The University of Melbourne

Semester 1 Examination 2019

Faculty of Architecture Building and Planning

ABPL 30046 Steel and Concrete Structural Systems

Reading Time 15 minutes

Writing Time 3 hours

Open Book Status Closed Book

This paper has 19 pages, including this cover page.

Authorised Materials:

The following items are authorised: electronic calculator (Casio FX82 or FX100) and drawing
instruments.
Students ARE NOT permitted to use a foreign language dictionary.

Instructions to Invigilators:

This paper MUST NOT leave the exam venue.

This examination paper shall be printed in COLOUR.
Students will require THIS PAPER and two (2) SCRIPT BOOKS.
Students ARE permitted to annotate and highlight during reading time.

Instructions to Students:

This is NOT an open book exam. No notes or books are permitted.

The student is to write their student number in each examination booklet.
During reading time, you ARE permitted to annotate and highlight.
Write your answers in the SCRIPT BOOKS provided using BLUE or BLACK ink only.
Start each answer on a new page. Sketches may be done on the left side un-ruled pages.
This examination is worth 70% of the total marks for this subject.
This examination paper has 6 questions. Candidates are only required to answer 5 questions.

Examination Reprintss:

This examination paper MAY be lodged with the library.

Page 1 of 19
EXAMINATION INSTRUCTIONS

You are reminded that:

 you may not leave in the first half hour or the last fifteen minutes of any University of
Melbourne examination;
 you must not communicate with, receive assistance from, or copy from the paper of another
student, at any time during your exam;
 you must obey the reasonable instructions of the examination supervisors;
 you must not have any unauthorised materials or items with you that could be used to cheat,
be unscholarly and/or gain an unfair advantage over other students;
 unauthorised item/s must be declared and wherever possible surrendered to a supervisor.
Failure to follow to this instruction constitutes academic misconduct;
 penalties apply for misconduct.
 if you do not have photo ID with you, you will need to report to the Chief Supervisor at the
end of the exam and have your photo taken.

Before your exam

 Please place your student card on top left hand corner of your desk.
 Empty your pockets and place items under your desk or in the bin.
 Please read and review your question paper during reading time. Unless you are permitted to
annotate your paper, you must not write during reading time.
 If you need assistance from a supervisor, including materials or a toilet break, raise your hand.
Wait until the supervisor attends to you. Do not leave your seat without permission.
 Wireless communications, mobile phones and any device other than an authorised device must
be switched off and placed under your desk.
 If you do not have your student card, please place another form of photo identification such as
your passport or driver’s licence, in the top left hand corner of the desk, instead.
During your exam
 Supervisors will inspect desks and materials you access during the examination. Unauthorised
material will be confiscated.
 Any student found cheating; suspected of cheating; who attempts to cheat and/or enables
others to cheat in an exam is engaging in academic misconduct.
 Students found to have engaged in general or academic misconduct face penalties ranging
from exclusion from the University; to a fine; a failure in examination and/or the termination
of their enrolment.
 A supervisor will submit a report in writing about incidents of misconduct to the University.

In an Emergency
 In the event of fire, or an emergency evacuation, leave all examination material where it is.
Make your way to the nearest exit. Assemble away from the building, in line of sight of a fire
warden who will be wearing a hard hat. Await further instructions.
Signals and Warnings at the end of your exam
 A warning signal will be given ten minutes ahead the end of your examination. After the
signal, you are not permitted to leave the venue and must wait until dismissed.
 At examination’s end a final signal will be given. The Chief Supervisor will order ‘pens
down’. You must cease writing when ordered to do so.
 Place your papers inside the question paper. Remain seated. Do not move from your seat until
the Chief Supervisor announces that students are dismissed from the room.
 Do NOT switch on your mobile phone or use any other device until you are outside the venue.
Photography is not permitted within the examination venue.

Page 2 of 19
Answer any 5 questions. All questions are worth 20%.

Question 1. Steel Framed and Portal Frame Structures (20%)

Figures 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3 were taken during a site visit to the Dunlop warehouse at
Truganina.

(a) Sketch the column to pad footing base connection shown in Figure 1.1 and
provide details for the anchor bolts and welds for this connection. Is this a
moment or a pinned connection? (4%)

(b) Sketch the haunched knee joint between the rafter and column shown in
Figure 1.2. Annotate details for the haunch, stiffeners, doubler plates, bolts and
welds for this connection. Discuss the purpose of (i) providing stiffener plates to
the column, and (ii) the haunched section. (6%)

(c) Why are fly braces provided here as shown in Figure 1.2? Also discuss the
provision of bridging to the roof purlins. (4%)

(d) Provide sketches to illustrate the difference between bolts in single-shear and
bolts in double-shear. Briefly describe why the bolt capacity in double-shear is
twice the capacity of the bolt in single-shear. (3%)

(e) Provide a detailed fully annotated sketch, drawn to correct proportions, showing
how a roof sheeting expansion joint is typically detailed. Figure 1.3 on the next
page may be useful in your response to this question. (3%)

Figure 1.1 Column to pad footing connection for warehouse at Truganina

Page 3 of 19
Figure 1.2 Portal frame for warehouse at Truganina

Figure 1.3 Roof sheeting expansion joint

Page 4 of 19
Question 2. Industrial Ground Slabs (20%)

(a) Sketch a typical section of an industrial ground slab. Describe the differences
between a sub-base and the subgrade. What are typical materials used as a sub-
base and discuss what parameter influences the thickness of the sub-base?
(5%)

(b) Briefly describe the typical loads on an industrial ground slab? (3%)

(c) Figure 2.1 below shows the ground slab at the Box Hill North project site. You
would have noticed that there were some cracks on the ground slab as
highlighted by the yellow arrow in Figure 2.1 and close up in Figure 2.2.

(i) Describe how cracking occurs in industrial ground slabs.

(ii) Discuss the steps that may be taken by the designer to reduce slab
cracking.
(iii) Discuss the steps that may be taken by the builder to reduce slab
cracking.
(iv) Where are reinforcements normally placed in these ground slabs? Do
these reinforcements contribute to structural capacity?
(v) What is steel fibre reinforced concrete? How will the use of steel fibre
reinforced concrete be advantageous in this example?
(12%)

Figure 2.1 The ground slab at the Box Hill North project

Page 5 of 19
Figure 2.2 Details of cracks in the ground slab

Page 6 of 19
Question 3. Tilt-up and Precast Construction (20%)

(a) Briefly discuss the differences between tilt-up panel and precast wall panel
construction for factory buildings. (2%)

(b) Figure 3.1 shows the precast concrete wall panels for a warehouse at Box Hill
North. Identify all the items on the wall panel that are visible in the photograph
and describe the function of each item (You may disregard the yellow electrical
box).

Briefly describe how each panel is initially supported, the additional

components that are required to support these panels, and the sequence of work
from erection until completion. (6%)

(c) Tilt up panels are usually stack cast on a ground slab with up to 6 panels in each
stack. What are the main considerations when decided on the layout for casting
these panels? (4%)

(d) Briefly describe how overall stability is achieved in a tilt-up construction.

Discuss the requirement for wind bracing in two-directions and describe how
wind loads at the roof level are safely transferred to the footings. (4%)

(e) What are the size constraints for the transportation of precast concrete walls to a
project site in Melbourne? Briefly describe how a single crane can be utilised to
rotate a precast concrete panel from a horizontal transport position to its vertical
position. What are typical erection rates for these panels? (4%)

Page 7 of 19
Figure 3.1 Precast wall panels

Page 8 of 19
Question 4. Basement Construction and Piling (20%)

(a) Waterstop-RX is a hydrophilic strip waterstop designed to stop water infiltration

through cast-in-place concrete construction joints by expanding upon contact
with water to form a positive seal against the concrete. What are the materials in
this product that exhibit this special characteristic? How is this product better
than the PVC/Rubber dumbbell waterstops previously used to exclude water
from cast-in-place concrete structures? (3%)

(b) Figure 4.1 shows a precast concrete retaining wall at the Box Hill North project
site. Identify the 2 products that were used here and provide a sketch of the
precast wall section clearly indicating the position of these product. Describe
how these products work in combination to prevent the ingress of water into the
basement. (4%)

(c) Describe in point form the construction procedure for installation of anchored
bored piles and shotcrete retention walls for a 3-level basement. Provide all
necessary sketches to illustrate the different stages of work up to the destressing
of these anchors. Assume that 3 rows of anchors are required. (5%)

Why are the ground anchors grouted to the soil behind the line of influence?
(2%)

(d) Discuss the requirements for the construction of a single-level basement

immediately adjacent to an existing 2-storey building. The existing building has
load bearing brick walls supported on strip footing located at the site boundary.
(2%)

(e) Discuss the requirements for the construction of a 4-level basement immediately
adjacent to an existing building with 4-level basement. Focus on the retention
system on the section of wall adjacent to the existing basement. (2%)

(f) Briefly describe the main differences between a secant pile wall and a
contiguous pile wall retention system. (2%)

Page 9 of 19
Figure 4.1 Precast concrete retaining wall at Box Hill North

Page 10 of 19
Question 5. Precast Concrete and Hollowcore Flooring Systems (20%)

Hollowcore planks and precast inverted-T beams were utilised in the construction of
the warehouse at Box Hill North.

(a) Figure 5.1 shows a suspended floor construction using Hollowcore planks with a
structural screed to be poured over the top of these planks. Briefly explain why
the plank on the left has lifting inserts cast into the hollow cores. (2%)

(b) Discuss the reasons for providing an in-situ structural concrete topping to the
floor planks. Suggest typical thickness for this screed and the specification for
the concrete mix? How are shrinkage cracks controlled to acceptable levels in
these floors? (4%)

(c) Why were these saw cuts made to the Hollowcore planks at the locations
(indicated by the yellow arrows) shown in Figure 5.2? Provide a sketch to
illustrate the final details including additional steel reinforcements, if required.
(4%)

(d) Penetrations in the Hollowcore flooring system are normally achieved by simply
drilling the required hole on site to suit the building requirements. Describe a
system to cater for large openings (to allow for stair voids, light wells or larger
mechanical services) where loads are to be transferred to the adjacent panels.
(4%)

(e) What is the purpose of the 30x3mm neoprene bearing strip shown in Figure 5.3?
(2%)

(f) Briefly describe the main characteristics of the Ultrafloor and the Transfloor
systems. (4%)

Page 11 of 19
Figure 5.1 Hollowcore plank with cast-in lifting inserts

Figure 5.2 Hollowcore plank running parallel with a precast beam

Page 12 of 19
Figure 5.3 Position of the neoprene bearing strip between Hollowcore plank and
concrete corbel

Page 13 of 19
Question 6. Composite Construction (20%)

(a) Briefly describe how composite action in slabs is achieved with both the
trapezoidal and re-entrant profiles. (2%)

(b) Describe how composite beam action is achieved between concrete slabs and
steel beams. (2%)

(c) The floor plan shown in Figure 6.1 on the following page is for the car
showroom from Assignment 2. Redesign the level 2 flooring system with steel
beams and a BONDEK ® permanent formwork composite floor system. The
composite slabs are 120mm thick and support an imposed live load of 3.0kPa.
Limit the design to the floor area between grid lines 1-4 and B-G. Assume that
the internal columns are replaced with 310UC. Assume that the external load
bearing walls are replaced with 310UC with sheet metal cladding.

(i) Determine the minimum base metal thickness for the BONDEK formwork
from either Table 6.1 or 6.2. The beams and slabs shall not be propped.
Assume that visual appearance of the slab is not important. (2%)

(ii) Select suitable steel sections for primary beams and secondary beams
from Table 6.3. (4%)

(iii) Determine the top tensile (negative) reinforcements over supports

(mm2/m) and the corresponding fire reinforcement required for a fire
resistance period of 120 minutes (mm2/m) for an internal span (use
Table 6.4). (2%)

(iv) Sketch the secondary beam to primary beam connection. Clearly indicate
how the slab is connected to the steel beam and the position of the
reinforcing bars, if required. (4%)

(v) Discuss the advantage and disadvantages of this steel-concrete composite

system compared to the Hollowcore precast concrete system that you
proposed in Assignment 2. Which system would you recommend to the
Client, and why? (4%)

Page 14 of 19
Figure 6.1 Second floor plan for a car showroom

Page 15 of 19
3.5 BONDEK® MAXIMUM SLAB SPANS

Maximum slab spans, mm 
BONDEK® sheets continuous over single slab span 
Formwork deflections limits L/240 (Visual appearance important) 

Slab Depth 0.6 BMT BONDEK® 0.75 BMT BONDEK® 1.0 BMT BONDEK®
D (mm) No of props per span No of props per span No of props per span
0 1 2 0 1 2 0 1 2
100 2000 4950 7350 2150 5850 8150 2350 6500 9050
110 1900 4750 7150 2050 5700 7900 2250 6350 8800
120 1800 4650 6900 2000 5550 7700 2200 6150 8550
130 1750 4500 6650 1950 5400 7500 2150 6000 8350
140 1700 4400 6400 1900 5300 7300 2100 5900 8100
150 1650 4300 6200 1850 5200 7100 2050 5750 7900
160 1600 4250 6050 1750 5050 6900 2000 5650 7700
170 1550 4150 5850 1750 5000 6750 1950 5550 7500
180 1550 4050 5700 1700 4900 6550 1900 5400 7350
190 1500 4000 5550 1650 4750 6400 1850 5300 7200
200 1450 3900 5400 1600 4650 6250 1850 5200 7050
210 1400 3850 5300 1550 4550 6150 1800 5050 6900
220 1400 3800 5200 1550 4450 6000 1750 5000 6800
230 1350 3750 5050 1500 4350 5900 1700 4900 6650
240 1350 3700 4950 1500 4300 5800 1700 4800 6550
250 1300 3600 4850 1450 4200 5650 1650 4750 6450

Maximum slab spans, mm 
BONDEK® sheets continuous over single slab span 
Formwork deflections limits L/130 (Visual appearance not important) 

Slab Depth 0.6 BMT BONDEK® 0.75 BMT BONDEK® 1.0 BMT BONDEK®
D (mm) No of props per span No of props per span No of props per span
0 1 2 0 1 2 0 1 2
100 2100 4800 7200 2550 5900 8850 2800 7700 10000
110 2050 4700 7050 2500 5750 8650 2700 7450 10000
120 2000 4550 6850 2450 5600 8400 2650 7300 10000
130 1950 4450 6700 2350 5450 8200 2600 7100 10000
140 1950 4350 6550 2300 5350 8050 2550 6950 9800
150 1900 4250 6400 2250 5250 7850 2500 6800 9600
160 1850 4200 6300 2200 5100 7700 2450 6650 9450
170 1800 4100 6150 2200 5000 7550 2400 6500 9250
180 1800 4050 6050 2150 4950 7400 2350 6400 9100
190 1750 3950 5950 2100 4850 7250 2300 6250 8950
200 1750 3900 5850 2050 4750 7150 2250 6150 8800
210 1700 3850 5750 2050 4700 7050 2250 6050 8700
220 1700 3750 5650 2000 4600 6900 2200 5950 8550
230 1650 3700 5550 2000 4550 6800 2200 5850 8450
240 1650 3650 5500 1950 4450 6700 2150 5750 8350
250 1600 3600 5400 1900 4400 6600 2100 5650 8200

Table 6.1: Lysaght BONDEK formwork/slab span tables for a single span

Page 16 of 19
Maximum slab spans, mm 
BONDEK® sheets continuous over 3 or more slab spans 
Formwork deflections limits L/240 (Visual appearance important)  
Equal slab spans 

Slab Depth 0.6 BMT BONDEK® 0.75 BMT BONDEK® 1.0 BMT BONDEK®
D (mm) No of props per span No of props per span No of props per span
0 1 2 0 1 2 0 1 2
100 2450 4900 7350 2700 5550 8350 3000 6150 9250
110 2350 4750 7150 2600 5400 8100 2900 5950 8950
120 2300 4650 6950 2550 5250 7850 2850 5800 8750
130 2200 4500 6800 2500 5100 7650 2750 5650 8500
140 2100 4400 6600 2450 5000 7500 2700 5550 8300
150 2050 4250 6400 2350 4850 7300 2600 5400 8100
160 2000 4150 6200 2300 4750 7100 2550 5250 7900
170 1950 4000 6050 2250 4600 6950 2500 5150 7700
180 1900 3900 5900 2150 4500 6750 2450 5000 7550
190 1850 3800 5750 2100 4400 6600 2400 4900 7350
200 1800 3700 5600 2050 4300 6450 2350 4800 7200
210 1750 3650 5450 2050 4200 6300 2300 4700 7100
220 1700 3550 5350 2000 4100 6200 2250 4600 6950
230 1650 3450 5200 1950 4050 6050 2200 4550 6850
240 1650 3400 5100 1900 3950 5950 2150 4450 6700
250 1600 3350 5000 1850 3900 5850 2150 4400 6600

Maximum slab spans, mm 
BONDEK® sheets continuous over 3 or more slab spans 
Formwork deflections limits L/130 (Visual appearance not important)  
Equal slab spans 

Slab Depth 0.6 BMT BONDEK® 0.75 BMT BONDEK® 1.0 BMT BONDEK®
D (mm) No of props per span No of props per span No of props per span
0 1 2 0 1 2 0 1 2
100 2400 4800 7200 2950 5900 8850 3550 7300 10000
110 2350 4700 7050 2850 5750 8650 3500 7100 10000
120 2250 4550 6850 2800 5600 8400 3400 6950 10000
130 2200 4450 6700 2700 5450 8200 3300 6800 10000
140 2150 4350 6550 2650 5350 8050 3250 6650 10000
150 2100 4250 6400 2600 5250 7850 3200 6550 9800
160 2100 4200 6300 2550 5100 7700 3150 6400 9600
170 2050 4100 6150 2500 5000 7550 3050 6300 9450
180 2000 4050 6050 2450 4950 7440 3000 6200 9300
190 1950 3950 5950 2400 4850 7250 2950 6100 9150
200 1950 3900 5850 2350 4750 7150 2900 6000 9000
210 1900 3850 5750 2350 4700 7050 2900 5900 8850
220 1850 3750 5650 2300 4600 6900 2850 5800 8750
230 1850 3700 5550 2250 4550 6800 2800 5750 8650
240 1800 3650 5500 2200 4450 6700 2750 5650 8500
250 1800 3600 5400 2200 4400 6600 2700 5600 8400

Table 6.2: Lysaght BONDEK formwork/slab span tables for 3 or more spans

Page 17 of 19
 Table 1 – Office Floors 
Spacing Standard Offices Q = 3 + 1.5 
(m) (m) Beam 300PLUS® Camber (mm) Nos studs per beam
Secondary Beams
8 2.8 310UB40.4 25 21
9 2.8 310UB46.2 40 23
10 2.8 360UB50.7 40 26
11 2.8 410UB53.7 45 28
12 2.8 460UB67.1 40 31
13 2.8 460UB74.6 50 34
14 2.8 530UB82.0 50 42
15 2.8 610UB101 40 50
16 2.8 610UB113 45 50
17 2.8 700WB115 45 58
Primary Beams
8 8 460UB74.6 20 28
8 9 530UB82.0 0 28
8 10 530UB92.4 0 28
8 11 610UB101 0 28
8 12 610UB101 0 28
8 13 610UB101 0 28
8 14 610UB113 0 28
8 15 610UB125 0 28
8 16 700WB115 0 28
8 17 700WB115 0 28
8.4 8 460UB67.1 25 34
8.4 9 460UB74.6 25 34
8.4 10 460UB82.1 25 34
8.4 11 530UB82.0 20 34
8.4 12 530UB92.4 20 34
8.4 13 610UB101 0 30
8.4 14 610UB101 0 34
8.4 15 610UB101 20 34
8.4 16 610UB113 20 34
8.4 17 610UB125 0 34
9 8 530UB82.0 25 32
9 9 530UB92.4 25 32
9 10 610UB101 20 32
9 11 610UB101 20 32
9 12 610UB125 0 30
9 13 610UB125 20 30
9 14 700WB115 0 32
9 15 700WB130 0 32
9 16 700WB130 0 32
9 17 700WB130 0 37
10 8 610UB101 20 40
10 9 610UB101 25 40
10 10 610UB125 20 36
10 11 610UB125 25 36
10 12 700WB115 20 40
10 13 700WB130 20 40
10 14 700WB130 20 40
10 15 700WB150 20 36
10 16 700WB173 0 36
10 17 700WB173 20 36
11 8 610UB101 30 46
11 9 610UB125 25 44
11 10 700WB115 25 46
11 11 700WB130 25 46
11 12 700WB130 25 46
11 13 700WB150 25 44
11 14 700WB173 20 44
11 15 700WB173 20 44
11 16 700WB173 25 49
11 17 800WB168 20 53

Table 6.3: Span tables for simply supported composite beams

Page 18 of 19
 Interior Spans 120mm slab depth 
Floor loading: Q imposed ‘live’ (kPa) Gsdl permanent superimposed ‘dead’ (kPa) 
Span (mm) Q=1.5 Gsdl=1 Q=2.5 Gsdl=1 Q=3.5 Gsdl=1 Q=5.0 Gsdl=1
1600 210 210 210 210
- - - - - - - -
1800 210 210 210 210
- - - - - - - -
2000 210 210 210 210
- - - - - - - -
2200 210 210 210 210
- - - - - - - -
2400 210 210 210 210
- - - - - - - -
2600 210 210 210 220
- - - - - - - -
2800 210 210 210 280
- - - - - - - -
3000 210 210 250 340
- - - - - - - -
3200 210 210 300 410
- - - - - - - -
3400 210 230 360 490
- - - - - - - -
3600 210 280 420 570
- - - - - - - -
3800 240 330 490 660
- - - - - - - -
4000 290 380 570 760
- - - - - - - -
4200 330 440 640 860
- - - - - - - -

4400 370 490 720 960

- - - - - - - -
4600 420 550 810
- - - - - -
4800 480 620 900
- - - - - -
5000 530 690
- - - -
5200 590
- -
CONSTRUCTION GUIDE
BONDEK® DESIGN AND

5400

Table 6.4: Lysaght BONDEK steel requirements for a 120mm thick composite slab

- END OF EXAMINATION –

Page 19 of 19
24