Advanced Structural
Designs ACN 097 789 87
92 Vasey Cres CAMPBELL ACT 2612 Telephone
61612171
Facsimile 61612170 Email mal@structuraldesigns.com.au
When is
it an advantage to use fabric mesh in suspended concrete slabs?
Designing
slabs with mesh reinforcement is a proposition that can produce substantial
cost savings when consideration is given to the following points.
a)
Mesh
should be sufficient without additional reinforcement.
b)
The
structural system should be predominantly a “one way slab” system.
c)
Lapping
of mesh should be minimal.
d)
Lapping
locations should be clearly documented so as to eliminate any possibility of
top and bottom laps being coincident and so as to maximise usage and minimise
cutting.
e)
Lapping
should be achieved using bar splices so that each mesh remains in the same
plane.
f)
Mesh
lengths should be factor of the sheet length preferably using full sheets to
minimise wastage.
A number of
recent designs we have looked at for builders in the ACT ignore many of the
above points and as a result create a system that is slow to construct,
wasteful and burdened with problems in attaining the correct cover as multiple
mesh laps (up to 8) occur at the same point and different height chairs are
required for lapped and un-lapped areas of the top layer.
Attempts to
correct the problems by cutting mesh at the corners of double laps and leaving
out additional reinforcement that will not fit invariably lead to weakening in
local areas, which may be critical to the design.
Like all
good ideas this one has its limitations so use it wisely and you will save time
and money