Facade Loads on Hollow Core Plank
Facade Loads on Hollow Core Plank
(OP)
Among the structural framing schemes being proposed for a 5 story Hotel is one that would have 8" deep hollow core plank spanning parallel to the exterior wall with a brick veneer finish supported by the edge of the plank. Plank spans would be at least 20 ft. Does anyone have pratical experience with this approach?






RE: Facade Loads on Hollow Core Plank
RE: Facade Loads on Hollow Core Plank
Your situation is almost like having bridge barrier on the sides of the deck.
Your design needs to account for proper distribution of load from the exterior wall to the adjacent slabs by shear and flexure interaction. A decent thickness CIP topping can handle this.
RE: Facade Loads on Hollow Core Plank
Also, what about deflection? What about fighting the camber in the hollowcore at each level when the brick is installed?
I say an edge beam is the only real solution.
RE: Facade Loads on Hollow Core Plank
my comment was, "Your design needs to account for proper distribution of load from the exterior wall to the adjacent slabs by shear and flexure interaction. A decent thickness CIP topping can handle this."
If the above cannot be satisfied, then you are right, an edge beam may be needed. Or, the hollow core properly designed to carry this load.
RE: Facade Loads on Hollow Core Plank
Supporting one storey of brick per level, on an 8-inch slab spanning 20 feet would work, based on what we have done in the past. We take the line load from the brick and magnify the shears and moments on the slab system as per the PCI Design Handbook - Load Distribution Method. This method empirically magnifies the shear stresses to account for the torsional stresses.
Note also that the brick wall load they give you would be conservative, as there will likely be windows - however, I wouldn't support more than one level of brick per floor.
As far as deflections go, we use the distributed load method to check the service stresses and deflections. We are wanting to do a mock up load test to see what the calc & actual deflections are as we are only approximating them.
The key is that the slabs are working together as a system to resist the loads. I would recommend proving solid concrete void fill in the edge void along with angles c/w anchors grouted into that edge void. However, you'll need to check if you need any more voids grouted.
RE: Facade Loads on Hollow Core Plank
RE: Facade Loads on Hollow Core Plank
Call your precaster and ask him what they can handle. Then talk to the architect and mason about constructibility.
RE: Facade Loads on Hollow Core Plank
RE: Facade Loads on Hollow Core Plank
I would suggest that you check long term effects and how that may affect the deflections and joints.