Major Assignment - Hollow Core Research Update 4

Just putting up some of the details I found in the manuals from the 'National Precast Association Australia' www.npcaa.com.au

'Hollowcore Walling- Technical Manual', National Precast Association Australia, 1992

'Hollowcore Flooring- Technical Manual', National Precast Association Australia, 2003

Plank to plank connection:

'Hollowcore Flooring- Technical Manual', National Precast Association Australia, 2003, p.16.

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Plank to beam details:

'Hollowcore Flooring- Technical Manual', National Precast Association Australia, 2003, p.13.

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Bearing support details:

'Hollowcore Flooring- Technical Manual', National Precast Association Australia, 2003, p.17.
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Insitu connection detail:

'Hollowcore Flooring- Technical Manual', National Precast Association Australia, 2003, p.19.

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Wall panel fixing details:

'Hollowcore Walling- Technical Manual', National Precast Association Australia, 1992, p.14-15.
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Typical panel details at roof:

'Hollowcore Walling- Technical Manual', National Precast Association Australia, 1992, p.16.

Major Assignment - Hollow Core Research Update 3

I have been reading a few books on hollow core and here is the notes I have got so far to help me with my assignment.

Hollow core:

- Pre cast, pre stressed, excellent fire resistance
- Allows for fast construction as made off site
- Planks are 1200mm wide, thickness between 150mm-400mm
- Wall panels are standard widths of 1200mm-2400mm
- Casting bed is between 120m-170m in length, planks saw cut to size
- The voids allow sound insulation, reduce dead weight, conceal wiring and ducts, eg. lighting circuits. Slabs with heated are through cores can be used as a thermal mass in passive solar application.
- Topping on floor planks is a cement based skim coat to top surface of slabs. This allows direct installation of floor coverings as well as allowing the floor to act as one composite element.
- Structural topping a minimum of 60 mm thick for up to 200mm deep planks, 80mm thick for 300mm deep planks. Topping provides a level working surface.
- Non structural topping usually self leveling mortar at 10-15 mm average thickness
- Camber- topping thickness to follow camber of the planks or not, varies with each situation.
- Construction joints- saw cut made within 18 hrs of casting topping

Book list

Verge, G.C, 'Hollow core floor technical manual', 2nd ed, National precast Concrete Association of Australia, North Sydney, 199-

'Tilt-up construction notes / Cement and Concrete Association of Australia', Cement and Concrete Association of Australia, North Sydney, N.S.W., 1997

'Guide to concrete construction / a joint publication of Cement and Concrete Association of Australia and Standards Australia', 2nd ed., Cement and Concrete Association of Australia ; Homebush, Standards Australia, 2002

Helpful websites

- National Precast Association Australia, www.npcaa.com.au

Two manuals I was able to download have been even more helpful than the above books which I found in the library. They are:

'Hollowcore Walling- Technical Manual', National Precast Association Australia, 1992

'Hollowcore Flooring- Technical Manual', National Precast Association Australia, 2003


- Concrete Institute of Australia, www.coninst.com.au/

Major Assignment - Hollow Core Research Update 2

Ok, well here is where I am with the hollow core research so far:

The ground floor will have a poured slab and strip footing system so the research into hollow core planks will only apply to the first floor and roof, columns and bearers. The planks which I want to span the first floor for about 8m (not 15m), according to the span chart provided by www.hollowcore.com.au will need to use 205mm thick hollow core. (link to detailing manual)


- Load span chart:

Image from 'Detailing Manual', p. 7., www.hollowcore.com.au

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- Detail of 205 hollow core plank:

Image from 'Detailing Manual', p. 7., www.hollowcore.com.au
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I've also found some great details which may assist with understanding how this will all get put together:

- Detail of beam, column, hollow core connection:

Image from 'Detailing Manual', p. 33., www.hollowcore.com.au

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- Detail of cobel wall to hollow core plank flooring:

Image from 'Detailing Manual', p. 35., www.hollowcore.com.au

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- Detail of wall to hollow core connection:

Image from 'Detailing Manual', p. 36., www.hollowcore.com.au
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- Another detail of wall to hollow core connection:

Image from 'Detailing Manual', p. 36., www.hollowcore.com.au
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- Detail of column base connection:

Image from 'Detailing Manual', p. 40., www.hollowcore.com.au

Major Assignment- Hollow Core Research Update 1

I looked a little into hollow core products at http://www.hollowcore.com.au/and would like to use hollow core slabs for the floors in the office block on the first floor. I would like to use the product for the walls as well.
For the first floor of the office, I will need to use hollow core that spans over 15m. Below is a drawing of the 400 thick slab that will be used.

Major Assignment- Hollow Core Research

Following the guest lecture on 'Hollow Core' concrete, 15th May, week 10, and the following tutorial, Chris and I have decided to use a hollow core system instead of in-situ concrete for the warehouse and office block.

In the tutorial Stuart showed us a possibility of how the office would look in section, using a corbel. I would like to use a concrete roof system, which I will have to research.

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For the warehouse we need to span 50m with minimal columns to break up the space. Thus it has been decided that we will use a steel portal frame roof attached with bolts to the hollow core wall panels.

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It has been decided that Chris will do a warehouse section and I will do an office section. I'm kind of interested to see how I can use the hollow core members to make a grid.

Current Events in Construction

Newspaper article in The Age, 14th May 2008

Major Assignment - Warehouse Design Update

After meeting up with my partner Chris Tang we got a few sketches together about how we want the office and warehouse to look. We have settled on a gird kind of design with will be carried through on the warhouse with columns with engaged wall panels. Below are some pictures which we have used for inspiration:

Tadao Ando, Art Gallery Complex, Tokyo design, 1977

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Tadao Ando, Onishi house, Osaka, 1979
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Tadao Ando, Matsumoto House, Wakayama, 1979-80
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Tadao Ando, Fuku House, Wakayama, 1979-80
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Plan showing a wall extending out from office block to wrap around car park. Also shows a curved wall in the office block with a stairway following and piercing through this wall to the first floor. These kind of details are typical of Tadao Ando. (see images above)

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Perspective showing how the office block will be a grid

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Elevation of the office block

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How the warehouse might be put together. Obviously the columns will be repeated either site. I imagine the columns will be engaged with the wall.


This Thursday Chris and I plan to talk to our tutor Stuart about exactly how we can connect the roof to the warehouse, weather we have to use all concrete or perhaps a steel portal frame roof? Also I need some help understanding how the office grid will work in pre cast concrete, or should we design in situ concrete as Ando would have done. I'm pretty sure that pre cast panels could be made to have the form work tie dots that Ando uses as architectural detail.