Flooring Systems

Chapter 9
Flooring systems
 Flooring systems are mainly plate structures that are rigid planar
structures, typically made of monolithic material, whose depths
are small with respect to their other dimensions.
 The flooring system of the structure is determined by the need to
provide effective resistance to both gravitational and lateral load
and to achieve a reasonable economy in the use of material.
 A multidirectional dispersal of applied loads characterizes how
loads are carried to supports in plate structures.
 Plates can be supported along their entire boundaries, only at
selected points (e.g., columns), or with some mixture of
continuous and point supports.
 The need to minimize costs normally favors the use of rectilinear
arrangements of supports which require simple patterns of
reinforcement and formwork. 2
Flooring systems of Steel structures
 Typical floor slab systems for steel
frameworks include:
a) In - situ reinforced concrete flat slab. (a)

b) Precast concrete floor units.

c) In situ concrete on profiled steel (b)
permanent formwork.
d) Composite precast and in situ
(c)
concrete.
 All of these systems are normally one-
(d)
way-spanning and require to be
supported on a parallel arrangement
of steel beams. However, system (a)
can be a two-way-spanning structure.
Flooring systems of Steel structures
 To increase efficiency and therefore reduce the size of the
beams, shear studs are usually welded to the floor beams which
allow composite action to be developed between the beams and
the floor slabs.
Concrete Flooring Systems
 Concrete slabs are plate structures that are reinforced to span
either one or both directions of a structural bay. They are
classified according to their method of spanning and the form in
which they are cast.
 The systems are categorized here into the four basic types of
• flat plate/ slab systems,
• beam-supported systems,
• one-way joist systems, and
• waffle slab systems
(see next slide).

5
Concrete Flooring systems

6
Flooring systems – Economic spans
Appropriate span ranges for basic types of flooring systems

7
Flat Plate System
 A flat plate floor system is a two-way concrete slab supported
directly on columns with reinforcement primarily in two
orthogonal directions. This system has the advantages of simple
construction and formwork, and it is typically economical for
span lengths between 4.5 m and 8 m when subjected to
moderate live loads. In this range, the slab thickness varies from
15 – 25 cm.

8
Flat Plate System
 The thickness of a flat plate will usually be controlled by
deflection requirements for relatively short spans and live loads
of 2.5 KN/m2 or less.
 Two-way or punching shear also plays
a key role in determining the thickness
of a flat plate, especially where the
spans are relatively long and/or the
live load is 5 KN/m2 or greater.
 Punching shear problem can be solved by Increasing slab
thickness; Increasing column sizes; using drop panels/ column
capital or providing shear reinforcement.
 Flat plate systems are not permitted to
be the primary seismic-force-resisting
system in areas of high seismicity.
9
Flat Slab System
 A flat slab floor system is similar
to a flat plate floor system, with
the exception that the slab is
thickened around the columns.
These thickened portions of the
slab are called drop panels.
 With relatively simple
construction and formwork, this
system is typically economical for
spans between 6 m and 9 m.
 Compared with the flat plate, the
system needs more formwork for
capital and panels
 As for the Flat plate, the system is not permitted to be the
primary seismic-force-resisting system in areas of high seismicity.
10
Waffle slab System
 Waffle slabs are two-way systems,
suitable for medium spans where flat
slabs or plates would be too deep
and too heavy.
 They are reinforced by ribs in two
directions covered by a thin plate,
therefore, reducing the dead weight
of the slab by eliminating the
ineffective concrete between the
ribs.
 Waffle slabs are able to carry heavier loads and span longer
distances than flat slabs. Ribbed construction produces a
relatively light concrete system for spans of 8 m to 13 m. Longer
spans, up to 20 m, are possible.
11
Waffle slab System
 Waffle slabs are formed by placing
reusable prefabricated pans of plastic
or steel over a grid of wood boards.
The forms are available in 19" and 30"
(485 and 760 mm) widths and from 8"
to 20" (205 to 510 mm) depths in 2"
(51 mm) increments.
 Rib widths 5” to 8” (13 to 20 cm) and
mat depth 2.5” to 4.5” (6 to 11 cm).
 Waffle slabs need either solid panels
on top of columns to resist shear
stress or require intermediate beams.
 Since negative bending reverses the
stress, waffle slabs are not efficient as
cantilevers with negative bending. 12
Beam-Supported Slab System
 The slab system supported on beams on all sides was the original
slab system in reinforced concrete. Usually reinforced in two
directions and cast integrally with supporting beams and columns
on all four sides.
 Where the ratio of the long side to the short side of a panel is two
or more, the panel acts as a one-way slab. Where the ratio of the
sides is less than two, the panel acts as a two-way slab.
 A principal advantage of concrete slab-and-beam systems over
flat slabs and plates is the rigid frame action that is made possible
by the column-beam interaction for resisting lateral loads.
 The principal disadvantages are the increased cost of formwork
and greater construction depth, particularly when mechanical
ductwork must run below the beam structure.
13
Beam-Supported Slab System
One way slabs
 They are suitable for light to moderate load conditions over
relatively short spans of 2 to 5.5 m.
 While one-way slabs can be supported by concrete or masonry-
bearing walls, they are more typically cast integrally with parallel
supporting beams, which in turn are supported by girders or
bearing walls. These beams allow for greater baysizes and
flexibility of layout.
Positive Minor Negative
Moment Bending Moment

14
 Beam-Supported Slab System
One-way slabs Reinforcement

Long direction
Short direction steel
steel
Main Steel

Typical reinforcement of a Continuous one-

way slab
15
Beam-Supported - Two-way slabs
 The most suitable system for the construction of moment-
resisting concrete frame structures.
 Rule of thumb for estimating beam depth: span/16, including the
slab depth; slab depth: slab perimeter/180.
 Two-way slabs are most efficient when spanning square or nearly
square bays, and suitable for carrying intermediate to heavy
loads over 4.5 to 9 m spans.

16
Ribbed slabs System
The ribbed slab is constructed with normal-weight concrete blocks
or lightweight blocks (Ytong ) to introduce voids in the slab in order
to reduce its weight. The slab is the most used system locally,
especially in residential building construction. Economic for short
spans 3-6 m.
 Available block size
• normal weight
concrete blocks
170, 200, 240, 300,
and 320 mm thick.
• Ytong blocks: can
be fabricated as
required

17
Ribbed slabs System
 Rib dimensions:
bw ≥ 100mm; h ≤ 3.5 bw ; S ≤ 750 mm; hf ≥ 50 mm and ≥ S/12

 Ribs are modeled as

continuous beams in knife
supports.

18
Voided slabs System
 Voided slab incorporates an array of rigid void formers that
contain air. The arrangement creates an array of hollow boxes in
the slab that support the flat surface.
 The concept centers on
removing concrete mass from
the areas of the slab where it is
not structurally efficient; thus
reducing the dead load by as
much as 35%.
 The system provides support in
both directions and is
economically viable for medium
to long spans and for moderate
live loads (7-12 m).
19
Void slabs System
 Advantages
• Larger spans without beams
• Larger open floor areas
• Lower floor-to-floor heights
• Improved Earthquake
Performance
• Resource efficiency

Cross-section
of voided slab

20
Post-tensioned Slab System
 Post tension slab is a combination of conventional slab
reinforcement and additional protruding high-strength steel
tendons, which are consequently subjected to tension after the
concrete has been set. This hybridization helps achieve the
formation of a much thinner slab with a longer span devoid of
any column-free spaces.
 Require experience, special equipment, strict supervision, and
skilled labor and can not be modified after casting. Additionally,
the prestressing tendons are costly compared with normal
reinforcement steel.

21
Post-tensioned Slab System

22
Other Flooring systems
Several other types of structures have a general structural behavior
that is analogous to that of a plate, such as:
• Space frames
• Folded plates

23
Space Frames
 Space-frame structures are typically made of rigid linear
members normally arranged in repeating geometric or modular
units to form a thin, horizontally spanning structure.
 The structure can take the form of intersecting sets of single-
plane elements such as triangulated trusses or of a fully three-
dimensional triangulated space framework. They can utilize a
standard module to generate flat grids, barrel vaults, domes, and
free-form shapes.
fully triangulated

Intersecting trusses 24
Space Frames – Basic Arrangements

The basic arrangement

of space frames and
the approximate
spanning range

25
Space Frames – Joints
Designing nodal connections to
accommodate the complexities of
how members meet at a point is
problematic, and several interesting
approaches have been developed.

26
Space Frames - Forces in Members
 Space frames are suitable for use with uniformly distributed
loads and do not handle large, concentrated loads well.
 Members’ forces generally depend on the loading magnitudes,
spans, depth of the structure, and the size of the modules.
Member forces in shallow structures with coarse grids are
normally higher than those in deeper structures with finer-
grained grids.
 When modular units are fully triangulated, these structures are
better characterized as space trusses rather than space frames,
although the latter name is commonly used. Members in
triangulated units normally experience only axial tension or
compression forces and are thus often made with symmetric
cross-sections (e.g., pipes). Fully triangulated frames allow a
more efficient use to be made of material than in the case of the
intersecting plane-frame. 27
Space Frames - Forces in Members

Relative forces,
moments, and
deflections in fully
triangulated
versus framed
structures.
Member sizes and
loadings are
comparable.
Values are
calculated using a
computer-based
structural analysis
program.
28
Space Frames - Forces in Members
 Forces vary throughout a structure in a way that is dependent on
the support conditions present.
 Space frames may be supported in a variety of ways—along their
edges, at corners, or with inset supports that allow the structure
to cantilever outward.

29
Space Frames - Forces in Members
 When few point supports are used,
member forces in the immediate vicinity
of the point support are quite high.

(c) Rigid arms may be

used to distribute
30
reactive forces.
Typical Space-Frame Structures

31
Folded plate structures
 The stiffness of a plate structure can be dramatically increased
by radically deforming the whole plate surface in such a way
that structural depths are greatly increased.
 Folded plate is a plate with a unique cross-section that can be
envisioned as a series of thin, deep elements joined together
along their boundaries. A characteristic of folded-plate
structures is that individual plate elements are long with
respect to their width.
Folded plate structures
 Benefits: There are several benefits of folded plate construction
• They are simpler to manufacture than other shells with
relatively simple formwork. However, they require more
materials than curved shells since there is normally more
bending involved.
• Folded plate structures have an intrinsic rigidity and high load-
carrying capacity which makes them economical over long
spans.
Behavior of a folded plate under loading
The way typical surface loads are carried to supports in folded-
plate structures is best envisioned by considering two types of
beam action: transverse and longitudinal.

Transverse action of
folded-plate

Longitudinal action of folded-plate

A typical unrestrained transverse section of a
folded plate naturally tends to splay inward.
The unbraced edges sag downward. Using
stiffening diaphragms controls this
deformation.
Behavior of a folded plate under loading
 For preliminary design purposes, the structure can thus be
treated as a series of beams of unique cross section in the long
direction and as one-way slabs in the transverse direction.
Design Requirements
 It is crucial that the angle formed between plates be
maintained constant. A transverse splaying can occur that will
reduce the load-carrying capacity of the structure substantially.
The phenomenon also can occur in the end plates of a
continuous series of plates.

 To prevent this transverse

splaying, stiffener plates are
often used at the ends of folded-
plate structures and at interim
locations in long-span structures.
These stiffeners not only prevent
splaying but also provide
additional lateral braces for
individual plates.
Design Requirements
 End plates often deflect more than
interior plates. Thus, they are frequently
stiffened by the addition of boundary
beams or other special end plates.
 To increase the efficiency of a folded
plate structure, as much material as
possible should be placed away from the
neutral axis similarly to what was done in
beam design.

Section A is less efficient than

Section B
Section A Section B
Folded structures
 Forms of folded structures