Concrete Slab Design Wollongong
Admin • July 16, 2018
Davron engineering, based in Wollongong, Illawarra are experienced structural engineers
specialising in concrete slab design.
Davron’s Structural Engineering
services are ideal for planning and design of residential buildings
and structures.
David at Davron Engineering says, “A slab design
as part of a home or building is structural
and is actually the most important part of a building, as it is the one part of the building that bears the weight of everything”.
Davron engineering has over 21 years’ experience in concrete slab design
for homes
and buildings
and below put together some general information about concrete
and concrete slab designs.
What is concrete?
Concrete
is made up of three ingredients
- Cement
- Various aggregates such as sand, pebbles, gravel, stones and
- Water
Concrete
is strong and inexpensive as a direct result it is everywhere. Roads, sidewalks, houses, bridges, skyscrapers, pipes, dams, slabs, walls, beams, foundations and more. In fact, it is the most frequently used material in construction.
What is Reinforced concrete?
Concrete
has the ability to withstand heavy weight or forces on it and actually gains strength as it ages. Some very thick concrete structures, like dams, will continue to gain strength for months or years. However while concrete is strong in compression it has almost no tensile strength, the ability to withstand expansion, contraction or stretching. Sufficient tensile stresses cause the concrete to crack.
Concrete, however, can be strengthened with steel to make reinforced concrete. The steel reinforcement (Rebar)—rods, bars, or mesh—absorbs the tensile stresses.
In concrete slabs, the concrete
provides the slab
with compressive (squeezing) strength and the steel tensile (stretching) strength.
Concrete Slabs for homes and buildings
The thickness and rebar installation on structural concrete slabs
are carefully determined by a structural engineer.
Slabs
are classified into two main groups depending on whether they are supported on the ground or suspended in a building.
- Raft or Ground Slab: is usually used as the foundation for new houses and extensions, raft slabs in Australia are designed to comply with Australian standard AS2870. They are poured directly into excavated trenches in the ground. They rely entirely on the existing ground for support. The ground, known in the industry as the foundation, must be strong enough to support the concrete slab. Another term is a waffle slab which is like an egg box arrangement i.e. it is not one solid slab.
- Suspended Slabs: A suspended slab is raised off the ground and has an accessible sub-floor area. In a residential situation, the slab is supported by external sub-floor walls of brick or concrete block etc. The slab is also supported by free-standing brick or concrete piers.
A structural engineer will design a concrete slab according to the specifications for the individual project.
What is Reinforced concrete?
Concrete
has the ability to withstand heavy weight or forces on it and actually gains strength as it ages. Some very thick concrete structures, like dams, will continue to gain strength for months or years. However while concrete is strong in compression it has almost no tensile strength, the ability to withstand expansion, contraction or stretching. Sufficient tensile stresses cause the concrete to crack.
Concrete, however, can be strengthened with steel to make reinforced concrete. The steel reinforcement (Rebar)—rods, bars, or mesh—absorbs the tensile stresses.
In concrete slabs, the concrete
provides the slab
with compressive (squeezing) strength and the steel tensile (stretching) strength.
Structural consulting
Cracks in concrete can never be entirely eliminated. While not all cracks are structurally significant, a qualified engineer
should be consulted when there is any doubt.
Davron Engineering
provides a comprehensive range of structural engineering services
and consultancy
for all structural engineering
works including buildings, landscaping, retaining walls, swimming pools, slabs, structural and dilapidation reports.
For concrete slab design
or structural consultancy
in Wollongong, Illawarra, Sutherland, Southern Highlands
and Nowra
call and speak to a friendly adviser on 02 4271 4114.
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