Waffle Floor Construction

Purpose of waffle slab.

Waffle floor construction.

Of pan joists called the waffle slab uses prefabricated hollow sheet metal domes to create a grid pattern of voids in a solid floor slab saving material without reducing the slab s strength. It uses 30 less concrete and 20 less steel than a raft slab. Relatively lightweight hence economical. They provide a very good form of construction where slab vibration is an issue such as laboratories and hospitals.

A waffle slab or two way joist slab is a concrete slab made of reinforced concrete with concrete ribs running in two directions on its underside. The overall depth of the floor typically varies from 300 to 600 mm with overall spans of up to 15 m if reinforced longer if post tensioned. The monolithic poured concrete will form a flat top surface while the rectangular grids form deep concrete beams on the underside with the beams resembling waffle. The name waffle comes from the grid pattern created by the reinforcing ribs.

Ribbed and waffle slabs. The construction process involves a building system of concrete slabs that are shored up by columns. Rib spacing of 600 to 1500 mm can be used. Waffle slabs provide stiffer and lighter slabs than an equivalent flat slab.

Waffle slabs are preferred for spans greater than 40 feet 12 m as they are much stronger than flat slabs flat slabs with drop panels two way slabs one way slabs and. They provide low floor deflections. The speed of construction for such slab is faster compared to conventional slab. The prefabricated waffle slab usually costs higher than the other two options.

The simplest and most economical floor system is the flat plate where a plain floor slab about 20 centimetres. Manufactured from filcor with an external polypropylene skin each waffle mould is made to suit the individual requirements of the project and can. Ribbed and waffle slabs provide a lighter and stiffer slab than an equivalent flat slab reducing the extent of foundations. Waffle slabs are the preferred method of construction for many project builders and prestige home builders alike.

Waffle moulds are a reusable formwork system for constructing two way spanning ribbed concrete floors which can achieve greater spans and use less concrete when compared to traditional flat slabs. Thicker floor slab must be used a fully precast slab might be too heavy for the machine to hoist under consideration of the loading limitation of the machine thus the construction of a semi precast waffle slab is adopted. This is due to the simplicity of the construction and the potential to save money in concrete volume. Other articles where waffle slab is discussed.