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BubbleDeck in the

United States!

GRAEF Project Engineer: Seth Pfeil, P.E.

What is BubbleDeck?

• Voided Two-Way Flat Plate• Use plastic spheres (bubbles) to

displace concrete• Designs and Behaves like

monolithic concrete• A merger of the best aspects of

cast in place and precast concrete construction

What is BubbleDeck? What is BubbleDeck?

Top Pour Concrete

Top Steel Mesh

Steel GirderPre-Cast Concrete

Recycled Plastic Balls

Bottom Steel Mesh

What is BubbleDeck? What is BubbleDeck?

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What is BubbleDeck? What is BubbleDeck?

What is BubbleDeck? What is BubbleDeck?

History of BubbleDeck

• Invented in Europe in 1995• Over 600 BubbleDeck projects

have been completed worldwide• Projects completed in several

European countries and Canada

A Smart Approach To

Green Buildings• BubbleDeck is an engineered system

where concrete is removed that has no load carrying benefit.

• The system uses 100% recycled plastic balls (“bubbles”) to displace the concrete floor slabs. (1 lb recycled plastic replaces 100 lb of concrete.)

• BubbleDeck buildings replace 35% of the raw materials with air.

• Virtually no formwork with filigree system

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Fire Resistance

• Calculated by the equivalent thickness method, IBC Section 721.2.2.1

• Reviewed and Approved by State of Wisconsin

• Reviewed and Approved by City of Vancouver

BubbleDeck: Exposed Ceilings

Electrical Conduit within

BubbleDeck floorsRadiant Floor Heating Pre-installed

within a BubbleDeck Floor

Steel Edge Form Option Post Tensioning Option

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First US ApplicationFirst US Application

UW UW LaBahnLaBahn ArenaArena

Madison WIMadison WI

BIM Structural Model –

LaBahn Arena

LaBahn Arena

• 21 inch BubbleDeck slab– Plaza Slab

• Supports 3.5 feet of soil• Designed for fire truck loading

• 11,000 Square Feet• Serves as roof of Badger hockey

locker rooms

Why BubbleDeck for UW LaBahn?

• Saved $2/SF

• Saved 174 CY of concrete

• Saved 3 days off of schedule

• Saved on shoring cost

• Saved structural depth

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BubbleDeck Slab

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Second US ApplicationSecond US Application

Harvey Harvey MuddMudd CollegeCollege

Teaching and Learning BuildingTeaching and Learning Building

Claremont, CAClaremont, CA

BIM Structural Model – Harvey

Mudd College

(courtesy of KPFF)

Harvey Mudd - TLC

• 4 –Story Education Building• 80,000 square feet of BubbleDeck• 9, 11, 13.5, 17.5 and 20 inch slab

thicknesses used• Located in high seismic zone

Why BubbleDeck for Harvey Mudd?

• Highly Visible Exposed Concrete Ceilings

• MEP Coordination/Pre-Installation

• Seismic Mass Reduced

• Long-term Deflection Considerations

• Saved 750 CY of Concrete

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Third US ApplicationThird US Application

Watertown Regional Medical Center Watertown Regional Medical Center

East Addition & Nutrition RenovationEast Addition & Nutrition Renovation

Watertown WIWatertown WI

Watertown Regional

Medical Center

• Emergency Dept & Women’s Health Addn• 2-Story & 30,000 square feet• Existing construction systems:

– Concrete waffle slabs

– Concrete pan joist

– Precast concrete and steel beams

• System selection for healthcare facilities– Grid layout

– Story height

Why BubbleDeck for WRMC?

• Flexible and larger column grid

• Thin structural system leads to higher headroom for MEP/medical systems

• Material savings

• Increased construction speed by minimizing on-site labor

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BubbleDeck Summary

• Form work is virtually eliminated. Fewer lines of shoring.

• The finished underside of the panel can be left exposed and untreated.

• Overall building height is minimized reducing building façade.

BubbleDeck Summary, cont’d

• Reduced site labor, increased safety.

• Less onsite concrete, quicker pour time.

• Core holes are faster to drill.

• Building is more efficient, reduced carbon footprint, has potential for LEED credits.

Watertown Regional

Medical Center Fun Facts

• Saved nearly 30,000 square feet of plywood – 45 trees saved

• Saved 272 cy of concrete– 30 concrete trucks saved

• Number of bubbles used on first floor– ???

Watertown Regional

Medical Center Fun Facts

9,966 Thank You!

QUESTIONS?