LT-70-3 and 4LT-70-6,
respectively. The end slips were negligible in the other slabs.
Time-dependent strains
The measured strain variations with time through the
thickness of Slabs 2LT-70-3 and 5LT-70-8 at midspan and
through the thickness of Slabs 7LT-40-3 and 9LT-40-6 at
midspan are shown in Fig. 7 and 8, respectively, and the
measured curvatures at midspan at selected times for each
of these slabs are given in Table 6.

ACI Structural Journal/July-August 2014

Cracking
Because of the steel decking at the slab soffit, it was difficult to inspect for flexural cracking in these simply supported
slabs. None of the slabs exhibited any signs of cracking at
first loading. Time-dependent flexural cracking, however,
was observed on the side surfaces of all KF40 slabs in the
tensile zone in the middle third of the span, but these cracks
remained fine and well controlled for the duration of the
test and less than 0.15 mm (0.006 in.) in width throughout.
The average crack spacing in the KF40 slabs was 180 mm
(7.1in.).
No cracking was observed in any of the KF70 slabs at any
stage of loading, except for Slab 5LT-70-8, in which three
flexural cracks were detected in the bottom of the slab in
the middle 0.5 m (20 in.) of the span at an age of 210 days
(14days after the second layer of blocks was placed on the
slab and the superimposed load was increased to 7.9 kPa).
The average spacing between the three cracks was 167 mm
(6.6 in.). Typical crack patterns are illustrated in Fig. 9.
DISCUSSION OF TEST RESULTS
Shrinkage clearly has a dominant effect on the final
deflection of these composite slabs. With a sustained load
of 3.2 kPa (67.7 lb/ft2) (self-weight), the final deflection
of 6LT-40-0 was 4.99 mm (0.197 in.). When the sustained
load was increased by a factor of approximately 3 to
9.6kPa (201lb/ft2), the slabs suffered additional cracking
and yet the final deflection only increased by a factor of
approximately 1.4 to 6.94 mm (0.273 in.) (9LT-40-6), and
by a factor of approximately 1.7 to 8.26 mm (0.325 in.)
(10T-40-6). A similarly dominant effect of shrinkage over
load was observed in the KF70 slabs.

769

Table 5Measured midspan deflections

Time-dependent deflection, mm (in.)
57 days of drying

190 days of drying

240 days of drying

Slab

Before

After

Before

After

Before

After

1LT-70-0

2.92 (0.115)

2.92 (0.115)

4.24 (0.167)

4.24 (0.167)

4.04 (0.159)

4.04 (0.159)

2LT-70-3

3.54 (0.139)

4.29 (0.169)

6.74 (0.265)

6.74 (0.265)

6.72 (0.265)

6.01 (0.237)

3LT-70-3

2.97 (0.117)

3.63 (0.143)

5.80 (0.228)

5.80 (0.228)

5.84 (0.230)

5.16 (0.203)

4LT-70-6

2.18 (0.086)

3.38 (0.133)

6.37 (0.251)

6.37 (0.251)

6.40 (0.252)

5.31 (0.209)

5LT-70-8

2.94 (0.116)

4.23 (0.167)

6.56 (0.258)

6.96 (0.274)

7.23 (0.285)

5.78 (0.228)

Time-dependent deflection, mm (in.)

21 days of drying

244 days of drying

Slab

Before

After

28 days of drying

56 days of drying

Before

After

6LT-40-0

2.83 (0.111)

2.83 (0.111)

3.15 (0.124)

3.87 (0.152)

4.99 (0.197)

4.99 (0.197)

7LT-40-3

3.33 (0.131)

4.14 (0.163)

4.72 (0.186)

5.68 (0.224)

7.30 (0.287)

6.62 (0.261)

8LT-40-3

2.72 (0.107)

4.12 (0.162)

4.70 (0.185)

5.38 (0.212)

6.57 (0.259)

5.53 (0.218)

9LT-40-6

2.95 (0.116)

4.35 (0.171)

4.60 (0.181)

5.90 (0.232)

6.94 (0.273)

5.68 (0.224)

10LT-40-6

3.30 (0.130)

5.10 (0.201)

5.52 (0.217)

6.72 (0.265)

8.26 (0.325)

7.81 (0.308)

Fig. 6Midspan deflection versus time for KF40 slabs.

Before the application of any load other than self-weight,
the slabs deflected significantly, mainly due to the shrinkage-induced curvature. For the five KF70 slabs, after 57 days
of drying (when sh = 400 ), the deflection varied from
2.18 mm (0.086 in.) for 4LT-70-6 to 3.54 mm (0.139 in.) for
2LT-70-3. Although this was mainly due to early shrinkage,
it included the creep deflection resulting from self-weight,
which was estimated at approximately 0.4 mm (0.016 in.).
At this stage, all KF70 slabs were identical (in terms of
materials, geometry, and load history), yet the deflection
varied significantly. This highlights the large degree of
variability when considering the service load behavior of
concrete slabs, with deflection being highly dependent on
the nonlinear and time-dependent behavior of the concrete.
For the five KF40 slabs, after 21 days of drying (when sh =
390 ), the deflection varied from 2.72 mm (0.107 in.) for
8LT-40-3 to 3.33 mm (0.131 in.) for 7LT-40-3.
The difference in the extent of time-dependent cracking
between the KF70 slabs and the KF40 slabs was somewhat
770

Fig. 7Strain profiles at midspan of 2LT-70-3 and 5LT-70-8.

unexpected. With the centroid of the KF40 steel decking
being only 14 mm (0.55 in.) above the bottom of the slab
(and that of the KF70 decking being 27.7 mm [1.09 in.]
above the bottom), the tensile force that developed with time
ACI Structural Journal/July-August 2014

Table 6Measured curvature at midspan

Curvature 106 mm1 ( 106 in.1)
57 days (KF70); 21 days (KF40)

190 days of drying

240 days (KF70); 244 days (KF40)

Slab

Before

After

Before

After

Before

After

2LT-70-3

1.80 (45.7)

2.42 (61.5)

3.83 (97.3)

3.83 (97.3)

3.51 (89.2)

2.98 (75.7)

5LT-70-8

2.07 (52.6)

2.99 (75.9)

4.55 (116)

5.66 (144)

5.88 (149)

4.42 (112)

7LT-40-3

2.52 (64.0)

3.25 (82.6)

5.70 (145)

5.70 (145)

6.34 (161)

4.69 (119)

9LT-40-6

2.83 (71.9)

4.34 (110)

8.20 (208)

8.20 (208)

9.06 (230)

7.70 (196)

al.1 extended the method to calculate the effects of a nonuniform shrinkage gradient by layering the concrete cross
section, with the shrinkage strain specified in each concrete
layer depending on its position within the cross section and
with the assumption of full shear interaction at service load
levels. This method is adopted herein.
To calculate the time-dependent deformation of a
composite concrete cross section, the shrinkage strain profile
and the creep coefficient for the concrete slab are needed.
In the following, a shrinkage strain profile is proposed for
concrete slabs on profiled steel decking that is suitable for
use in structural design, and a modification to the provisions
of ACI 209.2R-089 for estimating the shrinkage strain and
creep coefficient for composite slabs is also proposed. The
proposals have been developed empirically from experimental measurements of shrinkage-induced strain distributions in composite slabs.1
According to ACI 209.2R-08,9 the shrinkage strain
sh(t, tc) and creep coefficient j(t, t0) can be estimated using
Eq. (1) and (2)
sh (t , tc ) =

( t t c )
shu (1)
f + ( t t c )

( t , t 0 ) =

(t t 0 )
u (2)
d + (t t 0 )

Fig. 8Strain profiles at midspan of 7LT-40-3 and 9LT-40-6.

on the concrete, due to the restraint provided by the KF40
decking to drying shrinkage, is significantly more eccentric to the centroid of the concrete than that provided by the
KF70 decking. This will increase the concrete tensile stress
in the bottom fibers of the concrete, and may have contributed to the observed differences in crack patterns.
ANALYTICAL MODELING
An analytical procedure for the time-dependent analysis
of composite concrete cross sections with uniform shrinkage
through the thickness of the concrete slab and with full
interaction was presented by Gilbert and Ranzi8 using the
age-adjusted effective modulus method.11,12 Gilbert et

ACI Structural Journal/July-August 2014

where shu is the ultimate (final) shrinkage strain; ju is the

final creep coefficient; (t tc) is the time from the end of
initial curing (in days); and (t t0) is the time since the application of load, respectively. The suggested values for the
constants within these equations under standard conditions
are: = 1; f = 35 for 7 days of moist curing, shu = 780 ,
= 0.6, d = 10, and ju = 2.35.
For conditions other than standard conditions,
ACI209.2R-089 requires that shu and ju be multiplied by
applicable correction factors. The effect of relative humidity
(RH, in %) on concrete shrinkage and creep can be taken into
account using correction factors sh.RH and c.RH, respectively

sh.RH = 1.40 0.0102RH (3a)

c.RH = 1.27 0.0067RH (3b)

771

Fig. 9Observed crack locations in slabs. (Note: All dimensions are in mm; 1 mm = 0.0394 in.)
The effect of member size on concrete shrinkage and
creep are considered by employing correction coefficients
sh.vs and c.vs defined as follows (in SI units)

sh.vs = 1.2e{0.00472(V/S)} (= 1.2e{0.120(V/S)}) (4a)

c.vs = 0.667(1 + 1.13e{0.0213(V/S)})
(=0.667(1 + 1.13e{0.541(V/S)}))

(4b)

where V is the specimen volume in mm3 (in.3), and S is the

specimen surface area in mm2 (in.2).
772

For a composite slab on profiled steel decking, if the

average thickness of the concrete tave is defined as the area
of the concrete part of the cross section Ac divided by the
width of the cross section b, the following modifications to
Eq. (4a) and (4b) are proposed to account for the effect of the
steel decking on the drying profile through the concrete, and
hence on the magnitude of creep and shrinkage.
For tave in mm (in.)

sh. vs = 1.2e( 0.00472 ( 25 + 0.25tave )) = (1.2e( 0.120 (1+ 0.25tave )) ) (5a)

ACI Structural Journal/July-August 2014

c. vs = 2 + 0.45e( 0.0053tave ) = (2 + 0.45e( 0.135tave ) ) (5b)

With these values of sh.vs and c.vs, the creep coefficient

j(t, t0) and shrinkage strain value sh(t, tc) can be determined
in accordance with ACI 209.2R-08.9
The measured shrinkage strain at any height y above the
soffit of the composite slab with overall depth D, sh(y), may
be approximated by Eq. (6)
4

sh ( y)
y
= + (6)
D
sh (t , tc )

where sh(0) = sh(t, tc) is the shrinkage strain at the bottom

of the slab (at y = 0), and sh(D) = ( + )sh(t, tc) is the
shrinkage strain at the top surface of the slab (at y = D). The
shrinkage profile given by Eq. (6) is shown in Fig. 10.
From the experimental results, = 0.2 provides a reasonable estimate, but appears to depend on the profile of the
steel decking. Excellent agreement between the predicted
long-term deflection and the measured values is obtained
with = 1.0 for the KF70 slabs (with 70 mm [2.75 in.] deep
troughs) and = 1.4 for the KF40 slabs (with 40 mm [1.5in.]
deep troughs), as shown in Fig. 11 and 12. For other deck

profiles considered in this study, the ratio of trough height to

slab thickness (rd) was in the range 0.25 to 0.5. In this range,
the following relationship for provides good agreement
with the measured shrinkage profiles

The analytical curves were obtained by double integration

of the curvature diagram at each time instant, with the curvature determined at cross sections at 155 mm (6.2 in.) centers
along the span using the layered cross section approach of
Gilbert et al.1 Sample calculations for the determination of
the short-term and time-dependent curvature at midspan of
Slab 6LT-40-0 are provided in the Appendix,* together with
the determination of the shrinkage profile through the thickness of the slab.
For each slab, the same load history was considered in the
analytical modeling as was applied to the real slab. Where
two identical slabs with identical loading histories were
tested, the analytical deflection-time curves are compared
with the average of the two experimental curves. In those
parts of the slabs where the numerical study showed that
cracking had occurred, the effect of tension stiffening was
considered using an approach similar to that outlined in
Eurocode 2.13 The average curvature (ave) used in deflection calculation is determined according to Eq. (8)

Fig. 10Proposed shrinkage strain profile.

= 2.0 2.25rd (7)

ave = cr+ (1 )uncr (8)

*
The Appendix is available at www.concrete.org/publications in PDF format,
appended to the online version of the published paper. It is also available in hard copy
from ACI headquarters for a fee equal to the cost of reproduction plus handling at the
time of the request.

Fig. 11Midspan deflection versus time (KF70 slabs).

ACI Structural Journal/July-August 2014

773

Fig. 12Midspan deflection versus time (KF40 slabs).

Table 7Measured and calculated midspan deflections
Time-dependent deflection, mm (in.)
42 days of drying

240 days of drying

Slab

Measured (test)

Calculated

Measured/calculated

Measured (test)

Calculated

Measured/calculated

1LT-70-0

2.67 (0.105)

2.80 (0.110)

0.95

4.04 (0.159)

4.34 (0.171)

0.93

2LT-70-3

3.27 (0.129)

2.80 (0.110)

1.17

6.72 (0.265)

5.92 (0.233)

1.14

3LT-70-3

2.74 (0.108)

2.80 (0.110)

0.98

5.84 (0.230)

5.92 (0.233)

0.99

4LT-70-6

2.16 (0.085)

2.80 (0.110)

0.77

6.40 (0.252)

7.27 (0.286)

0.88

5LT-70-8

2.69 (0.106)

2.80 (0.110)

0.96

7.23 (0.285)

7.98 (0.314)

0.91

Time-dependent deflection, mm (in.)

42 days of drying

244 days of drying

Slab

Measured (test)

Calculated

Measured/calculated

Measured (test)

Calculated

Measured/calculated

6LT-40-0

3.77 (0.148)

3.28 (0.129)

1.15

4.99 (0.197)

5.08 (0.200)

0.98

7LT-40-3

5.50 (0.217)

4.40 (0.173)

1.25

7.30 (0.287)

6.64 (0.261)

1.10

8LT-40-3

5.26 (0.207)

4.40 (0.173)

1.20

6.57 (0.259)

6.64 (0.261)

0.99

9LT-40-6

5.67 (0.223)

6.09 (0.240)

0.93

6.94 (0.273)

8.33 (0.328)

0.83

10LT-40-6

6.36 (0.250)

6.09 (0.240)

1.04

8.26 (0.325)

8.33 (0.328)

0.99

where cr is the time-dependent curvature on the cracked

cross section (ignoring tension in the concrete); uncr is the
time-dependent curvature on the uncracked cross section;
and is the distribution coefficient given by
2

M
= 1 cr .t (9)
M
s

where Mcr.t is the cracking moment at the time under consideration, and Ms is the in-service moment imposed on the
cross section.
774

The shrinkage-induced deflection calculated using the

proposed shrinkage profile for each decking type (Eq. (6)),
together with the instantaneous and time-dependent deflection caused by the applied load (elastic and creep deflection), are in good agreement with the measured response of
theslabs.
A summary of the measured and calculated midspan
deflections is presented in Table 7, where comparisons
between the measured and predicted deflections are made
at 42 days after the commencement of drying and at the end
of the test.
ACI Structural Journal/July-August 2014

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

The results of an experimental study of the long-term
deflection of composite concrete slabs under sustained loads
have been presented. The deformation caused by applied
load, creep of the concrete, and the effects of drying shrinkage
have been reported and discussed for 10 simply supported
slabs, with either KF70 or KF40 steel decking,10 subjected
to different loading histories. The measured slab deflections
confirmed the dominant effect of drying shrinkage over load
for normal levels of sustained loads.
Also proposed is a nonlinear shrinkage profile through
the thickness of a composite concrete slab, together with
an analytical model for calculating the instantaneous and
time-dependent curvature of the cross section due to the
effects of both load and nonlinear shrinkage. The agreement
between the calculated deflection and the measured deflection for each of the 10 slabs is good.
AUTHOR BIOS

Alireza Gholamhoseini is a PhD Research Student in the Centre for

Infrastructure Engineering in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
ACI member R. Ian Gilbert is Emeritus Professor and Deputy Director
of the Centre for Infrastructure Engineering in the School of Civil and
Environmental Engineering at the University of New South Wales. He is
a member of ACI Committee 209, Creep and Shrinkage in Concrete. His
research interests include the time-dependent serviceability of concrete and
composite structures.
ACI member Mark Bradford is Scientia Professor and Australian Laureate
Fellow in the Centre for Infrastructure Engineering in the School of Civil
and Environmental Engineering at the University of New South Wales, and
a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering. His research interests include the strength and serviceability of
steel, concrete, and composite structures, and structural sustainability.
Zhen-Tian Chang is a Research Associate in the Centre for Infrastructure
Engineering in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the
University of New South Wales. He received his PhD at the University of
New South Wales in 2005. His research interests include the serviceability
and durability of concrete structures.

ACI Structural Journal/July-August 2014

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The work reported herein has been undertaken with the financial
support of the Australian Research Council, decking manufacturer Fielders
Australia PL, and Prestressed Concrete Design Consultants (PCDC). This
support is gratefully acknowledged.

REFERENCES

1. Gilbert, R. I.; Bradford, M. A.; Gholamhoseini, A.; and Chang, Z.-T.,

Effects of Shrinkage on the Long-Term Stresses and Deformations of
Composite Concrete Slabs, Engineering Structures, V. 40, July 2012,
pp.9-19.
2. Ranzi, G.; Ambrogi, L.; Al-Deen, S.; and Uy, B., Long-Term Experiments of Post-Tensioned Composite Slabs, Proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Advances in Steel Concrete Composite and Hybrid
Structures, Singapore, July 2012, pp. 477-484.
3. Ranzi, G.; Leoni, G.; and Zandonini, R., State of the Art on the
Time-Dependent Behaviour of Composite Steel-Concrete Structures,
Journal of Constructional Steel Research, V. 80, Jan. 2013, pp. 252-263.
4. Bradford, M. A., Generic Modelling of Composite SteelConcrete Slabs Subjected to Shrinkage, Creep and Thermal Strains
Including Partial Interaction, Engineering Structures, V. 32, No. 5, May
2010, pp.1459-1465.
5. Carrier, R. E.; Pu, D. C.; and Cady, P. D., Moisture Distribution in
Concrete Bridge Decks and Pavements, Durability of Concrete, SP-47,
American Concrete Institute, Farmington Hills, MI, 1975, pp. 169-192.
6. Gilbert, R. I., Deflection Calculation for Reinforced Concrete StructuresWhy We Sometimes Get It Wrong, ACI Structural Journal, V. 96,
No. 6, Nov.-Dec. 1999, pp. 1027-1032.
7. Brock, G., RAPT Reinforced and Post-Tensioned Structural Concrete
Design Software, 2008, www.raptsoftware.com.
8. Gilbert, R. I., and Ranzi, G., Time-Dependent Behavior of Concrete
Structures, Spon Press, London, UK, 2011, 426 pp.
9. ACI Committee 209, Guide for Modeling and Calculating Shrinkage
and Creep in Hardened Concrete (ACI 209.2R-08), American Concrete
Institute, Farmington Hills, MI, 2008, 45 pp.
10. Fielders Australia Pty. Ltd., Specifying FieldersKingFlor;
Composite Steel Formwork System Design Manual, 2008, 220 pp.
11. Dilger, W., and Neville, A. M., Method of Creep Analysis of Structural Members, Designing for Effects of Creep, Shrinkage and Temperature in Concrete Structures, SP-27, American Concrete Institute, Farmington Hills, MI, 1971, pp. 349-379.
12. Baant, Z. P., Prediction of Creep Effects Using Age-Adjusted
Effective Modulus Method, ACI Journal, V. 69, No. 4, Apr. 1972,
pp.212-217.
13. BS EN 1992-1-1(2004), Eurocode 2: Design of Concrete StructuresPart 1-1: General Rules and Rules for Buildings, British Standards
Institution, European Committee for Standardization, Brussels, Belgium,
2004, 230 pp.

775

NOTES:

776

ACI Structural Journal/July-August 2014