Comparative Study Among Direct Design Method, Equivalent Frame Method and Finite Element Method for Analysis of Slabs

Abstract

Beam-column frame system and flat plate slab system are analysed by semi-empirical, Direct Design method (DDM) and approximate elastic method, Equivalent Frame method (FEM) and the results of both methods are compared with computer software based on Finite Element method (FEM), taking into account the effect of changing the beam and column stiffness and the panel length ratio, for 3, 4, and 5 equal span frames and three non-equal spans. The moment coefficients with respect to the maximum clear span moment are determined by the three methods for negative end moments at the face of support and mid span positive moment. These coefficients are constant in DDM, while in EFM are changed with changing the column and beam sizes. The results of EFM is more accurate than DDM, on the bases of results of EFM, new moment coefficients are suggested to use instead of DDM moment coefficients. In case of EFM calculation aren’t satisfactory for hand calculations the FEM is used by applying available computer software.