See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/353326643

strengthening of reinforced concrete hollow core slabs

Article · July 2021

DOI: 10.4001/182

CITATIONS READS
0 446

3 authors, including:

Ahmed Sharaf Ahmed Elmihi

Menoufia University Menoufia University
2 PUBLICATIONS 0 CITATIONS 3 PUBLICATIONS 0 CITATIONS

SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE

All content following this page was uploaded by Ahmed Sharaf on 18 July 2021.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

Research Paper on Concrete Structures, 2021 1

strengthening of reinforced concrete hollow core slabs

A.Rafat* , A.Sharaf** , A.Elmihi***
*
Civil Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering of Shebin Elkom
**
Civil Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering of Shebin Elkom
***
Civil Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering of Shebin Elkom

Abstract: Hollow core slabs are highly
developed structural elements and are used all
over the world due to their many advantages
and diverse application.
Despite this, it has disadvantages that must be
taken care of and taken in precautions so that
this does not lead to serious damage.
Strengthening of reinforced concrete structural
elements using advanced composite materials
has become a very important issue.
Because of its significant role in the
construction and development process.
**This research is a summary of previous
researchers work done in this area.
INTRODUCTION
Hollow core slabs are prestressed concrete
elements that have a constant cross section.
They are manufactured using high tensile
strength prestressed strands or single wire
which are embedded within the element.
The production of these elements is achieved
using our Extruder and Slip former machines
that cast in one phase along a production bed
without the need of any formworks.
In addition to they are one of the most well
known prefabricated elements because of their
technical and economic characteristics.
Hollow core slabs are widely used for flooring
and wall panels in industrial commercial,
residential , infrastructure construction.
hollow core slabs can be used with different
supporting structures concrete constructed
walls, brick built walls, steel structures, on-
site concrete cast structures.
For infrastructure: hollow core slabs are
used extensively to protect roads from natural
dangers. They are used to construct anti-
landslide and avalanche guards as well as the
road decking itself, all elements requiring high
loading specifications Moreover hollow core
slabs possess certifiable fire resistances and
offer an economic solution to construct fire
stop walls for warehouses, industrial buildings
and car park.
The content of the search
what is the definition of hollow core slab?
A hollow core slab, also known as a voided
slab, hollow core plank or simply a concrete
plank is a precast slab of prestressed concrete
typically used in the construction of floors in
multi-story apartment buildings. The slab has
been especially popular in countries where the
emphasis of home construction has been on
precast concrete, including Northern Europe
and former socialist countries of Eastern
Europe. Precast concrete popularity is linked
with low-seismic zones and more economical
constructions because of fast building
assembly, lower self weight (less material),

Menoufia University- Reinforced Concrete Research Group

Research Paper on Concrete Structures, 2021
etc. Precast hollow-core elements is also
known as the most sustainable floor/roof
system.
what is the importance of voids in hollow
core slab
hollow core slab has longitudinal voids
extending the full slab length which makes the
slab lighter than a considerable solid slab of
equal depth or strength The lower weight is
very important issue because it reduced the
costs of transportation and construction costs.
What are The most common thicknesses
with corresponding spans?
Hollow core slab thickness 150 mm
(Maximum span 7.0 m)
Hollow core slab thickness 200 mm
(Maximum span 11.0 m)
Hollow core slab thickness 265 mm
(Maximum span 13.5 m)
Hollow core slab thickness 320 mm
(Maximum span 16.0 m)
Hollow core slab thickness 370 mm
(Maximum span 14.0 m)
Hollow core slab thickness 400 mm
(Maximum span 18.5 m)
Hollow core slab thickness 500 mm
(Maximum span 20.0 m)
 370-mm hollow core slabs have been
specially developed for residential
buildings to fulfill sound insulation
requirements without additional topping
concrete.
 Methods of Manufacturing hollow core
slab: [18]
 Two basic manufacturing methods are
currently in use for the production of
hollow core slabs.
Menoufia University- Reinforced Concrete Research Group
2
 One is a dry cast or extrusion system where
a very low slump concrete is forced
through the machine. The cores are formed
with augers or tubes with the concrete
being compacted around the cores.
 The second system uses a higher slump
concrete. Sides are formed either with
stationary, fixed forms or with forms
attached to the machine with the sides
being slip formed. The cores in the normal
slump, or wet cast, systems are formed
with either lightweight aggregate fed
through tubes attached to the casting
machine, pneumatic tubes anchored in a
fixed form or long tubes attached to the
casting machine which slip form the cores.
 For the low slump concretes, water content
is limited to slightly more than that
required for cement hydration.
 Water-cement ratios are typically about
0.3. Mixing is critical because the limited
water available must be well dispersed in
the mix. Water reducing admixtures can be
used to optimize a mix by reducing cement
and water requirements while still retaining
adequate workability for proper
compaction of the concrete by the machine.
 Air entrainment admixtures are not
effective in the dry mix concrete. With the
low water-cement ratios and compaction
placing method, air is difficult to disperse
well and maintain.
 Advantages of Hollow Core Slabs
Research Paper on Concrete Structures, 2021
 Speed of Erection
Hollow core slabs can be installed quickly and
safely on-site in variable weather conditions,
unlike in-situ concrete.
They reduce the number of workers needed
on-site and provide an immediate un propped
working platform.
These benefits allow much faster completion
of flooring and quicker erection of buildings,
increasing profits for the contractor.
 Lower Material Usage
Hollow core slabs are prestressed.
Pretensioned concrete allows for shallower
elements, reducing the amount of steel and
concrete needed.
As they can achieve long spans unsupported,
this can also reduce the need for other
supporting frame elements, such as columns
and beams.
Cores that run longitudinally through hollow
core slabs mean that up to around 50% of the
floor is void.
 Structural Efficiency
Hollow core offers a versatile solution in steel,
masonry and concrete structures.
High span/depth ratios when compared to
other flooring methods make them suitable for
a wide range of applications, from housing, to
commercial and industrial buildings, car parks
and sports stadia.
Wide, column-free interiors give more
flexibility in building design and usage
Menoufia University- Reinforced Concrete Research Group
3
 Sustainable
Hollow core is an extremely durable
construction product, offering an exceptional
lifespan through resistance to corrosion and
cracking.
As it is produced in a controlled factory
environment, it also enables the reduction of
waste, noise and emissions during the entire
construction process
 Quality
Prestressed hollow core requires the use of
high quality raw materials, such as high
strength concrete, and low relaxation steel
wire/strand.
Strict quality assurance procedures and
controls can be applied throughout the
production process, ensuring that the product
meets the required national and international
standards.
 Lightweight
Depending on the profile of the slab, hollow
core can be up to 50% or more in terms of
void/solid ratio.
This means that corresponding supports and
elements within the structure can also be
lighter in weight.
 Diaphragm Action
In certain conditions, such as seismic activity
or high winds, lateral forces are transmitted
through the floor of a building.
Research Paper on Concrete Structures, 2021
Hollow core slabs can be used to provide a
rigid single unit, and therefore a diaphragm
action under such conditions.
 Sound Insulation
When compared to solid units, prestressed
hollow core can provide superior sound
insulation, an important consideration when
used in residential buildings.
 Services
The cores/voids found in hollow core slabs
provide natural ducts for services such as
electrical cables and plumbing
 Thermal Efficiency
Hollow core slabs offer excellent thermal
characteristics, helping to reduce energy
consumption used in the heating and cooling
of structures.
disadvantage of hollow core slab system
are:
● Relative flexibility in the walls and not
entirely because of the block.
● Weak in moisture resistance.
● It cannot bear high live loads such as
flats.
● Difficulty in maintenance and repair.
● Cracks occur when the hollow slabs
come into contact with the thinner slab.
What is the benefit of the saccharide layer
that is placed over the Hollow core slab and
what are its specifications?
The screed layer is a reinforced concrete layer
with a thickness of 5 to 7 cm. It is poured over
the Hollow core slab after their installation.
The aim is to make the structure deal as a
single unit, as there are beams of beams that
are overlapped with the screed iron.
Menoufia University- Reinforced Concrete Research Group
4
It also fills all the spaces between the Hollow
core tiles and the surface becomes finishabl.
The Influence of Cross Section Shape on
Strengthening of Hollow Core Slabs
Increasing pressure in separate areas when
reconstructing and improving industrial
buildings, may necessarily mean strengthening
structural surfaces of buildings. In
experimental and analytical assessment
hollow cores slabs are represented as T-beams
and I-beams. The width of the beam edge
decreases according to the dimensions of the
voids inside the slab. In this paper the authors
test bearing strength and deformability of
hollow core slabs in different conditions of
strengthening. Furthermore, the scholars
perform their calculations in a non-linear
system, with a progressive loading, until the
samples are destroyed, with a plastic hinge
formed in the area extended in a slab cross
section. Simulation and figure analyses were
designed in ANSYS program. The
researchers’ resulting of the stress-strain state
of hollow core slabs is observed
experimentally at various stages of loading.
The researchers compared calculations of
slabs with the full-scale cross section shape
and calculations of the same I-beam slabs.
Though, the investigators dwell on the impact
of the cross-section on the results of the
maximum slab deflections.
The paper is also dedicated to a variety of
strengthening modes and it explains that the
cracking point for full-scale slabs comes after.
Research Paper on Concrete Structures, 2021
What is the approximate percentage of
lowering the costs when using precast
hollow core slab method instead of
monolithic RC slab?
Save costs by saving concrete The truth is that
you can make the biggest savings in money
with savings in concrete as concrete is by far
the most expensive part in hollow core slab
production.
Roughly speaking, concrete / strands account
for about 55% of the slab price and wear parts
for only 3%. Hence, it is really a no-brainer to
see how to make savings if you want to save
on production costs.
Here are a few examples of what kind of
numbers we are talking about
It hasn’t been long since I visited a factory
using copy screws and sleeves. Their six-hole
and 200 mm slab cores were 15 mm smaller
than the cross section in the drawings.
Furthermore, they were happy with the slab.
Together, we calculated that they used about 2
cu. m. more concrete on each cast bed
Menoufia University- Reinforced Concrete Research Group
5
compared to a cross section matching with the
drawings. This was a shock to them. When
casting four beds a day, they wasted 8 cubic
meters of concrete – money – every day. This
means 48 cubic meters a week, 192 cubic
meters a month, and almost 2,500 cubic
meters every year. I think this clearly
highlights the importance of suitable and
properly fitting spares and wears.
Also at the same factory, the extruder settings
weren’t the most efficient. Their 200 mm slab
height was 206 mm. When we went through
this together, we could see that the 6mm
oversized slab meant an extra cubic meter pf
concrete consumption per bed
So, the factory used almost 3 cubic meters
more concrete per bed than needed. It meant
that it was actually expensive to save in spare
and wear part purchases.
Behavior of Prestressed Hollow-Core
Slabs Strengthened in Flexure with
Near-Surface Mounted Carbon Fiber-
Reinforced Polymer Reinforcement
[14]
Flexural strengthening of reinforced concrete
using near-surface mounted (NSM) fiber-
reinforced polymer (FRP) composites is a
widely studied topic, and a promising
technology. However, overlooked applications
such as prestressed concrete and one-way
slabs require further experimental
investigation and theoretical refinement in
order to develop comprehensive design
guidelines. This paper investigates the
behavior of prestressed hollow-core slabs
strengthened in flexure with NSM carbon FRP
strip reinforcement. Seven full-scale simply
supported slab specimens were tested to
failure under two-point monotonic load
configuration.
Research Paper on Concrete Structures, 2021 6

Experimental variables included two different through the concrete. These longitudinal
internal prestressing reinforcement ratios, and cracks, extending with a vertical crack, trigger
three different NSM strengthening local debonding between the CFRP strips and
reinforcement ratios. This paper examines the concrete during the explosion. Maximum
cracking behavior and modes of failure, load- deflections and crack distribution predicted by
strain relationships, deflections, and the numerical analysis are in a good
strengthened capacities. Also, a comparison agreement with the experimental results.
between experimental results and theoretical
predictions by relevant Canadian and
American Standards or guidelines is present.
Blast response of retrofitted
reinforced concrete hollow core slabs
under a close distance explosion:
This article discusses the blast response of
reinforced concrete hollow core slabs
(RCHCS) with a topping layer subjected to a
close distance explosion and investigates the
efficiency of carbon fiber reinforced polymer
(CFRP) as externally bonded reinforcement
(EBR) in order to improve the blast resistance
of the slabs. Three simply supported RCHCS
with a topping layer are subjected to an
explosion of 1.5 kg of C4 suspended at mid-
span, underneath the slabs at a standoff
distance of 0.5 m. One of the slabs is used as a
reference specimen and the two remaining Conclusion
ones are retrofitted with different amounts of There have been many developments in
CFRP. A numerical analysis is also carried out concrete technologies that have had a major
using the finite element (FE) software LS- impact on structural systems.
DYNA to complement the experimental Hollow core slab contributed to this Great
results of the blast campaign. The results development.
indicate that bonding CFRP strips on the millimetres are so important in hollow core
surface opposite to the explosion is an slab production – is cost savings. Also, when
effective way to reduce the mid-span you use original spare parts, it is easy to make
deflections and to limit the damage levels in the best settings for your extruder.
the slabs. A reduction of 16% and 30% in the Feasibility to use HC one-way slab as a
maximum deflection is recorded for the roofing member for buildings. It was proved
RCHCS retrofitted with 2 strips and 4 strips, also that these slabs efficient after
respectively. Longitudinal cracks between the rehabilitation using carbon fiber
voids are observed on the lateral sides of the (CFRP) srips.
slabs due to the propagation of the blast wave The NSM-CFRP strengthening method
majorly supports the bending and shear load

Menoufia University- Reinforced Concrete Research Group

Research Paper on Concrete Structures, 2021
capacity of prestressed HCS. The increase in
failure flexural capacity was minimized in
slabs that failed by shear before reaching their
full bending capacity.
Unlike nonprestressed concrete, the addition
of NSM laminates maximized both the energy
and absorption of the HCS.
REFERENCES
(1) Nabil, Ahmed & Othman, Islam &
Meleka, N.N. & Heiza, Khaled. (2021).
Behavior of Reinforced Concrete Beams
Strengthened by GFRP Composites
Subjected to Combined Bending and
Torsion -Experimental study. 44. 295-302.
10.21608/ERJM.2021.78234.1098
(2) Nabil hmed Mele a N N
Fahmy hmad State-Of-The- rt
Review On Strengthening Of Reinforced
Concrete Slabs ith Openings . Journal of
Al-Azhar University Engineering Sector.
42. 127-141
(3) Heiza, Khaled & Nabil, Ahmed.
(2018). Ain Shams University Faculty Of
Engineering Structural Engineering
Department Fifteenth International
Conference On Structural And
Geotechnical Engineering Advances In
Construction Techniques PPHC Slabs
Strengthened With Different Types Of
Concrete Toppings
(4) Nabil, Ahmed & Meleka, N.
(2017). Effects of Different Types of
Concrete Toppings on the Behavior of
PPHC Slabs. Journal of Engineering
Research. 40. 333-339.
.10.21608/erjm.2017.66359
(5) Nabil, Ahmed & Heiza, Khaled &
Meleka, N.N. & Tayel, Magdy. (2014).
Strengthening of Axially Loaded Circular
Concrete Columns Using Externally
Menoufia University- Reinforced Concrete Research Group
7
Bonded GFRP Lateral Confinement and
Near Surface Mounting Technique
(6) Nabil, Ahmed & Heiza, Khalid &
Meleka, Nageh & Tayel, Magdy. (2014).
Structural Performance of Concrete
Columns Strengthened with Externally
Bonded GFRP and Near Surface Mounted
.Steel
(7) Heiza, Khaled & Nabil, Ahmed &
Meleka, Nageh & Tayel, Magdy. (2014).
State-of-the Art Review: Strengthening of
Reinforced Concrete Structures – Different
Strengthening Techniques
In the last decades many researchers
studied the behavior of concrete structures
strengthened with different strengthening
techniques [7].
research works include works on reinforced
concrete slabs weather conventional
concrete slab or precast prestressed slab
units [2], [3], [4].
Other researches were focusing on the
behavior of reinforced concrete beams
strengthened with innovative techniques
like FRP systems [1].
Also, extensive work was done on
investigating the behavior of concrete
columns strengthened with FRP systems
and near surface mounted techniques [5],
[6]. This research work provides quick
overview on the previous work in the field
of strengthening of reinforced concrete
hollow core slabs.
(8) Anderson, Arthur R., and Anderson,
Richard G “ n ssurance Criterion for
Flexural Bond in Pretensioned Hollow Core
Units” CI Journal ugust 1976.
(9) Discussion and Closure “Development
of Prestressing Strand in Pretensioned
Members” CI Journal March 1977.
Research Paper on Concrete Structures, 2021 8

(10) Discussion and Closure “Development
Length of Prestressing Strands” PCI
JOURNAL, July-August, 1978.
(11) PCI Fire Committee “Design for Fire
Resistance of Precast Prestressed Concreter
Second Edition” Precast/Prestressed
Concrete Institute, Chicago, IL, 1989.
Study on the Flexural Behavior of Hollow
Core Concrete Slabs. Applied Mechanics
and Materials. 857: 107-112.
(18) Stephen C. Hollow core manufacture
and factory design the Indian concrete
journal 2013 pp 20-25

(12) Martin, Leslie D. and Scott, Norman

L “Development of Prestressing Strand in
Pretensioned Members” CI Journal
August 1976.
(13)PCI Design Handbook - Precast and
Pre stressed Concrete, Fifth Edition,
Prestressed /Precast 1997.
(14) Foubert S., Mahmoud K. and El-
Salakawy E. 2016. Behavior of Prestressed
Hollow-Core Slabs Strengthened in Flexure
with Near-Surface Mounted Carbon Fiber-
Reinforced Polymer Reinforcement ASCE,
Journal of Composites for Construction.
(15) Mahdi A.S. 2011. Nonlinear Finite
Element Analysis of Reinforced Concrete
Hollow-core Slabs. MSc. Thesis, Al-
Nahrain University/Civil Engineering
Department.
(16) Prof. Batyr Yazyev, Stepan V.
Litvinov, Anton S. Chepurnenko, Anastasia
Lapina and Akay Oksana pages:24-29.
(17) PrakashanL.V., George, J., Edayadiyil,
J. B., George, J. M. 2017. Experimental

Menoufia University- Reinforced Concrete Research Group

View publication stats