Verified by the CalcTree engineering team on June 27, 2024
This calculator analyses the soil conditions below a concrete slab to determine the required thickness of the slab. The calculator checks the flexural, bearing and shear stresses in the slab and determines the minimum required slab thickness, the minimum required distribution reinforcement and the estimated crack width. The calculator also checks the bearing stress on the dowels at construction joints.
All calculations are performed in accordance with ACI 360R-10, which is the American Concrete Institute's "Guide to Design of Slabs-on-Ground".
A concrete slab-on-ground subjected to concentrated post and wheel loading
Technical notes and assumptions
Slab is idealized as a homogenous, isotropic material with uniform thickness and no discontinuities. Though in reality, a slab-on-ground is generally exposed to more rougher conditions during construction than others.
The subgrade is represented by the modulus of subgrade, k and is modelled as a series of independent springs.
All loads are assumed to be applied normal to the slab surface. Any braking or traction forces, which act at an angle to the surface, are not accounted for.
Any contribution to flexural strength made by the reinforcement is neglected. The slab is only reinforced for crack width limit control due to shrinkage and temperature.
Dowels are assumed to be plain bars.
Calculation
Inputs
Loads
P
:7000lbs
FoS
:5
i (%)
:5
Slab and Ground Properties
t
:8.00inch
f'c
:3500.00psi
wc, pcf
:150.00
fy
:60000.00psi
Ac
:144.00sqin
ΔT
:50.00degF
k, pci
:500.00
Dowel and Joint Properties
db
:0.75inch
s
:12inches
z
:0.25inches
L
:20ft
Outputs
Slab Properties
W
:100lb/sqft
Ec
:3.6e+6psi
μ
:0.15
MR
:532.45psi
Mr
:5.68ft*kip/ft
Lr
:23.65in
F
:1.5
C
:1
α
:5.5e-6
ε
:4.0e-4
a
:6.77in
b
:6.32in
bo
:48.00in
Equations
W=wc×12tEc=33×wc1.5×fc′MR=9×fc′Mr=MR×(1200012×6t2)μ=0.15(assumed for concrete)Lr=12(1−μ2)×kEc×t30.25F=1.5(assumed friction factor between subgradeand slab)C=1.0assumed value for no subbasea=πAcb=1.6×a2+t2−0.675tfora<1.724tbo=4×Ac
Dowel Properties
Ne
:2
Pt
:3500.00lbs
Pc
:1762.86lbs
kc
:1.5e+6psi
Eb
:2.9e+7psi
Ib
:0.0155in4
β
:0.889
Equations
Ne=1+2Σ(1−Les×d×(n−1))Pt=0.5×PPc=NePtkc=1.5×106 (assumed for concrete)Eb=29×106Ib=64π×db4β=4EbIbkcdb0.25
Assumed load transfer distribution for dowels at construction joint ("Dowel Bar Optimization: Phases I and II - Final Report" - by Max L. Porter)
Explanation
A slab-on-ground, also referred to as slab-on-grade, is a slab supported by the ground whose main purpose is to support the applied loads by bearing on the ground.
The American and British Standards method for design is to compare "allowable stresses" against "actual stresses", where actual stresses are based upon characteristic loads with an overall Factor of Safety (FoS). The designer choses the FoS to minimise the likelihood of serviceability failure such as cracking and decrease to surface durability. In contrast, the Eurocode is based upon limit state design with partial factors of safety on materials and loads.
The design checks to ACI 360R-22 are based upon ensuring:
actual stress≤FoSallowable stress
There are multiple failure modes of a slab-on-ground:
Flexural failure of the slab, when the slab develops tension stresses in its soffit that exceed its flexural capacity
Bearing failure of the slab, when the slab bearing stresses exceed its bearing strength
Punching failure of the slab, when the slab shear stresses exceed its shear strength
Bearing stress of dowels that causes the slab to fail, where the effectiveness of the dowel bars depend on the relative stiffness between the slab compared to its subgrade
Recommended values for some input parameters are provided: