FLAT SLAB

Introduction
Benefits
Design Considerations
Analysis of Flat Slab
Detailing
 INTRODUCTION
A flat slab is a reinforced concrete slab supported
directly by concrete columns without the use of
beams.
 TYPES OF FLAT SLAB
Simple flat slab.
Flat slab with drop panels.
Flat slab with column heads.
Flat slab with both drop panels and column heads.
 Simple
flat slab

Flat slab
with drop
panels
Uses of column head -
It increase shear strength of slab.
It reduce the moment in the slab by reducing the clear
or effective span.

Uses of drop panel -

It increase shear strength of slab.
It increase negative moment capacity of slab.
It stiffen the slab and hence reduce deflection.
 This form of construction has become less popular in recent years because of
the limit on economical spans of about 9.5 m for reinforced slabs.
Dimensions of the drop panels are a minimum of 1/3 of the span in the direction
under consideration, usually rounded to the nearest 100 mm.
The overall depth of the drop panel is typically taken as 1.75 to 2 times the
depth of the slab, again rounded to suit timber sizes or the nearest 25 mm.

The economical span L of a reinforced concrete flat slab is approximately D x 28

for simply supported, D x 32 for an end span and D x 36 for an interior span.
 Advantages and Disadvantages of flat
slabs
Advantages
Simple formwork.
No beamssimplifying underfloor services outside the drops.
Minimum structural depth.
Usually does not require shear reinforcement at the columns.

Disadvantages
Medium spans.
Generally not suitable for supporting brittle (masonry) partitions.
Drop panels may interfere with larger mechanical ducting.
Vertical penetrations need to avoid area around columns.
For reinforced flat slabs, deflection at the middle strip may be critical.
 BENEFITS
Flexibility in room layout.
Saving in building height.
Shorter construction time.
Ease of installation of M&E services.
Use of prefabricated welded mesh.
Buildable score.
 Flexibility in room layout

allows Architect to introduce partition walls

anywhere required.
allows owner to change the size of room layout.
allows choice of omitting false ceiling and finish
soffit of slab with skim coating.
Saving In building height
Lower storey height will reduce building weight due to lower partitions
and cladding to faade.
approx. saves 10% in vertical members.
reduce foundation load.
Shorter construction time

flat plate design will

facilitate the use of
big table formwork to
increase productivity
 SINGLE SOFFIT LEVEL

Simplified the table formwork needed.

Ease of installation of M&E services

all M & E (mechanical and electrical)services

can be mounted directly on the underside of
the slab instead of bending them to avoid the
beams.
avoids hacking through beams.
 Use of prefabricated welded mesh

Prefabricated in standard sizes.

Minimised installation time.
Better quality control.
 Buildable score

Allows standardized structural members and

prefabricated sections to be integrated into the design
for ease of construction.
This process will make the structure more buildable,
reduce the number of site workers and increase the
productivity at site.
More tendency to achieve a higher Buildable score.
 ANALYSIS OF FLAT SLAB
COLUMN HEAD
 COLUMN HEAD
 DIVISION OF PANELS
The panels are divided into column strips and middle
strips in both direction.
(a)Slab Without Drops
(b)Slab With Drops
 MOMENT DIVISION

Note : For slab with drops where the width of the middle strip
exceeds L/2, the distribution of moment in the middle strip should
be increased in proportion to its increased width and the moment
resisted by the column strip should be adjusted accordingly.
 OPENINGS
Holes in areas bounded by the column strips may be formed
providing :
greatest dimension < 0.4 span length and
total positive and negative moments are redistributed between the
remaining structure to meet the changed conditions.
Holes in areas common to two column strips may be formed
providing :
that their aggregate their length or width does not exceed one-
tenth of the width of the column strip;
that the reduced sections are capable of resisting with the
moments; and
that the perimeter for calculating the design shear stress is
reduced if appropriately .
Holes in areas common to the column strip and the middle strip
may be formed providing :
that in aggregate their length or width does not exceed one-
quarter of the width of the column strip and
that the reduced sections are capable of resisting the design
moments.
TYPE OF REINFORCEMENT
F-mesh - A mesh formed by main wire with cross wire at a
fixed spacing of 800 mm .

#Main wire - hard drawn ribbed wire with diameter and

spacing as per design .

#Cross wire - hard drawn smooth wire as holding wire .

H8-800mm c/c for main wire diameter > 10mm

H7-800mm c/c for main wire diameter of 10mm and below .
STANDARD LAPPING
OF MESH
 METHODS OF DESIGN
THE DIRECT DESIGN METHOD
This method has the limitation that it can be used only if the following
conditions are fulfilled:

(a) There shall be minimum of three continuous spans in each directions.

(b) The panels shall be rectangular and the ratio of the longer span to the
shorter span within a panel shall not be greater than 2.
(c) The successive span length in each direction shall not differ by more than
one-third of longer span.
(d) The design live load shall not exceed three times the design dead load.
(e) The end span must be shorter but not greater than the interior span.
(f) It shall be permissible to offset columns a maximum of 10 percent of the
span in the direction of the offset.
 EQUIVALENT FRAME METHOD
The following assumptions are:

(a) Beam portion of frame is taken as equivalent to the moment of inertia of flat slab
bounded laterally by centre line of the panel on each side of the centre line of the
column. In frames adjacent and parallel to an edge beam portion shall be equal to flat
slab bounded by the edge and the centre line of the adjacent panel.
(b) Moment of inertia of the members of the frame may be taken as that of the gross
section of the concrete alone.
(c) Variation of moment of inertia along the axis of the slab on account of provision of
drops shall be taken into account. In the case of recessed or coffered slab which is made
solid in the region of the columns, the stiffening effect may be ignored provided the
solid part of the slab does not extend more than 0.15 lef into the span measured from
the centre line of the columns. The stiffening effect of flared columns heads may be
ignored.
(d) Analysis of frame may be carried out with substitute frame method or any other
accepted method like moment distribution or matrix method.