Alternative Approach for The Analysis of Suspended Slab Panels Under Partition Wall Load

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Date

2005-06

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Addis Ababa University

Abstract

Analysis techniques for most structural elements with different arrangement of externally applied loads are well developed and sufficiently covered with modern analysis theories. Further more, the application of today’s high-speed computers enables the analysis of complex structures with different load arrangements. In addition to these effective analysis tools, building design codes provide table of values and analysis charts for the analysis of different elements of structural systems. As one of the structural element in building structure, different analysis methods were proposed for the analysis of suspended slab panel subjected to non-uniform loads. Among the possible arrangement of externally applied loads on suspended slab panel a line load is the one which can best represent the weight of partition wall on it. Different simplified analysis methods were proposed to consider the contribution of this load to the design action effects. The current practice of accounting this partition wall loads in the analysis of suspended slab panel is to change it to the 'equivalent' uniformly distributed load. The analysis of regular slab panel subjected to uniformly distributed load may be carried out using computer softwares or using coefficients which are presented in many design codes (including the Ethiopian Building Code of Standards for concrete structures, EBCS 2 – 1995). The Swedish method and Reynolds method can be referred as some of the examples which are used to obtain equivalent uniformly distributed load. These methods analysis need to be investigated whether they can represent the actual load or not. Therefore, as it is important to address this problem, comparative analysis has been carried out. A new simplified method which considers the actual scenario has been developed. This newly proposed method makes use of coefficients derived from the basic principle of elastic analysis of plate. The results have been verified by comparing it with results of the finite element analysis. It enables us to make elastic analysis of suspended slab panel subjected to the weight of partition wall and avoids the uncertain use of approximate methods.

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Keywords

Suspended; Slab

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