Effective Width of Orthotropic Plate

Slab-column structural systems are often analyzed for lateral loads imposed by earthquake or wind by assuming that an effective width… of the slab acts as a beam. The usefulness of this approach is attested to by the large number of publications that have approach is attested to by the large number of publications that have appeared on this subject. Current finite element technology makes it possible, in principle, to analyze the original structure. However, unless one has access to a structural analysis program with substructuring capabilities, the cost, both in data preparation and in processing time, makes the analysis very unattractive economically. Even in those cases where a more exact analysis may be desirable as a final check, the effective width concept is useful in the preliminary design stage.