I saw an interesting ad online while I was doing some research on concrete. It was for Bubble Deck, an innovative way of making flat concrete slabs. The traditional way is to put a lot of columns and beams beneath a very thick and very heavy slab of concrete. The Bubble Deck system uses rebar and hollow plastic balls to create a structural mesh. A thin precast concrete slab is used as a base, then they pour concrete over the mesh on site.

The result is a thinner, lighter (up to 50%) slab that is strong enough to eliminate the need for beams. This all makes the building lighter, reducing the concrete needed for the foundation. With only columns in the way, the interior space is much more flexible and open. This technology is just as useful in the residential world as it is in the commercial. That’s pretty cool.

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