Performance Studies on Structural Floor Systems—an Analytical Approach

One of the largest and most crucial components of a building’s structure is the floor slab system. Primarily, slabs are designed to support gravity loads, whether they are used to build a basement floor, a ground floor, or at upper floor levels. The slab thickness will play a vital role in building aesthetics, architectural aspects, design, cost, and construction. The increased slab thickness will lead to increased self-weight and material quantity, and thus affect the economy. This study attempted to evaluate the performance of different floor slab systems for commercial structures under gravity loads, including conventional slab-beam systems, RC flat slabs, RC band beams, and bonded post-tensioning slab systems. The structure consisted of a ground floor with ten floors and a terrace. The standard typical floor size of the structure is 1600 m². The analysis and design of the structural floor slab systems were performed using applications, and the findings were validated manually in accordance with the prevailing standards. The results reveal that the PT slab has a higher strength capacity over other slab systems and performs better under serviceability and strength conditions. However, PT slab requires a slender section with less material consumption along with more structural performance than other slab systems for commercial buildings.