Project Name

Subject Design of Waffle Slabs

Element Number S1 Your LOGO
Done By
Date 3/1/2015 15:19

Span length, center to center of columns = 15 m

Width of rib = 15 cm Spaced on centers at = 90 cm
Depth of rib = 35 cm
Slab thickness = 7.5 cm
Column size, long side length = 70 cm Span length ln = 14.3 m
Short side length = 70 cm
Dead Load (Excluding self-weight) = 100 Kg/m²
Live load = 480 Kg/m²
fc' = 30 Mpa
fy = 420 Mpa
Concrete density = 2500 Kg/m³
Type of Slab from the table below = 5
Note: Choose 4, 5 or 6 Only and take the maximum
Minimum Thickness of slabs without interior beams (without drop drop panel)
Exterior Panels
fy Without With Interior
(Mpa) edge beam edge beam Panels
280 1 2 3
420 4 5 6

1. Minimum Slab Thickness

Minimum total depth = 43.33333 cm
Assume Slab thickness depth = 7.5 cm 77.5
Assume rib depth = 70 cm

7.5cm
77.5cm
70cm

90cm

2. Loads on the waffle slab

Ultimate load of solid head part = 2712.5 Kg/m2
Voided volume of the 70cm rib = 0.39375 m3 on 0.81 m2 area
Total weight of the 0.81 m2 = 819 Kg
Weight per square meter = 1011.111 Kg/m2
Ultimate additional dead plus live load = 956 Kg/m2
Uniform wu (at solid head) = 3668.5 Kg/m2
Uniform wu (at ribbed area) = 1967.111 Kg/m2

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Project Name
Subject Design of Waffle Slabs
Element Number S1 Your LOGO
Done By
Date 3/1/2015 15:19

Column strip
7.5m 7.5m

5.55 Column
Strip

Middle
15m Strip

15m

Mid. Pans 11
Col. Pans 6
11pans
5.1 9.9 6 pans

15m

Loads on panel: At Solid head, W = 38183.75 Kg/m

At ribbed area, W = 29506.67 Kg/m

3. Shear and total static moment

38183.75 Kg/m
29506.67 Kg/m

1.85 9.9 m 1.85 d

Vu (at the face of column) = 216697.9 Kg cover

Mo (at midspan) = 697042.8 Kg.m

4. Check punching shear Punching shear in column head

a. In Solid head
Column cover = 2.5 cm
d= 75 cm 70cm
bo = 580 cm
Vu = 479140.1 Kg 37.5cm
ØVc = 668317.37 Kg ØVc>Vu

37.5cm 70cm

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Project Name
Subject Design of Waffle Slabs
Element Number S1 Your LOGO
Done By
Date 3/1/2015 15:19

b. In the Slab
Thickness of Slab = 7.5cm
Slab cover = 1.5 cm
d= 6 cm
bo = 2064 cm
Vu = 389177.11 Kg
ØVc = 190263.04 Kg 2.5cm
Warning Vu>ØVc shear reinf. is required 5.16m

5. Design moments and reinforcement

a. Exterior panel Mo = 697042.8 Kg.m
Exterior neg. moment = 0.26Mo = 181231.1 Kg.m
Positive moment = 0.52Mo = 362462.3 Kg.m
Interior neg. moment = 0.7Mo = 487930 Kg.m 2.5cm
b. Interior panel 5.1m
Negative moment = 0.65Mo = 453077.8 Kg.m
Positive moment = 0.35Mo = 243965 Kg.m

Design of an exterior and interior waffle slab 6pans in column strip and 11pans in middle strips.
Column strip Middle strip
Exterior Exterior Interior
Panel (-M) (+M) (-M) (-M) (+M)
Moment
factor (%) 100 60 75 25 40
Mu (kg.m) 181231.13 217477.4 365947.5 91486.87 144984.9
strip width
b (m) 5.55 7.5 5.55 1.65 7.5
d (m) 0.75 0.75 0.75 0.75 0.75
Ru
(Kg/m2) 58052.012 51550.19 117220.4 98571.71 34366.79
Steel ratio
ρ (%) 0.1555699 0.137943 0.318459 0.266626 0.091609
As (mm2) 6475.5953 7759.305 13255.85 3299.499 5152.981
Min. As 7742.25 10462.5 7742.25 2301.75 10462.5
Controling mm2 / rip mm2 / rip
As (mm2) 7742.25 1494.643 13255.85 3299.499 871.875
Bar No. 20 20 20 20 20 Choose the Bar No.
Bar 20.13 20.13 20.13 20.13 20.13
Diameter
No. of bars 25 5/rip 42 11 3/rip

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Project Name
Subject Design of Waffle Slabs
Element Number S1 Your LOGO
Done By
Date 3/1/2015 15:19

Column strip Middle strip

Interior Exterior Interior
Panel (-M) (+M) (-M) (-M) (+M)
Moment
factor (%) 60 75 25 40
Mu (kg.m) x 146379 339808.4 113269.5 97585.99
strip width
b (m) x 7.5 5.55 1.65 7.5
d (m) x 0.75 0.75 0.75 0.75
Ru
(Kg/m2) x 34697.24 108847.5 122041.2 23131.49
Steel ratio
ρ (%) x 0.092496 0.295129 0.331934 0.061506
As (mm2) x 5202.912 12284.76 4107.682 3459.711
Min. As x 10462.5 7742.25 2301.75 10462.5
Controling mm2 / rip mm2 / rip
As (mm2) x 1494.643 12284.76 4107.682 871.875
Bar No. x 22 20 20 20 Choose the Bar No.
Bar x 22.2 20.13 20.13 20.13
Diameter
No. of bars x 4/rip 39 13 3/rip

Column Strip
4.29m 4.29m
2.86m 2.86m 21#20 39#20
25#20 13#20 42#20 20#20

Bar #22 Bar #22 Bar #22

Bar #22 3/rip 1.7875m 4/rip 2/rip
5/rip
15m 15m

Middle Strip
3.146m 3.146m 3.146m

11#20 13#20

Bar #20
3/rip Bar #20 2.145m Bar #20 Bar #20
2/rip 2.145m 3/rip 2/rip

15m 15m

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Price : 10 US $

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Price : 10 US $

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References: ACI Code / Structural Concrete, Theory and Design (Copyright 1998), By M. Nadim Hassoun

Design of Waffle Slabs

Two-way ribbed slabs and the waffle slab system: This type of slab consists of a floor slab with
a length-to-width ratio less than 2. The thickness of the slab is usually 2 to 4 inchs (5 to 10cm)
and is supported by ribs (or joists) in two directions. The ribs are arranged in each direction at
spacings of about 20 to 30 inchs (50 to 75cm), producing square or rectangular shapes.

The ribs can also be arranged at 45 to 60 degrees from the centerline of the slabs, producing
architectural shapes at the soffit of the slab. In two-way ribbed slabs, different systems
can be adobted:

a. A two-way rib system with voids between the ribs is obtained by using special removable
and usable forms (pans) that are normally square in shape. The ribbes are supported on
four sides by girders that rest on columns. This type is called a two-way ribbed (joist)
Slab system.

b. A two-way rib system with permanent fillers between ribs that produce horizontal slab
soffits. The fillers may be of hollow, lightweight or normal-weight concrete or any other
lightweight material. The ribs are supported by girders on four sides, which in turn are
supported by columns. This type is also called a two-way ribbed (joist) slab system
or a hollow-block two-way ribbed system.

c. A two-way rib system with voids between the ribs with the ribs continuing in both
directions without supporting beams and resting directly on columns through solid
panels above the columns. This type is called a waffle slab system.

A two-way waffle slab system consists of concrete ribs that normally intersect at right angle.
These slabs might be constructed without beams, in which case a solid column head is
made over the column to prevent any punching due to shear. Wide beams can also be used
on the column centerlines for uniform depth construction. Square metal or fiberglass pans
are commonly used to form these joists. A thin slab of 3 to 5 in. is cast with these joists
to form the waffle slab.

http://www.cityofwichita.net/ http://www.ee.cua.edu/

Page 1 of 3
References: ACI Code / Structural Concrete, Theory and Design (Copyright 1998), By M. Nadim Hassoun

Each panel is divided into a column and a middle strip. The column strip includes all joist
that frame into the solid head, the middle strip is located between consecutive column
strips. Straight or bent bars could be used as a reinforcement in a waffle slab. In the case
of bent bars, the part of the reinforcement that is bent can be used for the negative
moment. The design of a two-way waffle slab is similar to that slabs by considering
the solid head as a drop panel. To prevent any excess in the diagonal tension in the head,
a sufficient size of column must be used or a shear cap must be provided.
In the design of a waffle slab, the top slabs with each rip form a T-section, with considerable
depth relative to flat plates. Consequently, long spans carrying heavy loads may be
designed with great savings in concrete. Waffle slabs also provide an attractive ceiling,
which is achieved by leaving the rip pattern or by integrating lighting fixtures.

The standard pans that are commonly used in waffle slabs can be one of the following:
1. 30x30-in. square pans with a 3-in. top slab, from which 6-in wide ribs at 36 in. (3 ft) on centers
are formed. These are available in standard depths of 8 to 20 in. in 2-in. increments.

2. 19x19-in. square pans with a 3-in. top slab, from which 5-in. wide ribs at 24 in. (2 ft) on
centers are formed. These are available in standard depth of 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 in.

Table1: Gross section properties

For the joists (30x30-in. pans)
Top Slab Rib Depth Volume Gross area Ycg Ig
(in.) (in.) (cf/pan) (in.2) (in.) (in.4)
3 8 3.85 161.3 3.28 1393
3 10 4.78 176.3 3.95 2307
3 12 5.53 192 4.66 3541
3 14 6.54 208.3 5.42 5135
3 16 7.44 223.3 6.2 7127
3 20 9.16 261.3 7.83 12469
4.5 8 3.85 215.3 3.77 2058
4.5 10 4.78 230.3 4.35 3227
4.5 12 5.53 246 4.97 4783
4.5 14 6.54 262.3 5.66 6773
4.5 16 7.44 279.3 6.36 9238
4.5 20 9.16 315.3 7.86 15768
For the joists (19x19-in. pans)
3 6 1.09 105 2.886 598
3 8 1.41 117.4 3.564 1098
3 10 1.9 130.4 4.303 1824
3 12 2.14 144 5.083 2807
4.5 6 1.09 141 3.457 957
4.5 8 1.41 153 4.051 1618
4.5 10 1.9 166.4 4.709 2550
4.5 12 2.14 180 5.417 3794

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References: ACI Code / Structural Concrete, Theory and Design (Copyright 1998), By M. Nadim Hassoun

Column Strip
0.3Ln 0.3Ln 0.3Ln
0.2Ln 0.2Ln 0.2Ln

0.125Ln 0.125Ln

Middle Strip

0.22Ln 0.22Ln 0.22Ln

0.15Ln 0.15Ln

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