Optimal Design of Bubble Deck Concrete Slabs: Sensitivity Analysis and Numerical Homogenization

The use of layered or hollow floors in the construction of buildings obviously reduces the self-weight of the slab, and their design requires some expertise. In the present work, a sensitivity analysis and numerical homogenization were used to select the most important characteristics of bubble deck floors that have a direct or indirect impact on their load capacity. From the extensive case study, conclusions were drawn regarding the optimal selection of geometry, materials, and the arrangement and size of air voids in such a way as to ensure high stiffness of the cross-section and at the same time maximally reduce the self-weight of the slabs. The conducted analyses showed that the height of the slab and the geometry of the voids had the greatest impact on the load-bearing capacity. The concrete class and reinforcement used are of secondary importance in the context of changes in load-bearing capacity. Both the type of steel and the amount of reinforcement has a rather small or negligible influence on the bubble deck stab stiffness. Of course, the geometry of the voids and their arrangement and shape have the greatest influence on the drop in the self-weight of the floor slabs. Based on the presented results of the sensitivity analysis combined with numerical homogenization, a set of the most important design parameters was ordered and selected for use in the optimization procedure.