FLOOR FRAMING SYSTEMS

Dr. Henry LUK

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Floor System
Floor structures form horizontal flat planes in buildings.
They joint with the vertical elements of the lateral stability
system, allowing the building to respond to both lateral and
vertical loadings as an integral total structure.
Primary function of a floor framing system
is to transmit gravity forces to the vertical columns and/or
walls; and
serve as a horizontal diaphragm to distribute lateral loads to
the vertical elements.
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Lateral loads

Gravity loads
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In terms of the structure alone, it would be generally be more

economical to space the vertical supports rather close together.
In the context of architectural performance needs, longer spans
are called for to increase the openness of enclosed space and
the flexibility of its use.
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The longer the span between vertical supports, the deeper

horizontal sub-systems must be.
More structural material will be required for longer spans than
for shorter spans, even though there is some saving in reducing
the number of vertical supports.
Designer have to optimise the overall design by considering
both spatial and engineering performance objectives.
maximum usable space,
least obstruction,
minimum amount of structural material,
openness.
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Floor Depth
Minimizing floor-to-floor height can maximize the use within
the structure.
The maximum depth of a floor system is also related to the
minimum headroom requirement (clear height) specified for
the building.
According to Practice Notes for AP and RSE (PNAP APP-5 or PNAP 27), a
minimum clear height of 2.3 m is generally required to any part of a
building.
In the case of beams over doorways, exterior walls and staircases, a
minimum height of 2 m is permissible. However, a greater height would
generally be preferable for occupants.
For environmental reasons, a minimum clear height of 2.5 m can be
specified.
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The type and layout of the floor framing depends on the shape
and structural system of the building.

Storey height
Office: 3.5 m or more
Residential/hotel: 2.7 m
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Vertical Force Flow

Vertical load path on building

The overall economy of a building

depends partly on the vertical load
path within the floor system.

Choice of floor framing system affects

the vertical load path significantly.

The longer the load path, the building

will be structurally less efficient and
will result in more expensive structure.
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Arrangement of Floor Framing

The arrangement pattern of floor framing is directly related to
the plan form of the building, the location of the vertical
bearing elements, and the efficiency of the load path.
The framing pattern is organised on a basis dimensional grid.
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Corner framing: It is often desirable to equalise the load floor

to the exterior columns and to control the differential axial
shortening of the columns
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Core framing: The regularity of the floor framing patterns is

often disturbed by lift and stair shafts, and the plumbing and
exhaust shafts in core area.
TYPE OF FLOOR SYSTEMS
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Floor Systems
In practice, floor systems are commonly made of
1. Reinforced concrete or
2. Composite.
In steel buildings, floor slabs are usually made of composite
element.
In reinforced concrete and composite buildings, floor slabs are
reinforced concrete or composite.
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Span of Floor Systems

Floor slab systems are grouped into two categories:
One-way: the slab spans in one direction between supporting beams or
walls.
Two-way: the slab spans in two orthogonal directions.
Typical slab thickness is 100 300 mm.
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Common RC Floor Systems

The common reinforced concrete floor systems are:
One-way slabs on beams or walls
One-way ribbed slabs
Two-way flat slab with or without column head or drop
Two-way slabs on beams
Two-way waffle slab
Precast prestressed slab on beams
In-situ prestressed slab
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One-way Slabs on Beams or Walls

One-way slab normally up to 300 mm thick, spanning
continuously over beams (or walls) up to 7.5 m apart, provides
a floor system requiring simple formwork with simple
reinforcement.
This system is usually used in residential high-rise construction,
but is relatively heavy and inefficient.
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One-way Concrete Ribbed Slabs

One-way slab spans between secondary beams (joist) at a
relatively close spacing while the beams are supported by main
girders that transfer the load to the columns.
The slab and beams form in effect a set of closely spaced T-
beams, capable of providing large spans of up to 10-15 m with
thickness in between 50 to 150 mm.

The principal merits of this system

are its long span capability.

For maximum economy of formwork,

the depth of girders should be made
the same as for the joists or beams.
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Common span
= 7 15 m

Section A
Common thickness
= 50 150 mm Common depth = 250 600 mm

Common width = 1.5 2.0 m

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One-way Ribbed Slabs on Haunced Beams

A floor framing system with beams of constant depth often
presents problems because it limits the space available for the
passage of air conditioning and ventilation ducts.
The haunch girder system is developed to achieve more
headroom without making undue compromises in the structure.
The shallow depth at the girder center facilitates the passage of
mechanical ducts and reduces the need to raise floor-to-floor
height.
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Two-way Flat Slabs

Flat concrete slabs are often used as a two-way system of
beamless construction in residential and hotel buildings in
Hong Kong.
Flat slabs are generally 125 250 mm thick with span up to 8 m
(RC) and up to 10-15 m (post-tensioned).
Because of its simplicity, it is one of the most economical floor
systems in terms of formwork and steel reinforcement.
Its uniform thickness allows considerable freedom in the
location of the supports with the possibility of using the clear
soffit as a ceiling, resulting in minimum storey height.
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RC: 8 m
PC: 10-15 m 125-250 mm
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In order to reduce the thickness of slab and to enhance the

shear and moment capacities of the slab at the column
supports, heads and/or drop panels can be added in the region
of supporting columns.
While the column heads increase the shear capacity, the drop
panels increase both the shear and negative capacities at the
supports.
This type of flat slab is capable of supporting heavy loading and
longer spans and would generally require less concrete and
reinforcement.
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125 300 400 mm

250 mm

350 450
mm

125 350
250 mm 500 mm

350 550 mm
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Two-way Slabs on Beams

The slab spans two ways between orthogonal sets of beams
that transfer the load to the columns and walls.
The principal merits of such a system are its long span
capability, economical in allowing a thinner slab and its
compatibility with a two-way lateral load resisting rigid-frame
structure.

RC: 6 9 m
PC: 10 13 m

150 250 mm
450 900 mm
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Two-way Waffle Flat Slabs

The slab is supported by a square grid of closely spaced joists
with filler panels over the columns.
To reduce the weight of construction, metal or fibre-glass
domes are used in the formwork to form a regular waffle
pattern.
The domes are filled near the columns resulting in solid slabs to
resist the higher shearing and moment actions at the locations
of the supporting columns.
The waffle system is often left without further finish as the
ceiling.
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The waffle system carries the loads simultaneously in two

directions and therefore is more suitable for structures with
uniform square bays than rectangular bays.
Generally, the waffle system is more efficient for longer spans
in the range of 9 - 12 m with thickness of 65 to 150 mm.
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Steel Floor Systems

A steel floor framing system is characterized by a reinforced
concrete slab supported on a steel framework consisting
variously of steel joists, beams, and girders.
The floor slab usually spans
one way and is, either simply
(100 180 mm)
supported or continuous.

It is supported by secondary
beams, typically at 2.5 m to 3.5
m centres.

The concrete slab is usually

designed to act compositely
with the supporting beams if
adequate shear connection is
provided.
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Columns support sets of Column are required to be

parallel long span beams with farther apart in both
a relatively close spacing directions

One-way beam system

Two-way beam system

Columns have to be very widely

spaced to allow large internal column-
free areas

Three-way beam system

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Composite Steel-Concrete Floor Systems

Concrete topping is cast in-situ on profiled steel decking acting
as permanent formwork and reinforcement to the concrete.
Steel bars are included in the slab to prevent cracking and to
provide reinforcement in the event of degradation of the
decking in a fire.
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The steel members are jointed to the slab by shear connectors

so that slab may be designed to act compositely with
supporting beams.

Composite frame and steel decking Composite frame system

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Precast concrete slab panels may also be used in a steel floor

framing system.
Thin concrete topping can be used to stitch together pre-
fabricated concrete planks to form a smooth soffit finish.
These systems however require more cranage and on-site
storage space than profile sheet.
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Slim Floor Systems

A new floor system, so-called Slim Floor, has been developed in
the early 1990s.
It is used for long span slabs, allowing for the elimination of
secondary beams.
The primary beam has a typical built-up cross-section, which is
designed in order to directly support the floor slab on the
bottom flange.
Slim floor system composes of prefabricated concrete slabs
with built-in steel beams.
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The lower flange of a girder is wider than the

upper flange.
It possible to fit the floor slabs directly onto
the lower flange plate of the beam.
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Structural Framing Plans

Structural components are shown in structural framing plans in
elevation and plan views.
Hang Lung Competition, China

Mark Sarkisian. (2012). Designing Tall Buildings Structure as Architecture. Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, New York and London.
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John Hancock Center, Chicago

Mark Sarkisian. (2012). Designing Tall Buildings Structure as Architecture. Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, New York and London.
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500 West Monroe,

Chicago

Mark Sarkisian. (2012). Designing Tall Buildings Structure as Architecture. Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, New York and London.
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Structural Detailing Drawing

Bungale S. Taranath (2010). Reinforced Concrete Design of Tall Buildings. CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group.
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Bungale S. Taranath (2010). Reinforced Concrete Design of Tall Buildings. CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group.
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Preliminary Sizing
Reinforced concrete buildings
Beams or slabs
Depth (h): span-depth ratio
The width (b): 0.3 0.5 h
(0.8% - 4.0%)
Columns or walls
Area (A): tributary area method = 0.35 + 0.67
Steel structures

Required beam section modulus:


Required column area:
0.6
Remarks
You may ..
Ignore self-weight
Assume simply support
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Appendix
Clause 7.3.4 Limiting deflection without direct calculation (deemed-to-satisfy)
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Example
Estimate the sizes of structural members for the following floor
plan:

5 storey building
Usage: Office
Finishes: 1 kPa
6m Moveable partition: 1.5 kPa

fcu = 30 MPa
fy = 500 MPa

8m
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Solution
Slab
Take the required span-depth ratio as 23
L 6
d 103 261 mm
23 23
Take h = 300 mm

Beam
Take the span-depth ratio as 15
8
d 103 533.3 mm
15
Take h = 600 mm

Width b = 0.3h to 0.5h

Take b = 300 mm
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Column
Dead load
Finishes: 1.0 kPa
Live load
Office: 3.0 kPa
Partition: 1.5 kPa

Design storey load w 1.4 1.0 1.6 4.5 (0.8) 7.2 kPa 8 kPa

Tributary area A 8 6 48 m 2

Axial load at the ground storey N 8 48 5 1920 kN

Assume reinforcement ratio = 3.0%

For square column
N 0.35 f cu Ac 0.67 f y Asc
h Ac 306 mm
1920 103 0.35 30 Ac 0.67 500 0.03 Ac
Take h = 400 mm
Ac 93431 mm 2