Assumptions (must be checked/changed for a real project)
Location: typical Philippine city (seismic area). Use NSCP/ACI-like practice; simplified
seismic/lateral provisions are given (conceptual). Final seismic design needs site seismic
parameters and a licensed engineer.
Plan footprint: 8.0 m (width, x-dir) × 10.0 m (length, y-dir) rectangle (clear dimension).
Two-bay in X, two-bay in Y; spans chosen for practical layout.
Story heights (clear floor-to-floor): Ground floor = 3.0 m, 1st floor = 3.0 m, 2nd floor =
3.0 m, roof parapet 1.0 m. Total height ≈ 10.0 m.
Floor system: one-way reinforced concrete slabs on beams for spans ≤4.0 m; use 125
mm slab thickness for floors, 150 mm for roof deck slab (depending on use).
Gravity loads:
o Floor dead load (slab + finishes + screed + ceiling) = 2.5 kN/m².
o Floor live load (residential) = 2.0 kN/m².
o Partition walls (light) assumed as point/line loads where applicable.
o Roof dead load (roof deck, finishes, insulation) = 1.5 kN/m².
o Roof live (maintenance) = 0.5 kN/m².
Materials:
o Concrete compressive strength f 'c =25MPa (C25).
o Reinforcing steel yield f y =420MPa (or 400–420 MPa typical).
Soil allowable bearing pressure q all =150kN/m² (assumed; adjust with geotech report).
Load factor method: use factored loads with usual factors (1.2D + 1.6L) for ultimate;
service loads for deflection checks.
Durability: cover per exposure (25–40 mm for beams/columns depending on cover, 40
mm for exterior). Provide ties and confinement per code.
Use simply supported beam philosophy for slab spans between beams; continuous
beams will be assumed and some negative moment reinforcement provided at supports.
Lateral system: shear walls + infill reinforced concrete cores/stair. For a typical 3-storey
house, use shear walls (reinforced masonry or RC) at stair and/or around elevator (if any)
+ moment resisting frames for small spans. Provide simple checks for overturning.
Architectural/Structural Layout (Conceptual)
Plan: 8.0 × 10.0 m rectangular. Grid lines:
o X-dir: Grid A at 0 m, Grid B at 4.0 m, Grid C at 8.0 m (two bays of 4.0 m each).
o Y-dir: Grid 1 at 0 m, Grid 2 at 5.0 m, Grid 3 at 10.0 m (two bays of 5.0 m).
Column positions at 3 × 3 grid intersections → 3 × 3 = 9 columns.
Main beams run along Y direction (5.0 m spans) supporting 4.0 m slab spans (one-way
slab spanning in X direction between beams).
Stair located near one corner with RC stairwell wall acting as shear wall.
(You can adapt bay sizes — I used 4 × 5 m to keep slab spans short and practical.)
Load Calculations (per floor) — tributary areas
For clarity, compute loads per 1.0 m width of slab between beams (slab tributary width = 2.0 m
if beams spaced 4.0 m apart? Wait — for one-way slab spanning X=4.0 m between beams,
tributary width for supporting beam is 4.0 m × 1.0 m? We'll compute beam loads from slab load
per meter length.)
Slab load per unit area (service):
w D =2.5kN/m² (dead)
w L =2.0 kN/m² (live)
Longitudinal beam (spanning 5.0 m, supporting slab tributary width = 4.0 m):
Slab area tributary per meter of beam length = 4.0 m × 1.0 m = 4.0 m²
Dead load from slab on beam per meter ¿ 2.5 × 4.0=10.0 kN/m
Live load from slab on beam per meter ¿ 2.0 × 4.0=8.0 kN/m
Self weight of beam (assume 0.3 m × 0.5 m beam ~ 0.15 m³/m → dead = 0.15×25 = 3.75
kN/m) include in dead load.
Total service dead on beam per meter ≈ 10.0+3.75=13.75kN/m
Total service live on beam per meter = 8.0 kN/m
Factored distributed load (ultimate) using 1.2D + 1.6L:
w u=1.2(13.75)+1.6(8.0)=16.5+12.8=29.3kN/m ≈ 29.3 kN/m
This is for typical interior beam carrying two slab spans? Adjust near edges.
Slab Design
Use one-way slab (span = 4.0 m). Thickness h=125mm (0.125 m).
Effective depth d ≈ h−cover−ϕ /2. Use 16 mm rebar; cover 20 mm →
d ≈ 125−20−8=97mm ≈ 95 mm. To be conservative pick d = 100 mm by using h=135
mm. Let’s adopt slab thickness = 120 mm and d = 100 mm.
Compute ultimate moment per unit width for simply supported one-way slab:
Factored uniformly distributed load per m²: w u , area=1.2⋅ 2.5+1.6 ⋅2.0=3.0+ 3.2=6.2
kN/m²
For span L = 4.0 m, simply supported slab moment per unit width:
2 2
M u=wu ⋅ L /8=6.2 ⋅4 /8=6.2 ⋅2=12.4 kN\cdotpm/m
Required steel per meter width:
As f y
A s f y d (1− )
Use nominal moment capacity 0.85 f 'c bd — iterative. Use simplified formula
M n=
ϕ
for singly reinforced section (approx):
Mu
Required A s= , take ϕ=0.9for flexure? (ACI uses 0.9 for flexure; NSCP similar). Use j ≈ 0.9
ϕ f y jd
.
So:
6
12.4 × 10
A s= 6
0.9× 420 × 10 × 0.9 ×0.10
Compute numerator 12.4e6 N·mm? Wait units: M_u = 12.4 kN·m/m = 12.4 ×10^6 N·mm per m
width. d=100 mm.
Compute denominator: 0.9420e60.9100 = 0.90.9420e6100 = 0.81420e6100 = 0.81*42e9 =
34.02e9 N·mm? I must compute carefully.
Let's do step-by-step:
Denominator = φ * f_y * j * d
= 0.9 * 420 MPa * 0.9 * 100 mm
= 0.9 * 420e6 N/m² * 0.9 * 100e-3 m? No. Keep units N/mm² and mm.
f_y = 420 N/mm², d = 100 mm.
Den = 0.9 * 420 * 0.9 * 100 = 0.81 * 420 * 100 = 0.81 * 42000 = 34020 N/mm.
Now M_u in N·mm: 12.4 kN·m/m = 12.4 ×10^6 N·mm per meter width. So A_s (mm²/m) =
12.4e6 / 34020 ≈ 364.6 mm² per meter width.
Provide reinforcement: distribute bars per metre: use #10 mm bars (area 78.5 mm²) spacing =
78.5*? spacing = (364.6 /78.5)*1000 mm ≈ 4.645 bars per meter → spacing ~ 1000/4.645 = 215
mm. Use closer spacing for crack control: 10 mm @150 mm c/c (area = 523 mm²/m) —
acceptable.
Therefore specify slab: 10Ø @150 mm c/c (main) bottom direction; top distribution (secondary)
depending on direction. For one-way slab, provide main bars along span direction.
Thickness adopt 120 mm slab, reinforcement Tops/Bottom: bottom main 10 mm @150 mm c/c;
top reinforcement 8 mm @200 mm in continuous spans for negative moments.
Deflection: with d=100 mm and reinforcement, spanning L/d = 4000/100 = 40 — must check
service limit; often need L/h ≤ 35. To be safe use slab thickness = 140 mm (d ~ 115 mm). Let's
provide final recommendation:
Final slab sizing: Floor slab thickness 150 mm (0.15 m) with bottom reinforcement 10Ø @150
mm c/c (2-layers if needed) and top reinforcement 8Ø @200 mm at supports. (This is
conservative and good for residential floors and reduces deflection).
Beam Design (Sample Typical Beam)
Design a main beam spanning 5.0 m (between columns) supporting slab tributary width = 4.0
m.
Service loads per meter (from earlier): dead = 13.75 kN/m, live = 8.0 kN/m → factored w_u =
29.3 kN/m.
Beam reactions and moments (simply supported assumption):
Maximum moment M u=wu L2 /8=29.3 ×52 /8=29.3 ×25 /8=29.3 ×3.125=91.56 kN·m ≈
91.6 kN·m.
Maximum shear V u=wu L/2=29.3 ×2.5=73.25kN.
- half stirrup(8) - bar dia? assume bottom bars 4Ø20 ⇒ centroid at ~10 mm; use d ≈ 600 - 40 -
Select beam size: start with 300 mm (b) × 600 mm (h) (b × h). Effective depth d ≈ 600 - cover(40)
10 = 550 mm.
Compute required steel area using simplified formula:
6
M u ×10
A s=
ϕ f y jd
where M_u in N·mm: 91.6 kN·m = 91.6e6 N·mm. φ = 0.9, f_y=420 N/mm², j ≈ 0.9, d = 550 mm.
Denominator = 0.9 * 420 * 0.9 * 550 = 0.81 * 420 * 550 = 0.81 * 231000 = 187,110 N (units
N/mm?) Wait compute: 420 * 550 = 231000; *0.81 = 187,110 N/mm.
So A_s = 91.6e6 / 187,110 ≈ 489.6 mm².
That seems low — check: 91.6e6 /187110 ≈ 489.6 mm². So provide 3 bars Ø20 (area each
314.16 mm²) → 3×314 = 942 mm² (excess). Or 2Ø25 (area 490.9 mm²) → near exactly required.
So 2Ø25 bottom bars provide A_s ≈ 981 mm²? Wait 2Ø25 area = 2 × 490.9 = 981.8 mm². Our
required 490 mm²; so 2Ø25 is double. Maybe I miscalculated j or φ. It's ok to be conservative.
But typical beams for 5 m span might require more steel. Let's recompute with more accurate j
maybe 0.9 is fine. If A_s required ~490 mm², then 2Ø20 (2×314=628 mm²) could suffice. Choose
2Ø20 bottom + 2Ø12 top for negative moment, with 8Ø10 stirrups @150 mm c/c. But ensure
minimum reinforcement and crack control: minimum As for nonprestressed beams: As,min =
0.0018 bd maybe. For b=300 mm, d=550, As,min = 0.0018300550 = 297 mm². So 2Ø20 (628
mm²) > min.
Shear check:
Vu = 73.25 kN
Concrete shear capacity V c =0.17 √ f 'c bd (units N/mm) — Using f'_c=25 MPa, sqrt=5.0. So
V_c = 0.175300550 = 0.85165000 = 140,250 N = 140.25 kN. Factored φV_c? If φ = 0.75
for shear, φV_c = 105.2 kN > Vu. So shear ok. Provide shear reinforcement V s (stirrups)
minimal: use 8Ø10 @150 mm c/c to satisfy.
Final beam proposal (typical):
Beam size: 300 mm × 600 mm (b×h).
Longitudinal reinforcement: Bottom: 2Ø20; Top (negative moment region) 2Ø12.
Stirrups: Ø10 @ 150 mm c/c (ties).
Concrete cover 40 mm for exterior beams.
(For continuous beams, increase top reinforcement near supports — e.g., additional 2Ø16 at
supports.)
