Compressive Membrane Action Strength Enhancement in Uniformly Loaded, Laterally Restrained Slabs

The strength of laterally restrained, rein forced concrete slabs is significantly enhanced by the effect of ‘arching’ or ‘compressive membrane action ’. In this paper, details and results of seven tests carried out on uniformly loaded, laterally restrained rectangular slabs are presented. These results are compared with the results of similar tests on unrestrained slabs. The basic formulations of a simple, rationally based method for predicting the enhanced load capacity of rigidly restrained slabs are then given. The method is shown to give good correlation with a wide range of test results from various sources.

G.I.B. Rankin, A.S. Skates and Professor A.E. Long