Exercise: Concrete Slab Design.

Problem description
A reinforced concrete slab is submitted to
a surface load Q and self weight. Obtain
Forces & moments and design for
bending moment and torsion.
Eurocode 2 materials:
Concrete: C25/30
Reinforcing steel: S 500
Mechanical cover: 0.035 m
Q = 5000 Pa

Exercise: Concrete Slab Design.

Problem description (Cont.)

Use Wood-Armer method for concrete shell design.

Use Eurocode 2 (2008) as reinforced concrete code.

Reinforcement distribution will follow radial and longitudinal directions to the

slab. Element axes must be oriented accordingly. Two different coordinate
systems must be defined.

Boundary conditions: Fixed at one end and simply supported at indicated

points.

Step 1: New Model

Create a working directory and
save the model inside it:

a)
b)
c)
d)

Click on CivilFEM button.

Select Save as
Enter the Name.
Click on Save in order to save the exercise in
working directory.

Do not forget to SAVE your

model every now and then
to avoid losing your changes.

Step 2: Coordinate Systems.

Create new cylindrical coordinate system:
a)
b)
c)
d)

Click on Cylindrical icon within Environment tab.

Enter C1 as Name.
Repeat the process and define another cylindrical system with C2 as Name.
Three coordinate systems are defined: C1, C2 and Global Cartesian (this one
defined always by default).
b

a
d

Step 3: Geometry Points.

Create geometry points:
a) Set C1 as active coordinate system.
b) Define coordinates of first center point CC1 and rest of points P01, P02, P03 and
P04 according to C1 cylindrical system (r, , z).

Step 3: Geometry Points.

Create geometry points:
a) Set C2 as active coordinate system.
b) Define coordinates of second center point CC2 and rest of points P05 and P06
according to C2 cylindrical system (r, , z).

Step 4: Geometry Lines.

a

Create lines between points:

a)
b)
c)
d)
e)

Check Referenced box.

Create Line (L01) by 2 points (P01, P02).
Create Arc (L02) by 2 points (P02, P04) and center (CC1).
Create Line (L03) by 2 points (P03, P04).
Create Arc (L04) by 2 points (P03, P01) and center (CC1).

e
c

Step 4: Geometry Lines.

Create lines between points:

f) Create Arc (L05) by 2 points (P04, P06) and center (CC2).
g) Create Line (L06) by 2 points (P06, P05).
h) Create Arc (L07) by 2 points (P05, P03) and center (CC2).

Step 5: Geometry Surfaces.

a

Create a Polyline surface by curves:

a)
b)
c)
d)

Check Referenced box.

Create a Polyline surface (S1) by curves.
Add lines L01, L02, L03, L04 .
Surface S1 is created.

Step 5: Geometry Surfaces.

e

Create a Polyline surface by lines (Cont.):

e)
f)
g)
h)

Check Referenced box.

Create a polyline surface (S2) by lines.
Add lines L05, L06, L07, L03.
Surface S2 is created.

Step 6: Create Material.

Create concrete material:

b
c

a) Click on Model tab and then on Concrete.

b) Select Eurocode 2 as Code or Standard.
c) Choose C25/30 as Name to define type of
concrete.
d) Check the properties of this material within
the Properties window.

Step 6: Create Material.

a

Create reinforcing steel material:

b
c

a) Click on Model tab and then on Reinf. Steel.

b) Select Eurocode 2 as Code or Standard.
c) Choose S500 as Name to define type of
reinforcing steel.
d) Check the properties of this material within the
Properties window.

Step 7: Create Shell Structural Elements.

Create first Shell Structural Element:
a

a)
b)
c)
d)

Click on Shell within Mesh tab.

Enter Shell 1 for Name and select C25/35 for Material.
Enter 0.2 m for Thickness.
Select surface S1 for Geometry.

b
c
d
e

Reinforcement
definition is not
needed as CivilFEM
will carry out the
design later.

e) Once created select C1 as

Coordinate system.
f) Set Mechanical cover in Bending
reinforcement as 0.035m.
g) Select S500 as Reinforcing steel.

Step 7: Create Shell Structural Elements.

Fill in Shell 1 Mesh Controls
a)
b)
c)
d)

Set Edge length as Control.

Choose Quadrangle as Element type.
Select Advancing front algorithm.
Enter 0.5 m for Edge size and 0.01 as
Tolerance merge.

b
c
d

Create second Shell Structural Element:

a)
b)
c)
d)
e)

Copy first shell structural element Shell 1.

Change Name to Shell 2.
Change Geometry to S2 surface.
Change Coordinate system to C2.
Check the values of Mesh controls.
b
b

e
c

dd

Step 8: Create the Mesh.

a

Create the mesh:

a) Click on Mesh icon.
b) Select Yes in order to save the model.
c) Check the number of nodes and
elements within the Output window.
d) Check the shape of finite shell
elements.

d
c

Step 9: Apply Loads.

a
b

Define the Surface Load group:

a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)
i)

e
f
g

h
i

Click on Loads tab.

Click on Load group icon.
Enter Surface Load Q.
Click on Surface load.
Enter Load on Shell 1 for Name.
Select Shell 1 for Structural element.
Enter (0,0,-1) as Direction.
Enter 5000 Pa for Load.
Repeat the same process to add
another surface load on Shell 2.

Step 9: Apply Loads.

Check the surface load:

a
b

Check location and load direction.

a) Click on Loads tab.
b) Within Plot group select Surface Load Q.
c) Check Surface Load Q properties.
c

Step 10: Create Boundary Conditions.

a

Define boundary condition:

c
d

e
f

a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)

Click on Boundary conditions group icon.

Add a Linear Simple boundary condition.
Enter BC on L01 for Name.
Select Shell 1 for Structural element.
Select L01 for Line.
Constrain all movements and rotations.
Add a Punctual Simple boundary condition for P03
and P04.
h) Change Name, Point accordingly. Constrain Z-axis
movements.

h
g

Step 10: Create Boundary Conditions.

a
c

c
d

e
f

d
g

Check boundary condition:

a)
b)
c)
d)

Click on Loads tab.

Choose Boundary conditions group.
Activate On mesh..
Boundary conditions are displayed on nodes.

Step 11: Create Load Case.

Define Load Case:
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)

Click on Load case icon.

Enter SelfWeight+Q as Name.
Add Gravity and Surface load Q.
Add Boundary conditions group.
Plot defined Load case

Step 12: Analyze the model.

a
b

Solve the linear static analysis:

a)
b)
c)
d)
e)

Click on Solve tab.

Click on Start to solve.
Select Yes to save the model.
Check the output for errors.
Search for corresponding result files
stored in working directory.

Step 13: Postprocess Results.

Load Results File:
a) Click on Results tab.
b) Open SelfWeight+Q.rcf file.
c) Choose Z-component of
displacement.
d) Click on Plot icon.

b
c

Step 13: Postprocess Results.

Plot: X Component of stress (MPa)

Step 13: Postprocess Results.

Plot: Bending moment MX (kNm/m)

Step 13: Postprocess Results.

Plot: Bending moment MY (kNm/m)

Step 14: Reinforcement Design.

Wood-Armer method:
a) Check that Eurocode (2008) is the active code
for Reinforced Concrete in Code & Standards
group within Environment tab.
b) Back to Results tab, design reinforcement of the
concrete slab using Wood-Armer method.
c) Leave default name for Design file name.
d) Check Output window, checking results file
SelfWeight+Q_EC2-08_WoodArmer.crcf is
created.

a
c

Step 14: Reinforcement Design.

a

Load Design Results:

a)
b)
c)
d)

Click on Results tab.

Click on Load file.
Choose *crcf file type.
Open SelfWeight+Q_EC2-08_WoodArmer.crcf

d
c

Step 14: Reinforcement Design.

Plot: Radial reinforcement amount X Top (cm2/m)

Step 14: Reinforcement Design.

Plot: Longitudinal reinforcement amount Y Top (cm2/m)

Step 14: Reinforcement Design.

Plot: Radial reinforcement amount X Bot (cm2/m)

Step 14: Reinforcement Design.

Plot: Longitudinal reinforcement amount Y Bot (cm2/m)