Analysis of Concealed Beams

Mr.V.S.Jagadeesh; Dr.D.S.Prakash; Vahini.M

ABSTRACT
Concealed Beam is a beam provided in the slab, with its depth equal to the depth of slab. Even
though concealed beams are widely used in practice, it is not supported by sound analytical
background. The present paper reports the results of the finite element analysis carried out to
examine the potentiality of concealed beams to stiffen the slab. Finite element analysis of slabs
with three aspect ratios and three concealed beam configurations is carried out and the results are
compared with those of slabs without concealed beam. The following configurations of concealed
beams are considered for the finite element analysis.
• Slab with short span concealed beam
• Slab with orthogonal concealed beams
• Slab with diagonal concealed beams
Results of the study indicate that slab improves its behaviour with diagonal concealed beams.

Keywords:
Concealed beam, Aspect ratio, Short spans concealed beam, Orthogonal concealed beams,
Diagonal concealed beams, Long span slab moments (Myy), Short span slab moments (Mxx), NISA

INTRODUCTION
Stiffness of the slab element is a significant factor, when spanning over longer
spans essentially in floors and roofs of a building and carry distributed loads, primarily by
flexure. Nowadays modern buildings have many structural constraints. The web of a T-
beam or inverted T-beam may pose some problems. In such situations, Concealed beams or
Hidden beams may be provided, which performs the function of a conventional beam to a
possible extent. This necessitated understanding the behaviour of slab with such non-
conventional structural element-Concealed beam.
Very little is available in published literature work on concealed beams. In 2004, an
experimental study was carried out on Hidden beams or Concealed beams by
Dr.S.V.Deodhar, and S.K.Dubey, and reported that structural stability increases without
much increase in the cost of construction with the provision of Concealed beams in slab
(1). In the present study, a comparative analysis of both slabs with and without Concealed
beam is made.

GEOMETRY, MATERIAL PROPERTIES AND METHOD

Various parameters that influence the behaviour viz., aspect ratio and configuration
of Concealed beams are considered for the study. Table 1 shows the dimensions of slab for
different aspect ratios. Thickness of the slab is maintained as 0.13 m. Size of Concealed
beam is taken as 0.23 m × 0.13 m and that of columns and edge beams is taken as 0.23 m ×
0.23 m. Height of the column is taken as 4.00 m. Fig 1 shows different Concealed beam
configurations adopted for the analysis.
Young’s modulus of M20 concrete as per IS: 456-2000 is taken as 22.36 × 106
2
kN/m (2). Poison’s ratio is taken as 0.18 (3). Finite element software NISA (Numerically
Integrated elements for System Analysis) is used for analysis. 3D general shell elements
were used to model the slab elements. 3D beam elements were used to model the edge
beams, columns and Concealed beams (4).
To simulate monolithicity of the slab with Concealed beams, edge beams and
columns, nodes of 3D shell elements were merged to the nodes of 3D beam elements at the
interface so that two elements shared the same nodes. A pressure of 10.0 kN/m2 including
the self weight of slab, is applied on the slab for analysis (5). Columns are assumed to be
fixed at the other end. A typical finite element model of slab with short span Concealed
beam is shown in fig 2.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

Deflection of Slab: The deflection comparison is made in table 2 while its variation with
respect to different aspect ratios is shown in fig3. It is observed that the Concealed beam,
when provided in short span direction does not affect the behaviour much. Slab with
orthogonal Concealed beams shows a reasonable decrease in the deflection where as the
slab with diagonal Concealed beams shows relatively good results when compared with
slab without Concealed beam. The deflection of the slab reduces by 10% in case of slab
with diagonal Concealed beams, as a result of increase in stiffness.
Slab Moments: Fig 4 shows the variation of slab moments along short direction (Mxx) at
mid span while fig 5 shows the variation at corner, for slab with and without Concealed
beam and for different aspect ratios. Variation of long span slab moments (Myy) at mid
span and at corner are plotted in fig 6 and 7 respectively. Slab with short span Concealed
beam and with orthogonal Concealed beams, does not show a reasonable result of both
short and long span slab moments at mid span and at corner, when compared to slab
without Concealed beam. Short and long span slab moments at mid span as well as at
corner reduce reasonably for slabs with diagonal Concealed beams in comparison with slab
without Concealed beams. Maximum of 11.42% and 31.21% reduction is observed in short
span slab moments at mid span and at corner and long span slab moments reduce by
11.42% at mid span and 34.24% at corner, for slab with diagonal Concealed beams.

CONCLUSIONS
A linear static analysis is carried out for slab with and without Concealed beam
using the finite element software NISA and the following conclusions have been drawn.
• Slabs with diagonal Concealed beams show higher reduction in deflection than
slabs with orthogonal or short span Concealed beams.
• Slabs with diagonal Concealed beams show greater reduction in slab moments at
mid span and at corner in both short and longer directions, when compared to other
two cases of Concealed beams.
• Shear force, twisting moment and bending moment at mid span and at support of
edge beams reduce for slab with diagonal Concealed beams.
• Column moments also reduce for slab with diagonal Concealed beams.
• Diagonal Concealed beams are recommended.

Author Affiliations:
Mr.V.S.Jagadeesh M.Tech (Industrial Structures)
Asst. Professor and Head
Department of Civil Engineering
S.J.M.Institute of Technology
Chitradurga – 577502
KARNATAKA
email: [email protected]

Dr.D.S.Prakash Ph.D (Struct)

Professor, Placement and Training Officer
Department of Civil Engineering
University B.D.T. College of Engineering
Davangere – 577004
KARNATAKA
email:[email protected]
[email protected]

Vahini.M M.Tech (CADSS)

Lecturer in Department of Civil Engineering
S.J.M.Institute of Technology
Chitradurga – 577502
KARNATAKA
email: [email protected]

REFERENCES
1. Dr.Deodhar S.V. and Dubey S.K, “Hidden Beam – A New Concept of Slab
Design”, Civil Engineering & Construction Review, (Nov. 2004), pp 54 – 58
2. IS: 456-2000, “Indian Standard Code of Practice for Plain and Reinforced
Concrete”, Bureau of Indian Standards, New Delhi.
3. Peerapang Suthiwarapirak, Takashi Mahsumoto and Hideyuki Horii,
“Fatigue Life Analysis of Reinforced Steel Fiber - Concrete Beams”, Proceedings
of the Japan Concrete Institute, Vol. 23, No. 3 (2001)
4. NISA, Nisa user’s manual
5. IS: 875-1987, “Indian Standard Code of Practice for Structural Safety of
Buildings”, Bureau of Indian Standards, New Delhi.

Table 1: Dimensions of Slab

Sl. No Aspect Ratio Length in m Breadth in m

1 1.00 4.00 4.00
2 1.25 5.00 4.00
3 1.50 6.00 4.00

Slab Slab
 Concealed
Beams

Slab with short span Slab with orthogonal

Concealed beam Concealed beam

Concealed
Beams

Slab with diagonal concealed beams

Fig 1: Concealed Beam Configurations

Slab (Shell Element)

Edge Beam (Beam Element)

Concealed Beam (Beam Element)

Column (Beam Element)

Fixed

Fig 2: Slab with Short Span Concealed Beam

 19

17

15

Deflection in mm
13

11

5
0.9 1 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6
Slab Aspect Ratio
Without beam Short span beam
Orthogonal beams Diagonal beams

Fig 3: Variation of Deflections of Slab With and Without Concealed Beams for
Different Aspect Ratios

21

19

17
Mxx in kN-m

15

13

11

7
0.9 1 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6
Slab Aspect Ratio
Without beam Short span beam
Orthogonal beams Diagonal beams

Fig 4: Variation of Slab Moments Mxx at Mid Span for Slab With and Without
Concealed Beams
 10

7
Mxx in kN-m

2
0.9 1 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6
Slab Aspect Ratio
Without beam short span beam
Orthogonal beams Diagonal beams

Fig 5: Variation of Slab Moments Mxx at Corner for Slab With and Without Concealed
Beams
12

11.5

11

10.5
Myy in kN-m

10

9.5

8.5

8
0.9 1 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6
Slab Aspect Ratio
Without beam Short span beam
Orthogonal beams Diagonal beams

Fig 6: Variation of Slab Moments Myy at Mid Span for Slab With and Without
Concealed Beams
 5.5

4.5

Myy in kN-m 4

3.5

2.5

2
0.9 1 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6
Slab Aspect Ratio
Without beam Short span beam
Orthogonal beams Diagonal beams

Fig 7: Variation of Slab Moments Myy at Corner for Slab With and Without
Concealed Beams
 Table 2: Comparison of Deflections of Slab With and Without Concealed Beams

Sl. Slab Without With Concealed Beam

No. Aspect Concealed Short span beam Orthogonal beams Diagonal beams
Ratio Beam Deflection % Deflection % Deflection %
Deflection (mm) Change (mm) Change (mm) Change
(mm)
1 1 6.22 5.97 -4.02 5.73 -7.88 5.59 -10.13
2 1.25 10.60 10.30 -2.83 9.80 -7.55 9.51 -10.28
3 1.5 17.60 17.40 -1.14 16.5 -6.25 15.9 -9.66

Note: + Increase, - Decrease