Design Guide for Reinforced Concrete Diaphragms

3.5 Minimum Diaphragm Thickness for SDC A, B, and C

For buildings assigned to SDC A, B, or C, the minimum diaphragm thickness must be the largest of the following:

1. T
 hickness based on serviceability requirements of ACI 7.3.1.1 for one-way slabs or ACI 8.3.1.1 for two-way slabs
(Section 3.2)
2. Thickness based on in-plane strength requirements (Section 3.3)
3. Thickness based on out-of-plane strength requirements (Section 3.4)
Fire-resistance requirements of the governing building code must also be considered when selecting a minimum slab thickness.
For local jurisdictions that have adopted the IBC (Reference 2), minimum slab thickness for various fire-resistance ratings based
on concrete type is given in IBC Table 722.2.2.1. It is common for fire-resistance requirements to be satisfied using a slab thick-
ness that satisfies serviceability requirements, strength requirements, or both.

3.6 Minimum Diaphragm Thickness for SDC D, E, and F

In addition to the requirements outlined in Section 3.5, diaphragms in buildings assigned to SDC D, E, or F must satisfy the
minimum thickness requirements in ACI 18.12.6.1. According to that section, a minimum 2-in.-thick diaphragm must be provided
to transmit seismic forces. This minimum thickness reflects the current practice in joist and waffle systems in cast-in-place
construction.

Like in the case for buildings assigned to SDC A, B, or C, fire-resistance requirements of the governing building code must also
be considered when selecting a minimum diaphragm thickness in buildings assigned to SDC D, E, or F. According to IBC Table
722.2.2.1, a slab thickness greater than 2 in. must be provided to achieve a 2-hour fire-resistance rating for all concrete types.

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Design Guide for Reinforced Concrete Diaphragms

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 Design Guide for Reinforced Concrete Diaphragms

Chapter 4
Diaphragm Design Forces
4.1 Overview
Lateral forces from wind, earthquakes, soil pressure, fluid pressure, floods, or tsunamis generate in-plane shear forces, bending
moments, and axial forces in diaphragms. Methods to determine these in-plane forces in accordance with ASCE/SEI 7 (Refer-
ence 3) are given in Section 4.2. Diaphragm transfer forces, connection forces, column bracing forces, and out-of-plane forces
are covered in Sections 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, and 4.6, respectively. Procedures on how to calculate collector design forces are given in
Section 4.7.

4.2 In-Plane Forces

4.2.1 Wind Forces
Wind Load Provisions in ASCE/SEI Chapters 27 and 28

Wind pressures on the main wind force-resisting system (MWFRS) of buildings can be determined using the provisions in ASCE/
SEI Chapters 27 and 28 subject to the conditions and limitations in those chapters. The directional procedures in Chapter 27 and
the envelope procedures in Chapter 28 are summarized in Table 4.1 (see next page).
Because of its broader applicability than the other procedures in Chapters 27 and 28, the steps to determine wind pressures in
accordance with Part 1 of Chapter 27 are given below.

Determination of Wind Pressures in Accordance with Part 1 of ASCE/SEI Chapter 27

The steps to determine wind pressures on the MWFRS of enclosed, partially enclosed, and open buildings of all heights are
given in ASCE/SEI Table 27.2-1. These steps are covered in detail below with emphasis on the determination of wind pressures
needed for diaphragm design.

• Step 1: Determine the Risk Category of the Building

The Risk Category of a building is a function of its use or occupancy. IBC Table 1604.5 or ASCE/SEI Table 1.5-1 is to be used
to establish the Risk Category based on the nature of the use or occupancy defined in the tables.
• Step 2: Determine Basic Wind Speed,
The basic wind speed, , at a site is determined using the wind hazard maps in IBC 1609.3 or ASCE/SEI 26.5 based on
Risk Category. A summary of the wind hazard maps and the corresponding return periods in years is given in Table 4.2.
Reference 5 can also be used to determine for a given Risk Category.

Table 4.2 Wind Hazard Maps in IBC 1609.3 and ASCE/SEI 26.5

Figure Number Risk Return Period

Location
IBC ASCE/SEI 7 Category* (years)

Conterminous U.S. 1609.3(4) 26.5-1A I 300

Alaska
1609.3(1) 26.5-1B II 700
Puerto Rico
Guam
1609.3(2) 26.5-1C III 1,700
Virgin Islands
American Samoa 1609.3(3) 26.5-1D IV 3,000

1609.3(8) 26.5-2A I 300

1609.3(5) 26.5-2B II 700

Hawaii
1609.3(6) 26.5-2C III 1,700

1609.3(7) 26.5-2D IV 3,000

*See IBC Table 1604.5 or ASCE/SEI Table 1.5-1 for definitions of Risk Categories.

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Design Guide for Reinforced Concrete Diaphragms

Table 4.1 Summary of Wind Load Provisions in Chapters 27 and Chapter 28 of ASCE/SEI 7-16 for MWFRSs

Applicability
Chapter Part Conditions / Limitations
Building Type(1) Height Limit

• Regular-shaped building(2)
Enclosed
• Building does not have response characteristics making
it subject to across-wind loading, vortex shedding, or
1 Partially enclosed None instability due to galloping or flutter
• Building is not located on a site where channeling effects
or buffeting in the wake of upwind obstructions warrant
Open
special consideration

• Same conditions/limitations as in Part 1

• Building must meet the conditions for either a Class 1 or
Class 2 building(4):
27 1. Class 1 building

a. Mean roof height

b.

2 Enclosed, simple diaphragm(3) 160 ft

2. Class 2 building

a.

b.

Fundamental natural frequency ≥

c. 
( is in ft)

• Building must have either a rigid or flexible diaphragm

• Regular-shaped building(2)
Enclosed, low-rise(5)
• Building does not have response characteristics making
it subject to across-wind loading, vortex shedding, or
1 Partially enclosed, low-rise instability due to galloping or flutter
• Building is not located on a site where channeling effects
or buffeting in the wake of upwind obstructions warrant
Open, low-rise
60 ft special consideration
• Same conditions as in Part 1
28 Least horizontal
• Fundamental natural frequency ≥ 1 Hz
dimension of
building • Building has an approximately symmetrical cross-section
in each direction with either a flat roof or a gable or hip
Enclosed, simple diaphragm roof with an angle with respect to the horizontal less than
2
low-rise or equal to 45 degrees
• Building is exempted from torsional load cases indicated
in Note 5 of ASCE/SEI Figure 28.3-1, or the torsional load
cases defined in Note 5 do not control the design of any of
the MWFRS of the building
(1) Enclosure classifications are defined in ASCE/SEI 26.2.
(2) A regular-shaped building is defined as a building that has no unusual geometrical irregularity in spatial form (ASCE/SEI 26.2).
(3) A simple diaphragm building is defined as a building in which both windward and leeward wind forces are transmitted by roof and vertically-spanning wall assemblies,
through continuous roof and floor diaphragms, to the MWFRS (ASCE/SEI 26.2).
(4) See ASCE/SEI Figure 27.4-1 for definitions of Class 1 and Class 2 buildings.
(5) A low-rise building is defined as a building with a mean roof height less than or equal to (a) 60 ft and (b) the least horizontal dimension of the building (ASCE/SEI
26.2).

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