A SITE VISIT TO

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION SITE WITH RIBBED SLAB (HOLLOW CLAYPOT )

AT ADEKUNLE FAJUYI WAY, IKEJA LAGOS.

BY

DINA AYODELE, O.

(070402014)

CEG 883

CONCRETE DESIGN.

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

UNIVERSITY OF LAGOS.

OCTOBER, 2014.
INTRODUCTION

A hollow clay pot is a type of ribbed slab which is constructed in situ made of burnt clay
(BS 8110 clause 3.6.1.2a). May be constructed in the following ways:

a) Where topping is considered to contribute to structural strength (see Table 3.17 for minimum
thickness):
1) as a series of concrete ribs cast in-situ between blocks which remain part of the completed
structure; the tops of the ribs are connected by a topping of concrete of the same strength as that
used in the ribs; .

b) Where topping is not considered to contribute to structural strength: as a series of concrete

ribs cast in-situ between blocks which remain part of the completed structure; the tops of the ribs
may be connected by a topping of concrete (not necessarily of the same strength as that used in
the ribs).
The clay pot must conform to BS 3921

TYPES OF HOLLOW CLAYPOT .

According to clay industry in Nigeria, there are two types of hollow cclay pot used for
ribbed slab construction; the Velox type and the Classic type.

1). VELOX TYPE FLOORING SYSTEM:

The system consist of:

a) Clay Pot Ribs ( Beam), made up from 250m/m long burnt clay units, which are laid out to
the specified length on a flat bench. The necessary steel reinforcement which is
determined by the span of the slab is then placed in position and grouted with sands
cement mortar mix 2:1. The steel bar placed at the top of the rib is to prevent any
cracking during the transportation. The rib must be cured for a period of seven days
before its utilization.
b) Hollow burnt Clay filler: Available in three heights, 130m/m, 165m/m, and 200m/m; all
unit are 355m/m wide and 250 m/m long

2) CLASSIC TYPE FLOOR SYSTEM:

a) The classic hollow clay pot either in 165m/m or 200 m/m high which must be supported
byrough formwork.

This type of classic clay pot was used in the site visited is the classic type 400 x 250 x200 as
shown in the figure 1 below.
PLATE 1: TYPE OF HOLLOW POT USED

GENERAL DESCRIPTIONS.

FIGURE 1; SECTION SHOWING SPACING AND SIZE OF RIBS

SPACING AND SIZE OF RIBS

In-situ ribs should be spaced at centres not exceeding 1.5 m and their depth, excluding any
topping, should not exceed four times their width. The minimum width of rib will be determined
by considerations of cover, bar spacing and fire.
Where the side of a slab is built into a wall or rests on a beam parallel to the ribs, that side should
be
strengthened by the formation of a rib of width equal to that of the bearing.

DESCRIPTION OF THE SUSPENDED FLOOR

The suspended floor visited was the first floor with the use of hollow clay pot construction. The
floor has four slab panels with each panel 18.95m on the longer span and 7.5m on the shorter
span.

The arrangement on the hollow clay pot along the shorter span with spacing 125mm and
reinforced at the bottom with Y25 reinforcing bars and 2 Y20 at the top at the support links are
used to ensure the correct cover for the main reinforcement

SETTING OF THE FORM WORK FOR THE SUSPENDED FLOOR

PLATE 2:THE FORM WORK SET FOR THE SUSPENDED FLOOR.

Placing of the clay pots
After the formwork is set, next is the placing of the hollow clay pots.
.The pot use is of standard classic pots of size 400 x 200 x 250mm. The pots,
In the event of laying the pots, they must be carefully laid, head to head along the shorter
direction as shown in the pictures below.

PLATE 3: END OF CLAYPOT SEALED WITH MORTAR

The edged pots were sealed with cement and sand mortar about 50mm thick to prevent the
concrete filling the hole as shown in the figure above. Pots laid parallel to one another forms the
rib in between them to receive reinforcement and concrete. The rib formed was 125mm wide,
thickness of topping between 50mm 170mm (BS8110, 1997).

The distance of the support was casted as solid slab according to the requirement of the code BS
8110 clause6.3.1.4 where the side of a slab is built into a wall or rests on a beam parallel to the
ribs, that side should be strengthened by the formation of a rib of width equal to that of the
bearing. This IS to achieve a greater shear strength.

PLATE 4: BEAM - SLAB AREA TO BE CASTED AS SOLID SLAB.

ARRANGMENT OF ELECTRICAL FITTINGS

After laying the pots service pipe were laid and fixed in position through the pots or ribs and
reinforced around it as shown below/

PLATE 5: SHOWING THE ELECTRICAL PIPE FITTINGS

PLACING OF REINFORCEMENTS
The ribs was reinforced with High Yield 25mm Diameter bars (Y25,reinforcement at the bottom)
and two Y20 reinforcing bars was used at the top of support to complete a rectangular links
section.
A Concrete topping of 50mm is used which meets the requirements in clause 3.6.1.6 and Table
3.17 of the BS code

A wire mesh is used with are of area 150mm2 which conforms to the requirement of the code
which that the cross-sectional area should not be less that 0.12% of the topping in each direction
and the spacing of the wires should not be gretare than half the center- to center distance between
ribs according to BS 8110 3.6.6.2
PLATE 6: CONCRETE TOPPING AND ARRANGMENT REINFORMENT

CONCLUSION

The site visited maintained a good practice of the design of the Hollow clay pot design as
required by the BS8110 code of practice Structural use of concrete Part 1: Code of practice
for design and construction.
However the usual practice, it is advisable that the clay pots should be soaked in water
prior to construction to avoid shrinkage cracking of the top concrete flange is liable to
occur, this was not done on the site.

Its noteworthy that the visiting of the site gives a good appreciation of this course, enables
one to relate what was taught in the classroom with that on the construction site

It would be good if the same method project based learning or site visit method of courses
delivered to students be applied in Engineering courses to better bridge the gap the
academia and the industry
PLATE 7: VISITING TEAM ( MSc Civil ENGINEERING UNILAG 2013/2014)