An interdisciplinary team of structural engineers, mathematicians and manufacturing experts from the Universities of Bath, Cambridge and Dundee has unveiled a full-scale demonstration of a thin-shell floor, which uses 60 per cent less carbon in its construction than an equivalent flat slab that could carry the same load.
The new vaulted style of floor, developed in the UK, uses 75 per cent less concrete than a traditional flat slab floor and could help the construction industry reduce its carbon footprint. The curved vault-shaped structure is covered by standard raised floor panels to create a level surface.
Created by the UKRI-funded Acorn (Automating Concrete Construction) research project, the innovative vault-shaped floor design takes advantage of concrete’s inherent natural properties and strengths.
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