UBot - UBoot Beton

INTRODUCTION

U-Bot (Uboot Beton^_®) is a recycled polypropylene formwork that was designed to create lightened slabs and rafts. The use of U-Bot formwork makes it possible to create mushroom pillars, with the possibility to have the mushroom in the thickness of the slab.
Thanks to the conic elevator foot, immerging the U-Bot formworks in the concrete casting will create a gridwork of mutually perpendicular beams closed from the bottom and the top by a flat plate that is created with a single casting; this results in considerable reduction in the use of concrete and steel.

U-Bot is used to create slabs with large span or that are able to support large loads without beams.
Light and quick and easy to position, thanks to their modularity the designer can vary the geometric parameters as needed to adapt to all situations with great architectural freedom.

ADVANTAGES

1. Increased number of floors
Possibility to gain floors at the same building height (towers) and building volume.

2. Large span and great architechtural freedom
Larger spaces.

3. Reduced slab thickness
Thinner slabs but with equal loads and clearances, or bigger clearances with an equal thickness.

4. No beams between pillars
Flat soffit for greater flexibility when installing systems.

5. Reduction in the number of pillars
Facilitated use reallocation.

5. Optimisation of the section of pillars
Wider bays.

6. Reduction in the overall load of the structure weighing on the pillars and the foundation

7. Reduced foundations
Less excavation.

8. Less deep foundation excavation
Lower costs for foundation excavations.

9. Improved acoustic behaviour
Less acoustic transmittance.

APPLICATIONS

Applications in construction

U-Bot (U-boot Beton^_®) is used in all applications that require a structural plate together with the need to use less concrete and therefore for a lighter structure. U-Bot is the ideal solution for creating slabs with a large span and/or great load-bearing capacity: it is particularly suited for structures that require considerable open spaces, such as executive, commercial and industrial buildings as well as public, civil and residential structures. It makes it possible to more irregularly distribute the pillars, as beams do not need to be created. In the case of yards that are difficult to access or restructuring work, U-Bot, due to its stackability, modularity, lightness and manoeuvrability, can be used to make horizontal structures without the help of handling and hoisting equipment. With U-Bot also foundation rafters can be created with a larger thickness with a reduced amount of concrete.

Applications in rafts

Among the various foundation types, rafts are one of the most well known. They are used above all in ground conditions with little bearing capacity, or with poor quality soil, large thicknesses must be used which increases the construction cost.

Thanks to the use of U-Bot lightened rafts can be created with the same performance but at a considerably lower cost. Once drown in the concrete casting, U-Bot forms the structure just like two full slabs, with a variable thickness, connected by a perpendicular beam gridwork to form a bidirectional static honeycomb plate.

For this concrete bed, the distribution of weights due to hight inertia is rationalised in order to permit maximum stiffness and lightness for the structure with a minimum amount of concrete, which makes it possible to eliminate, where possible, the foundation piles.

TECHNICAL DATA

UBot H10:

H 10 cm (single)
Working dimensions	cm	52 x 52
Height	cm	10
Foot height	cm	0-5-6-7-8-9-10
Spacer height	cm	0,8
Weight per piece	Kg	1,090
Piece volume	m3	0,021

UBot H13:

H 13 cm (single)
Working dimensions	cm	52 x 52
Height	cm	13
Foot height	cm	0-5-6-7-8-9-10
Spacer height	cm	0,8
Weight per piece	Kg	1,170
Piece volume	m3	0,028

UBot H16:

H 16 cm (single)
Working dimensions	cm	52 x 52
Height	cm	16
Foot height	cm	0-5-6-7-8-9-10
Spacer height	cm	0,8
Weight per piece	Kg	1,430
Piece volume	m3	0,031

UBot H20:

H 20 cm (single)
Working dimensions	cm	52 x 52
Height	cm	20
Foot height	cm	0-5-6-7-8-9-10
Spacer height	cm	0,8
Weight per piece	Kg	1,660
Piece volume	m3	0,039

UBot H23:

H 23 cm (double)
Working dimensions	cm	52 x 52
Height	cm	23
Foot height	cm	0-5-6-7-8-9-10
Spacer height	cm	0,8
Piece volume	m3	0,049
Composed of U-Boot UP	H cm	16
Composed of U-Boot DOWN	H cm	13

Ubot H24:

H 24 cm (single)
Working dimensions	cm	52 x 52
Height	cm	24
Foot height	cm	0-5-6-7-8-9-10
Spacer height	cm	0,8
Weight per piece	Kg	1,730
Piece volume	m3	0,047

UBot H26:

H 26 cm (double)
Working dimensions	cm	52 x 52
Height	cm	26
Foot height	cm	0-5-6-7-8-9-10
Spacer height	cm	0,8
Piece volume	m3	0,0558
Composed of U-Boot UP	H cm	16
Composed of U-Boot DOWN	H cm	10

UBot H28:

H 28 cm (single)
Working dimensions	cm	52 x 52
Height	cm	28
Foot height	cm	0-5-6-7-8-9-10
Spacer height	cm	0,8
Weight per piece	Kg	2,000
Piece volume	m3	0,0527

UBot H29:

H 29 cm (double)
Working dimensions	cm	52 x 52
Height	cm	29
Foot height	cm	0-5-6-7-8-9-10
Spacer height	cm	0,8
Piece volume	m3	0,0589
Composed of U-Boot UP	H cm	16
Composed of U-Boot DOWN	H cm	13

UBot H30:

H 30 cm (double)
Working dimensions	cm	52 x 52
Height	cm	30
Foot height	cm	0-5-6-7-8-9-10
Spacer height	cm	0,8
Piece volume	m3	0,060
Composed of U-Boot UP	H cm	20
Composed of U-Boot DOWN	H cm	10

Ubot H32:

H 32 cm (double)
Working dimensions	cm	52 x 52
Height	cm	32
Foot height	cm	0-5-6-7-8-9-10
Spacer height	cm	0,8
Piece volume	m3	0,062
Composed of U-Boot UP	H cm	16
Composed of U-Boot DOWN	H cm	16

UBot H33:

H 33 cm (double)
Working dimensions	cm	52 x 52
Height	cm	33
Foot height	cm	0-5-6-7-8-9-10
Spacer height	cm	0,8
Piece volume	m3	0,0669
Composed of U-Boot UP	H cm	20
Composed of U-Boot DOWN	H cm	13

UBot H34:

H 34 cm (double)
Working dimensions	cm	52 x 52
Height	cm	34
Foot height	cm	0-5-6-7-8-9-10
Spacer height	cm	0,8
Piece volume	m3	0,068
Composed of U-Boot UP	H cm	24
Composed of U-Boot DOWN	H cm	10

UBot H36:

H 36 cm (double)
Working dimensions	cm	52 x 52
Height	cm	36
Foot height	cm	0-5-6-7-8-9-10
Spacer height	cm	0,8
Piece volume	m3	0,07
Composed of U-Boot UP	H cm	20
Composed of U-Boot DOWN	H cm	16

UBot H37:

H 37 cm (double)
Working dimensions	cm	52 x 52
Height	cm	37
Foot height	cm	0-5-6-7-8-9-10
Spacer height	cm	0,8
Piece volume	m3	0,0749
Composed of U-Boot UP	H cm	24
Composed of U-Boot DOWN	H cm	13

UBot H38:

H 38 cm (double)
Working dimensions	cm	52 x 52
Height	cm	38
Foot height	cm	0-5-6-7-8-9-10
Spacer height	cm	0,8
Piece volume	m3	0,073
Composed of U-Boot UP	H cm	28
Composed of U-Boot DOWN	H cm	10

UBot H40:

H 40 cm (double)
Working dimensions	cm	52 x 52
Height	cm	40
Foot height	cm	0-5-6-7-8-9-10
Spacer height	cm	0,8
Piece volume	m3	0,078
Composed of U-Boot UP	H cm	20 / 24
Composed of U-Boot DOWN	H cm	20 / 16

UBot H41:

H 41 cm (double)
Working dimensions	cm	52 x 52
Height	cm	41
Foot height	cm	0-5-6-7-8-9-10
Spacer height	cm	0,8
Piece volume	m3	0,0806
Composed of U-Boot UP	H cm	28
Composed of U-Boot DOWN	H cm	13

UBot H44:

H 44 cm (double)
Working dimensions	cm	52 x 52
Height	cm	44
Foot height	cm	0-5-6-7-8-9-10
Spacer height	cm	0,8
Piece volume	m3	0,086
Composed of U-Boot UP	H cm	24 / 28
Composed of U-Boot DOWN	H cm	20 / 16

INSTALLATION

Installation process:

1	The entire surface of the slab to be cast on site is shuttered with wood deckings (or similar systems), then the lower reinforconcrete bars are positioned in two mutually perpendicular directions according to the design and the lattice for the upper reinforconcrete is arranged.

2	The U-Boot Beton^_® formworks are positioned using the lateral spacers joints to place them at the desired centre distance that will determine the beam width. Thanks to the conic elevator foot, theU-Boot Beton^_® formworks will be lifted from the surface, making it possible for the lower slab to be formed. If double or triple elements are used, these elements must first be assembled, which will be supplied on distinct pallets in the yard.
2
3	The positioning of the reinforconcretes is completed by placing above the U-Boot Beton_^® formwork the upper bars in the two directions as well as the reinforcement for shear and punching where necessary, according to the design.
4	The concrete casting must be performed in two phases to prevent the floatation of the formworks: an initial layer will be cast to fill a thickness equal to the height of the elevator foot. Casting will continue for this first portion of the slab until the concrete starts to set and become semi fluid.
4
5	Once suitably set, the casting can be restarted from the starting point, completely burying the U-Boot Beton^_®. The casting is then levelled and smoothed in a traditional manner.
6	Once the structure has hardened, the formwork can be removed. The surface is smooth in correspondence of the soffit.

CERTIFICATIONS

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Fire Resistance Certificate REI 180 for U-Boot Beton_^® issued by the CSI institute in Bollate (MI)
Certification of a Load Test on a sample with U-Boot Beton^_® issued by the University of Darmstadt.
Acoustic test according to the standard UNI EN ISO 140-6 – Measurement of acoustic insulation in buildings and building elements; Laboratory measurements of the insulation footstep noise issued by the Istituto Giordano di Gatteo (FC).
Acoustic test according to the standard UNI EN ISO 140-3 – Measurement of acoustic insulation in buildings; Laboratory measurements of the insulation of air-borne noise from building elements issued by the Istituto Giordano di Gatteo (FC).
Loading and breaking test certified by the University of Padua.
Environmental Compatibility Certification (CCA).
Member of the Green Building Council Italia.
System certification pursuant to ISO 9001- ISO 14001 – SA Standard 8000.

The quality of the used mixture, the innovative shape, the thicknesses and dimensions of the product, the fire safety and strict working techniques make it a product of excellence. U-Bot (Uboot Beton), is not subject to deformations, either during or after the casting, either due to the weight of the concrete or the dynamic effect connected to the work operations: it is able to support before casting the workers and fresh concrete, the pressure created during the compression and vibration of the casting, the weight of people, reinforconcretes and equipment guaranteeing conditions of safety, and lack of deformations. Furthermore, the safety of the lateral spacer guarantees its perfect positioning and respect of the geometry of the beams under the pressure of the concrete.
Numerous national and international Product and System Certifications have been received that prove not only product quality, but also the validity of the constructive solutions and the applications in the building industry. All of this, together with the advantages mentioned below, make U-Boot Beton_^® the product of reference for operators and professionals.

Daliform Group has again demonstrated to be extremely precise with regard to respecting health and the environment having been the first to obtain Environmental Compatibility Certification (CCA) for its products. This certificate is very important for U-Boot Beton_^® because it demonstrates: the lack of dangerous substances in its composition (even if recycled materials are used); the lack of emissivity of toxic substances during the various phases of the product’s life and operating cycle, which benefits the health of the intermediate users (production and installation personnel) as well as final users (people living in the building) as well as the environment in general.

U-BOT OR POLYSTYRENE

Even if polystyrene is widely used in the construction industry due to its low cost and workability, it has many disadvantages that are being addressed by the technical-scientific community.
With reference to lightened slabs, the Italian Ministerial Decree of 16.02.2007 to enclosure D.5.1 establishes that: “In the case of polystyrene formworks, or formworks in similar materials, there must be appropriate vents for the overpressures”. Even prior to this, the UNI 9502 standard – article 7.2.2 – established that: “In the case of elements incorporating materials that when subject to high temperatures turn to gas, there must be appropriate vents facing the side exposed to fire to ensure that the bearing capacity is not compromised by explosions”.

Therefore, using polystyrene slabs cast on site requires the extra expense of fitting vents in the cavity to counteract the excessive pressure of gas that is sublimated by the formwork. However, in the event of a fire there would still be the problem of toxic gas escaping into the environment (styrene).

As U-bot (U-Boot Beton^_®) is made of polypropylene, it is not toxic even if burnt. Moreover,the slab will not explode due to the escaping of over pressurised gas from the feet (4 feet for each formwork) that act as safety valves. Tests run at the CSI laboratory have demonstrated that with a cement cover of 3.5 cm the structure created with U-Bot is class REI 180. Other advantages of U-Bot compared to EPS are the dimensions, handling (just think of transferring it overhead onto the slabs being built) and outdoor storage. Polystyrene is, in fact, bulky and cannot be stacked; it is particularly fragile on its edges and corners that crumble leaving those annoying balls that, statically charged, stick to everything (especially to the reinforcements) and are very hard to get rid of.

UBot – UBoot Beton