7099 DISCUSSION

The theory of the stripmethod for

design of slabs
R. H. WOOD & G. S. T. A R M E R
Additional discussion by M. L. A. Moncrieff (M)
The recent Paper 7099 and its discussion33 has brought to light the fact that the
method of design of flat slabs given in CP 114 results in significant underassessment of
bending moments. In other words, some of the load is assumed to be taken by
membrane action.
116. Many buildings must have been designed to these formulae and presumably
their behaviour has been satisfactory. Nevertheless the working stresses in this type
of structure will be higher than for comparable beam and slab constructions.
117. This underassessment results from the fact that the value for MO given in
equations (21) and (22) of CP 114: 1957, reset 1965, is

Statics would require the substitution of wLz/8 for wLa/10 in the equations. The
underassessment is therefore 25%. If attention is paid to the effect of combinations
of loaded and unloaded spans the percentage could be higher.
118. Surely this is a situation that should be made clear to design engineers since
it seems doubtful whether the present Code requirements comply with the intentions
of the ‘Basis of Design’ Clause 301.
Dr Wood and M r Armer
Mr Moncrieff has raised some interesting points, not the least of which is that
designers should be aware of the background to recommendations made in a code of
practice. This particular problem, concerning the equilibrium of flat slabs, is under
consideration for the new Unified Code of Practice for Structural Concrete, and has
also been the subject of two recently published paper^.^^.^^
120. Briefly, the case for apparently abandoning staticsin this method of designing
flat slabs was based mainly on the results of a number of working load tests on full-
scale structuresundertakenin America before 1920. These tests showed that the
expression first deduced from staticsby J. R. Nichols gave very conservative values for
steel stresses, thus justifying a reduction in the design moments.
121. However, in order to put flat slab design, and beam-supported-slab design,
on the same footing with reference to equilibrium when considering only bending, it
would be advisable to change the design coefficient from wL/lO to wL/8. Un-
doubtedly membrane action is present in flat slabs, but even stronger membrane
action can be found in beam supported slabs. Future simplified design coefficients,
accounting for membrane action, should maintain a fair comparison in these two
cases, which they do not do at the moment.
References
33. WOODR. H. and ARMERG. S . T. The theory of the strip method for design of
slabs. Proc. Instn ciu. Engrs, 1968 (Oct.), 41, 285-311. Discussion published
1969 (June), 43, 291-306.
34. TAYLOR R. Flat-slab design concrete, 1967 (Feb.) 1, 2, 67-69.
35. TAYLOR R.and HAYESB. An appraisal of reinforced concrete slab design. The
Consulting Engineer, 1968 (May) 58-60.

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