Engineering design indicates that slab reinforcing mesh is positioned in a way so that a specified amount of concrete cover be achieved.

Incorrect concrete cover can cause a variety of issues including severe concrete cracking and structural problems.

Using Waffle Pods in construction

The Waffle Raft (Pod) System is widely used in the residential building industry as it is a more cost-efficient way to lay concrete slabs.

Driven by pricing pressures, many pod producers have eroded the original design of the pod with material content decreased by as much as 20%.

“The National Construction Code (NCC) 2019, requires that suppliers deem products supplied fit for purpose and provide documentary evidence.”

Because of this change in the construction process, some of these “slimmer” pods are deficient in terms of their structural integrity.

When the concrete is poured, the standard conical mesh chairs often push through the top of the pod, leaving the slab mesh laying flat on the top.

This in turn means that the resulting structure is non-compliant, with the evidence of the issue hidden, once concrete has been poured.

Using the NuRail®40-55 Spacer

The NuRail® 40-55 is a multi-height beam type spacer that enables the builder to place their concrete slabs with the confidence of achieving compliance with engineering specifications.

By placing two NuRail® 40-55 on each pod, loads applied on both the spacer and the pod are distributed evenly without pushing the spacer through the polystyrene.

Simply changing the type of spacer used enables builders to effectively compensate for the reduced strength of these slim waffle pods.

Conclusion

Modern waffle pods are prone to issues due to their physical properties which can undermine the integrity of the building simply by using the incorrect spacers during the build process.

Switching to the NuRail®40-55 can eliminate these problems and allow construction to continue while still maintaining a cost-efficient workflow, and the integrity of the structure itself.