View Important Policies and System Requirements for this course.

This webinar was co-sponsored by ASCE's Structural Engineering Institute (SEI) and ASCE Continuing Education

Instructor:  Alexander Newman, P.E., F.ASCE

Course Length: 1.5 Hours

This web seminar examines practical issues in specifying slabs on grade and provides a primer on their design and construction.

Purpose and Background

Slabs on grade are deceptively simple, and in some cases they are constructed without proper attention to their function and design. And yet problems with floors on ground - settlement, heave, cracking, curling, joint deterioration - are among the most common in building construction. This web seminar examines practical issues in specifying slabs on grade. Everyday dilemmas, such as whether to reinforce the slab or not, how thick it should be, does it really need a vapor retarder - and what about that sand layer underneath? - are examined and debated. Many other practical questions, such as slab details at the foundation perimeter and at the joints, how to design floors on ground for heavy concentrated loads, and in which circumstances ACI 318 applies to the design of slabs on grade, are discussed as well. The instructor shares valuable insights gained during decades of design and forensic experience and discusses proven design solutions as well as those that have been less reliable. This is one webinar you would not want to miss!

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:

• Determine the current methods of designing slabs on grade
• Become familiar with practical design solutions for various building uses and soil conditions.

Webinar Benefits

• Examine the process of designing slabs on grade
• Explore the issue of specifying vapor retarders and "blotting" sand layers
• Learn how to use slabs on grade in structural applications, such as transferring lateral forces between foundation elements
• Find out which joints in slabs on grade are needed and which joint details work best
• Discover how to minimize the effects of curling
• Become familiar with the available design solutions for resisting heavy concentrated loads
• Earn 1.5 Professional Development Hours (1.5 PDHs)
• Use an opportunity to ask the instructor questions

Assessment of Learning Outcomes

Students' achievement of the learning outcomes will be assessed via a short post-assessment (true-false, multiple choice and fill in the blank questions).

Intended Audience

Structural and civil engineers seeking to increase their knowledge of designing slabs on grade will benefit from this webinar.

Webinar Outline

• Introduction
• Types of slabs on grade
• Joints
• Plain and reinforced floors on ground
• Selecting slab thickness
• Vapor retarders
• Slab finish tolerances
• Surface treatments
• Conclusion, final Q&A

How to Earn your CEUs/PDHs and Receive Your Certificate of Completion

To receive your certificate of completion, you will need to complete a short on-line post-test and receive a passing score of 70% or higher within 1 year of purchasing the course.

How do I convert CEUs to PDHs?

1.0 CEU = 10 PDHs [Example: 0.1 CEU = 1 PDH]