Insitu RC Suspended Floors Reinforced Concrete Suspended Floors ~ a simple reinforced concrete flat slab cast to act as a suspended floor is not usually economical for spans over 5-000. To overcome this problem beams can be incorporated into the design to span in one or two directions. Such beams usually span between columns which transfers their loads to the foundations. The disadvantages of introducing beams are the greater overall depth of the floor construction and the increased complexity of the formwork and reinforcement. To reduce the overall depth of the floor construction flat slabs can be used where the beam is incorporated with the depth of the slab. This method usually results in a deeper slab with complex reinforcement especially at the column positions " to 350 S = span~ economic range 2:400-7:500 Typleat Examples» g > TWO WAY SPANNING SLAB strip of stab acting as G wide flat beam ‘economic span range - centre to centre of beam strips ~ 6-000 to 9-000 TWO WAY SPANNING FLAT SLAB column 583Insitu RC Suspended Floors Ribbed Floors ~ to reduce the overall depth of a traditional cast insitu reinforced concrete beam and slab suspended floor a ribbed floor could be used. The basic concept is to replace the wide spaced deep beams with narrow spaced shallow beams or ribs which will carry only a small amount of slab loading. These floors can be designed as one or two way spanning floors. One way spanning ribbed floors are sometimes called troughed floors whereas the two way spanning ribbed floors are called coffered or waffle floors. Ribbed floors are usually cast against metal. glass fibre or polypropylene preformed moulds which are temporarily supported on plywood decking. joists and props — see page 378 Typical Examples ~ slab ~ minimum thickness 75mm Lwide tat beam | depth of rib not more than 4 xwidth depth of rib ribs ot 600, 800 or not more than 900mm centres 4 x width TWO WAY SPANNING COFFERED OR WAFFLE FLOOR 584Insitu RC Suspended Floors Ribbed Floors — these have greater span and load potential per unit weight than flat slab construction. This benefits a considerable reduction in dead load, to provide cost economies in other super-structural elements and foundations. The regular pattern of voids created with waffle moulds produces a honeycombed effect, which may be left exposed in utility buildings such as car parks. Elsewhere such as shopping malls. a suspended ceiling would be appropriate. The trough finish is also suitable in various situations and has the advantage of creating a continuous void for accommodation of service cables and pipes. A suspended ceiling can add to this space where air conditioning ducting is required, also providing several options for finishing effect Typical mould profile — - — steel, glass fibre 2 or polypropylene wattle mould £ ~ 200, 250, 300 a er 400 mm 125 mm 600, 800 or 900 mm square . 175, 250, optional expanded \, 107 taper 25 oF AL 10 sides 400 mm polystyrene core polypropylene trough mould lengths vary. may overlap or be cut 600 mm centres Note: After removing the temporary support structure. moulds are struck by flexing with a flat tool. A compressed air line is also effective 585Insitu RC Suspended Floors Hollow Pot Floors ~ these are in essence a ribbed floor with permanent formwork in the form of hollow clay or concrete pots. The main advantage of this type of cast insitu floor is that it has a flat soffit which is suitable for the direct application of a plaster finish or an attached dry lining. The voids in the pots can be utilised to house small diameter services within the overall depth of the slab. These floors can be designed as one or two way spanning slabs, the common format being the one way spanning floor. Typical Example — wide tot beam stab ribs [ hollow pots internal column Laownstand edge beam rimeter column ONE WAY SPANNING HOLLOW POT FLOOR floor screed 75mm minimum i thick ane] oa TdT RC rib- span Letay or precast range 4-500 concrete hollow r to 9-000 pots (75 to een 250mm deep ) TYPICAL SECTION 586Insitu RC Suspended Floors Soffit and Beam Fixings ~ concrete suspended floors can be designed to carry loads other than the direct upper surface loadings. Services can be housed within the voids created by the beams or ribs and suspended or attached ceilings can be supported by the floor. Services which run at right angles to the beams or ribs are usually housed in cast-in holes. There are many types of fixings available for use in conjunction with floor slabs. some are designed to be cast-in whilst others are fitted after the concrete has cured. All fixings must be positioned and installed so that they are not detrimental to the structural integrity of the floor. Typical Examples ~ gap to avoid toad a stop, pidéte third transter - tire screed sll ae =| Sereda | necessary al 7 Boon | | dio Oy | | ‘drop te pressed | plug and rod anchor bolt metal angle ferew beams restraints threaded partition cast-in socket stab fib 2D minimum stv 1 ‘| tt Mat Crip pressed pressed metal metal angle restraints maximum diameter °/3 angle tixe ' between ribs partition screed ae 4 hollow pete Co . iO Oo i ae Sy: NB. fixings toggle or drop cast-in { shown are cavity rod bolt interchangea! gavity terchangeable between floor types partitions should be sited f under ribs where possible 587Precast Concrete Floors Precast Concrete Floors ~ these are available in several basic formats and provide an alternative form of floor construction to suspended timber floors and insitu reinforced concrete suspended floors. The main advantages of precast concrete floors are:~ Elimination of the need for formwork except for nominal propping which is required with some systems. 2. Curing time of concrete is eliminated therefore the floor is available for use as a working platform at an earlier stage. 3. Superior quality control of product is possible with factory produced components. The main disadvantages of precast concrete floors when compared with insitu reinforced concrete floors are 1. Less flexible in design terms. 2. Formation of large openings in the floor for ducts, shafts and stairwells usually have to be formed by casting an insitu reinforced concrete floor strip around the opening position 3. Higher degree of site accuracy is required to ensure that the precast concrete floor units can be accommodated without any alterations or making good Typical Basic Formats ~ grouted 600 joints 2 8 8 ° | welded fabric reimtorcement— Te ceiling finish with imposed looding of I-SkN/m? spons up to 4:400 max SOLID AERATED CONCRETE - usucl application root siobs grouted 400 to 1200 —+y 100te 250 — joints ores formed mith foamed plastic or inflatable formers HOLLOW BOX SECTIONS ~ spans up to 10-000 588Precast Concrete Floors Typical Basic Formats ~ g Se prestressed precast concrete or precost concrete Clay filler blocks or“ éeiling Inverted T beams! pots 9) PCC BEAM AND POT COMPOSITE FLOOR -max span 7500 | structural e5O floor | finish 3) concrete topping ct! prestressed pec pec or cloy tiller | planks with lattice | blocks or pots Feinforcement - ceiling finish BCC PLANK AND POT COMPOSITE FLOOR ~max ‘span !2000 grouted 400 to 1200 screed and ary cast precast concrete © ceiling finish cored units —- I ° PCC CORED UNITS — maximum span 10-000 &| grouted 300 to 400 screed and el 9| Brecost concrete | attoched ceiling | Channel units — it required —. — PCC CHANNEL UNITS - maximum span 6-750 589Precast Concrete Floors Bearing Considerations ~ 25mm minimum — e—pe 75mm oom FTE minimum FP in pee unit pce unit ~ support dry mortar or neoprene packing if support required support STEEL SUPPORT CONCRETE SUPPORT MASONRY SUPPORT NB. spalling to end of pce unit and/or edge of support will reduce effective bearing length Lateral Restraint and Structural Continuity Considerations ~ 25 to 0-25 0-6 to 0-25 Pe span spon] Uprojecting reinforcement Feintorcement pee placed in top in top of grouted floor of grouted joint or in top of | units joint orin structural topPng internat structural support support topping span #8" _ Opening Considerations ~ small opening formed large opening formed in a ee cost insitu concrete pane! or strip pce floor units cost insitu RC floor » and beams 590