AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH

© 2016,Science Huβ, http://www.scihub.org/AJSIR

ISSN: 2153-649X, doi:10.5251/ajsir.2016.7.4.114.116

Analysis and Design of Flat slab by ACI code with MATLAB coding
S. P. Nirkhe1 G. R. Gandhe2 D. H. Tupe3
Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Deogiri Institute of Engineering & Management studies,
Aurangabad, Maharashtra State, 431005, India, saurabh.nirkhe@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

Flat slab is a reinforced concrete slab directly supported by columns with, or without drop. The
columns are provided with, or without column heads for flat slab. Flat slab is a universal structural
component widely used in construction now-a-days. Flat slab requires minimum depth as
compared to other slab, hence saving in material cost, speedy construction. MATLAB
programming helps in high-performance numerical computation and perceptions. It provides an
interactive environment with hundreds of built-in functions for technical computation, graphics,
and animation. Best of all, it also provides easy extensibility with its own high-level programming
language. The aim of this study is to analyze the flat slab in India by ACI 318 code with MATLAB
Programming for the easy application for the design of flat slab and creating MATLAB coding for
the flat slab.

Keywords— ACI-318, Flat slab, MATLAB

INTRODUCTION
Reinforced concrete (RC) flat slab floors lead to
architecturally pleasing buildings and bridges as well
as simplifying and accelerating site operations. They
allow easy and flexible partitioning of space and
reduce the overall height of tall buildings. A part of
the slab bounded on each of its four sides by the
center line of column is called panel. The flat slab is
often thickened close to supporting columns to
provide adequate strength in shear and to reduce the
amount of negative reinforcement in the support
regions. The local thickening of slab in the region of
column is called drop or drop panel. Column head is
a local enlargement of the column at the junction with
the slab, to increase the capacity of the slab for
resisting two-way shear action and to reduce
negative bending moments at the support. C. A. P.
Turner [1] investigated the flat slabs in U. S. A. in
1906 mainly using spontaneous and fundamental
ideas, which was the start of this type of construction.
They have tested the maximum slabs for its load
carrying capacity in USA during 1910-20. Nicholas [2]
has proposed a simple static method of analysis
regarding flat slabs. This method is used commonly
for the design of flat slabs or flat plates and is well
known as the direct design method. Practicing
structural engineers commonly use the equivalent
frame method with equivalent beams as investigated
by Deshpande [3].
Objectives and Scope: In present work, a flat slab
system is a significant advancement in the building
technology. It has been observed that to investigate
the fragility of flat slab reinforced concrete systems.
The main objective of the paper is to study method of
analysis and design of flat slab by using ACI-318-08
design codes, with MATLAB Programming for the
easy application (language) for the design of flat slab.
ACI code has specified the fixed coefficients for
lateral and transverse distribution of moments as per
direct design method and equivalent frame method.
The paper aimed to check whether those moments
are remain the same when we analyze the flat slab
with use of MATLAB
System Methodology: Flat slab may be analyzed
and designed by any method as long as they satisfy
the strength, stiffness and stability requirements of
the ACI-318-08. A typical flat slab can be analyzed by
direct design method or equivalent frame method as
prescribed by the code. However, if the flat slab is a
typical one with unusual geometry, with irregular
column spacing, or with big opening then the
designer can use finite element method model
analysis using various software. The design of flat
slabs irrespective of the methodology used must first
assume a minimum slab and drop thickness and a
minimum column dimension to ensure adequate
stiffness of the system to control deflection. ACI-318-
08 specifies empirical formulae to arrive at these
minimums. Critical reactions for the load
 Am. J. Sci. Ind. Res., 2016, 7(4):114-116

combinations are used for the design of the The shear reinforcement should be provided if the
supporting columns and foundations. actual shear stress found to be greater than
permissible shear stress.
Example formulation: Using ACI 318 [4] the
distribution of moments across panels for slab as For the simplicity and validation with code and
shown in Table 1 respectively. The unbalanced slab MATLAB, I have considered the following
moments at various supports are transmitted to dimensions:
respective columns. This unbalanced slab moment is
Size of internal panel (room size) - 6.6 X 5.6 (in m)
shared by the column above and below in proportion
2
to their relative stiffness. These moments are Live load considered – 7.5 kN/m
transferred by punching shear and flexure in the
column. The punching shear produces cracks at the Grade of concrete – M20
critical section close to the column faces. The shear Grade of steel – Fe500
stress is calculated as explained in the respective
codes. The permissible shear stress is also RESULT AND DISCUSSION
calculated same as explained in respective codes. The results are presented in Table 2

Table 1: Distribution of moments across panels for slab using ACI 318 [4]
Particulars Exterior edge Slab with Slab without beams between Exterior edge
unrestrained beams interior supports fully
between all restrained
supports
Without edge With edge
beams beams
Interior Negative 0.75 0.70 0.70 0.70 0.65
moments
Positive moments 0.63 0.57 0.52 0.50 0.35

Exterior Negative 0 0.16 0.26 0.30 0.65

moments

Table 2: Result of ACI-318 [4]

Code ACI – 318 [4]
Positive moment
125.83
(kNm)
Negative moment
292.09
(kNm)
2
Area of reinforcement (mm ) 2274
Thickness of slab for serviceability criteria (mm) 185

Punching shear Safe

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Table 4: MATLAB Comparison
Code ACI – 318 [4]
Positive moment
125.83
(kNm)
Negative moment
292.09
(kNm)
2
Area of reinforcement (mm )
Thickness of slab for serviceability
criteria (mm)
Punching shear
DISCUSSION
1. Bending moment: It is observed that, it is
slightly lesser than manual design, but it is
accurate one as compared to manual design.
2. Quantity of reinforcement: Area of
reinforcement is in excellent agreement with
each other.
3. Thickness of slab: It is slightly lesser than
manual design.
4. Punching shear: It is safe in both codes.
5. By comparing with above results, I concluded
that ACI code is most effective in designing
of flat slabs.
CONCLUSION
It is observed that, the time required for manual
design is much greater than in case of MATLAB
which gives the results in micro seconds. Further it
will conclude that by getting all the results with
MATLAB to find the best way for practicing for
analysis and design of flat slab.
Am. J. Sci. Ind. Res., 2016, 7(4):114-116
MATLAB [6]
125.45
291.22
2274 2253
185 183.3
Safe Safe
REFERENCES
[1] Gasparini, D. A., “Contributions of C. A. P. Turner to
Development of Reinforced Concrete Flat Slabs 1905-
1909” J. of Structural Engineering, Vol. 128, No.10,
October 2002, pp. 1243-1252.
[2] Patil, S. S., Sigi, R. A.,“Flat Slab Construction in India”,
Int. J. of Engineering and Innovative Technology, Vol.
3, No. 10, April 2014, pp. 138-141.
[3] Deshpande, H., Joshi, R., Bangar, P., “Design
Considerations for Reinforced Concrete Flat Slab Floor
System”, Vol. 5, No. 12, December 2014), pp. 59-62.
[4] American Concrete Institute, “ACI 318-08, Building
Code Requirements for Structural Concrete and
Commentary”, January 2008
[5] Ramamrutham, S., “Design of Reinforced Concrete
Structures”, Dhanpat Rai Publishing Co. (P) Ltd.,
Seventeenth Edition, 2010, pp. 380-394.
[6] Rudra, Pratap, “Getting Started with MATLAB, A Quick
Introduction for Scientists and Engineers”, First
Edition, Oxford University Press, 2010.
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