Nonlinear Response of Reinforced Concrete Slabs Represented by Beam Grids

The objective of this paper is to present a grid model for the nonlinear analysis of plates. The model, composed of a grid of beam elements responding in flexure and torsion, is described in the following sections. To verify the modeling approach, calculated and measured response to two plate-column connections are compared. This comparison follows a description of the grid model, and an explanation of the tested connections. The connections are of reinforced concrete, differing in slab reinforcement ratio, and the modeling accounts for a number of nonlinearities. By modeling the plate as a grid of beam elements, relatively simple stress-analysis programs may be used to approach the nonlinear behavior in a series of linear steps. Reinforced concrete slabs have been proposed in various offshore structures, such as floating concrete platforms [1] and LNG offshore structures [2], and the response into the nonlinear range is of importance.