3/4/2019 Column load transmission thru floor slab - Structural engineering other technical topics - Eng-Tips

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Column load transmission thru floor slab

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I am reviewing our typical details, one of which deals with the following:

When the specified concrete strength in a column is > 1.4 times that specified for a floor system, ACI 308 and CSA A23.3 permit higher strength concrete than the surrounding floor concrete, to be used under the column and for a distance around the column, to
increase the calculated column strength thru the floor. This is sometimes referred to as "puddling the concrete". Another acceptable way of doing it is to add vertical steel dowels through the floor, without using higher strength concrete in the floor around the column

Questions:

1. Is puddling the concrete done mainly on high rise buildings, and if so at how many stories would puddling the concrete usually be used? 10 storeys? 20 storeys? 40 storeys?

2. Is puddling the concrete considered good practice by most experienced structural engineers?

3. Is there a significant risk that the contractor will forget to place this local higher strength concrete?

4. Is pigment ever added to the concrete so that it is easily identified? I have heard of such, but don't know how common this is. Also have heard of a pour where they said they forgot to put the pigmenting agent in. Is pigmenting the puddled concrete the usual
practice?

5. Does the need for puddled concrete arise from over-aggressively skinnying down the column size, or is puddled concrete considered the norm for a properly/prudently designed high rise building?

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1) It is mostly done on high rises and you'd stop doing it once you could carry the column compression through the slab at the regular slab f'c. I'd schedule this rather than typical detail it.

2) I consider it acceptable practice but find that contractors usually prefer the dowels.

3) It's something that I would indicate clearly in my drawings and mention in a pre-pour meeting so, no, there wouldn't be a significant risk for me. Within reason, you gotta trust your contractors to do their jobs.

4) I've not heard of the pigment but I like it. You know, as long as the concrete isn't exposed.

5) Anybody who survives in the world of high rise concrete does it efficiently. I don't feel that puddling is an indication of imprudently small columns.

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Where I am located, the concrete contractors routinely go with 8,750 psi concrete mix for PT slabs to avoid puddling. This allows a 12,000 psi concrete strength for vertical elements. The additional advantage of the 8,750 psi mix is that they get to a high early
strength consistently that is beneficial for stressing post-tensioned tendons.

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Thank you Kootk for your clear and comprehensive answer which directly answers my questions. Much appreciated.
Thank you slickdeals. Interesting. what general geographic area do you live? Area with cold climate similar to Northeast U.S./Canada?

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