Coefficient Method – Two Way Slab Design with Edge

Beams

The Coefficient Method is a quick hand-method of calculating the moments in two-way slabs
supported by edge beams. The Coefficient Method was first included in the 1963 edition of the ACI
Code as a method to design two-way slabs supported on all four sides by walls, steel beams, or deep
beams. The Coefficient Method is not included in current versions of the ACI Code 318, but it can still
be used for two-way slab systems with edge beams.

The Coefficient Method makes use of tables of moment coefficients for a variety of slab edge
conditions. The coefficients are based on elastic analysis but also include considerations for inelastic
moment redistribution.

The moments in the middle strips are calculated using formula (1) and (2)

M​a ​= C​a​wl​a​2 ​(1)

M​b =
​ C​b​wl​b​2 ​(2)

where: ength in short

C​a ​= moment an length in long

t from table C​
​ b ​= moment

t from table w
​ = uniform load

The panel must be divided into middle strips and edge strips in both the short and long direction. The
width of the middle strip in each direction is equal to 1⁄2 the clear span length. The 2 edge strips are
then 1⁄4 the width of the clear span length.

*Lateral variation
of
long-span
 moments M​b ​is

similar
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ge ​| ​2 ​Jason Edwards, PE ​www.structuralpe.wordpress.com

As expected in two-way slabs, the moments in both directions are larger in the center portion of the
slab than the edges. Therefore, the middle strip must be designed for the maximum tabulated
moment. In the edge strips, the strips must be designed for 1/3 of the maximum value of the
calculated moment.

The ACI Coefficient Tables are designed to give you appropriate coefficients based on the edge
conditions of the slab. To give you an idea of different edge conditions, see the floor plan below:

The numbers correspond to the edge conditions in the

following tables:

Case 4: 2 edges continuous, 2 edges

discontinuous

Case 8: 3 edges continuous, 1 edge

discontinuous

Case 2: 4 edges
continuous

At continuous edges, moments are negative similar to

continuous beams at interior supports.

Table 1 ​gives the moment coefficients for ​Negative Moments at Continuous Edges​. The coefficient
you use depends on the ratio of l​a​/l​b ​and the edge conditions of the panel in question. The
​ maximum
negative edge moment occurs when both panels adjacent to an edge are fully loaded; therefore the
negative moment is computed for full Dead and Live load. Negative moments at discontinuous (free)
edges are assumed to be 1/3 of the positive moment in the same direction.

Table 2 ​gives the moment coefficients for ​Positive Moment due to Dead Load​. Again, the
coefficient used depends on the ratio of short span to long span as well as the edge conditions.

Table 3 ​gives the moment coefficient for ​Positive Moment due to Live Load.​ This table is used in
the same manner as Table 2. The reason for the separation of Dead and Live load positive moments
is due to Live load placement to achieve maximum effect. For live load, the maximum positive
moment in the panel occurs when the full live load is on the panel and not on any adjacent panel.
This produces rotations at all continuous edges of the panel which require restraining moments. Dead
load across all the panels creates rotations that cancel each other out (or closely enough).

Table 4 ​provides the coefficients for determining shear in the slab and loads on edge beams.
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Placing
Reinforcement

The main reinforcement for the two-way edge-supported slab panel should be placed orthogonally

(parallel and perpendicular) to the slab edges. The reinforcement in the short direction (l​a​) should be
​
placed lower than the reinforcement in the long direction (l​b​). Negative reinforcement should be
​
placed perpendicular to the supporting edge beams.

All other requirements for minimum reinforcement (temperature & shrinkage) should be observed. For
two-way slab systems, the spacing of reinforcement should not exceed twice (2) the slab thickness

(t​slab​).
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Table 1 - Coefficients for Negative Moments in Slabs
M​a​− ​= C​a,neg​w​u​l​a​2 ​M​b​− ​= C​b,neg​w​u​l​b​2
l​
m = ​ a​l​b
where w​u =
​ total factored uniform load (DL + LL)
Ratio

Case 1 Case 2 Case 3 Case 4 Case 5 Case 6 Case 7 Case 8 Case 9

1.00C​a,neg C​
​ b,neg -0.045
​ 0.045 0.050 0.050 0.033 0.061 0.061 0.033 C​a,neg C​
​ b,neg ​-​0.050 0.041

0.055 0.045 0.038 0.065 0.056 0.029 C​a,neg C​

​ b,neg ​-0.055 0.037
​ ​0.060 0.040
​ ​0.043 0.068 0.052
​
0.025 C​a,neg C​
​ b,neg ​-​0.060 0.031 0.066 0.034 0.049 0.072 0.046 0.021 C​a,neg ​C​b,neg ​-​0.065 0.027

0.071 0.029 0.055 0.075 0.041 0.017 C​a,neg ​C​b,neg ​-​0.069 0.022 0.076 0.024 0.061 0.078 0.036
0.014

C​a,neg C​
​ b,neg ​-

0.074 0.017 0.081 0.019 0.068 0.081 0.029 0.011 C​a,neg ​C​b,neg ​-0.077 0.014 0.085 0.015 0.074

0.083 0.024 0.008 C​a,neg C​

​ b,neg ​-​0.081 0.010 0.089 0.011 0.080 0.085 0.018 0.006

C​a,neg C​
​ b,neg ​-

0.084 0.007 0.076 0.95

0.072
0.90
0.070
0.85
0.065
0.80
0.60
0.55
0.092 0.085 0.086 0.008 0.014 0.005
0.50
C​a,neg C​
​ b,neg -
​
0.086 0.006 0.094 0.006 0.075
0.071
0.071
0.079
0.075
0.067
0.080
0.079
 0.062
0.082
0.083
0.057
0.061
0.083
0.086
0.051
0.75
0.056
0.085
0.088
0.044
0.70
0.050
0.086
0.091
0.038
0.65
0.043
0.087
0.093
0.031
0.035
0.088
0.095
0.024
0.028
0.089
0.096
0.019
0.022
0.090
0.097
0.014
0.089 0.010 0.088 0.003
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 Table 2 - Coefficients for Dead Load Positive
Moments in Slabs

M​a,DL​+ ​= C​a,DL​w​DL​l​a​2
Rati
M​b,DL​+ ​= C​b,DL​w​DL​l​b​2
o
l​ se 5 Case 6 Case 7 Case 8 Case 9
m = ​ a​l​b
w​DL =
​ uniform factored Dead Load

1.00C​a,DL C​
​ b,DL 0.036
​ 0.036 0.018 0.018 0.027 0.027 0.033 0.027 0.020 0.023 0.018 0.027 0.027
0.018 0.027 0.033 0.023 0.020

0.9 0.7
5 5
021 0.030 0.028 0.036 0.031 0.022 0.024 0.016 0.025 0.033 0.048 0.051 0.036 0.031 0.009 0.018
0.017

0.9 0.7
0 0
0.035 0.051 0.058 0.040 0.033 0.007 0.016
025 0.033 0.029 0.039 0.035 0.025 0.026 0.014
​ 0.024
0.015
0.6
0.8
5
5
0.036 0.054 0.065 0.044 0.034 0.006 0.014
029 0.036 0.031 0.042 0.040 0.029 0.028 0.012 0.022
0.013
0.6
0.8
0
0
0.037 0.056 0.073 0.048 0.036 0.004 0.011
034 0.039 0.032 0.045 0.045 0.032 0.029 0.011 0.020
0.010
 0.5 0.5
5 0
071 0.056 0.038 0.058 0.081 0.052 0.037 0.003 0.009 0.039 0.061 0.089 0.056 0.038 0.002 0.007
0.003
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Table 3 - Coefficients for Live Load Positive Moments in Slabs

M​a,LL​+ ​= C​a,LL​w​LL​l​a​2 ​M​b,LL​+ ​= C​b,LL​w​LL​l​b​2

l​
m = ​ a​l​b
where w​LL ​= uniform factored Live Load (LL)
Ratio

Case 1 Case 2 Case 3 Case 4 Case 5 Case 6 Case 7 Case 8 Case 9

1.00C​a,LL C​
​ b,LL 0.65
​
0.036 0.036 0.027 0.027 0.032 0.032 0.035 0.032 0.028 0.030 0.027 0.032 0.032 0.027 0.032
0.035 0.030 0.028
0.95
C​a,LL C​
​ b,LL 0.040
​ 0.033 0.030 0.031 0.035 0.034 0.038 0.036 0.031 0.032 0.025 0.029 0.029
0.024 0.029 0.032 0.027 0.025
0.90

C​a,LL C​
​ b,LL ​0.045 0.029
​ ​0.034 0.035 0.039 0.037 0.042 0.040 0.035 0.036 0.022
​ 0.027 0.026
0.021 0.025 0.029 0.024 0.022
0.85
C​a,LL C​
​ b,LL 0.050
​ 0.026 0.037 0.040 0.043 0.041 0.046 0.045 0.040 0.039 0.019 0.024 0.023
0.019 0.022 0.026 0.022 0.020
0.80
C​a,LL C​
​ b,LL 0.056
​ 0.023 0.041 0.045 0.048 0.044 0.051 0.051 0.044 0.042 0.017 0.022 0.020
0.016 0.019 0.023 0.019 0.017
0.75
C​a,LL C​
​ b,LL 0.061
​ 0.019 0.045 0.051 0.052 0.047 0.055 0.056 0.049 0.046 0.014 0.019 0.016
0.013 0.016 0.020 0.016 0.013
0.70
C​a,LL C​
​ b,LL 0.068
​ 0.016 0.049 0.057 0.057 0.051 0.060 0.063 0.054 0.050 0.012 0.016 0.014
0.011 0.013 0.017 0.014 0.011 C​a,LL ​0.074 0.053 0.064 0.062 0.055 0.064 0.070 0.059 0.054
C​b,LL 0.013
​ 0.010 0.014 0.011 0.009 0.010 0.014 0.011 0.009 C​a,LL ​0.081 0.058 0.071 0.067
0.059 0.068 0.077 0.065 0.059 C​b,LL 0.010
​ 0.007 0.011 0.009 0.007 0.008 0.011 0.009 0.007
C​a,LL ​0.088 0.062 0.080 0.072 0.063 0.073 0.085 0.070 0.063 C​b,LL ​0.008 0.006 0.009 0.007
0.005 0.006 0.009 0.007 0.006
0.50 C​a,LL ​C​b,LL ​0.60 0.55
0.095 0.066 0.088 0.077 0.067 0.078 0.092 0.076 0.067 0.006 0.004 0.007 0.005 0.004 0.005
0.007 0.005 0.004
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Table 4 - Coefficients for Shear in Slabs
Ratio of load W in l​a and
​ l​b directions
​ for Shear in Slab and Load on Supports for Beams
Ratio

l​
Case 1 Case 2 Case 3 Case 4 Case 5 Case 6 Case 7 Case 8 Case 9 ​m = ​ a​l​b 1.00W​
​ a W​
​ b 0.50
​

0.50 0.50 0.17 0.50 0.83 0.71 0.29 0.33 0.67 0.50 0.50 0.83 0.50 0.17 0.29 0.71 0.67 0.33
0.95
W​a ​W​b ​0.55 0.55 0.20 0.55 0.86 0.75 0.33 0.38 0.71 0.45 0.45 0.80 0.45 0.14 0.25 0.67 0.62
0.29
0.90

W​a W​
​ b ​0.60 0.60 0.23 0.60 0.88 0.79 0.38 0.43 0.75 0.40
​ 0.40 0.77 0.40 0.12 0.21 0.62 0.57
0.25
0.85
W​a W​
​ b 0.66
​ 0.66 0.28 0.66 0.90 0.83 0.43 0.49 0.79 0.34 0.34 0.72 0.34 0.10 0.17 0.57 0.51
0.21
0.80
W​a W​
​ b 0.71
​ 0.71 0.33 0.71 0.92 0.86 0.49 0.55 0.83 0.29 0.29 0.67 0.29 0.08 0.14 0.51 0.45
0.17
0.75
W​a ​W​b ​0.76 0.76 0.39 0.76 0.94 0.88 0.56 0.61 0.86 0.24 0.24 0.61 0.24 0.06 0.12 0.44 0.39
0.14
0.70
W​a ​W​b ​0.81 0.81 0.45 0.81 0.95 0.91 0.62 0.68 0.89 0.19 0.19 0.55 0.19 0.05 0.09 0.38 0.32
0.11
0.65
W​a W​
​ b 0.85
​ 0.85 0.53 0.85 0.96 0.93 0.69 0.74 0.92 0.15 0.15 0.47 0.15 0.04 0.07 0.31 0.26
0.08
0.60
W​a W​
​ b 0.89
​ 0.89 0.61 0.89 0.97 0.95 0.76 0.80 0.94 0.11 0.11 0.39 0.11 0.03 0.05 0.24 0.20
0.06
0.55
W​a W​
​ b 0.92
​ 0.92 0.69 0.92 0.98 0.96 0.81 0.85 0.95 0.08 0.08 0.31 0.08 0.02 0.04 0.19 0.15
0.05 W​a ​0.94 0.94 0.76 0.94 0.99 0.97 0.86 0.89 0.97 W​b ​0.06 0.06 0.24 0.06 0.01 0.03 0.14
0.11 0.03