Sustainable residential slab foundation: energy efficiency and circularity investigations

This research project will investigate the structural, thermal, and environmental performance of waffle rafts with recycled plastic formwork. This study will assess and compare full-scale field monitoring between and a conventional waffle raft formed using Expanded Polystyrene (EPS).
A multi-physical finite element model will be developed to investigate the structural and thermal difference between the two systems, which will be used in the life cycle cost (LCC) analysis and life cycle assessment (LCA). Furthermore, the recyclability and reusability of both sysstems will be evaluates, which will deepen our knowledge in the effect of the type of waffle raft formwork in influencing building performance, circularity, and recoverability.

The image below shows the preliminary structural performace of the recycled plastic formwork for waffle rafts.

Publication/s:

• Gedara, S.D.D.A., Wasantha, P.L.P., Teodosio, B. and Li, J., 2021. An Experimental Study of the Size Effect on Core Shrinkage Behaviour of Reactive Soils. Transportation Geotechnics, p.100709. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trgeo.2021.100709)

Related publication/s:

• Teodosio, B., Bonacci, F., Seo, S., Baduge, K.S.K. and Mendis, P., 2021. Multi-Criteria Analysis of a Developed Prefabricated Footing System on Reactive Soil Foundation. Energies, 14(22), p.7515. (https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/22/7515)