Opening in Slab and Beam

Beam
Most reinforced concrete members are statically indeterminate because
they are part of monolithic structure, i.e., in this form of building
construction, slabs are cast monolithically with a beam-and girder floor
framing that carries the floor load to columns. A beam is a flexure
member. It may be of steel, wood or any other structural materials.
Reinforced concrete beams are nonhomogeneous in that they are made of
two entirely different materials. A flexural member should suffer a axial
compression force less than Ag fc/10. The member must be at least 10
in wide and its clear span should be least 4 times the effective depth and
the width-to-depth ratio should be at least 0.3.
Slab
Slabs are used to furnish a flat and useful surface in reinforced concrete
construction. It is broad, flat plate, usually horizontal, with top and
bottom surfaces parallel or nearly so. It may be supported by reinforced
concrete beams, by masonry or reinforced concrete walls, by structural
steel members, by directly by columns or continuously by the ground.
Slabs in which the deflected surface is predominantly cylindrical is called
one-way slabs spanning in the direction of curvature. This condition arises
when slabs are supported on two opposite sides, and those supported on
all four sides with the longer span greater than twice the shorter span and
also in cantilever slabs. In many cases, rectangular slabs are of such
proportions and are supported in such a way that two-way action results.
when loaded, such slabs bend into a dished surface i.e., an any point the
slab is curved in both principal directions, and since bending moments are
proportional to curvature, moments also in both directions.
Concrete slabs may in some cases be carried directly by columns, without
the use of beams or girders. Such slabs are called flat plates. In some
cases, to reduce the stresses due to shear and negative bending around
columns, a thickened slab region in the vicinity of column and flared
column tops are incorporated. Such construction is called flat- slab
construction.
Occurrence of Opening
Slabs
In almost all constructions, slab system include openings. These may be
of substantial size, as required by stair-ways and elevators shafts, or they
may be of smaller dimensions, like those needed to accommodate
heating, plumbing, and ventilating risers, floor and roof drains, and access
hatches.
Beams

These may occur when opening in slabs pass through the effective flange
width of T-beams, for installation of building services. Opening are also
frequently provided through beam web.
Codes Recommendation for Placement of Opening
Slabs
As far as possible, opening in slabs should be located in zones where
shear stresses are small and bending moment are below maximum.
However, small opening for pipe sleeves etc. can be made anywhere in
slab. In case of slabs supported directly by columns, from structural view
point, they are best located well away from the columns, preferably in the
area common to the slab middle strips. Opening of any size may be
provided in slab systems if shown by analysis that the design strength is
at least equal to the required strength and that specified limits on
deflection meets. For strength the strip method is appropriate.

.
Code Requirements

13.5.1 Opening of any size are permitted in slabs if analysis shows that
both strength and deflection are acceptable.
13.5.2 In lieu of special analysis as required by 13.5.1 opening may be
provided in slab systems without beams only in accordance with the
following.
13.5.2.1 Opening of any size may be located in the area common to
intersecting middle strips.
13.5.2.2 In area common to intersecting column strips, not more than
1/8 the width of column strip in either span shall be interrupted by
openings.
13.5.2.3 In the area common to one column strip and one middle strip,
opening size is limited to 1/4 the width of column strip in either span.
Beams
In regions of small shear, as near the middle of a beam span, a horizontal
pipe sleeve is not serious. Elsewhere, shear strength must be closely
watched and in many places bending strength as well.
Strip Method to analyze Opening
The strip method was first developed by Hillerborg, and later Wood and
Armer analyzed the method critically and performed test on slabs
designed by this method. They found that a design made by the strip
method and reinforced exactly according to moments found, was an exact
solution.
The strip method is the simplest one for slabs on simple supports, but
continuity can be handled on a basis similar to limit design. The most
difficult slabs for this method are slabs supported on columns. For such a
case, Hillerborg developed the advanced strip method, using a rectangular
element carrying load in two directions to a support at one corner of the
element.
The equilibrium equation for slabs is

All elements of this equation, except w, follows the Timoshenkos

notation.
i.e., Mx and My = bending moment about respective directions.
Mxy

twisting

moment.

and w = load per unit area on slab.

Hillerborg designs the slab to make Mxy unnecessary, that is he assumes
Mxy = 0 and than apportions the load to Mx/x and My/y, usually
at a particular spot wholly to one or to the other. This particular
apportionment is more of a convenience than a necessity, however, loads
in a particular area are assign to particular slab strips and continuity of
the resulting moments and shear must be carefully maintained. Apparent
discontinuity in torque or deflection may be disregarded, but a
discontinuity in moment or shear is not permitted. Both elastic and plastic
analysis concepts are permissible in evaluating moments on strips.

The suitability of the method for slabs with opening is a strong point in its
favor. This method have been using for many years by designers,
designing by their feel for the way the load has most apt to be
transferred to the supports. As slabs are normally considerably underreinforced, it is possible to use certain strips near the opening as small
beam simply by increasing the local reinforcement. If the opening is so
large that even extra slab steel is inadequate to care for the moment, a
real beam is needed around one or more sides of the opening, quite
probably spanning to the edge beams. The assumed beam strips are
drawn as dotted around the opening and the point of inflection as
suggested by Wood and Hillerborg are added on the slab. Then different
moment for different strip is calculated. Depth can be fixed from loads
(moment and shear). The reinforcement should be arranged in bends
corresponding to the strips used, this calculation is simple.

Defection at service load must be considered in checking serviceability. In

any actual design the service load is available, and it should be on the
safe side to use the strip service load moments with EI based on
the
cracked
section.
Treatment

for

Opening

Larger opening should be framed by beams to restore, as nearly as

possible, the continuity of the slab. The beams should be designed to
carry a portion of the floor load, in addition to loads directly applied by
partition walls, elevator support beams, stair slabs etc. But, in case of flat
plate
construction,
opening
near
column
render
difficulties.
Effects

on

Strength

and

Treatment

Slabs
The effect of openings on the shear strength as well as flexure action (in
case of large opening) of slab must be investigate carefully. The effect
becomes severe when the openings are within the column strip areas of
slabs or within middle strip areas when the opening are closer than 10
times the slab thickness(10h) from a column, measured radial.
To account for reduction of shear strength, it is considered that a portion
of the critical section b0 is ineffective which is enclosed by straight lines
projecting from the column centroid to the edges of the opening. If two
much resisting perimeter is lost, the designer must be sure adequate towway bending is really present; otherwise the lower shear permitted in
beams become the limiting values for the slab.
For slabs with shear reinforcement, the ineffective portion of the
perimeter b0 is one-half of that without shear reinforcement. One-half
factor is interpreted to apply equally to shearhead reinforcement and bar
or
wire
reinforcement.

Code

Recommendation

13.5.2.4 Where opening in slabs are located at a distance less

times the slab thickness from a concentrated load or reaction
when opening in slabs are located within column strip, the critical
shall
be
modified
as

than 10
area or
sections
follows:

1) For slabs without shearhead, that part of the perimeter of the critical
section that is enclosed by straight lines projecting from the centroid of
the column, concentrated load or reaction area and tangent to the
boundaries
of
the
opening
shall
be
considered
ineffective.
2) for slabs with shearheads, the ineffective portion of the perimeter shall
be
one-half
that
defined
in
(1)
above.
Beams
Large opening in beams are particularly weakening. They destroy beam
action and force the reduced section to act such as a Vierendeel truss ( a
truss without diagonals). In such a truss the average bending moment
over the length of the opening is resisted by axial compression one chord

and tension in the other, with these two forming a couple in the case of
pure flexure. Where shear is present the change in the moment over the
length of the opening superimpose a reversed bending resistance in each
chord, the total of the four end moments on the chords equaling the
external shear times the length of the opening. How the shear and these
reverse moments are shared by the chords depends on the relative chord
stiffness.
Thickening

of

edge

of

opening

In case of larger openings, the edge of the slab around the opening may
be thickened to enable them to behave like trimmer beams for taking up
additional moments and forces. If opening reduce a critical design section
for moment, must be maintained by providing extra depth to offset the
reduced
width.
Function

of

Steel

The steels used around opening tie the free ends of the bars which are
trimmed to form opening. It also serve as reinforcement to make the
opening stable against deformation or any other types of failure. This bars
take care of the loss of steel in a slab on account of forming opening.
Diagonal bars provided in corner control the cracking that will almost
inevitably
occur
there.
Steel

Requirement

Slabs
With regard to
by calculation
interrupted by
supplementary
stress

flexural requirements, the total amount of steel required

must be provided, regardless of opening. Any steel
holes should be matched with an equivalent amount of
reinforcement on either sides, proper lapped to transfer
by
bond.

If minor cracking at the corners of an opening is objectionable, it is

always advisable to add one or two diagonal bars at each corner,
especially at large openings. Bars are always desirable around Window
and door opening in concrete wall slabs, because such reinforcement
helps
to
take
care
of
shrinkage
stresses.
Code Requirement
Slab
13.5.2.1 In case of opening in intersecting middle strips, total amount of
reinforcement required for the panel without opening is maintained.

13.5.2.2 In case of opening in intersecting column strips, an amount of

reinforcement equivalent to that interrupted by an opening shall be added
on
the
sides
of
the
opening.
13.5.2.3 In case of opening common to one column strip and one middle
strip not more than the reinforcement in either strip shall be
interrupted by openings. An amount of reinforcement equivalent to that
interrupted by an opening shall be added on the sides of the opening.
Beam
11.3.1.3 For members with significant axial tension, requires all shear to
be
resisted
by
stirrups
(none
assign
to
the
concrete).
Steel

Arrangement

Reduction in critical design section for moment due to opening, can be

overcome providing more closely on each side of the opening to maintain
the necessary As. This is possible only when opening is possible to locate
where moment is well below the compression capacity of the slab,
thereby leaving the arrangement of reinforcement as the only problem. Of
course, shear strength must be maintained, but this is rarely a problem
except near the columns in flat slab type, as noted previously.

The arrangement of bars around any but minor opening can constitute a
real problem. Bars running perpendicular to the face of an opening are
not fully effective when simply cut0off at the opening. This is acceptable if
there is a beam at the opening to act as reaction for the slab. If there is
no beam it is better to fan the bars out or splay them to go around the
opening. If fanning or splaying leaves too wide an area without steel,
extra bars can be placed parallel to the side of the opening, as indicated.