Title: Industrial Floors and Pavements in Australia -A Critical Overview of Current Design Methods

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Publication: CIA

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Date: 2/13/2011

Abstract:
This paper focuses on the history of industrial slab on grade design in Australia. Particular emphasis is placed on more recent developments for subgrade assessment which have seen the adoption of linear elastic theory in lieu of the Winkler spring or modulus of subgrade reaction model. The literature tends to suggest that the elastic – isotropic solid model can, in general terms, more closely mimic the observed response of real soils. However, it will be shown that such models are extraordinarily sensitive to the input parameters adopted. To this end, a considerable level of engineering skill and judgement is required to be exercised to ensure that industrial pavement designs based on this model achieve an appropriate balance between serviceability and cost.