FRESNAYE | THE LIGHTEST SLAB
3 reasons why opting for a lighter slab matters
Structurally, a suspended floor slab has to be designed to support its self-weight as well as the load it carries. Naturally, this has weight implications on the structure and a lighter concrete slab plays a key role for following three main reasons.
- Lighter slabs generally require less reinforcement to satisfy ultimate limit state (ULS) requirements than other slab systems, because of their reduced self-weight load
- A lighter concrete slab will also deflect less than a solid in-situ slab, which is always advisable in terms of serviceability limit state (SLS) requirements
- From a seismic design (earthquake resistance) point of view, the lateral force experienced by a building during an earthquake is a portion (e.g. 10%) of the total self-weight of the structure acting vertically down. Therefore, a lighter slab with less concrete and reinforcement helps to reduce the vertical load, and hence the lateral seismic load that the building needs to resist.
Reinforced ribs with polystyrene blocks. Picture by David Harris
The lightest slab in Fresnaye
While the Cobute slab is one of the lightest in the market with its 97kg/sqm dead-load, our technical team worked with Hulme & Associates to deliver the lightest suspended floors in Fresnaye, on one of their residential projects with weight constraints.
The Engineers specified the reinforced concrete ribs to be installed on steel beams. To lower the system dead-load, in-fill elements (polystyrene blocks) replaced the traditional concrete panels, with the slab reaching the weight of only 37kg/sqm. Such system eased the installation of services too - the project will be completed with a false ceiling
Both the clients and the engineers were incredibly pleased with the design and supply timings as well as the final structural results.
Request here our loading charts, should you be interested in designing the Cobute decking system for your next project. Get in touch to discuss how we could add value to your structure.
