Creating and editing waffle slabs

When selecting the "Hollow core slabs" option, you must first specify the "Type of form". This can be "Lost" or "Removable".

Next, the list of available waffle slabs for the selected form is displayed, showing their "Name", "Material" and "Description". The controls at the top of the list allow you to do the following:

• Add
  Adds a new waffle slab of the selected type to the list. After entering the name and confirming, you must enter the parameters that define the slab in the pop-up window.
• Edit
  Allows you to edit the values that define the selected floor slab. Any changes will only affect the floor slab defined in the current project. If you wish to copy it to the library, you must confirm the dialogue box that appears.
• Delete
  Removes the selected floor slab from the list.

Waffle slab libraries

The following controls at the top of the list of waffle slabs enable the management of libraries for this type of slab:

• Import from library
  Opens the "Lost forms library" or "Removable forms library" window. This window displays the libraries of waffle slabs included in the software installation, along with the slabs added in the "Enter panel" window and exported via "Export to library". You can select any of the slabs and click on "Import" to import it into the list of waffle slabs in the "Enter panel" window.
• Export to library
  Allows you to export the selected slab to the library of waffle slabs of the corresponding type.

Creating and editing waffle slabs with lost form

When creating or editing a waffle slab with lost form, you must specify the following details:

• the "Reference" of the floor slab;
• the "Material" used for the lightweighting, whether "Concrete", "Lightweight concrete", "Ceramic" or "Polystyrene";
• the "Nº of elements" that make up the panel, whether one, two, three, four or six pieces;
• and their "Geometric data", which may be "Same in X and Y" or "Different in X and Y":
  • the "Total depth (h)",
  • the "Compression layer (c)",
  • the "Rib spacing (b)" and the "Rib width (a)" in both directions or in the "X-direction" and the "Y-direction", depending on the option selected.
• The diagram on the right shows the values a, b, c and h to make it easier to understand.
• Alternatively, you can also enter the value for the "Concrete volume" to be used and the "Self weight" per unit area directly.

Creating and editing waffle slabs with recoverable form

When creating or editing a waffle slab with recoverable form, you must specify the following details:

• the "Reference" of the floor slab;
• if "Half form available" (this box is ticked if the floor slab being edited allows the use of reusable formwork of half-block size);
• and their "Geometric data", which may be "Same in X and Y" or "Different in X and Y":
  • the "Total depth (h)",
  • the "Compression layer (c)",
  • the "Rib spacing (b)", the "Rib width (a)", and the "Heights" and "Widths" of the ribs ("h1", "h2", "h3", "a1", "a2", "a3" and "a4") that define its cross-section, in both directions or in the "X-direction" and the "Y-direction", depending on the selected option.
• The diagram on the right shows the values a, b, c, h, h1, h2, h3, a1, a2, a3 and a4 to make it easier to understand.
• Alternatively, you can also enter the value for the "Concrete volume" to be used and the "Self weight" per unit area directly.

Waffle slabs from the Open BIM Database

The "Import from 'Open BIM Database'" option at the top of the waffle slab list opens a window displaying the waffle slabs from the downloaded Open BIM Database catalogues.

The "Catalogue management" option at the top of this window allows you to download and update manufacturers’ catalogues from the Open BIM Database. Once you have done so, the list will display the products from the downloaded manufacturers, which can be "Imported" individually into the project by ticking the relevant option.

When you click on "Finish", the imported slabs will appear in the slab list in the "Enter panel" window, ready to be selected and added to the model.

Additional options and on-plan insertion

The program will display a designed diagram of the waffle slab selected from the list.

The "Direction of the longitudinal ribs" is defined at the bottom of the window. These can be:

• "Parallel to a beam" or "Perpendicular to a beam", to be selected by the user;
• Alternatively, "Two reference points" may be marked on the floor plan to define the direction of the longitudinal ribs.

Once you have accepted, moving the cursor over the various closed contours on the plan view will highlight the areas where the panel can be inserted. Then, click the left mouse button to insert the panel into that area.

Finally, using the left mouse button, you must select the beam or the reference points that define the direction of the longitudinal ribs. The panel will be defined using this data and will be displayed on screen.

Later on, you can automatically generate the drop panels for each panel of the waffle slab using the "Drop panels > Generate drop panels" in the "Panels" menu, and a base reinforcement can be assigned via "Assign 'Base Reinforcement / Welded Mesh'", also in the same menu.