Are you thinking about constructing your dream house? If so, you need to know the construction of the house should be according to the guidelines given by the civil & construction engineers and not to be ignored. Ignoring the instructions given by the professionals might be fatal in due course. To reduce the construction costs, hire engineers who can suggest you many types of slabs that meet your requirements and the guidelines of the state regarding construction.
Apartment slabs are one of them that are two-way concrete slabs which are reinforced. They do not have girders or beams on them, but the load of the slab is transferred to the supporting concrete columns directly. They are marvels of modern engineering techniques.
There are advantages as well as disadvantages of using the apartment slabs in construction.
Advantages of Using the Apartment Slabs in Construction
- The Room Layout Becomes Flexible – As they are reinforced and fabricated elsewhere and not in situ, they can be placed anywhere and work as a partition wall. As the load of the apartment slabs transfers on the columns, they can be replaced anytime anywhere. While using these types of slabs, you get to design a room layout and can also avoid doing false ceilings.
- Can Be Placed Easily – As the slabs are reinforced they can be moved quickly as per requirement without getting demolished. The prefabricated slabs thus save money and time in the construction work. Also, interior plans can be changed by the owner at any time as per their wish.
- Helps to Reduce Building Height – As no beams are used, your floor height as well as the overall building height are also reduced sticking to the norms of the total building height that is permissible in the state. It can enable you to install extra floors in your house while maintaining the overall height of the building. The load on the foundation is also reduced as there are no beams.
- Reduces Construction Time – As these types of slabs are prefabricated, they cut the construction time as both onsite and offsite constructions can take place simultaneously without depending on the progress of each other.
Disadvantages of Using the Apartment Slabs in Construction
- Limited Span Length – While using apartment slabs, it is not possible for you to have a broad span due to the heavyweight. They are used in places having less span length.
- Cannot Support Brittle Partitions– They need sturdy support for the erection and cannot be used to support brittle masonry partition as they are heavy.
- Middle Strip Deflection – Care should be taken while prefabricating or erecting these slabs as middle strip deflections can be fatal as they are a critical loophole in construction.
- They Are Thicker – Apartment slabs are thicker than the traditionally reinforced slabs. Traditional slabs are cast on the sight using the beams and the columns so they can be thinner but prefabricated apartment slabs need to be thicker as they need to be shifted from one place to another as per requirement.
Every type of construction has its advantages as well as disadvantages. Apartment slabs are also included in the list. Considering all aspects, the advantages are more than the disadvantages, and the material wastage, construction cost and time are also less. With the advancement of technology, you can use them and have your interior layout changed without any hassles or tension as to where to distribute the load. Internal designs get often changed as the construction of your dream house progresses and using apartment slabs you can change the layout any time without much botheration.