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GJESR RESEARCH PAPER VOL. 1 [ISSUE 1] FEBRUARY, 2014

ISSN:- 2349283X

Behavior of Reinforced Concrete Skew Slab under Different

Loading Conditions
*Kanhaiya Lal Pandey
Dept. of Civil Engineering
MMM. Engineering College
Gorakhpur, India
Email: pandeystr@gmail.com
ABSTRACT- Behavior of reinforced concrete skew slab under different loading condition is reported in this paper a total of
three slabs were tested in structure and concrete laboratory of Madan Mohan Malviya Engineering College Gorakhpur, Uttar
Pradesh, India. All the test slabs were full scale model of prototype skew slab having opposite edges simply supported. For all
the slabs same steel arrangement was used, Main steel was parallel to free edge and distribution steel was parallel to support
line. Aspect ratios 0.625 were selected for study. Centrally and +300 and -300 eccentrically located four point load test with
reference to IRC Class B loading were studied, and uniformly distributed load test also carried out. For study skew angle 30
is selected for slab. The experimental observations were limited to observation of vertical displacement at various nodal point,
and crack pattern and observing the cracking and ultimate loads.
Keywords: Skew, Reinforced Concrete, Slabs, Four point loads, Uniformly Distributed load, Ultimate load, Crack pattern.
INTRODUCTION
Skew slab can be defined as a four-sided slab having equal
opposite angles other than 90. Skew angle is usually
measured clockwise from the vertical line perpendicular to
the support line of the skew slab. Aspect ratio (r) is defined
as the ratio of span to width of the supports. Due to
skewness of the structure, the stress and deflection
characteristics are quite different from those observed in
right bridge deck slabs. Laboratory test facility prescribe
that a full scale model be selected which was also found be
adequate from dimensional analysis of the model with
respect to the prototype The constitutive relation of the
model materials was geometrically similar to the one of
the prototype, which is important for taking into account
the material similitude. For the purpose of geometric
similitude between the prototype and the model, all the
linear dimensions of the model were scaled from the
corresponding dimensions of the prototype by a constant
ratio. The four point load was applied on the model
through a 20mm thick steel plate to spread the load over
an area of 11250mm2 (75150) at four points with
reference to IRC Class B loading. This was done to
approximate the tyre effect of the vehicles wheel on
prototype with reference to IRC Class B loading.
Reinforced concrete skew slabs are widely used in bridge
construction when the roads cross the streams and canals
at angles other than 90 degrees. They are also used in floor
system of reinforced concrete building as well as load

bearing brick buildings where the floors and roofs are

skewed for architectural reasons or space limitations. [1]
Due to increasing population in India, the demand for
more roads and highways are increasing and more of them
would require more intersections of roads and highways.
To maintain steady flow of traffic in these intersections it
will be necessary that they be designed with grade
separation, which indicates that more skew slab and deck
bridges will be constructed in future. This investigation is
an attempt to study the physical behavior of skew slabs
more closely and characterize the response observed.

Figure 1; Skew Slab with Four Point Loading

Arrangement

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2. REVIEW OF PREVIOUS WORK

In 1965 a paper is published by A. COULL, Dept. of Civil
Engineering the University of Southampton, England. In
this paper a method is presented for the direct stress
analysis of orthotropic skew bridge slabs. The method of
analysis employs the Principle of Least Work, in
conjunction with the assumption that the stress resultants
may be expressed as Fourier series in the chord wise coordinate, the coefficients being functions of the span wise
position only. A system of oblique co-ordinates is used to
simplify the analysis.
A paper published By Baidar Bakht In 1988 in ASCE he
analyzed a skew bridge of less than 20 skew angle. By the
method of bridge analysis that are developed basically for
right bridges. He give the procedure for obtaining
longitudinal moments with good accuracy in skew slab-ongirder bridges. He obtained that the errors in analyzing
skew slab-on-girder bridges as right are not characterized
by the angle of skew but by two dimensionless parameters,
which depend upon the angle of skew, the spacing and
span of girders, and their flexural rigidities relative to the
flexural rigidity of the deck slab. He proposed that bridges
having (S tan /L,) less than 0.05 can be analyzed as
equivalent right bridges, where S, L, and are the girder
spacing, bridge span, and angle of skew, respectively.[2]
In 1990 a paper is presented by Mohammad A. Khaleel
and Rafik Y. Itani, Member, ASCE In This paper they
presents a method for determining moments in continuous
normal and skew slab-and-girder bridges due to live loads.
Using the finite element method, 112 continuous bridges
are analyzed, each having five pretensions I- girders. The
spans vary between 24.4 and 36.6 m (80 and 120 ft.), and
are spaced between 1.8 and 2.7 m (6 and 9 ft.) on center.
The angle of skew varies between 0 and 60. A
convergence study is also performed on a control bridge to
ensure reliable results. Design parameters are identified
and their influence on the load distributions studied. For a
skew angle of 60, maximum moment in the interior girder
is approximately 71% of that in a normal bridge; and
reduction in maximum bending moment is 20% in the
exterior girders, which control the design for a bridge with
long span, small girder spacing, and small relative stiffness
of girders to slab. It is concluded that the AASHTO
distribution of wheel loads for exterior girders in normal
bridges underestimates the bending moments by as much
as 28%.
In august 2001 a paper is presented by A Kabir, S M
Nizamud-Doulah, and M Kamruzzaman at 27th
Conference on OUR WORLD IN CONCRETE &
STRUCTURES Singapore. In this paper he presents
empirical formulae for the determination of deflections
and design moments in reinforced concrete skew slabs.
The formulae are derived from numerical results of finite
element analysis based on layered Mindlin plate element
formulations. An eight-node isoperimetric Mindlin plate

ISSN:- 2349283X

element that accounts for transverse shear deformations is

used to develop the numerical model. The layered
technique is adopted to allow for the progressive
development of cracks through the thickness at different
sampling points. The non-linear effects due to cracking and
crushing of concrete and yielding of steel reinforcement
are included in the numerical model. However, the
empirical relations are derived on the basis of numerical
results up to about 50% of the ultimate loads. This means
that the proposed formulae represent the serviceability
limit state values during which the overall response is
somewhat linear except for the non-linearity effects due to
the cracking of concrete.
A Kabir, S M Nizamud-Doulah, and M Kamruzzaman
presented a paper at 27th Conference on OUR WORLD
IN CONCRETE & STRUCTURES Singapore. In this paper
both experimental and numerical study has been carried
out to investigate the effects of reinforcement
arrangements on the ultimate behavior of skew slabs. A
total of four skew slabs were experimentally tested in the
laboratory. All the slabs were identical in dimension except
the reinforcement arrangements. Three types of
reinforcement style were used. The reinforcing bars for
three slabs were hooked at the ends except in the case of
the fourth slab. The main bars for this slab ending at the
free edges were welded to an extra bar provided and laid
parallel to the two free edges of the slab. The load
displacement behavior of these slabs were carefully
studied both numerically and experimentally to determine
effective reinforcement scheme for skew slabs. Finite
element layered Mindlin plate formulation was used to
study the numerical response of these slabs.
In august 2002 a paper is published by S M NizamudDoulah, A Kabir, Md Kamruzzaman at 27th Conference
on OUR WORLD IN CONCRETE & STRUCTURES
Singapore on Behavior of RC skew slabs - finite
element model and validation. And in this paper
Numerical material models incorporated in finite element
method for the nonlinear analysis of reinforced concrete
slabs are briefly described. The model is based on a
layered Mindlin plate formulation in which the crosssection is divided into steel and concrete layers with
nonlinear properties. Mindlin plate element is used to
account for transverse shear deformations. Concrete and
steel layers are simulated with eight-node quadrilateral
plane stress element. The non-linear effects due to
cracking and crushing of concrete and yielding of steel
reinforcement are included Experiments on reinforced
concrete skew slabs are carried out for validation of the
numerical models. Comparison with experimental results
indicates good performance of the numerical model.
In December 2005 Md. Khasro Miah and Ahsanul Kabir
from BUET present a paper in journal of civil
engineering. IEB. And they present about the behavior of
reinforced concrete skew slabs under vertical

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GJESR RESEARCH PAPER VOL. 1 [ISSUE 1] FEBRUARY, 2014

concentrated loads. A total of six slabs were tested in the

Concrete Laboratory of Bangladesh University of
Engineering and Technology (BUET), Dhaka. All the test
slabs were 1/6th scale models of prototype skew slabs
having opposite edges simply supported. The same steel
arrangement was used for all the slabs. Main steel was
parallel to free edges and distribution steel was parallel to
support line. Two aspect ratio viz., 0.85 and 1.50 were
selected for the study. Centrally located single
concentrated load and four point loads equally spaced
across the mid-span were the two types of loading
condition studied. Two different skew angles viz., = 25
and 45 were the other parameters of study. The
experimental observations were limited to measurement
of deflection at different nodal points, concrete fiber
strains at some top and bottom points of the slabs, steel
strains, cracking patterns and observing the cracking and
ultimate loads. Numerical analysis was also carried out for
the test slabs to verify the experimental results.
In august 2006 a paper is published by S. N. Tande in 31st
Conference on OUR WORLD IN CONCRETE &
STRUCTURES Singapore. This paper presents a critical
analysis of reinforced concrete skew slabs with clamped
edges under different types of loads such as uniformly
distributed, concentrated and patch loads. A simplified
finite strip approach with higher order function for better
accuracy has been used to develop the results for skew
slabs in bending. The results are presented both
numerically and graphically in the form of distribution
coefficients for deflections and bending moments, for
aspect ratios 1, 1.5, and 2. The effect of skew has been
investigated on behavior of skewed slab subjected to
various types of loads. The slabs having skew angles 0 to
60 with increment of 150 are considered. Hence the
motivation herein was to find results, which would still
yield reasonable accuracy, and find immediate
applications.
In 2007 a bulletin is published by The University of
Illinois named as Engineering Experiment Station
Bulletin Series on the STUDIES OF HIGHWAY SKEW
SLAB-BRIDGES WITH CURBS. This bulletin contains
studies being made of highway slab- bridges with curbs.
Designs, and analyses, based on a difference equation
method made for a range of bridges. Normal span lengths
range up to about 30 ft., skew angles up to 60 deg. Only a
single standard curb and handrail detail is considered in
all designs. Tables and curves are given which show the
variation of design moments with the bridge dimensions.
These moments are compared with the corresponding
moments in similar right slab- bridges with curbs.
And their test result contains:
Maximum Dead Load Moment at Center of Slab, Minimum
Dead Load Moment at Center of Slab , Maximum Live Load
Moment at Center of Slab ,Secondary Live Load Moment at
Center of Slab , Maximum Dead Load Moment in Curb ,.

ISSN:- 2349283X

Maximum Live Load Moment in Curb. Moments at the

centers of skew Slab-bridges of short span.
A. Vasseghi, F. Nateghi and M. Pournadaf Haghi In May
2008 published a paper in IJE In this paper Highway
bridges are frequently constructed as simple span
structures with steel or concrete girders and a cast-inplace concrete deck, spanning from one pier to another. At
each end of the simple span deck, a joint is provided for
deck movement due to temperature, shrinkage, and creep
Bridge deck joints are expensive and pose many problems
with regard to bridge maintenance. Elimination of deck
joints at the support of multi-span bridges has been the
subject of recent studies. Recent researches have led to the
development of a design concept and approach for joint
less bridges where the expansion joints are replaced with
continuous link slabs. Further studies have indicated the
proper performance of such bridges under service loading
conditions. This paper presents analytical study of seismic
behavior and response of a two span bridge connected by
link slabs. Three dimensional finite element analyses of
straight and skew bridges with skew angles varying from
15 to 60 degrees is performed. Both linear time history
and response spectrum analyses method are carried 60
degrees is performed. Both linear time history and
response spectrum analyses method are carried
displacement demands of the interior bent maybe reduced
considerably, if link slab is used in the middle of the bridge
instead of an expansion joint.
In 2012 Patrick Thoret ; Bruno Massicotte; and David
Conciatori present a paper in journal of bridge
engineering, ASCE and they aimed to determine bending
moments and shear forces, required to design skewed
concrete slab bridges using the equivalent-beam method.
Straight and skewed slab bridges were modeled using
grillage and finite-element models to characterize their
behavior under uniform and moving loads with the
objective of determining the most appropriate modeling
approach for design. A parametric study was carried out
on 390 simply supported slabs with geometries covering
one to four lane bridges of 3- to 20-m spans and with skew
angles ranging from 0 to 60. The analysis showed that no
orthogonal grillages satisfactorily predict the amplitude
and the transverse distribution of longitudinal bending
moments and shear forces, and can be used for the
analysis of skewed slab bridges. Results of the parametric
study indicated that shear forces and secondary bending
moments increase with increasing skew angle while
longitudinal bending moments diminish. Equations are
proposed to include, as part of the equivalent-beam
method for skew angles up to 60, the increase of shear
forces and the reduction of longitudinal bending moments.
Equations are also given for computing secondary bending
moments. A simplified approach aimed at determining the
corner forces for straight and skewed bridges is proposed
as an alternative to a more-refined analysis. The analyses
indicated the presence of high vertical shear stresses in the

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vicinity of free edges that justifies suggesting to provide

shear reinforcement along the slab free edges.
3. EXPERIMENTAL WORK
Three model skew slabs have been experimentally tested
in the Concrete and structure Laboratory of Madan Mohan
Malviya Engineering College Gorakhpur Uttar Pradesh,
India. These investigations have been carried out to study
the behavior of reinforced concrete skew slabs subject to
four point load with reference to IRC Class B Loading The
test slabs are designated as slab SS01 through slab
SS03.skew slabs first tested with uniformly distributed
load up to the elastic limit and then the same slab were
tested with four point loading arrangement with centrally
applied load and +300mm and -300mm eccentrically
applies load. All the slab which is tested was a constant
skew angle of 30. The size and specification of the slab is
given below and the slab thickness was 100 mm for all the
test slabs.
Skew span of the slab = 1600mm
Right span of the slab = 1385.6mm
Skew angle = 30
3.1 Casting of slabs
The test slabs were cast using Ordinary Portland Cement,
Fine aggregate (F. M. = 2.85) and stone chips 20-mm and
10mm mixed by a constant ratio of 6:4 as coarse aggregate.
The aggregate gradation conforms to the zoneIII
recommendations
[IS
546-2000].
The
flexural
reinforcements used in the test slabs were Fe 5000D and
diameter 06 mm. properties viz. actual

ISSN:- 2349283X

the formwork. Fresh concrete was prepared manually.

Immediately after mixing of fresh concrete, the fresh
concrete was placed in the form and compacted manually.
The top surface was leveled using a wooden float. A total of
nine cubes and three prisms of standard size were cast
simultaneously as a control specimen for determining the
compressive and tensile strength of slab concrete. [3]
3.2 Testing of Slabs
Three reinforced concrete skew slabs were tested, each of
which was loaded with either uniformly distributed load
or four concentrated loads. All the slabs were simply
supported on two opposite edges. The test slab was placed
on its supports. After checking for any possible damage, all
the deflection dial gauges are placed at various nodal
points for checking deflection precisely. After all the
primary checks, initial zero load readings for the load cell,
deflection dial gauges and strain gauges were taken. The
test was then continued applying the load at suitable
increments, so as to reach the ultimate load in about
twelve installments. Loading arrangement for the
application of four point loads is shown in Fig. 3
The readings of the load cell, deflection dial gauges were
simultaneously read and printed out at 500 kg (5 KN)
interval as indicated by dial reading of the testing machine.
The process was repeated until the failure load was
reached. The ultimate stage was assumed to have been
reached when the deflection readings continuously moved
on without any significant change in the applied load. The
crack widths of some of the prominent cracks were
measured at failure. An optical crack measuring device
was used for such measurements with accuracy of up to
0.02 mm

The water cement ratio of concrete mix was 0.48 and the
concrete mix ratio was 1: 2.30: 2.65 (by weight) of Cement:
Sand: Stone Chips. The form works for the test slabs were
made of brick wall and boundaries formed with cement,
fine sand mixed paste. Boundary angle is precisely formed
by the cement paste to make the desired skew slab
dimensions.
Steel reinforcement was calculated for 1.6 m span
prototype slab. Steel for the 1.6 m span models were then
appropriately scaled. Typical reinforcement layout of the
Slab SS01 is given in Fig. 2.
The reinforcement assembly was placed on the base of the
prepared formwork for the respective model. Wooden
block 20 mm thick were used between the form base and
the reinforcement to maintain desired clear cover. The
slab models were cast in the concrete laboratory. The
formwork for casting was placed on the floor of the
laboratory with proper arrangement. Lubricating oil was
used to smear the bottom and side of the shutter for its
easy removal after hardening of the concrete. The
reinforcement mesh was then properly positioned inside

Figure 2. Reinforcement Layout of Skew Slab

At the end of every slab test, the accompanying cube cast
as control specimens were tested to assess the
compressive strengths of concrete respectively. Nine cubes
were tested for compression and three prism for flexural

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strength and their respective average value was

considered as the representative value of slab concrete
strengths. The average test results of the control cube
specimens are summarized in Table.1 for the test slabs.
Table. 1. Crushing Strength of Cubes

S.

Crushing

Crushing

Remark

No.

Load

Strength

(KN)

(MPa)

1.

790

35.11

2.

800

35.55

All values

3.

710

31.55

greater

4.

738

32.80

than

5.

725

32.22

The

6.

706

31.37

target

7.

730

32.44

mean

8.

718

31.91

strength

9.

714

31.73

31.37
MPa

ISSN:- 2349283X

4. OBSERVATION AND DISCUSSION ON TEST

RESULTS
Some basic behavioral observations of the test slabs as
noticed and recorded during the experimental
investigations are briefly discussed and presented in the
following articles:
4.1 Deflection
The deflections were measured at some selected location
for all the test slabs with the help of deflection dial gauges.
The load-deflection response at the central point and
+300mm and -300mm eccentric point of all the test slabs
for the entire loading history up to failure is shown in Fig.
4-6. This includes slabs supporting both uniformly
distributed and four point loads. As expected, the
deflection recorded at central nodal point is found to be
more in slabs as compared to the other nodal point. Slab
thickness remaining constant. Comparing the two types of
loading, it was observed that skew slabs supporting four
point loads across the mid span deflected less at the centre
span than the slabs supporting than slab supporting four
points at eccentricity. This is expected as the four point
load at centre are somewhat distributed over a central
band line compared to the four point load at some
eccentricity, thus reducing the point deflection at the
centre. The maximum deflection of slabs SS01, SS022, SS03
having identical aspect ratio was found to depend on the
loading type. As can be observed from Table 2-4, the
deflections at obtuse zones were found to be more than
acute zones in slabs SS01, SS02 and SS03 all having aspect
ratios less than unity this indicates that the aspect ratio of
skew slabs influences the flexibility of acute and obtuse
angled zones
.
4.1.1. Load Displacement tables
Table .2 Load Deflection Table In Case Of Uniformly
Distributed Load
D/
L

D1

D2

D3

D4

D5

D6

D7

D8

D9

8.79

3.55

14.3
1

3.8
3

4.00

1.7
5

5.25

4.10

0.1
3

3.80

8.74

3.85

14.1
0

4.0
1

4.20

2.2
0

5.42

4.20

0.3
5

7.6

8.60

3.94

13.9
0

4.6
3

4.58

2.6
0

5.60

4.45

0.5
0

11.40

8.52

4.11

13.7
6

4.8
6

4.84

2.8
2

5.65

4.60

0.7
2

Figure 3. Load Position -300mm Eccentric

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ISSN:- 2349283X

Table 4. Load Deflection Table In Case of Four

Point Load Test
(Load Position Is Centric)

Table .3 Load Deflection Table In Case of Four

Point Load Test
(Load Position Is -300mm Eccentric)
D1

D2

D3

D4

D5

D6

D7

D8

D9

5.11

8.48

6.17

0.79

10.1

3.53

1.32

1.50

8.68

5.00

8.48

6.24

0.75

3.68

1.43

1.65

8.86

D
/L

0
10.2
5
10

4.90

8.48

6.34

0.70

10.2

4.63

1.45

1.70

4.76

8.48

6.45

0.65

10.5

5.74

1.67

1.90

9.58

5.82

1.88

2.55

9.76

5.98

2.06

2.80

9.93

6.05

2.45

2.90

10.0

0
20

4.64

8.47

6.55

0.60

10.8
5

25

4.61

8.46

6.65

0.56

11.2
1

30

4.58

8.45

6.76

0.50

11.3
0

35

4.53

8.45

6.90

0.48

12.0

4.51

8.45

7.06

0.42

12.9

6.57

2.56

3.70

4.45

8.44

7.26

0.38

13.1

7.03

4.69

4.80

4.30

8.43

7.54

0.28

55

4.20

8.43

7.78

0.24

60

4.11

8.42

7.94

0.21

13.6

D4

D5

D6

D7

D8

D9

11.69

3.92

14.15

1.83

4.00

2.40

11.33

5.6

0.77

11.65

3.83

14.11

1.84

4.5

2.70

11.40

5.8

1.00

10

11.59

3.79

14.07

1.83

4.55

3.00

11.70

6.00

1.25

15

11.48

3.75

14.06

1.83

4.80

3.20

11.70

6.40

1.43

20

11.39

3.72

14.06

1.83

5.60

3.50

11.70

6.66

1.65

25

11.27

3.70

14.06

1.83

6.25

4.77

12.20

6.90

1.80

30

11.18

3.60

14.04

1.83

6.40

4.80

12.50

7.15

2.00

35

11.07

3.60

14.01

1.83

7.10

4.85

12.90

7.80

3.00

10.6

40

11.04

3.60

13.98

1.83

8.50

4.97

13.55

9.25

3.65

11.8

45

10.84

3.60

13.95

1.86

9.95

5.00

14.22

9.80

4.30

50

10.69

3.57

13.93

1.86

10.70

5.90

14.60

10.30

5.05

55

10.59

3.57

14.01

1.88

11.40

6.30

14.85

10.35

5.25

60

10.35

3.57

14.10

1.88

12.30

6.50

16.10

10.20

7.00

3
7.55

5.67

4.95

5
50

D3

0
45

D2

0
40

D1

9.10

0
15

D/
L

12.9
2

8.52

7.19

4.98

17.7

10.4

8.96

8.98

22.1

15.0

17.6

14.5

23.5

12.9
6
14.7
8

Figure 5. Load Position +300mm Eccentric

Figure 4. Load Position -Centric

These tables show the displacement in vertical direction

with respect to the incremental load,

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First of all layer of cube is placed on the skew slab for

checking the deflection at uniformly distributed load three
layers of cubes is placed on the slab in three steps for
checking deflection under uniformly distributed load,

ISSN:- 2349283X

4.1.2. Load displacement curve

Four point centric load

After that all the cubes is unloaded and four point load
testing arrangement is placed on slab as shown in figure 3
for applying load. Manually operated hydraulic jack is used
to apply incremental load.

18

DEFLECTION(mm)

16

Load is applied at an increment of 5KN.

Table 5. Load Deflection Table In Case Of Four
Point Load Test
(Load Position Is +300mm eccentric)

14
12
10
8
6
4
2

D/
L

D1

D2

D3

D4

D5

D6

D7

D8

D9

10

20

30

40

50

D5

60

Load()KN
0

0.00

11.40

5.41

1.29

8.55

6.55

5.65

10.35

3.80

0.10

11.44

5.40

1.30

8.68

7.75

5.70

10.40

3.95

10

0.50

11.47

5.39

1.32

8.70

8.15

5.81

10.45

4.20

15

0.60

11.48

5.16

1.33

8.75

8.45

5.90

11.47

5.00

20

0.70

11.48

4.54

1.34

8.78

8.70

6.14

11.50

5.40

25

0.72

11.49

3.95

1.34

8.85

8.85

6.20

12.15

5.55

D1

D2

D3

D4

D6

D7

D8

D9

Figure 6. Load Deflection Curve for U.D.L

Four point load test ,

eccentricity -300mm
25

30

35

0.75

0.75

11.49

11.50

3.90

3.89

1.35

1.36

9.10

1025

9.00

10.10

6.50

7.00

12.50

13.40

6.00

7.05

40

0.77

11.52

3.85

1.36

12.15

10.40

8.03

13.80

8.55

45

0.78

11.53

3.80

1.40

14.05

11.95

10.55

15.60

10.18

50

1.05

11.53

3.72

1.49

14.15

27.85

11.50

16.95

12.55

55

1.50

11.60

3.65

1.50

16.68

29.45

13.40

17.65

12.95

Deflectiodn(mm)

20

15

10

0
0

10

20

30

40

50

D6

60

Load(KN)

60

2.05

11.70

3.50

1.65

16.98

30.64

14.50

29.15

16.25

D1

D2

D3

D4

D7

D8

D9

D5

Figure 7. Four Point Load Test Eccentricity -300mmm

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Load deflection curve for UDL

Load
position/
Slab
designation
SS01
SS02
SS03

25
20

Axis Title

ISSN:- 2349283X

Tables 6.Cracking Load for Skew Slabs for Four Point

Loading

15
10
5

centric

Eccentric
-300mm

Eccentric
+300mm

37
40
38

33
32
35

32
35
34

0
0

10

12

Axis Title
D1

D2

D3

D4

D6

D7

D8

D9

The load at failure condition recorded for each test

slab is defined as the ultimate load shown in Table

D5

7.The ultimate loads of the slabs with centric loading were

also higher compared to slabs with eccentric loading for
the same skew angle

Figure 8. Four Point Load Test -Centric

Tables 7. Ultimate Load for Skew Slabs for Four Point

Loading

Four point load test .eccentricity

+300mm

Load
position/
Slab
designation
SS01
SS02
SS03

25

20

Deflection (mm)

4.3 Ultimate Load Carrying Capacity

15

centric

Eccentric
-300mm

Eccentric
+300mm

77
75
79

71
74
70

69
72
74

4.4 Cracking patterns

10

0
0

10

20

30

40

50

D5

60

Load(KN)
D1

D2

D3

D4

D6

D7

D8

D9

Figure 9. Four Point Load Test Eccentricity +300mmm

4.2 cracking load
The load at the first visible crack termed as cracking load
was recorded for each test slab and are furnished in Table
6... Cracks were observed in the test slabs between 40-50
percent of the respective ultimate loads. For the same
skew angle, the cracking load of the slabs with centric four
point loading were higher compared to slabs with
eccentric four point loading.

The cracking patterns of all the test slabs were observed

and photograph taken after test. Loading system on the
skew slabs appears to have significant influence on the
crack patterns. The first crack was always observed at
concrete bottom surface near the mid span. For four point
loading, a number of cracks originated from the bottom of
mid span area and propagated nearly parallel to the
support lines towards the free edges like a mesh crack. In
case of four-point loading representing an area load at four
points, the cracks were limited within a narrow band of
centre span. The widths of the major cracks were
measured at failure load by an optical crack-measuring
device. The cracking patterns at the bottom surface of two
test slabs are shown in Fig. 8 and Fig. 9. The crack widths
of the prominently visible cracks at failure were measured.
Crack width as large as 7 mm was recorded for slabs SS03
and SS02 and 6mm for SS01.It may be noted that relatively
wider cracks were observed in case of four-point loading
representing knife-edge loading.

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ISSN:- 2349283X

(ii)

The deflection at obtuse zone is more than acute

zone in slabs with lower aspect ratio (r = 0...625)
uplift of acute corners also occurred when aspect
ratio is low as in this case.

(iii)

Cracks propagate toward free edges like a mesh

crack and somewhat parallel to support line in
case of a four point loading condition.

(iv)

Cracks are limited within a small bandwidth

parallel to support line along centre span for
multiple point loads placed across the centre
span.
REFERENCES

1.

AASHTO (1983). Standard Specification for Highway

the

Figure 10.Crack at Mid-Point Parallel to the Supports

Figure 11.Failure at Mid-Point Parallel to the Supports

5. CONCLUSIONS
The following conclusions may be drawn based on the
observations of the present experimental study:
(i)

For the same aspect ratio and skew angle, the

ultimate (total) load carrying capacity of skew
slabs are higher in case when the loads are
distributed across the width like that of four point
centric loads as compared to the four point
eccentric loading.

Bridges 13 edition, American Association of State

Highway and Transportation Officials, Washington.
2. ASTM C 136 (1988). Test method for Sieve Analysis of
Fine and Course Aggregates, Vol. 04.02, Section-4,
American Society of Testing Materials, Philadelphia,
pp. 76.
3. Cope, R. J. and Rao, P. V. (1983). Moment
Redistribution in Skewed Slab Bridge, Proc. Instn. Of
Civil Engineers, Part 2, Vol. 75, September, pp. 419451.
4. Desayi, P. and Probhakara, A. (1981). load Deflection
Behavior of Restrained R/C Skew Slabs, Journal of the
Structural Division ASCE, 107, No. ST5, May, pp. 873
887.
5. Doullah, Sk. Md. Nizam-ud and Kabir A. (1997).
Analysis of Reinforced Concrete Skew Slabs using
Layered Mindlin Plate Element, J. of Inst. of Engineers
(India), 78, pp. 97-102, Nov.
6. Doullah, Sk. Md. Nizam-ud (2000). Nonlinear Finite
Element Analysis of Reinforced Concrete Skew Slabs,
Ph. D. Thesis, Department of Civil Engineering, BUET,
Dhaka.
7. El-Hafez, L.M.A., (1986). Direct Design of Reinforced
Concrete Skew Slabs, Ph.D. Thesis, University of
Glasgow, UK.
8. Islam, N. M. (1996). Ultimate Load Behaviour of Skew
Slab Bridge Deck, M. Sc. Engineering Thesis,
Department of Civil Engineering, BUET, Dhaka.
9. Engineering Thesis, Department of Civil Engineering,
BUET, Dhaka.
10. Zia, P., White, R. N. and Vanhorn, D. A. (1970).
Principles of Model Analysis, ACI Special Publication
SP-24, American Concrete Institute, Detroit, Michigan,
pp. 19-39
11. Jahan, S. M. (1989). Investigation of Skew Slab Bridge,
M. Sc. Engineering Thesis, Department of Civil
Engineering, BUET, Dhaka.
12. Miah, M. K. (2000). Behavior of Reinforced Concrete
Skew Slab under Vertical Loads, M. Sc.

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ISSN:- 2349283X

13. Jeanty, P.R. et al. 1988. Investigation of Top

Bar Effects in Beams. ACI Structural Journal,
Proceedings Vol. 85, No. 3, Detroit, Michigan,
February 1988.
14. ECP 203-2007. Egyptian Building Code for
Structural Concrete Design and Construction.
Ministry of Housing, 2007.
15. ACI
318-05,
2005.
Building
Code
Requirements for Structural Concrete and
Commentary. American Concrete Institute,
Michigan, 2005.

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