Waffle Slabs

LECTURER: ENG ERIC K.
KIILU COURSE: BSC CIVIL ENGINEERING

ELEMENT: WAFFLE SLABS UNIT:ECE2502 STRUCTURAL DESIGN III
REF CALCULATION SHEET OUTPUT
WAFFLE SLABS
Design procedure
Two-way spanning ribbed slabs are termed waffle slabs. The general
provisions for construction and design procedure are given in BS8110:
Part 1, section 3.6.
The main requirements are as follows:
(i) The centres of ribs should not exceed 1.5 m;
(ii) The depth of ribs excluding topping should not exceed four
times their average width;
(iii) The minimum rib width should be determined by consideration
of cover, bar spacing and fire resistance. Referring to Fig. 3.2
in the code, the minimum rib width is 125 mm;
(iv) The thickness of structural topping or flange should not be less
than 50 mm or one tenth of the clear distance between ribs
(Table 3.18 in the code).
Note that, to meet a specified fire resistance period, non-combustible

finish, e.g. screed on top or sprayed protection, can be included to give
the minimum thickness for slabs set out in Fig. 3.2 in the code. See
also Part 2, section 4.2, of the code. For example, a slab thickness of
110 mm is required to give a fire resistance period of 2 h.
Moments for design may be taken from Table 3.14 of the code for
slabs simply supported on four sides or from Table 3.15 for panels
supported on four sides with provision for torsion at the corners. Slabs
may be made solid near supports to increase moment and shear
resistance and provide flanges for support beams. In edge slabs, solid
areas are required to contain the torsion steel.
Example :Waffle slab

(a) Specification
Design a waffle slab for an internal panel of a floor system that is
constructed on an 8 m square module. The total dead load is 6.5 kN/m2
and the imposed load is 2.5 kN/m2.
The materials of construction are grade 30 concrete and grade 460
reinforcement.
(b) Arrangement of slab

A plan of the slab arrangement is shown in Figure (a) below. The slab
is made solid for 500 mm from each support. The proposed section
through the slab is shown in figure (b).
The proportions chosen for rib width, rib depth, depth of topping and
rib spacing meet various requirements set out in BS8110: Part 1,
section 3.6. The rib width is the minimum specified for fire resistance
given in Fig. 3.2 of the code. From Table 3.4 the cover required for
mild exposure is 25 mm.
LECTURER: ENG ERIC K. KIILU COURSE: BSC CIVIL ENGINEERING
(a) Plan of waffle slab.
(b) Section through slab.
(c) Reinforcement
The middle strip moments for an interior panel for the slab width
supported by one rib are, from Table 3.15,
Support
Mid span
The effective depths assuming 12 mm diameter main bars and 6 mm
diameter links are as follows:
Outer layer
Inner layer
(i) Support—solid section 500 mm wide
Provide two 10 mm diameter bars to give a steel area of 157 mm2.

At the end of the solid section the moment of resistance of the concrete
ribs with width 125 mm is given by
This exceeds the moment at the support and so the ribs are able to
resist the applied moment without compression steel. The applied
moment at 500 mm from the support will be less than the support
moment.
(ii) Centre of span, T-beam, d=226 mm. The flange breadth b is 500
mm. The moment of resistance of the section when 0.9xequals the
depth of topping (75 mm) is
The neutral axis lies in the flange. The steel area can be calculated in
the same way as for the support steel.
As=117.1 mm2 per rib
Provide two 10 mm diameter bars with area 157 mm2.
(d) Shear resistance

The shear force coefficient is taken fromBS8110: Part 1, Table 3.16.
The shear at the support for the width supported by one rib (Table
3.16) is
The shear on the ribs at 500 mm from support is:
Shear reinforcement is not required. However, the shear stress v

exceeds vc/2 and two bars are provided in the rib and so links are
required. Make the links 6 mm diameter in grade 250 reinforcement,
Asv=56 mm2.
Space the links at 160 mm along the rib.
(e) Deflection
The basic span/d ratio is 20.8 (Table 3.10).
The modification factor is:
The slab is satisfactory with respect to deflection.
(f) Reinforcement in topping

The area required per metre width is:
The spacing of the wires is not to be greater than one-half the centre-
to-centre distance of the ribs, i.e. 250 mm. Refer to Table 8.2. Provide
D98 wrapping mesh with area 98 mm2/m and wire spacing 200 mm in
the centre of the topping.
(g) Arrangement of the reinforcement

The arrangement of the reinforcement and shear reinforcement in the
rib is shown in Figure below.

Waffle Slabs

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LECTURER: ENG ERIC K.

KIILU COURSE: BSC CIVIL ENGINEERING

REF CALCULATION SHEET OUTPUT

Note that, to meet a specified fire resistance period, non-combustible

Example :Waffle slab

(b) Arrangement of slab

(a) Plan of waffle slab.

(b) Section through slab.

(i) Support—solid section 500 mm wide

Provide two 10 mm diameter bars to give a steel area of 157 mm2.

(d) Shear resistance

The shear on the ribs at 500 mm from support is:

Shear reinforcement is not required. However, the shear stress v

Space the links at 160 mm along the rib.

The basic span/d ratio is 20.8 (Table 3.10).

The modification factor is:

The slab is satisfactory with respect to deflection.

(f) Reinforcement in topping

the centre of the topping.

(g) Arrangement of the reinforcement

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