Flat PlateVoided Concrete Slab Systems: Design,

Serviceability, Fire Resistance, and Construction

David A. Fanella, F.ASCE1; Mustafa Mahamid, F.ASCE2; and Michael Mota, F.ASCE3
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Abstract: Flat platevoided concrete slab systems, which have been used for many years in Europe and other parts of the world, are becom-
ing increasingly popular in the United States because of their many inherent benets. Such benets include reduced weight, which results in
smaller seismic forces and larger superimposed loads for given span lengths; economical longer spans; reduced oor-to-oor heights; acceler-
ated construction schedules; and inherent re resistance that meets the re-rating requirements of the International Building Code (IBC). This
paper presents (1) the history and recent research on at platevoided concrete slab systems, (2) exural and shear strength design require-
ments, (3) deection requirements, (4) vibration criteria for human comfort and sensitive equipment, (5) re-rating requirements in accordance
with the IBC, (6) typical installation sequences, and (7) a summary of the main benets of at platevoided concrete slab systems. The paper
shows that such systems can be designed using the provisions of the American Concrete Institute (ACI) for strength and serviceability and can
satisfy the minimum requirements for vibration control and re resistance. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)SC.1943-5576.0000322. 2017 American
Society of Civil Engineers.
Author keywords: Concrete; Fire resistance; Flat platevoided concrete slabs; Reinforced concrete; Reinforced concrete oor systems;
Reinforced concrete slabs; Two-way slabs; Vibration; Voided slabs.

Introduction and Background
Various types of voided concrete slabs have been used throughout
the years, including one-way Sonotube systems and two-way joist
(wafe slab) systems that are constructed using dome forms.
Various studies have been performed on voided systems, and a brief
summary of some of these studies follows.
Pama et al. (1975) conducted a theoretical and experimental
study to investigate the elastic rigidities of slabs with circular voids
oriented in the longitudinal direction. This study showed good
agreement between experimental studies and analytical results
based on mechanics theory of orthotropic plates for slab deections,
stress resultants, and exural rigidities.
Valivonis et al. (2015) performed a study to investigate stresses
on void liners (formers) caused by installation processes and dis-
cussed design of the void liners for construction loads. This investi-
gation reported the strains and stresses at the stage of installation
and highlighted the construction sequence of the liner, reinforce-
ment, and concrete.
Lai (2010) analyzed and investigated BubbleDeck slab systems
for pedestrian bridge deck applications. Several bridge decks were
modeled in SAP2000 and compared with solid slab systems. Lai
1 U-boot.
Senior Director of Engineering, Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute
(CRSI), 933 N. Plum Grove Rd., Schaumburg, IL 60173. E-mail:
dfanella@crsi.org
2
Clinical Associate Professor, Dept. of Civil and Material Engineering,
Univ. of Illinois at Chicago, 842 W. Taylor St., Chicago, IL 60607 (corre-
sponding author). E-mail: mmahamid@uic.edu
3
Vice President of Engineering, Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute
(CRSI), 933 N. Plum Grove Rd., Schaumburg, IL 60173. E-mail:
mmota@crsi.org
Note. This manuscript was submitted on July 25, 2016; approved on
January 13, 2017; published online on March 28, 2017. Discussion period
open until August 28, 2017; separate discussions must be submitted for
individual papers. This paper is part of the Practice Periodical on
Structural Design and Construction, ASCE, ISSN 1084-0680.
concluded that a noncontinuous simply-supported bay layout was
not optimal because of the one-way action of the bridge decks. Lai
noted that the BubbleDeck system was applicable for this applica-
tion but further studies on a variety of bridge layouts were required
to determine fully the feasibility of this system in bridges.
Teja et al. (2012) performed nite-element analysis of BubbleDeck
slab systems using SAP2000 and compared the voided-slab sys-
tem with solid slabs. This study showed that bending stresses,
deections, and shear resistance are slightly different than those
for solid-slab systems, in the range of 57%, with a slab-weight
reduction of 35%.
Shetkar and Hanche (2015) performed a study on the properties
and advantages of BubbleDeck slab systems. The study showed
that the BubbleDeck system had improved exural and shear
capacities and deection compared to solid slabs while requiring
only approximately 70% of the amount of concrete and reinforce-
ment used in solid slabs. The advantages of the systems included
savings on materials, longer spans and/or heavier loads, fast con-
struction, and an environmentally green and sustainable system.
Churakov (2014) presented different types of hollow-core slab
technologies that have been developed during the past 15 years. The
article presented the strength, stiffness, and construction advantages
of hollow-slab systems such as AirDeck, BubbleDeck, Cobiax, and
Additional history of voided-slab systems can be found in the
design guide from the Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute (CRSI
2014a). This paper focuses on the contemporary systems pioneered
by BubbleDeck and Cobiax, which utilize hollow, plastic balls
made of high-density, recycled polyethylene (HDPE) that are
spaced regularly within the overall thickness of the concrete slab.
These are commonly referred to as void formers (Fig. 1).
Void formers are usually spherical or ellipsoidal in shape and are
positioned within wire support cages to create modular grids (cage
modules), which are locked between the upper and lower reinforce-
ment layers in the concrete slab (Fig. 2). They are located judi-
ciously in zones in which concrete is not needed and the exural

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Fig. 1. Void formers: (a) BubbleDeck (image courtesy of BubbleDeck, with permission from Jerry J. Clarke-Ames); (b) Cobiax USA (image cour-
tesy of Cobiax USA, with permission from Michael A. Russillo)

Fig. 2. Flat platevoided concrete slab system

strength and load transfer to supports are not compromised. Mild
reinforcing bars are commonly used as the main exural rein-
forcement in the slab. Once the top layer of concrete is cast over
the cage modules, a two-way slab system of uniform thickness is
created. Brief installation sequences for both the precast [Fig.
1(a)] and cast-in-place [Fig. 1(b)] systems are given in the
Installation Sequences section.
One of the main benets of at plate-voided concrete slab sys-
tems is the overall reduction in self -weight: The weight of a slab
containing void formers is signicantly less than the weight of a
solid slab of the same thickness. Depending on the void former that
is specied, the self-weight can be reduced by up to approximately
35%. This means that heavier loads can be economically supported
over the same span lengths as other two-way slab systems, or longer
spans can be provided for the required superimposed loads.
The reduction in self-weight has a direct impact on the design of
columns, bearing walls, and foundations as well as on the magni-
tude of the seismic force effects and the design of the elements of
the seismic-force-resisting system. Other benets of this system are
presented in the Benets of Flat PlateVoided Concrete Slab
Systems section.
Flat platevoided concrete slabs systems are designed and
detailed in accordance with requirements of ACI 318 by the
American Concrete Institute (ACI 2014) just like any other two-
way slab system. It is important to note that the void formers do not
contribute to the nominal exural and shear strengths of the slab
system; their only role is to provide voids in the slab. Provided in
the Strength Requirements and Serviceability Requirements
sections are summaries of strength and serviceability requirements,
respectively, that are applicable to this system. Included in the

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 Serviceability Requirements section is a discussion on vibration.
Fire-resistance requirements are presented in the Fire-Resistance
Requirements section.
Strength Requirements
Flexural Strength Requirements
Flat platevoided concrete slab systems are designed for exure
just like any other two-way reinforced-concrete slab system. The
slab is divided into column and middle strips, and the exural
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design-strength requirements in ACI 8.5 (ACI 2014) must be satis-
ed, namely, the design strength, f Mn , must be greater than or
equal to the required strength, Mu , at the critical sections. The
strength-reduction factor, f , is determined in accordance with ACI
21.2 (ACI 2014) and is equal to 0.90 for tension-controlled sections;
that is, sections in which the net tensile strain, t , in the extreme
layer of the longitudinal tension reinforcement at nominal strength
is greater than or equal to 0.005. Like any two-way reinforced- con-
crete slab system, at platevoided concrete slabs should be
designed as tension-controlled sections for overall efciency.
The nominal strength, Mn , at a section is determined on the basis
of the equilibrium and strain compatibility assumptions in ACI
22.2.122.2.3 (ACI 2014). Fig. 3 shows the strain and stress distri-
butions at a section in a at platevoided concrete slab at a nominal
strength for which positive reinforcement is required. The discus-
sion that follows is also applicable to sections in which negative
reinforcement is required.
Under design loads that are typical for usual building occupan-
cies, the depth of the equivalent stress block, a, will be within the
zone of solid concrete between the compression edge of the slab
and the void formers. This has been conrmed by numerous labora-
tory exural tests using various overall slab depths and void former
sizes. Thus, the following equation for nominal strength, Mn , is the
same as that for any reinforced concrete exural member:


a crete, Ec , is multiplied by this factor and input accordingly, or the
Mn As fy d 
2 global stiffness factor of the slab is multiplied by this factor. Additional
where a As fy =0:85fc0 s; and s = center-to-center spacing of the
void formers.
Required strength, Mu , is determined using the load combina-
tions in ACI Table 5.3.1 (ACI 2014). The required amount of
Fig. 3. Strain and stress distributions in a at platevoided concrete slab
ASCE 04017004-3
Pract. Period. Struct. Des. Constr., -1--1
exural reinforcement, As , at a section can be obtained by setting
f Mn Mu and solving for As . Minimum exural reinforcement
requirements are given in ACI Table 8.6.1.1 (ACI 2014); for Grade
420 (Grade 60) reinforcement, As;min 0:0018hs, the reinforce-
ment ratio where h = the thickness of the slab in inches and s = the
reinforcement spacing in inches.
The self-weight of the at platevoided concrete slab system,
which is proportional to the volume of the void formers in the
slab, is a portion of the total dead load that must be considered in
the load combinations in ACI Table 5.3.1 (ACI 2014) to deter-
mine Mu . Self-weight reduction may be obtained from the manu-
facturers literature for an overall slab thickness and volume of
void formers. Self-weight reduction is equal to the weight of the
solid slab, assuming no void formers, minus the weight of the slab
with void formers. The weight of the slab with void formers is
equal to the volume of concrete per square foot (square meter)
times the unit weight of the concrete. The volume of concrete is
obtained by subtracting the volume of concrete displaced per
square foot (square meter) [which is the volume of one void for-
mer times the number of void formers per square foot (square me-
ter)] from the overall slab thickness. On average, the net void-
former area in a slab, which considers voided-slab and solid areas
(the latter of which are required in high-shear areas, such as
around columns, and along the edges of the slab), is in the range
of 7080%. Because the extent of solid-slab areas is typically not
known during preliminary design, it is recommended that the av-
erage voided area be taken initially as 70%. The self-weight
reduction for at platevoided slabs needs to be applied properly
in commercial slab design software programs, which automati-
cally calculate self-weight on the basis of full-slab thickness. For
at platevoided slabs, an additional load case must be consid-
ered: a uniform load of 70% of the self-weight reduction voided
must be applied over the entire slab surface in a direction opposite
the gravity loads to account for the reduction in self-weight.
A stiffness correction factor must also be applied in the design of
at platevoided slab systems when using software programs.
Depending on the software, either the modulus of elasticity of the con-
information on stiffness can be found in the Deection section.
Once the required exural reinforcement has been determined at
the critical sections in the column and middle strips, the sizes of the
reinforcing bars are chosen. The minimum and maximum spacing of
the reinforcing bars must satisfy the requirements in ACI 25.2 and
Pract. Period. Struct. Des. Constr.
 8.7.2.2 (ACI 2014), respectively. Also, the reinforcing bars must be
developed and spliced in accordance to ACI 8.7.4 (ACI 2014).
Shear Strength Requirements
Both one-way and two-way shear requirements must be satised for
at platevoided concrete slabs. For one-way shear, the following
equation must be satised at the critical section, which is located a
distance, d, from the face of the support [Fig. 4 and ACI 22.5 (ACI
2014)]:
p stresses caused by direct shear forces and bending are resisted by
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the critical section for one-way shear typically traverses through a
portion of the slab that is solid and mostly through portions that con-
tain void formers. The factor fsr is applied to the design shear
strength assuming that the solid slab section around the column is
not present. However, the weight of the solid section should be
included when calculating the required shear force, Vu . Except for
long, narrow slabs, one-way shear is seldom critical, but it must be
checked to ensure that shear strength is not exceeded.
Two-way or punching shear is usually the critical of the two
types of shear. In slabs without shear reinforcement, the shear

Vu  f Vc f 0:17fsr fc0 2 d
p its perimeter, bo , is a minimum but not less than d=2 from the edges
Vu  f Vc f 2fsr fc0 2 d
where f 0:75; and 2 = width of the critical section (which can
be taken as the center-to-center spacing of the columns). The factor
fsr , which is not in ACI 318 (ACI 2014), is the shear reduction factor
that is obtained from the manufacturers literature; this factor modi-
es the design shear strength attributable to the presence of the void
formers in the slab. Depending on the void former, fsr is in the range
of 0.500.60. As shown in Fig. 4, a solid section of concrete is usu-
ally provided around the columns. It is evident from this gure that
the concrete slab section around a column. According to ACI 22.6.4
(ACI 2014), the critical section for two-way shear is located so that
or corners of columns, concentrated loads, reaction areas, and
changes in slab thickness. A critical section with straight edges is
permitted for slabs supported by square or rectangular columns
[ACI 22.6.4.1.1 (ACI 2014)].
The critical sections for at platevoided concrete slabs are
depicted in Fig. 5. Shear requirements must be checked at critical
sections located a distance d=2 from the face of the column and d=2
from the edge of the solid section of concrete around the column.
At the critical section located a distance, d=2, from the face
of the column, a solid section of concrete is present, and the

Fig. 4. Critical section for one-way shear

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Fig. 5. Critical sections for two-way shear

following equation must be satised [ACI Table 22.6.5.2 (ACI way slabs without increasing the overall slab thickness and/or the
2014)]: plan dimensions of the supporting columns (Fig. 6). ACI 22.6.6.1
(ACI 2014) contains provisions for two-way slabs with shear rein-
y u  f vc forcement, including headed-shear stud reinforcement, which can
8
> p  p  be used in at platevoided concrete slabs.
>
> f 0:33 f 0 f 4 f 0
>
> c c A worked-out design example and practical construction consid-
>
>
>
>
 
  erations can be found in CRSI (2014a).
< 2 p0 4 p0
minimum of f 0:17 1 f f 2 f
> b c
b c
>
> Serviceability Requirements
>
>
 
 
>
> as d p0 as d p0
>
> f 0:083 2 f f 2 f
: bo c
bo c
Deflection
Unlike other two-way reinforced concrete slab systems, empirical
where b ratio of long-to-short dimension of the column; bo = pe- serviceability requirements for at platevoided concrete slabs sys-
rimeter of the critical section; and as = 40 for the four-sided critical tems are not specically provided in ACI 8.3.1 (ACI 2014).
sections, 30 for the three-sided critical sections, and 20 for the two- Because voided systems are similar to two-way joist and two-way
sided critical sections. slab systems, the overall thickness can be initially estimated by
At the critical section located a distance of d=2 from the edge of n =36 where n is the clear span length in the long direction of a
the solid section of concrete around the column, the design shear panel measured face-to-face of supports [see ACI Table 8.3.1.1
strength, f vc , must be multiplied by the shear reduction factor, fsr (ACI 2014) for minimum thickness of nonprestressed two-way
(as discussed for one-way shear). Thus, the area of the solid section slabs without interior beams and with drop panels].
of the slab must be made large enough so that two-way shear Instead of using an estimated thickness, it is recommended that
strength requirements that account for the presence of the void for- deection calculations be performed in accordance with ACI 24.2
mers are satised at that critical section. (ACI 2014) to determine an appropriate overall slab thickness.
The use of headed-shear stud reinforcement has proven to be a Immediate deections must include effects of cracking and rein-
cost-effective way of increasing the design-shear strength of two- forcement on member stiffness, where stiffness is a function of the

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Pract. Period. Struct. Des. Constr., -1--1


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Fig. 6. Void formers omitted at column locations (image courtesy of
Cobiax USA, with permission from Michael A. Russillo)
modulus of elasticity of the concrete. Ec [determined in accordance
with ACI 19.2.2 (ACI 2014)] and the effective moment of inertia, Ie ,
which may be calculated by [Eq. (24.2.3.5a) of ACI 24.2.3.1 (ACI
2014)].
For members with low reinforcement ratios, such as two-way
slabs, it has been suggested that ACI Eq. (24.2.3.5a) (ACI 2014)
overestimates member stiffness and that the equation for Ie in
Scanlon and Bischoff (2008) provides more realistic results. The
effective moment of inertia, Ie , is a function of the cracking
moment, Mcr , which in turn is a function of the modulus of rupture,
p p
fr 0:62 fc0 fr 7:5 fc0 , where is the modication factor
that accounts for the reduced mechanical properties of lightweight
concrete relative to normal-weight concrete of the same compres-
sive strength, fc0 . Scanlon and Bischoff (2008) recommended using
p p
0 0
fr 0:417 fc fr 5:0 fc and ACI (2000) Committee 435
p  p
recommended using fr 0:33 fc0 fr 4:0 fc0 in deection
calculations for two-way slabs to account for the contribution of
shrinkage restraint to cracking.
For at platevoided concrete slab systems, Ie can be approxi-
mated by adding the average Ie of the column strip in one direction
to the average Ie of the middle strip in the orthogonal direction. The
average Ie for a column strip or a middle strip is used to take into
account positive and negative regions in the strips. The following
equation for an average effective moment of inertia is applicable to
square panels that have both ends continuous:
average Ie 0:7Im 0:15Ie1 Ie2
where Im = Ie at the midspan section; and Ie1 and Ie2 = Ie at the two
end sections of the panel.
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Pract. Period. Struct. Des. Constr., -1--1
For systems with rectangular panels, Ie for a panel can be
approximated by taking the average of the average Ie values in the
column strips (cs) and middle strips (ms) in both the x and y direc-
tions as follows:
Iejcs;x Iejms;y Iejcs;y Iejms;x
Iejpanel
2
It is important to note that for at platevoided concrete slabs, Ie
must also be reduced by a stiffness correction factor, which
accounts for the presence of the voids in the slab. This factor is pro-
vided in the manufacturers literature for the various void formers
and is approximately equal to 0.90.
Calculated deections must be less than or equal to the maxi-
mum permissible deections in ACI Table 24.2.2 (ACI 2014). A
minimum overall thickness is established on the basis of immediate
deection calculations assuming a void former thickness and corre-
sponding top and bottom cover to the void former as determined
from the manufacturers literature. Two-way shear stresses should
also be checked at critical locations at this stage (refer to the Shear
Strength Requirements section); if it has been decided that shear
reinforcement will not be used, the overall slab thickness or the sup-
porting column sizes must be increased accordingly when the fac-
tored shear stresses are greater than allowable values.
Time-dependent deections can be calculated in accordance
with ACI 24.2.4.1 (ACI 2014) on the basis of the overall slab thick-
ness determined for immediate deections.
Vibration
Overview
Consideration of vibration within buildings is an important aspect
in design. Vibrations may simply be unpleasant or may cause signif-
icant difculties, particularly when day-to-day activities of the
occupants, performance of sensitive equipment, or important func-
tions are routinely disrupted.
One of the fundamental vibration characteristics of any oor sys-
tem is its natural frequency, which is related to the mass and stiff-
ness of the oor system. Natural frequency is a measure of how a
oor system will respond to the sources that can cause vibration and
is directly related to how the occupants will perceive such vibra-
tions. Most commercial computer programs can determine natural
frequency and other pertinent vibration characteristics using FEMs.
Simplied procedures to determine the natural frequency of rein-
forced concrete oor systems, including at platevoided concrete
slab systems, can be found in CRSI (2014b).
Vibration of oor systems in buildings can be caused by a vari-
ety of sources, including the ones identied in Table 1. Sources that
occur inside of or attached to a building are categorized as internal
sources, and those that are not are classied are categorized as exter-
nal sources. The items in the table, which do not constitute a com-
prehensive list, are sources that can typically have an impact on the
vibration design of a oor system.
The range of frequencies associated with these vibration sources
is large, and the frequencies of typical oor systems fall well within
that overall range. Therefore, it is possible that vibrational effects
from any of these sources would need to be included in the overall
serviceability design of a oor system. The discussion that follows
focuses on vibrational effects from internal sources on at plate
voided concrete slab systems.
Acceptance Criteria for Human Comfort
Although many criteria have been proposed through the years for
human comfort related to vibration, no universally accepted criteria
Pract. Period. Struct. Des. Constr.
 Table 1. Sources of Vibrations in Buildings
Source Description
Internal Occupants walking across the oor
Occupants participating in rhythmic activities, such as
dancing, aerobics, and other forms of exercise without and
with equipment, such as treadmills
Elevator and conveyance systems
HVAC equipment
Rotating mechanical equipment on an elevated oor or roof
Vehicular trafc on internal parking levels
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External Transportation-related sources, such as nearby roadways,
trains, and subways
Nearby construction activities
Nearby industrial activities
exist to date for walking or rhythmic excitations. Recommended
acceleration limits for human comfort with vibrations caused by
specic activities were developed by the International Organization
of Standardization (ISO 1989) and have been implemented success-
fully in a wide variety of situations. Limits for different occupancies
are provided in terms of RMS accelerations as multiples of a base-
line curve. Peak accelerations based on these multipliers are given
in Fig. 7.
Acceptance Criteria for Sensitive Equipment
Vibration limits can be very stringent for sensitive equipment (e.g.,
electron microscopes or microelectronic manufacturing equipment)
or when sensitive procedures must be carried out (e.g., eye surgery
or neurosurgery). When such equipment or procedures cannot be
located on a oor or foundation that is supported directly by
the ground or that cannot be separated from the rest of the structure,
the oor system must be designed to accommodate the appropriate
vibration limits so that the equipment can perform or the procedures
can be performed as intended.
Manufacturers of sensitive equipment will typically provide
vibration-acceptance criteria, which are usually given in terms of
limiting vibrational velocities. When such criteria are not available
or where the exact type of equipment is not known, generic accep-
tance criteria can be used in preliminary design stages (CRSI
2014b).
Vibration Control
Flat platevoided concrete slab systems designed in accordance
with the minimum serviceability criteria, as discussed herein, have
been found to satisfy vibration-acceptance criteria readily for
human comfort under typical service conditions and occupancies.
The acceptance criteria for walking excitations are easily satised
by providing an overall slab thickness determined solely on the ba-
sis of deection requirements. Fig. 8 shows the minimum overall
slab thicknesses that satisfy acceptance criteria for walking excita-
tions as a function of span length. This gure is based on normal-
weight concrete with a compressive strength of 28 MPa (4,000 psi)
and mild reinforcement with a yield strength of 420 MPa (60,000 psi).
Superimposed loads customarily used in commercial occupancies
were used in the analysis. For example, if 9.1 m (30 ft.) spans are
required, then a at platevoided concrete slab with a minimum
thickness of 280 mm (11 in.) must be provided to satisfy the accep-
tance criteria for walking.
Acceptance criteria for rhythmic excitations are directly related
to the fundamental frequency of a oor system. Fig. 9 contains the
minimum overall slab thicknesses that satisfy the acceptance crite-
ria for various types of rhythmic excitations as a function of span
ASCE 04017004-7
Pract. Period. Struct. Des. Constr., -1--1
length. The same material and load assumptions used for walking
excitations in Fig. 8 were used in the analysis used for Fig. 9. A
maximum span length of 10.7 m (35 ft) is achievable for jumping
exercises and aerobics (which have the most stringent acceptance
criteria of all the considered rhythmic excitations) when a 550-mm-
thick (21.5-in.-thick) at platevoided concrete slab is used.
With regard to vibration control related to sensitive equipment,
the expected maximum velocity as a result of walking-induced
vibrations is inversely proportional to the stiffness of a oor system;
thus, to satisfy the acceptance criteria for sensitive equipment, oor
systems must be very stiff. Fig. 10 shows the minimum overall-slab
thicknesses that are to be used to satisfy acceptance criteria as a
function of span length and walking pace determined on the basis of
the same material and load assumptions noted in Figs. 8 and 9.
Results are presented for a maximum velocity, V, of 200, 25, and
6 mm/sec (8,000, 1,000, and 250 microin./sec). These velocities cor-
respond to requirements such as those for residences and computer
systems; micro, eye, and neuro surgery; and electron microscopes
at greater than 30,000 magnication, respectively. As expected, a
thicker slab is required to satisfy the acceptance criteria for faster
walking paces. For cases in which slab thicknesses are not provided
for certain walking paces and span lengths, a at platevoided con-
crete slab system is unable to satisfy the acceptance criteria. Other
stiff reinforced-concrete oor systems, such as two-way joist or
grillage systems, should be considered instead.
Fire-Resistance Requirements
Overview
Concrete and steel are noncombustible materials; that is, they will
not ignite or burn when subjected to re or heat. Because reinforced
concrete assemblies and systems are inherently re resistant, no
additional re protection is required to meet common, minimum,
re ratings prescribed in the building codes (additional re protec-
tion is typically required in assemblies and systems not consisting
of reinforced concrete). These inherent material properties reduce
re risk and require minimum ongoing maintenance over the life-
time of a building.
In general, re-resistance rating (also known as re rating), is
the period of time (usually expressed in hours) a building element,
component, or assembly maintains the ability to contain a re, con-
tinues to perform a given structural function, or both. Fire ratings
are determined by tests or by the methods prescribed in Section
703.3 of the IBC (IBC 2015).
Required Fire-Resistance Ratings
Required re-resistance ratings for elements in buildings are given
in International Building Code Table 601 (ICC 2015), which was
based on construction Types IV. Construction Types I and II fea-
ture building elements of noncombustible materials, including rein-
forced concrete. The minimum re-resistance rating for oor ele-
ments in Type I construction is 2 h.
Test Methods for Determining Fire-Resistance Ratings
IBC Section 703.2 permits the test procedures in ASTM E119
(ASTM 2016) and UL 263 (UL 2015) for determining re-
resistance ratings of building elements, components, and assem-
blies. Standard re tests are conducted by placing an assembly in
a furnace and subjecting it to a re that follows a standard time
temperature curve. The re-resistance rating of an assembly is
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Fig. 7. Recommended peak acceleration for human comfort [Note: cps = cycles per second (1 cps = 1 Hz)] (data from ISO 1989)

determined by the duration of the test until one of the following
endpoints is reached:
Fire-passage endpoint (walls, oors, and roofs): Cotton waste
ignites as a result of ames or hot gases passing through holes,
cracks, or ssures in the assembly.
Heat-transmission endpoint (walls, oors, and roofs): The
temperature of the unexposed surface of the assembly rises an
average of 120C (250F) above its initial temperature.
Structural endpoint (all assemblies and members): The
test specimen is unable to sustain the applied loading
(collapse).
Fire-Resistance Tests on Flat PlateVoided Concrete
Slab Systems
Numerous re tests have been performed on BubbleDeck and
Cobiax systems in accordance with the provisions in DIN 4102-
02 (DIN 1977). The timetemperature curve used to test speci-
mens in the DIN requirements is essentially the same as that
prescribed in ISO 834 (ISO 1999). A comparison of the ISO 834
(ISO 1999) and ASTM E119 (ASTM 2016) timetemperature
curves is presented in Fig. 11, which shows some differences in
the curves. However, it has been determined that the differences
in severity between the two tests are negligible (Harmathy et al.
1987). Criteria to determine the re-resistance rating are also ba-
sically the same. Therefore, it follows that the results obtained
from specimens tested in accordance with the DIN requirements
would be essentially the same as those that would be obtained if
the specimens were tested in accordance with ASTM E119
(ASTM 2016) requirements.
All the re tests on the at platevoided concrete slab systems
revealed that the concrete cover to the reinforcing bars on the side
of the re is the controlling parameter in the determination of the
re resistance. The voids acted as a thermal isolator; the heat
from the re was dammed below the void. This led to slightly
higher temperatures in the reinforcing bars positioned below the
voids. A cover of 20 mm ( in.) to the main exural reinforcing
bars resulted in a re-resistance rating of at least 2 h. The re

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Fig. 8. Minimum overall slab thicknesses of at platevoided concrete slab systems that satisfy acceptance criteria for walking excitations
(Note: 1 in. = 25.4 mm; 1 ft = 0.305 m)

Fig. 9. Minimum overall thicknesses of at platevoided concrete slab systems that satisfy acceptance criteria for rhythmic excitations (Note: 1 in. =
25.4 mm; 1 ft = 0.305 m)

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Fig. 10. Minimum overall thicknesses of at platevoided concrete slab systems that satisfy acceptance criteria for sensitive equipment: (a) maxi-
mum velocity (V) of 203 m m/sec; (b) maximum velocity (V) of 102 m m/sec; (c) maximum velocity (V) of 51 m m/sec (Note: 1 in. = 25.4 mm; 1 ft =
0.305 m; 1 min./sec = 0.0254 mm/sec)

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Fig. 11. Comparison of ISO 834 (ISO 1999) and ASTM E119 (ASTM 2016) timetemperature curves [Note: C = (F 32)/1.8]
ratings obtained from the Cobiax tests have been veried by -
nite-element analyses.
The void formers were found to be intact after the re tests. The
internal temperature remained below the melting temperature of the
HDPE, which is approximately between 93 and 149C (200 and
300F).
It is evident from the ndings of re tests that concrete cover to
the reinforcing bars on the side of the re is the controlling parame-
ter in the determination of the re resistance for at platevoided
concrete slab systems. A 20 mm ( in.) cover to the bottom rein-
forcing bars will provide a minimum 2-h re-resistance rating,
which meets minimum re-resistance ratings are required for oor
assemblies in common occupancies.
Installation Sequences
As noted previously, cast-in-place and precast versions of voided-
slab systems are currently in use. To acquire a better understanding
of how these systems are constructed in the eld, installation
sequences are given for both types of systems.
Typical site installation of a cast-in-place voided concrete slab is
as follows [Fig. 1(b)]:
1. The formwork is erected and bottom reinforcing bars are
placed.
2. Cage modules that contain the void formers are placed and tied
perpendicular to the top layer of bottom reinforcing bars.
3. Top reinforcing bars are placed directly on and tied to the cage
modules.
4. The rst layer of concrete is cast, which covers the bottom rein-
forcing bars and the lower portion of the cage modules. This
layer of concrete essentially anchors the cage modules and
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prevents possible upward movement caused by buoyancy when
the second layer of concrete is placed.
5. The second layer of concrete is cast to the required overall
thickness of the slab system.
In the precast system, a precast concrete layer essentially repla-
ces the horizontal formwork of the cast-in-place system described.
Installation of this system is as follows [Fig. 1(a)]:
1. Cage modules with top and all the bottom structural reinforce-
ments are precast into 75-mm-thick (3-in.-thick) panels.
2. The panels are set on shoring that is spaced 2.1 m (7 ft.) on
center.
3. On site, a layer of concrete is cast to the required overall thickness.
In a common practice at column locations, void formers are
omitted so that a solid concrete section is available to resist two-
way shear stresses (Fig. 6). Where additional shear strength is
required, shear reinforcement, such as the headed-shear stud rein-
forcement shown in Fig. 6, can easily be accommodated.
Information on shear design is described in the Shear Strength
Requirements section.
Benefits of Flat PlateVoided Concrete Slab Systems
Some of the main benets of at platevoided concrete slab systems
are summarized as follows, but this list is not meant to be compre-
hensive because every project is unique and other benets not dis-
cussed herein can be realized:
The weight of the at platevoided concrete slab can be up to
35% lighter than a reinforced concrete slab with the same
overall thickness. This lightness results in smaller loads to the
columns, bearing walls, and foundations, which translates to
reduced material and excavation costs.
Pract. Period. Struct. Des. Constr.
 Smaller dead loads also mean smaller seismic forces. The force
demands on the elements of the seismic-force-resisting system
are decreased, which could result in reduced material costs and
less reinforcement congestion, especially at the joints.
Larger superimposed loads can be supported for a given span
length because the self-weight of a at platevoided concrete
slab is less than that of a at slab with the same overall thick-
ness. Changes in occupancy can be accommodated easier and
possibly without any structural modications because of this
reserve load capacity.
Economical long spans can be achieved without requiring
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beams or projections (such as drop panels or shear caps) below
the bottom of the slab. The results are spacious oor plans and
a at soft. Costs and time associated with forming additional
supporting members/elements are eliminated.
Floor vibrations are easily mitigated compared to framing sys-
tems of other materials that have less favorable mass and stiff-
ness characteristics.
With proper coordination, openings in slabs can be easily
accommodated by leaving out void formers and placing addi-
tional reinforcing bars around the openings.
Floor-to-oor heights are reduced because of the relatively
thin slab prole. This results in cost savings associated with
smaller vertical runs of the faade, elevators, ductwork, piping,
and partition walls, etc. These cost savings can be signicant,
especially for mid- and high-rise buildings.
Because the overall height of the building is shorter, the wind
forces on the building will be smaller. The force demands on
the elements of the main wind-force-resisting system and on
the components and cladding will be smaller, which could
result in reduced material costs.
Accelerated construction schedules can be achieved with prop-
erly chosen layouts and schemes, resulting in buildings that are
occupied relatively quickly with fast returns on investment.
Reinforced concrete oor systems are inherently re resistant,
and no additional costly reproong is required to meet
required re ratings. Flat platevoided concrete slab systems
provide a minimum 2-hour re rating.
References
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Pract. Period. Struct. Des. Constr., -1--1
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ASTM. (2016). Standard test method for re tests of building construction
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