Loading & span
No specific type of slab can be seen as the best for a specific application, one will have to consider all the factors below and then decide. If more than one floor system can be used for the same span, the next factors that might strongly guide you in a direction is the cost of erection and speed of erection.
Cost (Economic considerations of spanning)
In normal spans of less than 6m is most economically done with reinforced concrete. When the span is in the middle of 6m - 9m, assorted other concrete slab systems can be used and be just as prudent or even more prudent that reinforced concrete. When the span is more that 9m, normal reinforced concrete is not prudent anymore and one will have to look at pre-stressed or other extra beam systems.
Asvab Practice Questions
Pre-cast members can also be thought about for prudent reasons in large building building for there is a lot of repetition of thorough components and can sacrifice costs.
Speed of erection
Nowadays speed of building building plays an all the more foremost role, especially for the money saving factor and this has to be looked at intensively when a project is started.
Depending on the application, in-situ cast reinforced concrete can be quite economical, but can take longer because of the temporary retain required until the concrete has set and is not convenient for large multi-storey buildings. This is best for large residential buildings & small office blocks. With precast members the shuttering is reduced or eliminated totally and thus results in shorter building times and can be very sufficient for specific applications but one has to look at the other factors before a decision is made.
Logistics
Post-tensioning instead of pre-tensioned members is recommended where the elements need excessive transportation because pre-stressed members, is not cast on site and the sizes of the members might have an growth in transportation cost resulting because of the larger converyance vehicles essential to move them. The accessibility of the specific site also influences this factor, for some larger vehicles may not be capable of accessing the site.
Services
This is especially foremost when one makes use of tensioned eg: (pre-stresses or post stressed concrete members) where openings in slab is to be in case,granted one must make sure not to damage the tensioned cables as this may greatly sacrifice their power and structural failure might occur. Any services protruding the slab at any point is to be designed beforehand to preclude such failures.
