Flexural Capacities of Reinforced Concrete Two-Way Bubbledeck Slabs of Plastic Spherical Voids

Abstract

This paper presents the flexural capacities of R.C two way hollow slabs of plastic spherical voids, also known as BubbleDeck slab system. Recently, various types of slab systems which can reduce the self-weight of slabs have been studied as the height and width of building structures rapidly increase (1). A biaxial hollow slab system is widely known as one of the effective slab systems which can reduce the self-weight of slabs (1). A BubbleDeck slab has a two-dimensional arrangement of voids within the slabs to reduce self-weight (2). The behavior of BubbleDeck slabs is influenced by the ratio of bubble diameter to slab thickness. To verify the flexural behavior of this BubbleDeck slab such as ultimate load, deflection, concrete compressive strain and crack pattern, two-dimensional flexural tests were tested by using special loading frame. Six test of specimens were used. Two were a conventional RC slab and four were BubbleDeck slabs having void diameter to slab thickness ratios of (0.51, 0.64 and 0.80). Results have shown that the crack pattern and flexural behavior depend on the void diameter to slab thickness ratio. The ultimate load capacities for BubbleDeck slabs having bubble diameter to slab thickness of (0.٥1 and 0.64) were the same of solid slabs, while when bubble diameter to slab thickness of (0.80) the ultimate capacities were reduced by about (10%).