Comparison of conventional concrete and composite floor systems

Traditional concrete floorings are floor coverings created by pouring concrete directly onto a ground or substructure. These floorings are commonly used in the base or division floors of reinforced concrete structures. The durability and strength of concrete are the main reasons why traditional concrete floorings are preferred. However, traditional concrete floorings also have some disadvantages the drying time of concrete floorings can be lengthy and may delay the construction process, Composite floorings, on the other hand, are structural floor coverings created by combining steel and concrete materials. In this system, steel beams are strategically integrated with reinforced concrete slabs. Composite floorings offer advantageous features through the combination of steel and concrete. They are a preferred option in projects such as large-span structures, industrial facilities, office buildings, and bridges. Due to advantages like lighter structures, reduced material usage, quick construction time, and high load-bearing capacity, composite floorings are a preferred solution in the construction industry, The main objective of this study is to determine the differences in deflection amounts between conventional reinforced concrete flooring systems and composite flooring systems, calculating the quantities used and determining which is more economical and to compare the obtained results in detail from a technical perspective. The results are evaluated in detail to provide a better decision-making process for structural engineers and designers. In this study, I examined a series of examples consisting of floors with various structural systems. These examples will include: two-way ribbed (Waffle) slab, Soild slab, composite flooring with trapezoidal sheeting and poured concrete topping. The analyses conducted under vertical loads using the ETABS program. It has been shown that composite slabs are better in terms of the resulting deflections and the amount of materials used.