Events The 1st International Online Conference on CivilEng

Event submissions

Published

This submission belongs to the session S5. Construction and Material Engineering of the event The 1st International Online Conference on CivilEng

Published date

09 Nov, 2026

Academic Editor

Aires Camões

Citation

Huu-Dien Nguyen, Finite Element Method for the Design and Analysis of a Third-Floor Slab Structure, in Proceedings of The 1st International Online Conference on CivilEng, 12 November–13 November 2026, MDPI: Basel, Switzerland

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$Finite Element Method for the Design and Analysis of a Third-Floor Slab Structure$

Huu-Dien Nguyen ¹

1. Faculty of technology, Long An University of Economics and Industry, Tan An, Vietnam

Abstract

This study proposes an integrated analytical-finite element framework for the design and serviceability assessment of a third-floor reinforced concrete slab in a multi-story building. Unlike conventional slab design approaches that primarily rely on panel-by-panel analytical calculations and code-based serviceability checks, the proposed approach combines classical reinforced concrete design according to Vietnamese standards with a three-dimensional FEM model to explicitly evaluate load redistribution, slab-support interaction, cracking, and deflection under service conditions. Eight slab panels are first classified as one-way or two-way systems, and their design loads, internal forces, and reinforcement are determined using established analytical procedures. The resulting structural model is then transferred from ETABS to SAFE, where the actual structural configuration and reinforcement arrangement are incorporated into short-term and long-term serviceability analyses. The FEM results show maximum crack widths of 0.122 mm for short-term loading and 0.077 mm for long-term effects, compared with allowable values of 0.4 mm and 0.3 mm, respectively. The maximum calculated deflection is 27.45 mm, corresponding to approximately 61% of the allowable limit of 45 mm. The main contribution of this study is not merely the verification of a conventional slab design, but the establishment of a practical analytical-FEM workflow that reveals the margin of serviceability performance and the effects of structural interaction that are not explicitly captured by simplified panel-based methods. The results demonstrate that the proposed framework can provide a more realistic assessment of slab behavior and identify opportunities for thickness and reinforcement optimization while maintaining code compliance. This approach offers a practical basis for safer and more economical reinforced concrete slab design.

Keywords

Finite Element Method (FEM)

Two-Way Slab

Crack Control

Deflection

SAFE

ETABS

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