TWO-WAY SLAB

When the slab is supported on all four sides and the ratio of length L is less than twice the
width. The two-way slab will deflect in two directions and the load on the slab are transferred to
all four supports.

Four types of Two-way Slab:

1. Flat plates
This is a two-way slab which is most suitable for spans 6 m to 7.6 m and live loads
between 2.9 kPa and 4.8 kPa. These are widely used in buildings either as reinforced or
prestressed concrete slab.
Advantages of adapting a flat plate:
a. Low-cost form work, exposed flat ceilings and time of construction is faster than
the other types.
b. Low shear capacity and relatively low stiffness which may cause smaller
deflection.

2. Flat Slabs
Most suitable for spans of 6m to 9m and for live loads of 3.8 kPa to 7.2 kPa. Uses more
form work than flat plates. In most cases only drop panels without column capital is
used.
 3. Slab on Beams
This is suitable for spans between 6 m and 9 m and live loads of 2.8 kPa to 5.8kPa.
Additional form work for beams is needed. The supporting beams increases the stiffness
of the slab, producing low deflection

4. Waffle Slab
This two-way slab is suitable for spans of 9 m to 15 m and live loads of 3.84 kPa to 5.8
kPa. Additional form work including the use of pans is quite expensive. The advantage of
this type is that it can carry heavier loads that flat plates and have attractive exposed
ceilings.

Methods for the Design of Two-way Slabs

a) Direct Design Method
This is an approximate method for analysis and design of two-way slabs. This is limited
to slabs subjected to uniformly distributed loads and supported on nearly equally spaced
columns. This method uses a set of coefficients to determine the design moments at
critical sections.
Limitations:
1. There must be a minimum of three continuous spans in each direction.
 2. The panels must be square or rectangular, with a ratio of the longer span to the
shorter span less than 2.0
3. Adjacent spans in each direction must not differ by more than one third of the longer
span.
4. Columns must not be offset by a minimum of 10% of the span length, in the
direction of offset, from either axis between center lines of successive columns.
5. All loads must be uniform and the ratio of the live load to the dead load must not
exceed 2.0.
6. If beams are present along all sides, the ratio of the relative stiffness of beams in two
perpendicular directions must not be less than 0.2 nor grater that 5.0.
Distribution of Moments in Slabs
A. Total factored static moment
 MO = total moment
Mn = negative moment
MP = positive moment

MO = Mn + M P
2 2
W L1 W L1
MO = +
12 24
2
3W L1
MO =
24
2
W L1
MO =
8

If the beam carries the load W from a slab that has a width of L2 perpendicular to L1, then
W = WU L2 where WU = load intensity in kPa then the total moment MO :
2
(W ¿ ¿U L2 )L1
MO = ¿
8
If the clear span AB is equal to Ln, then the total moment is equal to:
2
(W ¿ ¿U L2 )ln 1
MO = ¿
8
For span BD:
2
(W ¿ ¿U L2 )ln 2
MO = ¿
8
 For Span AB: (long direction) For Span BD: (short direction)
2 2
(W ¿ ¿U L2 )ln 1 (W ¿ ¿U L1 )ln 2
MO = ¿ MO = ¿
8 8

Mp = 0.35 Mo Mp = 0.35 Mo

Mn = 0.65 Mo Mn = 0.65 Mo

For exterior edge of a simple support, as in the case of slab resting on a wall, the slab moment
at the fac of the wall is zero and the positive moment at midspan is equal to Mp = 0.63 Mo while
the negative moment at the interior support is Mn = 0.75 Mo
1
Mo = Mp + M
2 n
1
Mo = 0.63Mo + (0.75) M o
2
Percentage of Moments in Two-way Interior Slabs Without Beams
Negative Moment Positive Moment

Longitudinal Moments in One Panel -0.65 MO + 0.35 MO

Column Strip 0.75(-0.65MO) 0.60(0.35MO)

Middle Strip 0.25(-0.65MO) 0.40(0.35MO)

Distribution of Moments in an End Panel

Exterior Edge
Slabs with Slabs Without Beams Between Interior
Fully
Unrestrained Beams Supports
Restrained
Between All
Supports With Edge Beam Without Edge Beam
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)
Exterior Negative
0 0.65 0.16 0.30 0.26
Factored Moment

Positive Factored
0.63 0.35 0.57 0.50 0.52
Moment

Interior Negative
0.75 0.65 0.70 0.70 0.70
Factored Moment
SAMPLE PROBLEM
A typical exterior flat-plate panel has four systems which consist of four panels in each direction
with a size of 7.3 meters by 6 meters. All panels are supported by 500mm x 500mm columns,
3.6 meters long. The slab without beams carries a service live load of 3.84 kPa and a service
dead load that consists of 1.15 kPa of floor finish in addition to the slab weight. Thickness of the
slab is 225 mm. fc’= 27.6 MPa, fy = 414.7 MPa.

Determine the following:

1. The spacing of 16 mm∅ bars at the column strip in the long direction with a static
moment of Mo = 485.52 kN-m
2. The spacing of 12mm ∅ bars at the middle strip in the long direction with a static
moment of 485.52 kN-m.
3. The spacing of 16 mm ∅ bars at the columns strip in the short direction with a static
moment of 386.44 kN.m.
4. The spacing of 12 mm ∅ bars at the middle strip in the short direction with a static
moment of 386.44 kN-m.
Solution:
1. The spacing of 16 mm∅ bars at the column strip in the long direction with a static
moment of Mo = 485.52 kN-m

Width of half of the column strip in the long direction:

6
x= = 1.5m
4
width of the middle strip in the long direction:
y = 6 – 2(1.5) = 3m
width of half of the column strip in the short direction = 1.5 m
width of the middle strip in the short direction = 7.3 – 3 = 4.3 m

effective depth:
d = 225 – 25 – 16
d = 184 mm
Negative moment along long direction:
Mn = - 0.65 Mo
Mn = - 0.65(485.52)
Mn = - 315.59 kN.m

Distributed moment along long direction:

Mu = 0.75 Mn
Mu = 0.75(-315.59)
Mu = -236.69 kN.m

Width of strip b = 3m
b = 3(1000) = 3000mm
d = 184 mm

Mu = ∅ fc’bd2ω (1 – 0.59ω )
236.69 (1000)2 = 0.90(27.6)(3000)(184)2 ω (1 – 0.59 ω )
ω (1 – 0.59 ω ) = 0.0938
ω 2 – 1.6949 ω + 0.159 = 0
ω = 0.09968

fy
ω= ρ '
fc
( 414.7)
0.09968 = ρ
27.6
ρ = 0.00663

As = ρ bd
As = 0.00663(3000)(184)
As = 3662mm2

Min As = 0.0018 bt = 0.0018(3000)225)

Min As 1215 mm2¿ 3662mm2 ok
 Spacing of 16 mm ∅ bars
π 3000
(16)2( ) = 3662
4 S
S = 165 mm o.c.
Use S = 150 mm o.c. or 20 – 16 mm ∅ bars

2. The spacing of 12mm ∅ bars at the middle strip in the long direction with a static
moment of 485.52 kN-m.
Negative moment:
Mn = 0.65 Mo = 0.65(485.52)
Mn = - 315.59 kN.m

Distributed Negative Moment:

MU = 0.25Mn = 0.25(-315.59)
MU = 78.90 kN.m

MU = ∅ fc’bd2ω (1 – 0.59ω )
78.90 (1000)2 = 0.90(27.6)(3000)(184)2 ω (1 – 0.59 ω )
ω (1 – 0.59 ω ) = 0.03127
ω 2 – 1.6949 ω + 0.053 = 0
ω = 0.03187

fy
ω= ρ '
fc
( 414.7)
0.03187 = ρ
27.6
ρ = 0.0021

As = ρ bd
As = 0.0021(3000)(184)
As = 1159.20mm2

Min As = 0.0018 bt = 0.0018(3000)225)

Min As 1215 mm2¿ 1159.20mm2

Use Min As = 1215 mm2

Spacing of 12 mm ∅ bars
π 3000
(12)2( ) = 1215
4 S
S = 279 mm say 275mm

Number of 12 mm ∅
 3000
N=
275
N = 10.9 use 11 bars

3. The spacing of 16 mm ∅ bars at the columns strip in the short direction with a static
moment of 386.44 kN.m.
Mn = 0.65 Mo
Mn = 0.65 (-386.44)
Mn = - 251.2 kN.m

Distributed Negative Moment

MU = 0.75Mn
MU = 0.75(-251.2)
MU = -188.39 kN.m

d = 184 – 16/2 = 176mm

MU = ∅ fc’bd2ω (1 – 0.59ω )
188.39 (1000)2 = 0.90(27.6)(3000)(176)2 ω (1 – 0.59 ω )
ω (1 – 0.59 ω ) = 0.08161
ω 2 – 1.6949 ω + 0.013833 = 0
ω = 0.08597

fy
ω= ρ '
fc
( 414.7)
0.08597 = ρ
27.6
ρ = 0.00572

As = ρ bd
As = 0.00572 (3000)(176)
As = 3020 mm2

Min As = 0.0018 bt = 0.0018(3000)225)

Min As 1215 mm2

Spacing of 16 mm ∅ bars
π 3000
(16)2( ) = 3020
4 S
S = 199 mm o.c.
Use S = 190 mm o.c.
 No. of 16 mm ∅
3000
N=
180
N = 17 bars

4. The spacing of 12 mm ∅ bars at the middle strip in the short direction with a static
moment of 386.44 kN-m.

Negative Moment:
Mn = 0.65 Mo
Mn = 0.65(-386.44)
Mn = - 251.2 kN.m

Distributed Negative Moment

Mu = 0.25 Mn
Mu = 0.25(-251.2)
Mu = -62.80 kN.m

Width of strip b = 4.3m or 4300mm

Effective depth d = 176 mm

MU = ∅ fc’bd2ω (1 – 0.59ω )
62.80 (1000)2 = 0.90(27.6)(4300)(176)2 ω (1 – 0.59 ω )
ω (1 – 0.59 ω ) = 0.01898
ω 2 – 1.6949 ω + 0.03217 = 0
ω = 0.0192

fy
ω= ρ '
fc
( 414.7)
0.0192 = ρ
27.6
ρ = 0.0128

As = ρ bd
As = 0.0128 (4300)(176)
As = 968.7 mm2

Min AS = 0.0018bt = 0.0018(4300)(176)

Min AS = 1741.5 mm2

Spacing of 12 mm ∅ bars
π 4300
(12)2( ) = 1741.5
4 S
S = 280 mm o.c.
Use S = 280 mm o.c.

No. of 12 mm ∅
4300
N= N = 15.3 use 16 -12 mm ∅
280