ABSTRACT
Tests have shown that floor slabs can have a major influence on the strength and stiffness of beams. However, seismic design codes throughout the world give little guidance on how this influence may be considered in design. The unanticipated increase in beam strength increases the structural actions in columns and this could result in premature failure of columns or other elements not designed to resist these actions. A simple model which incorporates the influence of slabs on beams is described and analytical predictions obtained with the model are compared with experimental results.
