Moment Redistribution

Objective
To examine the application of plastic design to reinforced
concrete structures.

Introduction to Plastic Design

What happens when an indeterminate beam is overloaded?
Progressive development of hinges and consequent change in
the bending moment diagram.

Encastre beam example

Continuous beam example

Two Fundamental Theorems

Lower-bound Theorem
If a set of bending moments can be found that satisfies
equilibrium throughout the structure and which does not violate
the yield condition anywhere, then the corresponding load is
either less that or equal to the correct collapse load.

Upper-bound Theorem
The external load that is obtained from any assumed collapse
mechanism must be either greater than or equal to the correct
collapse load.

Advantages of plastic design

Reduced peak moments
Reduced sensitivity to support movements

Application of plastic design to concrete

Reinforced concrete can be designed using plastic analysis
provided that the reinforced concrete is designed so that it can
undergo plastic deformation, i.e. so long as rotation can be
achieved at a plastic hinge.
 Slab Design
Objectives
To understand the principles of slab design.
To introduce the concept of moment redistribution in RC
design.
To introduce the principal methods of slab analysis
design.
To present the common forms of slab construction.

Introduction

Codes
Reinforced Concrete Designers Handbook

Types of Slab Construction

Solid slabs supported on beams or walls and spanning in

one direction.

Solid slabs simply supported on beams or walls and

spanning in two directions.
o Corners free to lift and no torsional reinforcement
present in the corners.

o Corners restrained in the vertical direction and

torsional reinforcement provided

Slabs supported by columns

Ribbed slabs

Slab analysis and design techniques

Yield line method
Hillerborg strip
Elastic analyses
 Classification of Slabs

1. One-way spanning
2. Two-way spanning, slab simply-supported on beams or
walls and not held down
3. Two-way spanning, slab restrained in vertical direction
and continuous or discontinuous at edges loading need
not be uniform and all edges need not be supported.
4. Two-way spanning, slab supported on columns

Slab Analysis Requirements

Moments particularly peak moments

Shears particularly peak shears
Reactions necessary for the design of support members

Slab Analysis Methods

Elastic analysis
Hillerborg Strip
Yield-line analysis
One-way Spanning Slabs
These slabs are designed as wide beams. The design codes give
details of appropriate moment redistribution and details of
suitable simplified curtailment.

Note:
If the length of the slab is more than twice its width the slab is
generally designed as one-way spanning

Simply-supported Unrestrained Slabs

If the corners are not restrained from lifting and no torsional
reinforcement is provided the moments in the two orthogonal
directions can be calculated from the Grashof and Rankine
formulae;

nl x 2
M dx = x 2

8
nl y 2
M dy = y2
8

k4
Where n is the design load per unit m , x 2 2
= 4 , and
k +1
y 2 = 1 x 2 . Note lx is the shorter span.
Restrained Slabs
msx = sx nl x
2

msy = sy nl y
2
 Ratio of spans k=ly/lx

If the corners of the slab are prevented from lifting and torsional
restraint is provided then a more exact elastic analysis is
appropriate. Or, alternatively, Marcuss method may be used.
Marcuss method involves multiplying the Grashof and Rankine
coefficients by a further factor, which depends on the fixity at
each slab edge.
 Flat Slabs

The distinguishing feature of flat slabs is the absence of beams.

The columns support the slabs directly.

Advantages of Flat Slabs

Ease of construction
Uncluttered Soffit
Potential reduction in storey height

Potential disadvantages of Flat Slabs

Concentrated shear stresses

Reduction in structural depth hence greater forces and
reduced stiffness
 Column Heads

In order to overcome problems of high shear stresses around

column heads the column heads are sometimes modified to
increase the shear perimeter.
 Design of Flat Slabs Moments
The design of flat slabs to resist bending moments is based on
the concept of dividing the slab into a series of strips spanning
in the two orthogonal directions. The strips are referred to a
column strips and edge strips.

Each continuous strip in each direction is designed to carry the

total load. Therefore in some simple sense we can consider the
slab to be twice as strong as required.

The distribution of the forces within column and edge strips is

not uniform. The central portion of the strip between the
columns will carry most of the load. Thus the column and edge
strips are subdivided into middle strips and column strips.
Middle Strip dimensions for columns with drop heads.
Bending Moments for Standard
Flat Slabs

Distribution of Moments Within Srips

Moment Transfer from slab to Column