Filler Slab: Using Hollow Mud Blocks and Clay Pots

FILLER SLAB
Using hollow mud blocks and clay pots

What is R.C.C filler slab ?
An alternate roofing technology
The reason why concrete and steel are used together to construct
RCC slab, is in their individual properties as separate building
materials and their individual limitation. Concrete is good in
taking compression and steel is good in tension. Thus RCC slab
is a product which both compression as well as tensile.
• Tension in the slab is on the bottom fiber and compression on the top fiber. That means if we want to
optimize the structure we can remove concrete from the tension zone where is not much needed. That’s
the key behind filler slab construction .
• hence we try and replace the part of concrete using light weight and low cost material .
• The filler material are so placed as not to

compromise the structural strength, stability and
durability, resulting in replacing unwanted and
non-functional tension concrete.
Filler materials-
• Stabilized mud blocks
• Mangalore tiles
• Laying earthen pots
• Coconut shells
• Burnt clay bricks
• Hollow concrete blocks
Material selection as per need and deign :-
Light weight, inert and inexpensive materials such as low grade Mangalore tile, burnt clay bricks,
hollow concrete blocks, stabilized blocks, clay pots, coconut shells etc. can be used as filler material
The points to considered while selecting the material for filler :-

• Filler material should be inert in nature.it should not react with concrete or steel in RCC slab construction
• Filler material water absorption should be checked for as it will soak the hydration water from concrete.
• Filler material should be light in weight, so that overall weight of the slab reduces and also the dead load onto the
foundation is reduced
• Filler material should be low cost so that it cost is much lesser then the cost of the concrete it replaces. (this is very
important to achieve economy)
• Filler material texture should match with the desired finish requirements so as not to provide an ugy ceiling pattern
PRINCIPLE:
 Is based on the principle that for roofs which are simply supported, the upper part of the slab is subjected to
compressive forces and the lower part of the slab experience tensile forces.
 Concrete is very good in withstanding compressive forces and steel bears the load due to tensile forces.
(Doesn’t affect the structural strength of concrete in anyway.)
 Thus the lower tensile region of the slab does not need any concrete except for holding the steel
reinforcements together.
 Since it is not easy to directly remove concrete from the tension zone, it is replaced with a
light weight and low cost filler material.
 In ways as to not compromise the structural strength, stability and durability.

Resulting in economy of high energy material consumption and respective cost savings and
decreased dead load of the slab.
METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION:
Filler materials are laid in the grids of steel
reinforcement rods and concrete topping is done over
them.
Filler material should properly be soaked in water so

that it doesn’t absorb water from the concrete.
Filler materials like clay tiles can be installed in two

layers, entrapping an air cavity between two tiles.
This helps in improving the thermal properties of slab.
Mangalore tile as filler material:-
The construction method and process is similar coconut shell
• Placing the mangalore tile on the hard surface in a grid order
• Reinforcement beside the filler material
• Laying of concrete
Coconut shell as filler material and laying
method :-
• It is simple process, by placing the
coconut shell on top of formwork which
is prepared
• And reinforcement should be done
beside the filler material
• Laying of concrete
Finished surface of filler slab

using coconut shell
FILLER MATERIAL: HOLLOW MUD
BLOCKS
• hollow mud blocks are laid onto the
reinforced beams prior to the concreting
process
• It created voids within itself and thus less
material is wasted and self weight
reduces.
FILLER MATERIAL: CLAY POT
• The clay/ terra cotta pots are pre cast and
made to rest over reinforced concrete beams
before concreting process.
• Aesthetically pleasing
• Easily available
FILLER MATERIAL: HOLLOW MUD
BLOCKS
FILLER MATERIAL: CLAY POTS
FILLER MATERIAL: CLAY POTS
Merits of filler slab:-
• Better aesthetic
• Promoting sustainability green concept
• Promoting reuse of material
• Embodied energy reduction
• Considerable cost savings.
• improved thermal comfort for the interior
• Also an added advantage of lower dead weight transferred to the
supporting element and finally onto the foundation to further adds
up cost saving in design of these elements.
Cost saving
Material saving assuming a 100 mm thick slab 2.54×3.86 m

CONCLUSION
• It is possible to save on approximately 19% of the total concrete and including the cost of filler
material and around 5% to 10% of your concrete cost.
• If filler material is just waste material then it saves upon nearly 15% on roof concrete
construction cost.
• The total embodied energy can be significantly reduced by about 15% when compared with the
solid RCC slab thus conserving the energy.
THE END

Filler Slab: Using Hollow Mud Blocks and Clay Pots

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FILLER SLAB

Using hollow mud blocks and clay pots

• The filler material are so placed as not to

The points to considered while selecting the material for filler :-

 In ways as to not compromise the structural strength, stability and durability.

Filler material should properly be soaked in water so

Filler materials like clay tiles can be installed in two

Finished surface of filler slab

Material saving assuming a 100 mm thick slab 2.54×3.86 m

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