Ground bearing concrete floors, industrial concrete hardstandings and concrete highway pavements have not, in the past, been perceived as a single type of structural element and their construction has taken place independently of each other. This is in spite of their obvious commonality in the areas of design, materials, geotechnical appreciation and construction.

Ground Bearing Concrete Slabs has been specifically written to break down the ‘walls’ that have arisen between these three areas and focus on the issues that are common to them all. In one practical, yet comprehensive volume, it integrates the three crucial phases in the development of ground bearing concrete slabs – design, specification and construction.

Numerous case studies are provided which illustrate the design, construction, investigation and specification of each type of ground bearing slab and each case study has been selected to represent those areas likely to be of most relevance to slab designers. For example, a high bay racking warehouse is illustrated and the overlaying of a heavily loaded industrial hardstanding is described. Because concrete is often the preferred construction material for industrial roads where loads may be infrequent but heavy, two such projects are explained.

The book draws from many international authorities, from industrial practice and from the author’s own extensive research and, where it is safe to do so, design short-cuts are presented involving simple charts and tables. Through new design methods, such as the ‘ultimate limit state analytical approach’ and ‘cost-effective steel-free design’, along with such topics as materials, construction, loading and specifications, Ground bearing concrete slabs examines and elucidates on one of the major areas of structural engineering.