Ubot flat slab is a type of beamless flat slab widely used in current construction projects. So, how does Ubot flat slab compare with other slab systems?
Advantages of Ubot flat slab compared with bubble slab
Structural aspects
UBOT slabs are stiffer than bubble slabs. This is because the I-shaped virtual beam cross-sections within UBOT slabs are continuous and do not change in size or cross-section like the virtual beam system of bubble slabs.
Ubot lightweight slabs are cast in place, so there is no need for slab panel connection reinforcement, ball reinforcement (replaced by plastic connecting accessories in Ubot slabs), or lifting hook reinforcement. Reinforcement can also be arranged at any location within the slab according to the moment diagram, whereas bubble slabs use uniform steel mesh, making it very difficult to closely match the design moment envelope.
Construction
- Compact storage areas and easy installation.
- Investors have complete flexibility in choosing other material suppliers. LPC can supply only UBOT hollow boxes and accessories. Therefore, investors can proactively manage the construction schedule and adjust labor resources appropriately.
- Reinforcement or welded steel mesh can be purchased directly from suppliers by the investor.
- The quality of the concrete on the underside of the slab is better ensured because the two sides of the beam structure allow the concrete vibrator to be inserted easily. The lower slab layer, which is less than 5 cm thick, also ensures uniform aggregate distribution throughout the thickness of the lower slab layer.
- UBOT boxes have a sturdy structure and high load-bearing capacity, so they do not burst or deform during construction.
- No anti-buoyancy tie rods are required.
- The underside of bubble slabs is very thin (2 cm). The bubbles can easily press tightly against the slab surface due to construction pressure, preventing concrete from reaching the area and causing voids or holes in the concrete. In addition, because the bubbles are only 2 cm from the formwork surface, lap splicing is very difficult, making cracks more likely to occur at these lap-spliced locations.
Advantages of Ubot flat slab compared with waffle slab
Structural aspects
UBOT slabs work similarly to waffle slabs. Waffle slab technology dates back to the 1950s and is less commonly applied in Vietnam.
Construction
- Waffle slab construction has more disadvantages. Although patents now exist to help speed up construction, installing the reinforcement is inherently more complex than with conventional slabs. UBOT slabs can use flying formwork.
- The surface of a waffle slab is uneven and less aesthetically pleasing.
- Waffle slabs still require beams with a relatively small depth (40 cm or more), so they cannot reduce floor-to-floor height compared with Ubot lightweight slabs.
- After construction, cracks can easily occur at the joints between panel sections during use.
Advantages of Ubot flat slab compared with Nevo and Tbox slabs
Tbox and Nevo slabs use calculation principles similar to Ubot slabs. The main differences are:
- Technology rights: LPC is the only official entity in Vietnam holding technology rights from Daliform Group – Italy.
- Project scale: Ubot slabs have been used in many Grade I projects in Vietnam and have been reviewed and assessed by major organizations such as the Ministry of Construction, CBST, VCC, CONINCO, and provincial departments and agencies.
- Box structure: Ubot boxes have a bottom cover that helps prevent concrete loss in hollow slab systems in general.
- Box quality and supply lead time: LPC has a direct manufacturing plant in Hanoi, ensuring box quality and compliance with production standards, with clear CO and CQ documentation.
Why choose LPC’s Ubot flat slab?
General introduction to Ubot slab
Ubot lightweight flat slabs use Ubot void-forming boxes arranged in aligned rows, connected by connecting bars and embedded within the concrete slab to create voids and I-shaped beams interwoven perpendicular to each other.
Ubot boxes are made from recycled polypropylene with a completely new five-leg structure, overcoming most of the limitations of older designs and making Ubot lightweight flat slabs an optimal choice for contractors in the Vietnamese and international construction markets.
Key advantages of Ubot slab
Optimize flat slab structure
- The beamless flat slab creates an open and spacious area and can be painted directly after the formwork is removed. It provides greater clear height, facilitates the installation of technical piping, reduces the amount of reinforcement and formwork work, simplifies and speeds up finishing work, and enhances the aesthetics of the building.
- Reduce slab thickness and achieve large spans while reducing the overall height of the building, potentially allowing additional floors in high-rise designs.
- Reduce the load on the foundations.
- Provides good ventilation, vibration resistance, sound insulation, and thermal insulation, as well as high fire resistance.
- High and uniform stiffness, with good lateral load-bearing capacity.
- The new Ubot box design increases the box rib height from 8 mm to 9.5 mm and adds a middle leg to increase box stiffness; balances the pressure inside and outside the box; minimizes buoyancy during construction; and makes transportation, stacking, and dismantling easier.
- The box cover functions as a construction-joint mesh, helping prevent concrete loss. Designed in a mesh form, the box cover allows air to escape from the concrete slab surface and reduces temperature during the hydration process.
Optimize cost efficiency
- Compared with conventional slabs, flat slab systems can save a significant amount of concrete and reinforcement, while reasonable flat slab material costs help contractors reduce material expenses.
- Compared with earlier Ubot flat slab designs, the flat slab system using five-leg Ubot boxes provides greater structural stability, reduces repair costs for cracks that occurred in previous product models, and reduces labor costs by minimizing box buoyancy during construction, saving time and making the construction process easier.
- Simple construction does not require a large workforce, bulky lifting equipment, or extensive storage space, allowing contractors to save on labor and storage costs.
Environmentally friendly
Flat slab designs are pursuing environmentally friendly solutions through the use of recycled materials, most notably UBOT flat slabs, which are made entirely from recycled polypropylene.
Flexibility in construction
- MEP system installation and maintenance are simpler and easier because the system reduces the number of beams, columns, formwork, heavy reinforcement, and the buoyancy phenomenon of Ubot boxes.
- Easy transportation and reduced storage space requirements.
- Reduced quantities of concrete, steel, and formwork result in lower labor requirements and fewer transportation resources needed at the construction site.
With more than 10 years of construction and development, Lam Pham Construction Co., Ltd. has continuously invested in research to provide customers with high-quality and optimized products. The Ubot lightweight flat slab with its new design – the five-leg Ubot box – has become an optimal choice in the Vietnamese and international construction markets.
Many major contractors have trusted and used this new solution, with numerous successful projects, particularly projects focused on green construction: Ecohome Phuc Loi project, Cat Tuong project, Imperia Sky Garden, and more.
Ubot lightweight flat slabs are designed to deliver unexpected advantages, from structural design to economic efficiency, while being especially environmentally friendly. This exclusive product is developed by Lam Pham Construction Co., Ltd.
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