Fills Between Foundation Footings

To reduce the thickness of a raft foundation without compromising the integrity of the entire structure, column/wall footings are placed above the raft foundation surface. The footing evenly distributes the load from the column/wall across the raft foundation, preventing puncturing and ensuring structural stability. This method is an effective and economical way of creating foundations.

However, footings present a challenge: the space between them must be filled and paved to create a level surface, which can be added to the usable area of the building (such as in a car park, or factory floor). Traditionally, this space is filled with a gravel-sand mix, compacted in layers of 20-30 cm, and covered with a plastic sheet to prevent concrete leakage. Then, 20 cm of concrete with double steel mesh reinforcement is poured and paved. Additionally, plumbing installations are typically passed through the compacted material before the concrete is applied.

The main disadvantage of this method is the large volume of fill material that must be transported to the site and carefully compacted, causing delays while the site waits for this step to be completed.

With ABS Void Formworks, operational savings are substantial. At a height of 100 cm, 50 truckloads of traditional fill material can be replaced by just a single truck of void formworks. Since the system can be installed at any stage of the construction process, the "foundation fill step" is no longer a sequential dependency. It can be carried out in parallel with other activities, effectively removing it from the project’s critical path and contributing to a shorter overall construction schedule. An additional advantage is that the void space beneath the slab can be utilized for MEP (mechanical, electrical, and plumbing) installations or as a flood mitigation measure. Finally, thanks to the exceptional load-bearing capacity of reinforced concrete raised floors constructed with ABS Void Formworks, the risk of settling, cracking or breaking is virtually eliminated.