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Support system
The support system consists of the base, sub-base and sub-grade. The base course,
directly beneath the slab, typically consists of crushed rocks and gravels and
directly supports the slab. Sometimes the designer may specify a sub-base
consisting of crushed rock, gravels, select or stabilized soils to help stiffen the
support system, especially if the sub-grade or existing soils are of poor quality.
Since the base material is in direct contact with the slab, it must be smooth, hard
and well compacted. Additionally, the contractor must grade the base material to
the proper elevation. Otherwise, the slab thickness may be thicker or thinner than
the specified thickness. Assuming the top of slab elevation is correct, the slab will
be thicker if the base elevation is low and thinner if the base elevation is high.
Tolerances
ACI 117-10 states1:
The slab-on-ground thickness tolerance sets both an average thickness for all
samples measured and a minimum thickness for individual samples. ACI 117-10
does not specify a plus slab thickness tolerance but does specify a 3/4 in. top of
slab elevation tolerance.
The 3/4 in. fine grade elevation tolerance for the base or the soil immediately
below the slab-on-ground corresponds directly with the -3/4 in. slab thickness
tolerance for individual samples. For a more stringent fine grade tolerance, ACI
117-10 recommends a 1/2 in. tolerance due to the sophisticated equipment
available for establishing the fine grade elevation.
Suprenant and Malisch concluded the -3/8 in. average measured value appeared to
agree with ACIs -3/8 in. tolerance for the average of all samples. However, they
took exception with ACIs -3/4 in. tolerance for an individual sample due to the
1/2-in. average standard deviation for the measured slab thicknesses.
The computed minus tolerance of -1 in. is significantly larger than ACIs -3/4 in.
thickness tolerance. Based on the in. average standard deviation for the
measured slab thicknesses, Suprenant and Malisch state a 1 in. tolerance would
be more realistic for slabs-on-ground.
What does all this mean? In reality, ACIs -3/4 in. thickness tolerance may not be
achievable for 100 percent of the slab. Using the test data reported by Suprenant
and Malisch, only 87 percent of the slab will fall within ACIs thickness tolerance.
On your next job, use special care establishing and maintaining the fine grade
elevation. Also, to ensure compliance with ACIs -3/4 in. thickness tolerance,
youll need better quality control than the contractors that installed the slabs where
30,000 date points were measured.
Slabs thinner than the specified minimum thickness may also increase costs,
especially if thickness samples or measurements are part of the acceptance criteria
for the slab. Slabs that fail to satisfy the specified thickness requirements may be
subject to monetary penalties or rejection even though there are few reported cases
of slab failures caused by out-of-tolerance or thin slabs.2
Building owners are sensitive about paying for slabs that are thinner than the
specified thicknesses for several reasons including contract requirements and
potential reductions in the load-carrying capacity of the slabs. A change in the
actual thickness of the floor does affect the load-carrying capacity of the slab.
For example, reducing a six inch thick floor slab to five and one-quarter inches
reduces the load-carrying capacity of the slab by roughly 23 percent assuming all
other factors are constant.3 However, this reduction should not be a serious concern
because the concrete strength of the as-built slab and stiffness of the support
system beneath the slab typically exceed the design values used to establish the
slab thickness.
On your next job, be sure to give the fine grading the attention it requires to ensure
a successful and profitable project.
References