Prefabricated Floor Slab of House in Chongqing
An accident involving the fracture of a prefabricated floor slab of a house occurred in Chongqing. On April 11, 2024, in Fengshou Community, Guanba Town, Zhong County, a house experienced brittle fracture and collapse of the floor slab on the second floor due to excessive temporary stacking load, which exceeded the bearing capacity of the prefabricated slab, resulting in 2 deaths and 3 injuries.
Definition and Characteristics of Prefabricated Floor Slabs
A prefabricated floor slab refers to a building structure that uses prefabricated slabs as the floor material. Prefabricated slabs are concrete components pre-made in factories or on construction sites, featuring standardized production and convenient construction. Their production process is controllable, ensuring a certain level of quality stability. Moreover, they can be directly installed on construction sites, significantly shortening the construction period and improving construction efficiency.
Potential Limitations of Prefabricated Floor Slabs
Despite their many advantages, prefabricated floor slabs also have limitations in terms of performance and safety. Since prefabricated slabs are pre-made, their dimensions and shapes are relatively fixed, which may not fully meet some complex spatial requirements in architectural design. Additionally, the connection areas of prefabricated slabs are relatively weak. If the connection is not handled properly, problems such as cracks may occur during long-term use.
Analysis of the Accident Cause
The main cause of the prefabricated floor slab fracture accident in the Chongqing house was the excessive temporary stacking load on the second-floor slab. When the weight of the items stacked on the floor slab exceeds the ultimate bearing capacity of the prefabricated slab, the slab will fracture brittly due to its inability to withstand the excessive pressure. Brittle fracture is a sudden type of fracture without significant plastic deformation. Once it occurs, it often leads to serious consequences, such as the collapse of the floor slab, endangering the lives of people below.
Usage Precautions
To avoid similar accidents, when using prefabricated floor slabs, it is essential to ensure compliance with relevant building codes and safety standards. During the design phase, select the appropriate specifications and models of prefabricated slabs based on the building's intended use and load requirements. During construction, install and connect the prefabricated slabs strictly in accordance with construction specifications to ensure the firmness and reliability of the connection areas. During use, avoid concentrating excessively heavy items on the floor slabs. Regularly inspect and maintain the prefabricated floor slabs to promptly identify and address potential issues.
