ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS

Experimental Evaluation of Two-Way Sandwich

Paneled Slabs

By

Surbhi Dadlani

Master of Science in Civil Engineering

University of California, Irvine, 2015

Professor Dr. Ayman S. Mosallam, Chair

This research focuses on the experimental evaluation of the flexural behavior of light-weight two-way slabs made of three-dimensional (3D) sandwich panels subjected to out-of-plane loading. The sandwich panels evaluated in this study were composed of two exterior faces made of high-strength mortar reinforced with bidirectional cold-rolled steel wires. The sandwiched core consists of fire retardant Expanded PolyStyrene (EPS) foam core. In this study, three square large-scale sandwich slab specimens with different dimensions and spans were subjected to mid-span loads up to failure. All specimens were instrumented with electrical strain gages and string potentiometers to monitor steel and mortar strain variations and deflections. During each experiment, loads, strains, and vertical deflections were monitored and the results were analyzed. Load-deflection (P/) and stress-strain () curves were also developed for each specimen at different locations. Cracks initiation and propagation were monitored throughout each test and crack mapping was performed for each slab specimen. Peak load, ultimate strain, and maximum vertical displacement were observed and the failure load for each specimen was identified and recorded. A simplified analytical procedure that followed the requirements of ACI 318-14 was developed to provide conservative estimates of the capacity of each structural sandwich slab evaluated in this study. Experimental results were compared with the predicted capacity and deflection of each sandwich slab specimen and a good agreement was achieved in the linear range.