Civil Engineering Project: Design and Analysis of Concrete Slabs

This civil engineering project focuses on the design and analysis of concrete slabs, a fundamental structural element in modern buildings. The project objectives included designing concrete slabs and addressing issues related to existing slabs. The project work involved creating the basic design of the concrete slabs, supervising construction, documenting the project report, and planning. Key responsibilities included understanding project scope, tracking progress, identifying issues, and coordinating with the execution team. The project applied civil engineering knowledge and skills in critical thinking, problem-solving, leadership, and computer proficiency using software like Microsoft Office, Microsoft Project, and Primavera. The project identified issues such as cracks in the slabs and loose railings, and solutions were implemented using polymer-based repair materials and all-purpose grouting. The project aimed to produce creative and innovative work through collaborative effort and the website Desklib provides similar past papers and solved assignments for students.

CE 2.1 Project Information
Name of the project: Designing of Concrete Slabs
Location of the project: Please fill
Project Duration: Please fill
Organization: Please fill
Role and Designation during the time: Team Member of the project
CE 2.2 Project Background
CE 2.2.1 Characteristics of the project
This project of Designing of Concrete Slabs was my second important project in
engineering career. Concrete slabs are the common structural elements of the modern
buildings. These horizontal slabs of steel reinforced concrete are of about 4 inches to 20
inches thick, which is approximately 100 millimetres and 500 millimetres. These types of
slabs are usually utilized for the construction of floors as well as ceilings and the thinner slabs
are utilized for the exterior paving purposes. This project has clearly designed concrete slabs
perfectly.
CE 2.2.2 Objectives developed for the project
The project of Designing of Concrete Slabs consisted for two objectives. They are as
follows:
 To design concrete slabs.
 To solve the issues related to existing concrete slabs.

CE 2.2.3 My area of work
My major area of work was to make the basic design of the concrete slabs. Apart from
this, I even had miscellaneous works involved in this project. Being an experienced civil
engineer, my main job was to look as well as supervise the overall construction of this
project. I also documented the entire project report and made significant plan for this project,
with the purpose that planning is properly done.
CE 2.2.4 Project Group
Figure 1: People involved in the project
CE 2.2.5 My responsibilities throughout the project
I was an important part of the project. My project supervisor gave me several
important responsibilities or duties and my most significant duties involved mainly studying
as well as understanding the entire scope of work from all the drawings, or BOQ or bill of
quantities and specifications to properly prepare the specific Program of Works or Schedule. I
also kept proper track of the progress of project and finally flagged the issues or problems at
the time of short comings. I even prepared a proper plan of look ahead for the team of

Execution. My other responsibility of the project was documenting and coordinating with the
team of site execution. I also supervised as well as executed the project part, which was
effectively assigned to me.
CE 2.3 Distinctive Activity
CE 2.3.1 Engineering knowledge and skills applied in the project
I have used my intense knowledge and skills of civil engineering for making this
project successful. I am a diligent as well as sincere individual and even comprise of various
skills for the purposes of critical thinking and problem solving. As, I have good leadership
skills, I has the ability to manage or provide proper guidance to all of my juniors. I have even
utilized my computer proficiencies within the project that involved Microsoft Office,
Microsoft Project and Primavera. I have also used my linguistic skill and thus had the ability
to communicate with local workers promptly and easily.
CE 2.3.3 Comprehending the Theory of Project
A concrete slab can be defined as one of the most common structural elements of the
modern buildings. The horizontal slab of steel that is reinforced to concrete, usually within
the thickness of 4 inches and 20 inches or 100 millimetres and 500 millimetres are considered
as the most often utilized for the purpose of construction of ceilings and floors, whereas the
thinner slabs are utilized for the exterior paving. Many a times, the thinner slabs, whose
thickness are ranging from 2 inches or 51 mm to 6 inches or 150 mm, are known as mud
slabs, mainly whenever utilized for the slabs of main floor or within the crawl spaces. In most
of the industrial or domestic buildings a distinct thicker concrete slab that is supported on the
foundation or directly over the sub soil is being utilized for constructing the specific ground
floor of any typical building. All of these could either be suspended slabs or ground bearing
slabs. This slab is considered as ground bearing only when it eventually rests easily over the

foundation, or else this slab would be suspended. For the double storied or the multi storied
buildings, the proper utilization of the fewer common kinds of various concrete suspended
slabs are utilized.
There were two major thermal considerations. The first and the foremost thermal
consideration is the insulation of a specific floor slab. In the older buildings, all of these
concrete slabs radiate directly over the ground for the purpose of draining heat from any
specific room. In any of the modern construction, the concrete slabs are generally cast on the
insulation layer like the expanded polystyrene, and also this slab might be containing
various under floor heating pipes. The next consideration of thermal is the higher thermal
mass that is being applied to the floors or walls or wherever this concrete is being utilized
within the thermal envelopes. There is a distinct disadvantage where these rooms are being
heated intermittently and need the quicker responses, since the concrete slabs take time in
warming up, and thus causing a typical delay to warm the building. However, there is a
benefit in the climates with the larger regular swings of temperature, where this slab is being
acting as the regulator, and hence keeping this building cooler during day and warmer during
night. The most common kind of the insulated slabs is the beam or block system that is being
modified by the replacement of the concrete blocks with the expanded blocks of polystyrene.
This type of inter change not only enables for the better insulation but also helps in assisting
with the lightweight slab that comprises of the positive effect over the load bearing walls or
foundations.
When the two way slab systems could be supported directly over the columns,
shearing around these columns is most important, mainly at the exterior slab column
connections where this moment of total exterior slab should be transferred eventually to this
column. The least thickness of the slab for the flat plates commonly is being governed by the
condition. When this depth of the beam is being computed, the respective beam width bw

could be evaluated on the basis of moment strength. The following equation could be utilized
for evaluating bw for the specific case when f ’c = 4 ksi and fy = 60 ksi:
In the initial designing stage, it is extremely vital for all the engineers to consider the
fire resistance. This fire resistance should be eventually considered whenever selection of a
slab thickness is done. It even comprises of the least thickness of reinforced concrete slabs for
the ratings of the fire resistance of one hour to four hours, on the basis of the kind of the
aggregate utilized within the mix of concrete.
It comprises of the criteria to analyze regular beams and the one way slabs. In usual,
each and every member of the frames or the regular construction should be designed for
higher effects of the factored loads. This set of estimated coefficients could be utilized for
determining shear forces and moments. All of these coefficients are responsible for giving the
quickest and the conservative way o determine the designing forces for the beams and the one
way slabs, thus could be utilized for checking the output from any computer program.
Figure 2: Conditions for analysis by coefficients

In the lieu of the procedure of analysis thus satisfying the equilibrium or geometric
compatibility, this designing methodology could be utilized for obtaining the design moment
for the specific two way slab systems.
CE 2.3.4 Identified issues and their solutions
2.3.4.1 Issues
There were few issues in the project, which were required to be solved as early as
possible. The first problem that I had faced in the project was cracks in the designed concrete
slabs. These cracks were reducing the tenure of the slabs and thus were extremely risky to be
utilized for any user. The second problem that I had faced was loose railings. When concrete
cracks form, adjacent railings along steps or a perimeter can become loose. These loose
railings are absolutely problematic for the floors or ceilings, where the concrete slabs are
being used. These two issues were bringing major delay in our project. Thus, we checked the
issues properly and hence were able to solve them.
2.3.4.2 Solutions
I provided various solutions to all the issues or problems that we had faced in this
particular project of Designing of Concrete Slabs. For the first issue of detecting cracks, I
suggested that the cracks in the driveway or slab that are ½" wide to ¼" deep can be quickly
fixed with a polymer based repair material. This polymer based repair material helped us in
detecting the cracks easily and promptly. For the second issue of loose railings, I suggested to
use an all purpose grouting material to re anchor the bolts or railings to concrete for a secure,
lasting placement.

CE 2.3.5 Plan to produce creative and innovative work
We made a significant plan for our project. Our plan was to bring out creative and
innovative work by working mutually. We divided our work perfectly and every one carried
out their responsibility with utmost sincerity and perfection. Thus, our project was a
successful one.