Members constructed of hollow-core slabs

Work on the DafStb Code of Practice on precast hollow-core slabs [1] began in November of 2017. The Code of Practice is planned to consist of two parts:

Part 1: Reinforced-concrete hollow-core slabs

Part 2: Prestressed hollow-core slabs

For the use of prestressed hollow-core concrete slabs, general national technical approvals [2] for design, implementation, testing and control were formerly issued in Germany. The approvals made special reference to the standards DIN EN 1992-1-1 [3, 4] and the harmonized product standard (hEN) DIN EN 1168 [5]. Following the judgment of the European Court of Justice of 16 October 2014 in the case C-100/13 [6], general national technical approvals for prestressed hollow-core concrete slabs are no longer awarded.

In the course of drawing up the DafStb code of practice, it was therefore necessary to check whether and to what extent design, testing and supervision in Germany – as in all other European countries – can take place solely on the basis of DIN EN 1168. Apart from the approvals [2] and the product standard DIN EN 1168 [5], the industry guide on precast prestressed floor slabs especially served as working and “breeder” documents [7]. New in the DafStb code of practice are the regulations on flexural supports, which are based on [8] as well as on [9] and [10]. Work on the DafStb code of practice is scheduled to be completed in 2020.