Structural Element Structural Depth

CONCRETE
Hollow Core Floor Slab L / 30 to L / 40
Hollow Core Roof Slab L / 40 to L / 50
Prestressed Floor Tee L / 25 to L / 35
Prestressed Roof Tee L / 35 to L / 40
Prestressed Beam L / 10 to L / 20
Posttension Beam L / 21
Posttension Girder L / 15
Posttension Joist L / 36
Posttension Two-Way Slab L / 40
Two-Way Slab Slab Perimeter / 180
Structural Engineering Flat Slab w/ Drop Panels
Stair Slab
L / 33
L / 26
Design Rules of Thumb One-Way Slab - Simple Supt.
One-Way Slab - One End Cont.
L / 20
L / 24
One-Way Slab - Both Ends Cont. L / 28
In the early stages of a project, we are often One-Way Slab - Cantilever L / 10
asked how large structural elements will be Beam/Joist - Simple Supt. L / 16
before we have had a chance to perform the nec- Beam/Joist - One End Cont. L / 18.5
essary computations. We have found the follow- Beam/Joist - Both Ends Cont. L / 21
ing rules of thumb to be useful in estimating the Beam/Joist - Cantilever L/8
Girder L / 11
approximate depth of a structural member as well Tilt-Up Floor Slab 5 Min.
as reviewing the reasonableness of a design. Tilt-Up Wall Panel H / 48
Column H / 14
It is important to note, however, that the depth First Floor Column H / 10
of a member is influenced not only by the span MASONRY
Wall w/ Nominal Reinforcing H / 20
but by such variables as spacing, loads, support Wall w/ Heavy Reinforcing H / 30
conditions, deflections, and clearance require- STEEL
ments, as well. The final member design should Floor Beam/Joist L / 20
be based on computations performed by a Floor Beam - Vibrating Machinery L / 16
or Track Support
licensed structural engineer.
Composite Floor Beam L / 22
Roof Beam/Joist L / 24
Joist Girder L / 12
Truss L / 12
Space Frame L / 12 to L / 20
Girts L / 60
WOOD
Nominal Joist L / 24
Nominal Scissor Truss 3:12 Diff. Between
Top & Bot. Chord or
Bot. Chord Pitch 1/2
of Top Chord Pitch
Nominal Flat Truss L / 14
Timber Bowstring Truss L / 6 to L / 8
Timber Gable Truss L / 6 Min.
www.ieiusa.com Timber Flat Truss L / 8 to L / 10

770-517-5507 fax: 770-517-5508

3380 Trickum Rd Bldg 500, Suite 100 Woodstock, GA 30188
2015, Innovative Engineering Inc., All rights reserved
ALLOWABLE BEARING CAPACITY
(ISOLATED SPREAD FOOTINGS)
Cohesionless Soils (Sands & Gravels) Geo-Structural Design
Standard Allowable Soil
Friction
Granular Penetration Bearing
Angle
Type Test - N Pressure
(deg)
(blows/ft) (psf) CANTILEVER RETAINING WALL
Very Loose <4 < 1,600 < 30
H/12 to H/10
Loose 4 - 10 1,600 - 4,000 30 - 32

Medium 10 - 30 4,000 - 12,000 32 - 36 SOIL

WEDGE
Dense 30 - 50 12,000 - 20,000 36 - 42

Very Dense > 50 > 20,000 > 42

Cohesive Soils (Clays) R
Unconfined Allowable
Undrained
Clay Soil Compressive Soil Bearing H
Shear Stength
Consistency Strength Pressure
(psf)
(tsf) (psf) ASSUMED PLANE
Very Soft < 0.25 < 250 < 540 OF RUPTURE
H/7.5 to
Soft 0.25 - 0.5 250 - 500 540 - 1,100 H/4.25
Medium 0.5 - 1.0 500 - 1,000 1,100 - 2,700

Stiff 1.0 - 2.0 1,000 - 2,000 2,700 - 6,000

H/12 to H/8
Very Stiff 2.0 - 4.0 2,000 - 4,000 6,000 - 12,000

Hard > 4.0 > 4,000 > 12,000

0.4H to 0.7H

SLABS ON GROUND
SEGMENTAL RETAINING WALL
Min. Slab
Occupancy
Thickness WITH GEOGRID
Domestic or Light Commercial 4
(loaded less than 100 psf) GEOGRID

Commerical-Institutional-Barns 5
(loaded 100-200 psf) GEOGRID
Industrial (loaded at most 400-500
psf) and pavements for industrial 6 H GEOGRID
plants, gas stations, and garages
Industrial (loaded 600-800 psf) and
heavy pavements for industrial 7 GEOGRID
plants, gas stations, and garages

Industrial (loaded 1500 psf) 8 GEOGRID

Industrial (loaded 2500 psf) 9
SOIL
Industrial (loaded 3000-3500 psf) 10
WEDGE
0.7H

770-517-5507 fax: 770-517-5508

3380 Trickum Rd Bldg 500, Suite 100 Woodstock, GA 30188
2015, Innovative Engineering Inc., All rights reserved