Title:
Tech Spotlight: Mechanistic-Empirical Design of Concrete Slabs-on-Ground
Author(s):
Juan Pablo Covarrubias, Robert Rodden, Jeffery Roesler, Lev Khazanovich, Jorge Olavarria, and Nigel Parkes
Publication:
Concrete International
Volume:
48
Issue:
7
Appears on pages(s):
45-53
Keywords:
slabs-on-ground, mechanistic design, finite element analysis, slab stresses, curling
DOI:
10.14359/51751805
Date:
7/1/2026
Abstract:
Conventional slab-on-ground design methods rely on simplified assumptions derived from Westergaard solutions that do not capture key behavioral mechanisms such as slab curling, partial loss of support, concrete shrinkage, and realistic load transfer. This paper presents a mechanistic design framework based on two-dimensional (2-D) finite element analysis (FEA) that incorporates these effects, coupled with calibrated empirical methods for estimating slab capacity.