Following is a typical concrete slab design process that might occur for a new building. Note that the sequence of steps taken in any particular design may vary but the basic process will probably be essentially the same.
Use the Design menu > Concrete Slab Design > View/Revise Preferences command to select the design code. In addition, this command allows review of and changes to other concrete slab design preferences. ETABS provides default values for all preferences so this command can be used to review the values and to make changes when necessary.
Determine whether the concrete slab design is to be done using design strips or using finite element design. If design is to be done using strips, draw design strips, and tendons if post-tensioning is to be included in the model. Use the Draw menu > Draw Design Strips, the Draw menu > Draw Tendons, and the Edit menu > Add/Edit Tendons > Add Tendons in Strips commands to do this. Note: Design strips, and tendons if the Add P/T option is checked, are automatically added to the model when using the Flat Slab template. Design strips are also automatically added to the model when using the Flat Slab with Perimeter Beams, the Waffle Slab, or the Two Way or Ribbed Slab templates.
The following two commands can be used to tailor the flexural design process to meet specific requirements, although their use is not mandatory to complete a design.
If needed, assign strip based design overwrites by selecting strips and using the Design menu > Concrete Slab Design > View/Revise Flexural Design Overwrites > Strip Based command. Note that ETABS provides default values for all strip design overwrites so these commands can be used to review the values and to make changes only when necessary for selected design strips.
If needed, assign finite element based design overwrites by selecting floor slabs and using the Design menu > Concrete Slab Design > View/Revise Flexural Design Overwrites > FEM Based command.
If needed, use design load combinations other than the defaults created by ETABS for concrete slab design by clicking the Design menu > Concrete Slab Design > Select Design Combinations command. Note that at least one design combo must have been created using the Define menu > Load Combinations command before the Select Design Combinations command can be used
Run the building analysis using the Analyze menu > Run Analysis command.
Select the stories for which concrete slab design should be performed by clicking the Design menu > Concrete Slab Design > Select Stories for Design command – stories must be selected before running the slab design.
Click the Design menu > Concrete Slab Design > Start Design command to run the concrete slab design (this command performs both flexural design and punching checks).
Review the concrete slab design results by clicking the Design menu > Concrete Slab Design > Display Flexural Design command.
To check and review punching shear in a slab, click the Design menu > Concrete Slab Design > Display Punching Check command.
If necessary after reviewing design results, revise the slab geometry or reinforcing and re-run the analysis/design.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Concrete slab design may be an iterative process, i.e., the initial slab geometry may not satisfy the design requirements. If it is determined that the slab design dimensions need to change during the design process, the analysis, and then the design, should be rerun.