ALMUSTAQBAL UNIVERSITY COLLEGE
DEPARTMENT OF CONSTRUCTION &
BUILDING ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY
ANALYSIS & DESIGN OF REINFORCED
CONCRETE STRUCTURE II
CALCULATING THE MINIMUM THICKNESS OF ONE-
WAY & TWO-WAY SLABS
DR. MOHAMMED ZUHEAR ALMULALI
TYPES OF SLABS
1. ONE WAY SLAB:
Slabs maybe supported on two opposite sides only, in such case, the structural action of the slab is
essentially (one-way) and the loads are carried by the slab in the direction perpendicular to the
supporting beams.
2. TWO-WAY SLABS:
Slabs have beams or supports on all four sides. The loads are carried by the slab in two perpendicular
directions to the supporting beams.
3. If the ratio of length to width of one slab panel is larger than 2, most of the load is carried by the short
direction to the supporting beams and one one-way action is obtained in effect even though supports
are provided on all directions.
4. Concrete slab carried by columns:
These slabs are supported by columns only without beams or girders. Such slabs are called FLAT
PLATES and are used where spans are not large, and loads are not heavy.
5. Flat slabs:
Flat slabs are also beamless slabs with column capitals, drop panels or a combination of both.
6. TWO-WAY JOIST SYSTEMS (GRID SLABS):
This type of slabs is used to reduce the dead load of the solid slab. Voids are formed in a rectilinear
pattern by using metal or fibre glass form inserts. This results in the creation of a two-way ribbed
construction (waffle slab). Usually, the inserts are omitted near the columns.
IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS
1. DROP PANEL:
A projection below the slab used to reduce the amount of negative reinforcement over a column or the
minimum required slab thickness, and to increase the slab shear strength.
In computing the required slab reinforcement, the thickness of the drop panel below the slab shall not
be assumed lesser than ¼ the slab thickness.
2. COLUMN CAPITAL:
An enlargement of the top of the concrete column located directly below the slab or drop panel. They
are cast monolithically with the column. The column capital is nearly 20-25% of the average span.
MINIMUM SLAB THICKNESS
1. ONE-WAY SLABS:
For solid non-prestressed slabs not supported or attached to partitions or other construction, which is
likely to be damaged by large deflection, the overall slab thickness (h) shall not be less than the limits in
table 7.3.1.1 below:
2. TWO-WAY SLABS:
a. Without interior beams
The thickness of a two-way slab is determined using the table 8.3.11
IMPORTANT NOTE:
The determined thickness from the table above should be integrated to the nearest 10.
161mm≃170mm, 165mm≃170mm
The determined minimum thickness should be larger than the following values:
• For slabs without drop panels…………. 125mm.
• For slabs with drop panels……………… 100mm.
b. With interior beams
In the case of two-way slabs with interior beams, a value called 𝜶𝒇 should be determined. This is
the ratio of flexural stiffness of the beam section to the flexural stiffness of the slab bounded laterally by
centre-line of the panel on each side of the beam. This is determined by:
𝑰𝒃
𝜶𝒇 =
𝑰𝒔
The required ratio is the average ratio 𝛼𝑓𝑚 where it will be given to you in the question. In order to
determine the minimum thickness for the slab, table 8.3.1.2 shall be used.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
• Every value calculated from the above table should be integrated to the nearest 10mm.
• 𝑙𝑛 is the clear span from the faces of opposite supports. If the support has an irregular shape (circular,
polygon,..etc) it should be transferred to a square support.
Example One: find the minimum thickness of a slab for an interior panel due to deflection control. Use 𝑓𝑦 =
420𝑀𝑃𝑎.
a. Slab with beams having the dimensions of (8.2x7.7)m clear span with an 𝛼𝑓𝑚 = 2.3.
b. Slab without drop panel having the dimensions of (5.4x4.8)m clear span with an 𝛼𝑓𝑚 = 0.18.
c. Flat plate slab with the dimensions of (4.2x4.6)m clear span.
d. Flat slab with drop panels with the dimensions of (6x6.2)m clear span.
e. Slab with beams having the dimensions of (5.8X5.8)m clear span with an 𝛼𝑓𝑚 = 1.5.
Solution:
a. Since the slab is with beams, we must check table 8.3.1.2
𝑓𝑦
𝑙𝑛 (0.8 + 1400)
ℎ=
36 + 9𝛽
𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔 8200
𝛽 = 𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑟𝑡 = 7700 = 1.065,
420
8200(0.8 + 1400)
ℎ= = 197.87𝑚𝑚 > 90𝑚𝑚
36 + 9(1.065)
use ℎ = 200𝑚𝑚
b. Since the slab has beams, check table 8.3.1.2.
∴ 𝑤𝑒 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑡𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒 8.3.1.1
𝑙𝑛 5400
∴ℎ= = = 163.65 > 125𝑚𝑚
33 33
𝑢𝑠𝑒 ℎ = 170𝑚𝑚
c. Since the slab is a flat plate, we use table 8.3.1.1
𝑙𝑛 4600
∴ℎ= = = 139.4𝑚𝑚 > 125𝑚𝑚
33 33
𝑢𝑠𝑒 ℎ = 140𝑚𝑚
d. Since the slab is a flat slab, use table 8.3.1.1
𝑙𝑛 6200
ℎ= = = 172.2𝑚𝑚 > 100𝑚𝑚
36 36
𝑢𝑠𝑒 ℎ = 180𝑚𝑚
e. Since the slab has beams, use table 8.3.1.2
𝑓𝑦 420
𝑙𝑛 (0.8 + 1400) 5800(0.8 + 1400)
ℎ= = = 150.12𝑚𝑚 > 125𝑚𝑚
36 + 5𝛽(𝛼𝑓𝑚 − 0.20) 36 + 5 × 1(1.5 − 0.2)
∴ 𝑢𝑠𝑒 ℎ = 160𝑚𝑚
Example Two: find the minimum slab thickness required to control the deflection according to ACI code for
the slab shown below. Use 𝑓𝑦 = 420𝑀𝑃𝑎 and the column size is 300 × 300𝑚𝑚.
Solution:
𝑙𝑛 = 5000 − 300 = 4700𝑚𝑚
Since the slab is a flat plate, we use table 8.3.1.1
For exterior panel:
𝑙𝑛 4700
ℎ= = = 156𝑚𝑚 > 125𝑚𝑚
30 30
∴ ℎ = 160𝑚𝑚
For interior panel:
𝑙𝑛 4700
ℎ= = = 142.42𝑚𝑚 > 125𝑚𝑚
33 33
∴ 𝑢𝑠𝑒 ℎ = 150𝑚𝑚.
For the overall slab, use the greatest thickness.
∴ 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒉 = 𝟏𝟔𝟎𝒎𝒎
Example Three: resolve the previous example by assuming that 𝑓𝑦 = 350𝑀𝑃𝑎.
Solution:
For exterior panel:
33−30 𝑥
interpolation→ 420−280 = 420−350 → 𝑥 = 1.5
𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟 = 30 + 1.5 = 31.5
𝑙𝑛 4700
∴ℎ= = = 149𝑚𝑚 > 125𝑚𝑚
31.5 31.5
𝑢𝑠𝑒 ℎ = 150𝑚𝑚
For interior panel:
36 − 33 𝑥
= → 𝑥 = 1.5
420 − 280 420 − 350
𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟 = 33 + 1.5 = 34.5
4700
ℎ= = 136𝑚𝑚 > 125𝑚𝑚
34.5
𝑢𝑠𝑒 ℎ = 140𝑚𝑚
𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒑𝒂𝒏𝒆𝒍𝒔 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒉 = 𝟏𝟓𝟎𝒎𝒎
Example Four: determine the minimum thickness for the flat slab shown below. The column capital has a
diameter of 1000mm. use 𝑓𝑦 = 420𝑀𝑃𝑎.
Solution:
For exterior panel:
Table 8.3.1.1
𝑙𝑛
ℎ = 30
𝑙𝑛 = 8000 − 0.89𝐷 = 8000 − 0.89 × 1000
= 7110𝑚𝑚
7110
∴ℎ= = 237𝑚𝑚 > 125𝑚𝑚
30
Use ℎ = 240𝑚𝑚
For interior panel:
Table 8.3.1.1
𝑙𝑛 7110
ℎ= = = 215.4𝑚𝑚 > 125𝑚𝑚
33 33
𝑢𝑠𝑒 ℎ = 220𝑚𝑚
For the entire slab use 𝒉 = 𝟐𝟒𝟎𝒎𝒎
