CHRISTIAN O.
REMORERAS
MODULE 2-MAJOR PLATE
SLAB ON GRADE
floor system details A SLAB-ON-GRADE IS A TYPE OF SHALLOW
FOUNDATION IN WHICH A CONCRETE SLAB RESTS
floor system details
DIRECTLY ON THE GROUND BELOW IT. A SLAB-ON-
GRADE FOUNDATION USUALLY CONSISTS OF A
THIN LAYER OF CONCRETE ACROSS THE ENTIRE
AREA OF THE FOUNDATION WITH THICKENED
FOOTINGS AT THE EDGES OR BELOW LOAD
BEARING WALLS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BUILDING.
Floor Performance Criteria:
CONCRETE FLOORS IN WAREHOUSE FACILITIES ARE
COMPLEX AND HEAVILY RELIANT ON HEAVY LOADS,
RESULTING IN COMPLAINTS. FLOORS ARE CRITICAL
FOR BUILDING OPERATION AND VISIBILITY, AND ANY
ISSUES ARE EASILY VISIBLE. TO ADDRESS THIS,
ATTENTION MUST BE GIVEN TO FACTORS
INFLUENCING FLOOR PERFORMANCE, INCLUDING:
UNIFORMITY OF THE SUB-GRADE AND ADEQUACY
OF ITS BEARING CAPACITY.
MOISTURE CONTENT OF THE SUB-GRADE AND
SUB-BASE.
QUALITY OF THE CONCRETE (PARTICULARLY
SHRINKAGE POTENTIAL).
ADEQUACY OF THE STRUCTURAL CAPACITY
SURFACE LEVELNESS AND FLATNESS.
Moisture Control and
Vapor Retarders
GOOD QUALITY CONCRETE RESISTS LIQUID WATER
PENETRATION BUT ALLOWS WATER VAPOR TO PASS
THROUGH SLOWLY. MOISTURE CONTROL CONCERNS
ARISE FROM WATER VAPOR TRANSMISSION, WHICH
CAN CAUSE ISSUES WITH LOW-PERMEABILITY
COVERINGS, WATER-BASED ADHESIVES, AND
CURLING IN CONDITIONED SPACES. INSUFFICIENT
PROTECTION OF THE UNDERSIDE CAN ALSO CAUSE
MOISTURE TRANSMISSION.
CUPPING, BUCKLING, PEELING AND STAINING OF
FLOOR COVERINGS.
DETERIORATION OF FLOOR COVERING
ADHESIVES.
DEBONDING OF COATINGS.
ODORS AND AIR QUALITY PROBLEMS (MOLD AND
MILDEW).
SUSPENDED SLAB
SUSPENDED SLABS ARE SLABS THAT ARE NOT IN
DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE GROUND. THEY FORM
ROOFS OR FLOORS ABOVE GROUND LEVEL.
SUSPENDED SLABS ARE GROUPED INTO TWO TYPES:
ONE WAY SLABS WHICH ARE SUPPORTED ON TWO
SIDES. TWO WAY SLABS WHICH ARE SUPPORTED
ON ALL FOUR SIDES.
Floor Performance Criteria:
SUSPENDED SLABS ARE CONCRETE AND STEEL MESH
STRUCTURES USED IN MULTI-STOREY DWELLINGS AND
HILLY TERRAIN. THEY ARE PRE-FABRICATED OFFSITE
AND TRANSPORTED BY TRUCK. SOME SLABS HAVE
HOLLOW CHANNELS FOR WEIGHT REDUCTION AND
CABLING. STEEL REINFORCEMENT IS PLACED IN
DIFFERENT AREAS TO BALANCE TENSION. SUSPENDED
SLABS REQUIRE CRANE LIFTING AND ARE GROUTED
FOR WATERPROOFING. THEY CAN BE USED ON THE
GROUND LEVEL OR IN MULTI-STOREY DWELLINGS FOR
UPPER FLOORS. CONCRETE SUPPORT WALLS CAN BE
ERECTED TO BRING THE SLAB HEIGHT TO GROUND
LEVEL.
A SUSPENDED SLAB IS A CONCRETE SLAB SUSPENDED
ABOVE THE GROUND ON STEEL JOISTS OR BEAMS,
SUPPORTED BY COLUMNS OR WALLS, AND
REINFORCED WITH STEEL REBAR OR MESH FOR
STABILITY.
Advantages of Suspended Slab:
CAN BE USED WHERE OTHER SLABS CAN'T - FOR
EXAMPLE, ON STEEPLY SLOPING TERRAIN
ALLOWS ACCESS TO UNDER-FLOOR AREAS
RELATIVELY EASY TO INSTALL ONCE THE
SUPPORTS AND MACHINERY ARE IN PLACE
MORE EFFECTIVE THAN BEARER / JOIST SUB-
FLOORS IN BLOCKING OUT NOISE FROM UPPER
FLOORS
disadvantages of Suspended Slab:
REQUIRES CRANE ACCESS
NOT AS WELL INSULATED AS A GROUND SLAB, AS
THE BASE DOESN'T TOUCH THE GROUND