LIFT SLAB

SYSTEM
 INTRODUCTION
 Lift Slab Construction is a method of constructing
concrete buildings by casting the floor or roof slab on
top of the previous slab and then raising it.

 This method is cheaper and faster as it does not need

forms and shores as it is needed for cast-in-place slabs.

 Can be more economic than conventional construction

when the building is vertically uniform and where the
slab designs are repetitive.
 This method of construction allows for a large portion of
the work to be completed at ground level, negating the
need to form floor work in place.

 Height- up to about 16 stories.

Economical column spacing- 22 to 32 feet.
Type of columns- pipe,tubes,flange sections.

Concrete columns may be used in 3 to 4 storey buildings.

 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
 Invented and developed in the early 1950s by a
collaboration of Phillip N.Youtz and Thomas B.Slick.

 Johnstone Hall, a Clemson University dormitory in

Clemson, South Carolina, was erected using this method
in 1954.

 Was also involved in the L’Ambiance Plaza collapse in

Bridgeport, Connecticut, in 1987.
L’Ambiance Plaza collapse

Johnstone Hall, Clemson University

 CONSTRUCTION SEQUENCE
 Lifting collars are cast into each slab around each
column.
 The first floor slab is cast inside edge formwork on top
of the ground floor slab and when it is mature it is in turn
coated or covered with the separating medium and next
floor slab is cast on top of it.
 The casting of the other slabs continues until all the
floors and roofs have been cast one on the other on the
ground.
 The slabs are lifted by jacks, operating on the top of
each column, which lift a pair of steel rods attached to
each lifting collar in the slab being raised.
 A central control synchronises the process for a uniform
lift from all directions.
 The sequence of lifting slabs is influenced by the
following:
1) Weight of the slabs.
2) Height of the building.
3) Lifting capacity of jacks.
4) Cross sectional area of columns during initial
lifting.
TOOLS AND MATERIALS
 ADVANTAGES
Lift-slab construction method becomes more advantageous
in buildings with similar floor plans throughout the height
of the building and where flush slab may be desired.
 This method eliminates the need for redundant formwork
as only shuttering required on the edges, therefore
casting concrete slabs is the simplest stage in whole
construction process of lift-slab method.
 Lift-slab method may be employed with ribbed slabs not
only flat slabs with some compromise of the ease of
casting.
Another advantage is reduced handling and hoisting of
materials and supplies that can simply be placed on top of
the slabs and lifted with them.
 LIMITATIONS
 This method not to be use for multistorey building, only
use for 15- 16 storey building.

 No large span slab are constructed in this type of

construction.