Smart Slab. Computational design and digital fabrication of a lightweight concrete slab Article Swipe
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· 2018
· Open Access
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· DOI: https://doi.org/10.52842/conf.acadia.2018.434
· OA: W2935705745
The optimization of slab systems can have a large impact on buildings: more compact slabs allow for more usable space within the same building volume, refined structural concepts allow for material reduction, and integrated prefabrication can reduce complexity on the construction site.We present a novel slab system which reduces material through concentrating concrete in hierarchical ribs on a 20 mm thick concrete shell.This slab structure provides voids to integrate electrical conduits, sprinklers and lighting.It is prefabricated out of prestressed concrete elements, for which we introduce a hybrid formwork approach, combining 3D printing and CNC laser-cut timber formwork.The formwork is used with casting and spraying concrete to enable efficient fabrication of free-form geometry with highly detailed surfaces.A digital process chain connects the design of the elements, the integration of the building services and the fabrication data of the formwork.This research is demonstrated on the project Smart Slab, the first concrete slab using 3D printed formwork.The Smart Slab is around 70% lighter than a conventional concrete slab and showcases a new radical aesthetic with three-dimensional geometric differentiation on multiple scales.The project demonstrates the potential of 3D printing for custom formwork, especially when strategically synthesized with other CNC fabrication methods.This work provides an outlook on how digital fabrication can achieve more sustainable structures and can broaden the design possibilities of concrete in architecture.
