COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF RIBBED AND WIFFLE SLAB OVER SOLID SLAB FOR COMMERCIAL BUILDING
Abstract
This study conducts a comparative analysis of ribbed, waffle, and solid slab systems for a commercial building, specifically a boys’ hostel block, to determine the most cost-effective and structurally efficient option. The analysis focuses on concrete volume, steel reinforcement quantities, and deflection characteristics, utilizing computer-aided design software such as ProtaStructure 2021 and AutoCAD 2021, with manual verifications performed using RCC spreadsheets.
The design adheres to the British Standard BS 8110-1:1997. Results indicate that the ribbed slab system requires the least concrete volume (99.40 m³) and steel reinforcement (11,266.5 kg), making it the most economical choice. The waffle slab, while structurally efficient with the lowest deflections (0.054 mm immediate, 0.54 mm long-term), demands the highest concrete volume (128.01 m³) and steel (20,349.5 kg). The solid slab, with a concrete volume of 105.44 m³ and steel of 11,545.5 kg, offers simplicity but higher material usage. All slab types meet serviceability criteria, with waffle slabs excelling in stiffness-to-weight ratio and ribbed slabs optimizing material efficiency. This research recommends ribbed slabs for cost-sensitive projects.
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