Structural Engineering and Mechanics

Volume 19, Number 1, 2005, pages 1-20

DOI: 10.12989/sem.2005.19.1.001

Limit load equations for partially restrained RC slabs

O. O. Olufemi, K. L. Cheung and K. M. A. Hossain

Abstract

The expertise required in the judicious use of nonlinear finite element (FE) packages for design-assistance purposes is not widely available to the average engineer, whose sole aim may be to obtain an estimate for a single design parameter, such as the limit load capacity of a structure. Such a parameter may be required for the design of a proposed reinforced concrete (RC) floor slab or bridge deck with a given set of geometrical and material details. This paper outlines a procedure for developing design-assistance equations for carrying out such predictions for partially restrained RC slabs under uniformly distributed loading condition, based on a database of FE results previously generated from a large number of

Key Words

finite elements; partially restrained RC slabs; FE-based equations; limit load prediction; numerical modeling; design assistance tools; FE predictions.

Address

O. O. Olufemi and K. L. Cheung;<br />School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, AB24 3UE, U.K.<br />K. M. A. Hossain; Department of Civil Engineering, Ryerson University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5B 2K3