FLEXURAL BEHAVIOUR OF OIL PALM SHELL (OPS) HYBRID PRECAST CONCRETE FLOORING SLAB

offers both design and cost advantages over traditional methods such as cast in-situ concrete, steel-concrete
composite and timber floors. Over the years, CIDB Malaysia has taken many initiatives to industrialize the
Malaysian construction industry by promoting the use of IBS which involve the use of prefabricated and precast
concrete building components and off-site construction. However, the construction industry operation has high
potential impact on the environment. Thus strategies to promote sustainable development and a green
construction industry have become essential. One of the solutions is to utilize the OPS as aggregate in concrete.
More than 4 million tons of OPS are produced as solid waste annually in Malaysia. This study investigated the
behaviour of four OPS precast concrete flooring slabs under 2-line loading. Slabs were made of OPS concrete
or OPS hybrid concrete, reinforced with high yield steel T10 or A393 (200 x 200 mm spacing). The slabs were
cured for 7 days and tested at 28 days. The minimum strength requirement for precast concrete slab is 10 – 15
N/mm2 for lifting/ transporting [1] [2] [3] and 35 N/mm2 (if reinforced) to 40 N/mm2 for servicing [4] [5]. Slabs
made with OPS hybrid concrete satisfied the strength requirement for lifting/ transporting and service conditions
as well as the deflection requirement for general office floor.