Building Construction Studies 3

Assignment 2

Investigation of Structural Floor Options

Tania Georges U3229676

The schematic plan of an 11storey high-rise Canberra CBD Office Building with a concrete core to
resist wind loads and simply supported steel beams to support gravitational loads is shown in the
figure below.
A typical steel beam A1 is 6.6m long and of size 530 UB 82. The beam intersects columns at the
facade of size 250 x 250 x 16 SHS as shown.

(a) Using the archetypical floor systems discussed in lectures, give form to the above
schematic by devising a preliminary design scheme for a concrete floor system that
utilises the steel beams as primary framing.
(b) Estimate the slab thickness and steel reinforcement pattern (Note: that the addition
of secondary beams at the corners may be undertaken if you deem it necessary).
(c) Prepare a CAD Drawing showing the typical floor arrangement including supporting
beams and columns. Provide a slab plan showing reinforcement disposition and a
typical section. If you are not conversant with CAD, then a neat hand-drawn technical
drawing will suffice. The exercise of a good standard of draftsmanship is expected.
(d) For your chosen floor, floor slab thickness and a floor-to-ceiling soffit height of 4.0m,
calculate the type, number and distribution of the props required to construct the
floor. Prepare a propping plan showing the arrangement you have developed.
Comment on the safety of the structural arrangement when subjected to fire, and
the way(s) in which fire safety can be enhanced.
(e) The above should be presented in a Design Report Format with your drawings
attached.
The flooring arrangement that will be used for this floor design is a one-way continuous slab
structure of 26.4m2, cast on Bondek formwork with SL82 Mesh as well as N20 bars that will
run both horizontally and vertically (Figure 3). It will be supported by 530 UB 82.0 steel
beams as the primary structural support (Figure 1). There are four extra beams that have
been added to the original beam layout. The beams are connected to 250x250x16 SHS
columns. (Figure 1)

As the slab is being supported by beams on all sides, the one-way continuous slab depth can
be determined by using the following calculations.
Length / Depth = 28
(The span between each column is 3.3m)
3.3/D = 28
3.3/28 = 0.117
By rounding up the estimated slab thickness is .12m (120mm)

As Bondek formwork is being used the requirement for a 120mm slab is 2 props per
6900mm span (as per Table 1), this slab will use 0.6 BMT Bondek. (Figure 4 and 5)

Being such a widely used product steel is not only a tough and sturdy material that provides
exceptional support to structures it is also relatively cheap in cost comparison to other
materials. When properly manufactured and installed steel is a very reliable material in the
construction industry. However, steel is not a perfect material and just like any other has its
weaknesses one of them being that it is not resistant to fire and its affects. Structural steel is
able to handle temperatures up to 425 Degrees Celsius before it starts to soften, at this point
the steel loses approximately 50% of its strength, at around 600 Degrees Celsius the steel
will slowly begin to fail. An unprotected steel frame will resist fire for only 15 minutes.
Steel however can be protected from fire and there are a few methods to increase its fire
resistance and make it a safer material. Intumescent fireproofing is one way that steel can be
protected from fire damage. This comes in the form of film coating, boards and spray paint.
Intumescent fireproofing contains ‘thermodynamic’ compounds, these expand into a solid
layer, that creates a protective coat on the steel, when they are exposed to around 250
Degrees Celsius.

By protecting the structural steel in buildings it increases the time for people to evacuate
safely and makes a safe environment for first responders
https://clmfireproofing.com/structural-steel-fire-protection/#:~:text=Structural%20steel
%20can%20withstand%20approximately,%C2%B0C%20or%20just%20under.