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Paper reviewed by Mark Ritchie and Amin Ghali (16) about the procedure for the seismic
design of non-prestresed concrete slab-column connection +and investigates the validity of
the same procedure for prestressed slabs. A series of full- size specimen was tested.
Representing the connection of a prestressed slab, with post-tensioned unbounded strands,
with an edge column. The also observed that flexural strength remain identical for slab even
varying the amount of reinforcement is slab. The columns were subjected to an axial load of
constant magnitude and unbalanced moment reversals, representing the effect of an
earthquake, of increasing amplitude up to failure. The specimens were provided with same
amount and arrangement of stud shear reinforcement (SSR).

EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM

Five full-scale post tensioned slab-column connections were tested as shown in figure 2.1.
The specimens represented the edge column connections in a 150 mm-thick slab having 6x6
m2 square panels of the five specimens, four were prestressed edge slab-column connections
and the fifth specimen contained no prestressing and was considered the control slab.

Fig. 2.1 Dimensions of test specimens and positive sign convention

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The prototype slab had a gravity service live load of 2.4 kPa, super imposed dead load of 1.3
kPa, and self weight of 3.6 kPa. The prototype was designed such that nine 13 mm (cross
sectional area = 99 mm2; effective prestressing force = 110 kN. Post-tensioned tendons were
balanced approximately 85% of the service load in interior spans and 65% of the service
dead load in exterior spans. The tendons were banded in the x-direction and uniformly
distributed in the y-direction. The number of tendons was varied between nine to zero. Stud
shear reinforcement was positioned on lines perpendicular to three faces of the column. The
effective prestress produced by nine tendons 1.1 MPa, over a cross-sectional area equal to 6.0
x 0.15m2.

Steel beams providing simple

support for the three slab
edges
eeeeeeeeeeeeeedgesedges
Fig. 2.2 Test frame of seismic resistant connection of edge column with prestressed slab

Three edge of the slab were simply supported by neoprene pads; the fourth edge was free. A
1000 kN capacity horizontal actuator (A) applied the shear force while two 250 kN vertical

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actuators (B and C) produced the unbalanced moment. The column was sufficiently
reinforced to prevent its failure. Loadings were given to the specimen in two stages. In first
stage shear force, Vu = 110 kN and moment, Mu = 33 kNm were applied at the centroid of the
column. In second stage force (Vu)max= 110 kN was sustained, the two column ends were
displaced a distance of Δ/2 in opposite directions (figure 2.1). The amplitude of the
displacements Δ was increased in increments of 1 mm. The increments of the imposed cyclic
displacements continued until 20% of the unbalanced moment capacity was lost.

On the basis of tests and the analysis, the following conclusions were made concerning
seismic design for punching shear of prestressed slab-edge column connections;

1. For seismic design, the upper limit of the nominal shear strength vn at the critical
section at d/2 from the column can be taken equal to (5/6) √fc’. (vn = vs + vc < 5/6√f’c)

2. Effective prestressing of 0.4 to 1.1 MPa in edge slab-column connections do not

adversely affect the ductility or the maximum interstory drift ratio that they can
undergo without punching failure.

3. Headed studs prevented splitting through the slab thickness at the anchorages of the
studs. Two studs of nominal strength 28 kN were sufficient to prevent the splitting to
a single strand with a jacking force of 110kN.

The technical note of ADAPT (7) using ACI-318-2002 describes the simplified procedure
of the design of prestressed concrete sections. The relationships for the simplified procedure
is narrated in Chapter 18 of the code. The simplified procedure given in the code is restricted
to the cases, where the effective stress in prestressing steel (fse) after allowance for immediate
and long-term losses is not less than 50% of its guaranteed ultimate strength (0.5fpu). It uses
code specified formula for the determination of stress in prestressing steel at strength limit
state (fse). The rigorous design is based on strain compatibility.

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Fig. 2.3 Geometry of the section

The general geometry of the section considered is shown in Fig. 3 for a T-section. Inverted L
or rectangular sections are treated as special conditions of a T-section in which one, or both
of the overhangs are reduced to zero. I-sections at ultimate strength are also treated as T-
sections, since the contribution of concrete in tension zone is disregarded.

THE DESIGN REQUIREMENTS OF PT MEMBERS IN BENDING

(i) The design moment (Mu) must not be less than the moment which the section can develop
(Mn = nominal moment) reduced by a strength reduction factor (φ). The expression φ*Mn is
referred to as design capacity.
Mu < φ*Mn ----------(1)
(ii) The section should possess a minimum ductility. Ductility is defined as the ratio of
rotation of a section at failure (Θu at location of plastic hinge) to rotation of the section at its
elastic limit (Θy, onset of plasticity). Figure 4(a) illustrates the definition of ductility as
expressed by μ.

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Fig. 2.4 Example of flexural ductility of prestressed section

For the basic strength reduction factor (φ = 0.9), the ratio of c/dt is limited to 0.375.
cmax = 0.375 dt ---------- (2)
amax = β1*cmax ---------- (3)
Canadian code (CSA3-A23.3), the British code (BS 8110), and the European code (EC2)
implement the ductility requirement by limiting the maximum depth of the neutral axis c to a
fraction of d or h.

A. Pavic, P. Reynolds, P. Waldron, K.J. Bennett (3) had checked vibration serviceability
of Post-Tensioned floor, the details abstract mentioned below.
As spans and slenderness of post-tensioned concrete office floors increase, their vibration
behavior is becoming increasingly important. Although now recognized worldwide to be an
important design issue, detailed guidance on the checking of the vibration serviceability of
post-tensioned floors is not readily available in national building codes of practice. The only
detailed guidelines developed worldwide specifically for checking vibration serviceability of
post-tensioned office floors have been published by the UK Concrete Society in 1994. These
guidelines are generic, could be and are being used in countries where specific national
guidance is lacking. However, the Concrete Society guidelines have been found to be
problematic in each of the three key aspects of floor vibration serviceability assessment.

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First, in the modeling of walking excitation, an unrepresentative walking forcing function is

assumed. Second, as the guidelines were not experimentally verified, some unwarranted
assumptions and simplifications are made in the modeling of the floor structure, in particular
its boundary conditions. Finally, the method of calculation of the floor responses is
somewhat simplistic. Here, the possibility that modes of vibration higher than the
fundamental may be excited in resonance by walking is neglected.

Aalami Bijan O., S.E., Gail S. Kelley (2001), (5) paper presents the key features of concrete
floor design and highlights differences between concrete design and design of other
materials. The three analysis methods commonly used for concrete floors: Simple Frame,
Equivalent Frame and Finite Elements are discussed. It is demonstrated that regardless of the
analysis method, designation of load paths is a prerequisite for concrete floor design.
Integration of actions over design strips based on these load paths is shown to be a
fundamental step in the interpretation of the solutions when using the Finite Element method.
The physical significance of the allowable stresses specified in building codes is examined.
Design characteristics of post-tensioned floor systems are outlined and guidelines for their
design are given. The paper concludes with a discussion of options for modeling waffle slabs.

Paul N. Roschke and Masamichi Inoue (19) studied on effect of banded prestressed
concrete flat slab. They investigated strain distribution in regions immediately adjacent to the
transverse post-tensioning bands in a new class of flat slab reinforced concrete bridges
employing bidirectional post-tensioning. While longitudinal post tensioning is uniform,
transverse strands are concentrated in the vicinity of column lines. The currently applied
design assumes that the transverse post-tensioning effect spreads along straight lines at a
specified angle. Size of a laboratory model slab is chosen so that this assumption may be
checked for validity. A load schedule is used to study strain distribution for a variety of
tendon and load patterns. Values of strain at gage locations as predicted by a finite element

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analysis are compared to the actual data collected. Reasonably good correlation between
laboratory data and the computer program allows increased confidence in numerical
simulation. Following testing and analysis of elastic loads, the slab is loaded to impose a
punch-through shear failure. Shear formulas recommended by the American Concrete
Institute and other researchers are compared with experimental failure and reserve capacity
loads.

The paper of M.G. Sahab, A.F. Ashour, and V.V. Toropov (17) deal with the cost
optimization of Reinforced concrete flat slab. The objective function is the total cost of the
building including the cost of floors, columns and foundations. The cost of each structural
element covers that of material and labor for reinforcement, concrete and formwork. The
structure is modeled and analyzed using the equivalent frame method. The optimization
process is handled in three different levels. In the first level, the optimum column layout is
achieved by an exhaustive search. In the second level, using an optimization algorithm, the
optimum dimensions of columns and slab thickness for each column layout are found. In the
third level, an exhaustive search is employed to determine the optimum number and size of
reinforcing bars of reinforced concrete members. Cost optimization for three reinforced
concrete flat slab buildings is illustrated and the results of the optimum and conventional
design procedures are compared.

Fig.2.5 Flat slab system

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Fig. 2.6 The flowchart of the optimization procedure of flat slab.

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Finally (6) concluded that the greater the number of storey in the reinforced concrete flat
slab building, in other words, the greater the number of structural elements, the greater the
cost savings achieved using design optimization.

• Column layout optimization of flat slab buildings can produce substantial savings as
regards the total structural cost of the building.

• Cost of floors constitutes the major part of the total structural cost of reinforced concrete
flat slab buildings.

N. K. Subedi and P. S. Baglin (18) studied on flat-slab type construction the most
vulnerable areas from the point of view of safety of the structure are the junctions between
the slabs and the columns. As architects and engineers strive to achieve increasingly slender
forms of construction the vulnerability of the slabs to punching increases. The existing
methods of detailing for punching shear, which range from stirrups, proprietary prefabricated
systems of shear ladders and shear hoops to stud rails, do not provide absolute guarantees of
safety. In this paper have put the new concept for the design of slab–column junctions in flat
slabs. The new system, which utilizes solid steel sections and plate, aims to eliminate the
possibility of punching altogether. The preliminary study shows that the new composite
system is robust and has the potential for developing into a practical method of detailing
against punching forces in flat slabs.

J. Prasad, S. Chander and A.K. Ahuja (14) studied for waffle slab and reviewed that,
waffle slab has had its genesis in a rather thick solid-slab floor from which the bottom layer
concrete in tension is partially replaced by their ribs along orthogonal directions. The ribs are
reinforced with steel to resist flexural tensile stresses. The dimensions and spacing of ribs are
decided in a manner so as to achieve better load distribution without requiring the shear
reinforcement. The present paper elaborates the results obtained from the analytical study

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carried out on waffle slab medium size floor system with a view to achieve the optimum
dimensions of rib spacing, its depth and width. The waffle slab has been considered as
monolithically connected to band beams. Feasibility of structural design of members has
been ensured under the provision of IS: 456-2000.

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