Rural House Prefabricated Slab Covering Method

When using prefabricated slabs for rural house construction, it is essential to focus on key aspects such as slab placement direction, base treatment, slab bottom support and joint treatment, and overall connection to ensure structural safety and durability.

1. Reasonable Selection of Slab Placement Direction

The placement direction of prefabricated slabs should be determined based on the house's span. Typically, slabs should be laid horizontally in the direction with the smaller span. For example, if the horizontal span of the house is 5 meters and the longitudinal span is 8 meters, the slabs should be laid along the 5-meter direction. This layout enhances load-bearing capacity, distributes loads more evenly to the walls, and reduces structural risks caused by uneven foundation settlement. Incorrect direction selection may lead to localized stress concentration, resulting in slab fractures or wall cracks.

2. Strict Base Treatment Standards

The quality of the base directly affects the stability of the prefabricated slabs. Before laying, thoroughly clean the top surface of the load-bearing walls to remove dust, loose particles, and other impurities. Wet the wall tops with water one day in advance to prevent the mortar from cracking due to rapid water absorption by the walls. Then, level the surface with high-grade cement mortar (e.g., M10 or above), ensuring uniform thickness (generally controlled between 20-30 millimeters) and full compaction without voids. It is strictly prohibited to use dry bricks, crushed stones, or other debris for leveling, as this can lead to uneven stress distribution at the bottom of the slabs, resulting in settlement or deformation over time.

3. Enhanced Slab Bottom Support and Joint Treatment

During installation, temporary supports (such as wooden beams or steel pipes) should be placed beneath the prefabricated slabs, with a spacing not exceeding 1.5 meters, to prevent the slabs from bending or cracking under load. Joint treatment is crucial for preventing leaks: the width of gaps between adjacent slabs should be controlled between 30-50 millimeters. Clean and moisten the gaps before filling them with C20 or higher-grade fine aggregate concrete, compacted in layers and finished with a smooth, troweled surface. If the gaps are too wide or not properly filled, cracking and leakage may occur later due to temperature shrinkage or vibration.

4. Ensuring Overall Structural Connection

After installation, the prefabricated slabs should form an integral structure with the walls, avoiding a "loose" state. This can be achieved by installing tie bars (e.g., Φ6 steel bars spaced 500 millimeters apart) at the junctions between slab ends and walls or using a cement mortar bedding layer (with a thickness of not less than 20 millimeters) to enhance the connection. Additionally, attention should be paid to the horizontal connection between slabs. Horizontal reinforcement can be placed in the slab joints and concrete poured to form a continuous structure, improving the house's overall lateral resistance and reducing damage caused by earthquakes or wind loads.