CUPOLEX – Frequently Asked Questions

CUPOLEX – Frequently Asked Questions

CUPOLEX®

Concrete Slab

CUPOLEX®

Forms

Is CUPOLEX® an Engineered System such as a truss or a precast system?

NO; CUPOLEX® is not an engineered system such as truss system, engineered lumber, metal buildings,

precast concrete, etc. CUPOLEX® is formwork modules which are not used twice. The modules are

variously interlinked to create a formwork to complete a concrete casting of An Aerated Floor Slab on

ground.

What is an Aerated Floor Slab?

Aerated Floors are slabs have an under slab void

that is created for ventilating. Aerated Floors

provide healthier environments and offer many

advantages over conventional floor slabs.

Do CUPOLEX® Floors require engineering?

Yes; all Cupolex floors require a specific design carried out by a Professional Engineer. Each CUPOLEX®

floor is specifically designed to suit site conditions. A plan drawing, and design calculations and

methodology to meet the local regulatory criteria are required for every slab design.

Does the company provide design engineering services?

Yes; Cupolex Building Systems provides full engineering and environmental technical support for its

products through formal agreements with renowned engineering firms nationally and internationally,

including finite element modeling of the structural design of floors and recommendations for venting.

Our engineering team can either support your existing contractors and designers at no additional cost,

or provide full engineering design services on a fee basis, as desired.

Are there reference design tables available?

YES; there are standard slab on grade and structural slab design tables available in the technical

library on our website.

What is a CUPOLEX® Design? CUPOLEX® structural designs refers to the concrete over layer and to the level of reinforcement

needed, as established according to the soil characteristics and loading types and levels. A CUPOLEX®

venting design refers to the dispersal and dilution of vapors from the void under the slab.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

ABOUT CUPOLEX®®®®

CUPOLEX – Frequently Asked Questions

How are CUPOLEX® Designs verified? Designs are verified through a finite element model in which the soil is represented as a homogeneous

material with linear elastic behavior.

What variables are considered in a CUPOLEX® Design? The following variables are considered:

- Type of CUPOLEX®

- Thickness of slab

- Levels of reinforcement

- Type of soil

The static behavior of the concrete floor depends on the following factors:

1) Geometry:

- Dome geometry

- Minimum thickness of the slab above the cupolex elements

2) Type of soil or subbase

3) Position of loads on the cupolex slab

I. Beam grid model (fig.1)

II. Plate model (fig.2)

III. 3D model (fig.3)

Fig.1 Fig.2 Fig.3

Also a non-uniform contact with the soil is considered (for example different yielding)

What DESIGN SOFTWARE is used to design CUPOLEX®®®® slabs?

The CUPOLEX® Design Software was developed by Pontarolo Engineering and is distributed free of

charge to provide design Engineers with a simple operating program to design CUPOLEX® Slab on

Ground so all the responses will be kept within safe limits while designing CUPOLEX® slabs. The Software

was derived from the numerical models and the experimental results reported in “Cupolex Floors Static

Behavior Analysis” Report. Refer to the Technical Library for these reports.

CUPOLEX – Frequently Asked Questions

Are Cement-Treated Bases required under CUPOLEX®®®® slabs? The stress on soil is decreased significantly when a lean concrete mud slab is placed beneath the CUPOLEX® slab. The flexural stresses in the CUPOLEX® concrete slab by the maximum factored loads

are less than the factored flexural resistance. Although the use of lean concrete can reduce the critical stress in concrete and subgrade, it is clear in CUPOLEX® slabs that the reduction in flexural

stresses in concrete is not as significant as compared to the reduction in stresses on the soil at the CUPOLEX® feet, therefore if flexural stresses are a problem, then they can be reduces economically by

slightly increasing the slab thickness above the CUPOLEX® forms. It may be sometimes uneconomical

to build a subbase of lean concrete for the purpose of reducing the concrete stress because the

strength of the concrete used on the slab is much greater than that of the lean concrete.

What is the lead time for engineering and calculations?

We can typically have your engineering completed in one week on receipt of a foundation floor plan

on a CAD file.

What is the lead time for delivery of the components?

Delivery is typically 1-2 weeks in most areas in North America, but we appreciate 6-8 weeks or as much

notice as possible in order to expedite product delivery.

Has CUPOLEX®®®® had any testing performed?

Yes; see CUPOLEX® testing Reports in the Technical Library

Does CUPOLEX®®®® require an approved installer to install the CUPOLEX®®®®

system? Where we have an approved installer in your area, we can recommend their services to you, but any Concrete flat work contractor will be well qualified to install CUPOLEX® and typically we offer on-site

training where possible.

Do CUPOLEX®®®® floors cost more than conventional slabs and typical mitigation

systems?

NO; the savings in labor and materials that a CUPOLEX design provides over conventional slabs

designs usually can pay for the cost of CUPOLEX®, while providing a highly efficient preemptive

venting system at no additional cost. Compare this to the significant additional cost of installing the

gravel venting layers and liners typically required to control vapors below conventional floor slabs.

CUPOLEX – Frequently Asked Questions

Do CUPOLEX®®®® Forms come in different sizes?

The CUPOLEX® Forms range in size from 2 “(50mm) to 28” (700mm). Not all sizes may be available in

your State or Province so be sure to contact Cupolex Building Systems to inquire if the form size you

have selected will be a special order.

What type of reinforcing steel is required for CUPOLEX®®®® slabs?

Most types of reinforcing can be designed and used in CUPOLEX® slabs including concrete fibers. A

common criticism of wire mesh is that it settles in the fresh concrete and ends up lying on the granular

base, rendering it completely useless. The wire mesh when placed on the CUPOLEX® elements is

positioned exactly at the elevation required with no need to be lifted up into place.

Is the concrete cover sufficient to the under side of the mesh where it contacts with the CUPOLEX®®®® domes?

The durability and performance requirements are achieved via concrete cover in accordance your

local Building Code’s exposure classes. At the point where the mesh sits hard down on the apex of the

dome, a continuous barrier of 0.5mm thick plastic exists. The plastic layer is capable of protecting the

reinforcement for at least 50 years in accordance with ASTM Standards.

Axis Dist. 560

(22”)

VARIABLE

from 0.00 to 275mm (11”)

Axis Dist. 560

(22”)

560

(22”)

430

(17”)

VARIABLE

from 0.00 to 700mm (28”)

VARIABLE

from 0.00 to 275mm (11”)

CUPOLEX® Forms are molded in a

variety of depths to deal with

different levels of Vapor emission and

for different depths of fill

requirements.

Performance Characteristics

CUPOLEX

® Form

[mm] (inch.) [mm] (inch.) [m3/m

2] [cy/sq.ft]

W005 50 2 40 1.57 0.008 0.0010

C1095 95 4 80 3.15 0.014 0.0017

W010 100 4 70 2.76 0.030 0.0036

C1013 135 5 110 4.33 0.030 0.0036

C1020 200 8 170 6.69 0.035 0.0043

C1026 260 10 220 8.66 0.045 0.0055

C1030 300 12 260 10.24 0.042 0.0051

C1035 350 14 310 12.20 0.045 0.0055

C1040 400 16 340 13.39 0.060 0.0073

C1045 450 18 390 15.35 0.064 0.0078

C1050 500 20 440 17.32 0.065 0.0079

C1055 550 22 490 19.29 0.065 0.0080

C1060 600 24 530 20.87 0.07 0.0085

C1065 650 26 580 22.83 0.071 0.0090

C1070 700 28 630 24.80 0.073 0.0095

Overall Form

Depth

Clear Void

Equivalent

Concrete

Consumption to top

of Forms

CUPOLEX – Frequently Asked Questions

What strength of concrete is required for CUPOLEX®®®® slabs?

Any type of Strength concrete can be considered in a CUPOLEX® slab design. 25Mpa (3500 psi)

concrete is typically specified for residential slabs. Commercial, industrial, garages and institutional

slabs concrete strength is typically determined on an individual job basis.

Can CUPOLEX®®®® slabs be designed on poor load bearing or challenging soil

conditions? YES; CUPOLEX® slabs can be designed for most ground conditions; please contact Cupolex Building

Systems to discuss your specific soil conditions.

How does the CUPOLEX®®®® design allow for a monolithic concrete pour that

includes edge beams, tie beams, grade beams, footings, spread footings? The Beton Stop accessory component is designed with ribs to allow for five different settings under the

Cupolex domes; from fully in (flush with the dome) to fully out (which gives an additional 250mm (10”)

from the edge of the Cupolex dome.

How does a CUPOLEX®®®® provide a more effective application of a Sub-Slab

Depressurization (SSD) system?

CUPOLEX® is a patented flooring system developed to provide a highly efficient under-slab void

network for more effective application of SSD, at lower cost than less efficient sand or gravel venting

layers as well as facilitate the dilution and dispersal of Vapors from beneath buildings.

Are membranes or barriers required to be included with CUPOLEX®®®® floor

mitigation systems? While membranes are typically required for mitigation systems designed to function as barriers

(essentially damming the flow of vapors), mitigation systems such as the Cupolex® aerated floor system

that rely on ventilation or depressurization (diverting and diluting the vapors) do not require

membranes. In fact, SSD systems were developed for installation in existing buildings where

membranes could not be placed. Moreover, mitigation systems that result in the dilution of vapors

below the floor and whose performance can be monitored and controlled (e.g., through fan

operation and pressure measurements) have the advantage of not allowing vapor concentrations

and pressures to build immediately below the building, which is not always the case with barrier

systems.

CUPOLEX – Frequently Asked Questions

For more detailed CUPOLEX® literature or other solutions.

Please contact our technical sales department at 1.866.766.8276

For a range of design led applications

For forming ribbed concrete floors

For protecting foundations against ground movement

For void forming, landscaping and fill applications

For preemptive mitigation solutions

For vapor intrusion protection

For improving indoor air quality

To reduce the environmental impact of building

For lowering building costs

For reducing building cycle times

For reducing aggregate use

For protection against moisture and mold

For a range of product solutions and systems

CONTACT US

CUPOLEX BUILDING SYSTEMS 231 Millway Ave, Suite 16 Concord, Ontario Canada L4K 3W7 Tel: 1-866-766-827 E-mail: info@pontarolo.ca

www.pontarolo.ca

If the contents of this brochure do not point to a

solution for a Slab on Ground application, we urge

contractors, design engineers and specifiers to

contact our technical Sales line at 1.866.766.8276

Our reputation is built on innovation and we have

the wealth of problem solving experience for you

to call on.

The contents of this brochure are the copyright of

CUPOLEX BUILDING SYSTEMS and may not be

reproduced without permission. January 2009

BUILDING SYSTEMS

DENVER l SEATTLE l LAS VEGAS l NEW YORK l IRVINE l SALT LAKE l PHOENIX l KANSAS l TORONTO

Ministry Of the Environment

NETE Certificate of

Technology Assessment