IS 10297 : 1982Code of practice for design and construction of floors and roofs using precast reinforced/prestressed concrete ribbed or cored slab unit
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IS 10297:1982 is the Indian Standard (BIS) for design and construction of floors and roofs using precast reinforced/prestressed concrete ribbed or cored slab unit. This code provides guidance on the design and construction of floors and roofs using precast reinforced or prestressed concrete ribbed or cored slab units. It covers materials, design criteria for bending and shear, manufacturing tolerances, handling, erection, and the placement of in-situ concrete toppings. This standard has been officially 'Withdrawn' by BIS, but its principles are still useful for the assessment of older structures.
Code of practice for design and construction of floors and roofs using precast reinforced/prestressed concrete ribbed or cored slab unit
Overview
Status
Current
Usage level
Specialized
Domain
Structural Engineering — Planning, Housing and Pre-fabricated Construction
BIM-relevant code. See the BIM Hub for ISO 19650, IFC, and LOD/LOIN frameworks used alongside it.
Practical Notes
! This code is 'Withdrawn' by BIS. For current general precast practice, refer to IS 13990 and IS 16700, though this code's principles for ribbed/cored slabs remain informative.
! Handling and erection stresses (Clause 8) are critical design considerations, as units are most vulnerable during construction before becoming part of the composite floor system.
! Strict adherence to manufacturing and erection tolerances (Clause 9) is essential for achieving proper fit-up and the intended composite action with the structural topping.
EN 1168:2005+A3:2011European Committee for Standardization (CEN), Europe
HighCurrent
Precast concrete products — Hollow core slabs
Directly covers the design, properties, and testing of precast hollow core slab units.
PCI MNL-120-17Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI), USA
HighCurrent
PCI Design Handbook: Precast and Prestressed Concrete, 8th Edition
Comprehensive design guide for all precast concrete, with dedicated chapters on hollow-core and ribbed slabs.
BS 8110-1:1997British Standards Institution (BSI), UK
MediumWithdrawn
Structural use of concrete - Part 1: Code of practice for design and construction
General concrete code with specific sections on ribbed, hollow block, and precast floors, sharing a similar design era.
AS 3600-2018Standards Australia, Australia
MediumCurrent
Concrete Structures
General concrete structures code that includes principles and rules for designing precast and composite slab systems.
Key Differences
≠IS 10297 is based on the Working Stress Method (WSM) of design, which is now obsolete. Modern international standards like Eurocode 2 and ACI 318 use the Limit State Method (LSM) or Ultimate Strength Design (USD), applying partial safety factors to loads and material strengths separately.
≠The specified concrete grades in IS 10297 (starting from M15) are significantly lower than those typically used in modern precast construction, where high-strength concrete (e.g., C40/50 and higher in Eurocode) is common for efficiency and durability.
≠IS 10297 contains minimal or no provisions for seismic design, particularly regarding diaphragm action and connection detailing. Modern codes in seismic regions (e.g., ACI 318, Eurocode 8) have extensive and mandatory requirements for precast systems.
≠Fire resistance in IS 10297 is addressed prescriptively through minimum cover and dimensions. Modern standards (e.g., EN 1992-1-2) provide more sophisticated methods, including tabular data based on extensive testing and advanced calculation models for fire engineering.
Key Similarities
≈All standards recognize the fundamental concept of using precast ribbed or cored units in conjunction with a cast-in-situ concrete topping to achieve composite action for enhanced strength and stiffness.
≈The requirement to consider and design for temporary stresses during manufacturing, storage, transportation, and erection is a common principle across IS 10297 and modern international standards.
≈All codes mandate serviceability checks for deflection and cracking to ensure the functional performance and aesthetic appearance of the finished floor or roof structure, though calculation methods and limits vary.
≈The geometric definitions and classifications of precast units (e.g., ribbed slabs, hollow core slabs, double-tee sections) are conceptually consistent across all standards.
Parameter Comparison
Parameter
IS Value
International
Source
Design Methodology
Working Stress Method (WSM)
Limit State Design (LSD) / Ultimate Strength Design (USD)
EN 1168 / PCI MNL-120
Min. Concrete Grade (RC Units)
M15 (≈15 MPa cube strength)
Typically C30/37 (≈30 MPa cylinder / 37 MPa cube strength) or higher for prestressed units
EN 1992-1-1
Min. Concrete Cover (Mild Exposure)
15 mm (for internal members, reinforcement <12mm)
Nominal cover c_nom = c_min + Δc_dev. For XC1 exposure, c_min is 10-15 mm, so c_nom is often 20-25 mm.
EN 1992-1-1
Span/Depth Ratio (Simply Supported)
25 for ribbed/cored slabs
L/18.5 for one-way ribbed construction (can be modified by factors)
ACI 318-19
Manufacturing Tolerance (Length)
±10 mm for units over 6m length
±1/2 in (≈13 mm) for lengths up to 40 ft (≈12.2m)
PCI MNL-120-17
Shear Design in Hollow Core Slabs
Based on nominal shear stress vs. permissible shear stress in concrete.
Based on unreinforced web-shear resistance (VRd,c) and shear resistance at the interface of web and flange.
EN 1168
Structural Topping Min. Thickness
30 mm (Clause 9.1)
Typically 50 mm to 75 mm (2 to 3 in) to provide cover for reinforcement and ensure durability.
PCI MNL-120-17
⚠ Verify details from original standards before use
Key Values7
Quick Reference Values
Minimum grade of concrete for precast RC unitsM20
Minimum grade of concrete for precast PSC unitsM35
Minimum thickness of in-situ structural topping40 mm
Minimum end bearing for units on masonry/concrete75 mm
Manufacturing tolerance in length of unit±6 mm
Manufacturing tolerance in depth/width of unit±3 mm
Minimum clear cover to reinforcement (factory conditions)15 mm