Prediction of collapse load of
'three-side-supported' RC rectangular
slabs: A simplif ied approach
Harvinder Singh, Maneek Kumar and Naveen Kwatra
A simplified analytical approach is presented in this
paper for the analysis of a reinforced concrete rectangular
slab: it can be used irrespective of whether a slab has
been supported at the rigid edges on all four sides or
on three adjacent sides. In this approach, a rectangular
slab supported on three sides (an offspring slab) can
be transformed into a corresponding rectangular slab
supported at the rigid edges on all four sides (a parent
slab). By taking a mirror image of its yield line pattern
about the free edge of the slab; an expression applicable to
the analysis of a rectangular slab supported on four sides
can be used for the analysis of the three sides supported
rectangular slab. Equations suggested by the proposed
method are simple to apply; these will define the exact
shape of the yield line pattern of a slab at an ultimate
state in the routine flow of calculations that are used
for determining the support reactions, and thus save
precious computational time. Results from the proposed
approach compare well with the values obtained from
established design formulae; thus, these can be used for
analytical purposes.
Keywords: Reinforced concrete slab, yield line, analysis,
simplified method, parent slab.
A slab is the most widely used structural element that
consumes the maximum resources in its construction.
It finds application both in the framed as well as in
ordinary load-bearing masonry structures. The moment
coefficients recommended by the design code are
applicable only to rectangular reinforced concrete slabs
supported at the non-yielding edges on their four outer
sides.1 Various end-restraints are specified by the design
code to define continuous and discontinuous edges
or their combinations. But in routine design practice,
numerous cases are encountered by designers where
slab panels are supported on three sides; as such, these
coefficients predict the moment-field to be highly unsafe
and produce a structurally-deficient slab section.
In published literature, a large number of mathematical
expressions are available which can be used to predict
the collapse load and design the bending moment
field for reinforced concrete slabs with different edge-
constraints and shapes.4,5,7,9 All these results are either
based upon lower- or upper-bound theorems of limit
analysis or the elastic theory of plates, but these are
mathematically too cumbersome to find a comfortable
place in routine design calculations; moreover, it takes
a significant amount of time for the analysis.
A unique solution for calculating the collapse load of
a reinforced concrete slab, as predicted by the limit
analysis, requires the simultaneous fulfillment of the
equilibrium, the mechanism conditions and the yield-
criterion. This requirement is normally too onerous to be
achieved directly and recourse is therefore often made
to the use of either upper- or lower-bound solutions.
Both approaches satisfy the equilibrium condition, but
the upper-bound approach ignores the yield criterion,
JULY 2011 The Indian Concrete Journal 21
whilst the lower-bound technique does not require any to find the collapse load of a rectangular slab resting on
specification for the collapse mechanism at the ultimate three adjacent sides.
state. The upper bound method can therefore postulate
a collapse mechanism, which incorporates the unsafe Derivation of analytical equations
violation of the slab yield criterion under a given set of
The purpose of design equations lies in providing
loading, and predicts results highly on the unsafe side if
some quick information on the relationship which
the analyst fails to postulate the true collapse mechanism
are of interest, which enables engineers to grasp the
of the slab.
essentials of a phenomenon without carrying out a
detailed analysis and using only a few procedural steps.
The collapse mechanism is a fundamental property of
It is assumed that the load-deformation response of a
a reinforced concrete slab. There always exists a unique
reinforced concrete slab can be idealised as a rigid-
collapse-mechanism for every type of edge-constraint
perfectly plastic at and or near the ultimate state, which
used to support the load applied on the top face of a
requires a sufficiently ductile slab section with properly
slab and it simultaneously satisfies the equilibrium,
anchored and uniformly distributed reinforcing steel at
boundary conditions, and yield criterion at all points
the tensile face of the slab section. The rectangular slab
in the slab. Therefore, removal and/or change in the
has been assumed to be resting on the non-deflecting
physical parameters of the slab supporting system
outer edges called a rigid boundary.
will cause a considerable change in the moment field
and would alter the possible yield-line pattern and the
Consider a rectangular slab of length, lx and width, ly
corresponding collapse load.
supported over the rigid boundary on its four outer sides
with an aspect ratio, r (= ly/lx). Orthotropic reinforcement
An extensive study of slabs supported on three sides
has been provided in the slab with ultimate resisting
and with a fourth side as a free edge for various
moment along the long edges, mx and along the short
combinations of the slab aspect ratio, orthotropy and
edges, my and with orthotropy, defined as the ratio
load cases comprising a uniform area-load as well as
of ultimate resisting moment-capacity of the slab along
a varying load, was conducted.2 They also investigated
the short and the long edges (= my/mx). The schematic
the corner effects and reported a maximum reduction
diagram of the slab model is shown in Figure 1.
of about 9% in load-carrying capacity. Consequently,
in the present analytical investigations, the effect of
The complete positive yield line pattern under a uniform
the corner-lever uplifting has been ignored to simplify
area load, w acting over the entire top surface of the
the final expressions without affecting the final design
slab at an ultimate state is shown in Figure 2. The shape
result significantly.
of the yield line pattern can be derived by considering
the laws of mechanics of rigid bodies and the theorems
This paper presents a simplified approach to predict the
available in literature.3,8 The equilibrium of various
collapse load of a reinforced concrete rectangular slab
segments of the collapsed slab at the ultimate state can
supported on the rigid edges on four sides and the same
be ensured by equating the work done by the applied
approach, by using simple transformations, can be used

22 The Indian Concrete Journal JULY 2011

surface loading in moving through a kinematically
admissible displacement in the direction of the applied
load with that performed by the ultimate resisting
moments at or along the yield lines of an assumed
collapse mechanism.
In equation 2, the term can be replaced by a
constant, called the slab-constant that depends upon
the aspect ratio, r of the slab and the orthotropy, .
Therefore, equation 2 can be slightly modified.

The collapse load predicted by satisfying these two

conditions will be either on the higher side or, at the ......(3)
most, equal to its true value. The true value of a collapse
load can be achieved either by satisfying the yield
criterion at all points in the slab or by selecting a yield
line pattern corresponding to the lines of maximum Equating work done by the external loading, w with
curvature under applied loading and it will represent that produced by a system of internal forces, mux and
the true collapse mechanism of the slab. But it will be muy in moving through a small virtual but compatible
always simpler and mathematically easier to examine displacement field, can ensure the equilibrium of the
all possible collapse mechanisms than to check a yield slab at the ultimate state, i.e. by equating equation 1
criterion at all points in the slab. The collapse mechanism with equation 3.
giving the lowest value of the load will postulate a true
value of the collapse load.3
......(4)
The work done by a uniform area load, w applied at
the top face of the slab segments can be determined by
multiplying the total load acting at the center of gravity
of the corresponding segmental area by a distance ......(5)
moved in the direction of the load due to a kinematically
admissible arbitrary displacement, d given to the yield
line pattern. The total EWD (external work done) by Equation 5 will postulate the maximum value of the
the load can be found by summing the individual
contributions of all the collapsed slab segments (see
positive resisting moment, mux for . This
Figure 2).
condition can be achieved for a given surface loading
and aspect ratio of the slab, if

......(1)

The total IWD (internal work done) by the ultimate

positive resisting moments, mux and muy at the common
edges of the adjoining collapsed segments of the slab at
the ultimate state (see Figure 2) can be obtained from the ......(6)
work equation: mun n lo = mux x ly + muy y lx.

The final expression for the p-value is given in equation 7,

and has been obtained by solving the quadratic equation
6. It defines the exact shape of the yield line pattern for
a reinforced concrete slab at the ultimate state.

......(2) ......(7)

JULY 2011 The Indian Concrete Journal 23

Therefore, the collapse load of a reinforced concrete
rectangular slab supported at the rigid boundaries and
subjected to a uniform area load over the entire top
face can be determined by using equation 5 along with
equation 7. A slab with this type of boundary condition
will be termed as a parent-slab. And, the collapse load of
a slab supported on the three rigid sides with a fourth
side as a free orunsupported edge can also be predicted
from equation 5 and equation 7 by using a simple set of
transformations. This has been given in the following
paragraphs of the paper.
Consider a rectangular slab with one short edge as free
and supported at the rigid edges on the other three
sides. The slab is subjected to a uniform area load, w
over its entire top surface. The schematic diagram of
the slab is shown in Figure 3 and it will be called an
offspring-slab because this slab can be imagined to be a
part of some large rectangular slab, called the parent-
slab supported at the rigid boundaries on its outer sides
as shown in Figure 4. The collapse mechanism of the
parent-slab can be traced by taking the mirror image of
the yield line pattern of the offspring-slab about its free
edge and the collapse load of the offspring-slab can be
determined using equation 5 and equation 7 along with
equation 8.
As indicated in Figures 3 and 4, the long span of the
parent-slab, Lx will be equal to twice the long span of
the offspring slab, lx for the statical -equivalency of the
structural system. Therefore, the aspect ratio of the
parent slab, r for this case can be derived from the aspect
ratio of the offspring slab, given in equation 8.
......(8)
24 The Indian Concrete Journal JULY 2011
It has been shown in the literature that a rectangular
slab with one short edge as an unsupported edge
would collapse in this failure mode only (shown in
Figure 3) if the aspect ratio of the offspring slab, is
less than .4
Similarly, a rectangular slab subjected to a uniform area
load, w over its entire top surface, with one long edge as
the free end and supported over the non-yielding edges
on the other three sides, can be transformed into the
corresponding parent slab by taking the mirror image of
its yield line pattern about its free edge. The schematic
diagram of the offspring slab and the corresponding
parent slab is shown in Figure 5a and 5b respectively.
The aspect ratio of the parent slab, r for this case can be
derived from the aspect ratio of the offspring slab,
given in equation 9.
......(9)
A rectangular slab with one short edge as the unsupported
edge would collapse in this failure mode only (shown in
Figure 5a) if the aspect ratio of the offspring slab, is
more than .4
Results and discussion
A rectangular reinforced-concrete slab with one short
and/or long end as the unsupported edge can be
transformed into a corresponding parent slab. The
collapse load of the offspring slab can be determined
by using equation 5 along with equation 7 along with
the applicable transformations. In both cases, a single
equation will be sufficient to determine the collapse
load of the offspring slab for these two types of And
boundary conditions. The offspring slab will carry the
properties inherited from its parent slab viz: coefficient
of orthotropy, and load factor, etc. The results from
these equations were compared with well-established
design formulae and were found to be quite satisfactory
for routine design calculations. The procedural steps
and the comparison with other standard results of slab
analysis are illustrated in the following examples.

Example-1: Consider a rectangular slab of 6.0 m x 4.0 CASE-2: Analysis using equation (10).7
m supported at the rigid boundaries on all four sides and
subjected to a uniform area load of 10 kN/m2. Assuming the The collapse load of a rectangular slab with continuous
orthotropy of the slab as 1.5893, determine the moment field edge-support on all its outer sides can be computed
induced in the slab. from equation 10.
Uniform area load, w = 10 kN/m2
......(10)
Long span of the slab, lx = 6.0m and its short span, ly
= 4.0m

Therefore, the aspect ratio, r of the slab = 4/6 = 0.666 .

In equation 10,

CASE-1: Analysis using the proposed analytical model,

equation 5.

Slab constant, = 1.5893 / 0.6662 = 3.576

And for a slab with simple edges, i-values will be zero
at all edges; this reduces equation 10 to a more suitable
equation 11 for a simply supported slab, given below:

......(11)

Therefore,

And

Table 1 indicates that the results from the proposed

analytical model compare well with the results from the
design code as well as with the well-established equation
11 derived from the yield line theory of plate analysis.1
It is pertinent to note that the design code requires that
only the middle strip, which is three-fourth the width of
the entire slab, be reinforced.1 Therefore, in Table 1, the
moment field calculated using the moment coefficients

JULY 2011 The Indian Concrete Journal 25

of the design code has been modified to give a moment
field acting over the entire width of the slab by reducing With slab constant,
this moment by a factor of 0.75. The total static moment
in the slab turns out to be nearly the same in all cases.
However, the equation suggested by the proposed model
is simple to apply and it will define the exact shape of
the yield line pattern of the slab in the routine flow of
calculations, thereby saving a considerable amount of
time that is otherwise used for determining the support
and
reactions from other supplementary formulae.

It must be noted that the corners of the slab should

be adequately reinforced at its top face following the
recommendations of the design code to provide a CASE-2: Analysis using the equation proposed in
sufficient capacity against the corner uplifting.1 literature.7

The ultimate moments of a rectangular slab with one

Example -2: A reinforced concrete slab having short and
long edges of 4 m each is used to carry a uniform area load of
10 kN/m2. The slab is simply supported over the three edges
and its fourth edge is kept as free. Determine the design
moments for orthotropy coefficient 1.0.
unsupported edge can be calculated from equation 12
for an orthotropy .
The x- and y-axis of the slab being used for calculating

CASE-1: Analysis using the proposed analytical model, the aspect ratio of the slab are indicated in Figure 6.
equation 5.

The aspect ratio of the offspring slab,

Therefore, the aspect ratio of the corresponding parent

slab, (Whichever is greater) ......(12)

And, the long span, Lx of the parent slab = 2 x 4 = 8 m

The ultimate moment of the slab can be calculated from
equation 12 for aspect ratio, R = 1 and = 1.0.

Table 1. Comparison of the moment-field with the

results from the published literature1,7
Moment-field Proposed IS 456: 2000 Park and IS:456:2000
analytical [Table 26] Gamble (Table 27)
equation (2000)
mux, kNm/m 6.896 6.720 6.896 5.52
over the entire
slab width
muy, kNm/m 10.959 10.68 10.959 12.48
over the entire
slab width
Total static 85.212 83.04 85.212 83.04
moment, kNm

26 The Indian Concrete Journal JULY 2011

(Whichever is greater)
The values of the ultimate moments calculated from
the proposed model (equation 5) match exactly with
the results obtained from equation 12. Moreover, the
suggested equations are simple to apply, and a single
equation is sufficient for the purpose of analysis,
irrespective of whether a rectangular slab has been
supported at the rigid edges on all four sides or on three
adjacent sides.
Example -3: A rectangular slab has a long span, ly of 4m
and short span, lx of 2.3m and it is simply supported over the
three edges and its fourth long edge is free to deflect under an
applied uniform area load of 10 kN/m2. Take the coefficient
of orthotropy for the slab as 0.7. Determine the ultimate slab
moments.
CASE-1: Analysis using the proposed analytical model,
equation 5.
Aspect ratio of the offspring slab,
= the yield line running parallel to the non-yielding edge
Therefore, aspect ratio of corresponding parent slab,
Long span, Lx of the parent slab = ly , of the offspring
slab = 4 m
Slab constant,
Therefore,
CASE-2: Analysis using equation 12, proposed in
litereature.7
For aspect ratio of the slab, and
= 1.00
(whichever is greater)
In this case, the value of the ultimate moment of the
offspring slab compared well with the results obtained
from equation 12. However, the equation suggested
by the proposed method simplifies the slab analysis.
This is because a single equation (no. 5) is sufficient
to determine the collapse load of a rectangular slab
irrespective of whether it has a short edge or a long edge
as the unsupported end, with a uniformly distributed
load over its entire top face.
The proposed design equations accurately predict the
true value of the collapse moment for a rectangular slab
having an aspect ratio less than 2/; otherwise the
values of the slab collapse moment are underestimated
by an insignificant amount of 0.2%. In the former case,
of the slab always meets normal to its free-edge which is
a necessary condition for the collapse mechanism to be
true, whereas in the latter case, it was assumed (while
deriving the final expression for the collapse moment)
that an yield line would intersect the free edge of the slab
at some angle which is not a true collapse mechanism
for the given edge-constraints.8 But the results can be
used without any adverse effect on the design due to
the relatively small error in case of a slab with an aspect
ratio more than 2/.
It is a clear indication from these examples that the
moment field induced in the slab matches exactly
with the values recommended by the design code and
other established formulae for a rectangular slab with
discontinuous edges at the outer boundary.1 Therefore,
the proposed model can be used to evaluate the moment
field in the single-panel rectangular slab of any aspect
ratio or orthotropy, but it should be resting on the rigid
edges at the outer boundaries. However, it is desirable
to use a value of orthotropy corresponding to an elastic
distribution of moments in the slab system for better
performance under service conditions. This value of
the orthotropy can be obtained from equation 13.
This equation has been derived from the regressional
analysis of the bending moment coefficients for a simply-
supported and uniformly-loaded rectangular slab with
an aspect ratio, r (= short span / long span), suggested
in literature.10
JULY 2011 The Indian Concrete Journal 27

......(13)
Summary and conclusions
An alternate analytical equation for the analysis of
reinforced concrete rectangular slab supported along
the rigid edges on all four sides has been suggested and
with a little modification, the same equation can be used
for the analysis of a rectangular slab supported at three
edges with the fourth edge as an unsupported side. The
results from the proposed approach compare well with
the values obtained from the well-established design
formulae and the design moment recommended by
design code and thus, these can be used for the purpose
of analysis.1
Every rectangular slab supported along three sides,
called an offspring slab, can be transformed into a
corresponding rectangular slab supported along the rigid
edges on all four sides, called a parent slab, by taking
a mirror image of its yield line pattern about the free
edge of the slab. The results from these transformations
compare well with the well-established formulae of slab
analysis that are available in the literature.
The equations suggested by the proposed method are
simple to apply; these define the shape of the yield
line pattern at the ultimate state in the routine flow
of calculations that could be used for determining
the support reactions, and would thus save precious
computational time.
Mr. Harvinder Singh has submitted his PhD at
Thapar University, Patiala, Punjab. He is currently
an Associate Professor in Department of Civil
Engineering at Guru Nanak Dev Engineering
College, Ludhiana, Punjab. His expertise lies
in formulation of analytical models of different
structural systems in linear and nonlinear range.
In a recent research, he has developed an analytical model
for the analysis and design of reinforced concrete stiffened
plates.
Maneek Kumar PhD holds a doctorate in Civil
Engineering from the Thapar University, Patiala.
He is Professor and Head of Civil Engineering
Department, Thapar University. He is also a
member of the State Expert Appraisal Committee
by the Government of Punjab. His research
interests include formulation of concrete mix
design procedures considering the concrete durability, and
performance, test methods for performance specifications,
innovative use of cement combinations and use of recycled
materials in concrete and highway construction.
Naveen Kwatra PhD holds a doctorate from
IIT Roorkee. He is an Associate Professor in
Department of Civil Engineering at Thapar
University, Patiala. His expertise lies in
applications of ANN in the analysis of engineering
structures and has a number of publications
and research projects to his credit. His current
research focuses on the use of ANN and other similar
software on the development of design guidelines for design
of engineering structures.

References
1. BIS, IS 456 (4th Rev.): Plain And Reinforced Concrete--Code of Practice,
India: Bureau of Indian Standards, 2000.
2. Demsky, E. C. and Hatcher, D. S., Yield Line Analysis of Slabs Supported
on Three Sides, Proc. ACI, Vol. 66, No. 9, November 1969, pp 741-744.
3. Johansen, K.W., Yield Line Theory, London: Cement and Concrete
Association, 1967.
4. John, L.L., Ultimate Load Analysis of Reinforced and Prestressed Concrete
Structures, London: Chatto and Windus, 1967, pp 248.
5. John L.L, Wood R.H., Yield-Line Analysis of Slabs, London: Thames and
Hudson, 1967.
6. Park, R., Limit Design of Beams for Two-Way Reinforced Concrete Slabs,
J. Inst. Struct. Eng., Vol.46, No.9, September 1968, pp 269-274.
7. Park, R., Gamble, W.L., Reinforced Concrete Slabs, New York: John Wiley
and Sons, 2000.
8. Quintas, Valentin, Two Main Methods for Yield Line Analysis of Slabs,
Journal of Engineering Mechanics, Vol.129, No.2, 2003, pp 223-231.
9. Shukla, S.N., Handbook For Design of Slabs by Yield-line and Strip
Methods, India: Structural Engineering Research Centre Roorkee, 1973,
pp 17-19.
10. Timoshenko, S. P., Krieger, S. W. Theory of Plates and Shells, McGraw-Hill
Book Company, New Delhi, 1959
11. Wood, R.H., Plastic and Elastic Design of Slabs and Plates, London:
Thames and Hudson, 1961.

28 The Indian Concrete Journal JULY 2011