Slabs

A slab is a plate made of any material (concrete, wood or steel) that is supported (typically along the edges or corners) and is subjected to loads perpendicular to its surface.

If the slab is supported only along two parallel edges it bends in one direction and it is called a “one way slab”.

In general, when a structure bends in one direction only, it is called a “one-way system”, such as a truss system.

If the slab is supported along all edges or the corners, it bends in both directions and it is called a “two-way slab”. In this case, slab takes the form of a dish under the load.

In general, structures that bend in both directions are called “two-way systems”; many spatial structures are in this category.

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