Grooved Hollowcore: a simplified way to significantly reduce concrete consupmtion and increase profit margins

Abstract

A method to make hollowcore slabs fixed at their endswhich allows for a reduction of up to 20% of the depth andconsumption of concrete of finished floors has been devel-oped, thoroughly tested and protected by patents by theengineering company Elastic Potential, in Barcelona, Spain.The method consists of producing hollowcore units withdeep grooves across their top surface. Once at the job site,right on top of the grooved slabs one places negative-moment resistant reinforcement bars and pours a conven-tional topping, 50 mm thick at least. The significant cost reductions in the production and transportation of slabsallow the precaster to rapidly amortize the new machineryrequired to produce the grooved slabs. At the present date,leading machinery suppliers already have machinery avail-able to produce Grooved Hollowcore slabs or are develop-ing it and plan to have it soon available (Prensoland, EchoPrecast Engineering, UltraSpan, Elematic, Nordimpianti,Spancrete).