Experimental tests on orthotropically rc rectangular slabs having various restrained edges and subjected to uniform load

Abstract EN

In this research, nine orthotropically reinforced concrete (RC) rectangular slabs having various boundary restraints at the edges are tested under uniformly distributed load.

The main aim of these tests is to show that when some or all edges of a slab are restrained against rotation and horizontal translation the ultimate load carrying capacity of the slab will be enhanced greatly above that suggested by the simple Johansen ,s yield line theory (1).

For this purpose, a specially designed rig is constructed and used for providing slabs with various boundary restraints along their edges.

The results of tests, which are presented in the form of load-deflection curves plotted non-dimensionally, show that for restrained slabs the enhancement in load above Johansen, s load ranges between 50% and 100 % depending on the number and positions of the slab restrained edges.

These results are also used to examine the accuracy of a recently submitted elastic-plastic theoretical model (2).