Modular floor system

Abstract

The invention refers to a floor element (110, 120, 130, 140) for a modular floor system (100). The floor element comprises a main structure (10) comprising a plurality of ribs and configured to operate in a compression mode. The floor element further comprises a top plate (20) configured to provide one or more first functional features for the floor element and interspaces (13) between the plurality of ribs. The interspaces (13) are configured to provide one or more second functional features for the floor system. The floor element is configured to be pre-fabricated and to be assembled together with a plurality of further pre-fabricated floor elements to form the floor system.

Description

[0001] Modular floor system

[0002] Technical Field

[0003] The present invention relates to a floor element for a modular floor system o f a building, a modular floor system, a method for fabricating a modular floor system, a method for pre- fabricating a floor-element of a modular floor system and a method for designing a modular floor system .

[0004] Background Art

[0005] Traditional concrete floor systems are designed to withstand loads predominantly through bending and shear forces , requiring reinforcement with steel bars to meet structural demands . Thi s conventional approach leads to inef ficiencies and several sustainability issues . Speci fically, material waste occurs due to non-uni form stress distributions across the floor structure . Moreover, the presence of steel in the concrete matrix makes these systems vulnerable to corrosion, which can lead to a decrease in structural integrity and overall li fespan . Additionally, embedding steel bars in the concrete presents signi ficant challenges in recycl ing and repurposing efforts . The construction industry thus faces a need for floor systems that ef ficiently use materials , enhance durability, and improve recyclabil ity, aligning with increasingly stringent sustainability obj ectives .

[0006] Disclosure of the Invention

[0007] The problem to be solved by an aspect of the present invention is therefore to provide a floor element and a corresponding floor system that addresses one or more of such needs , in particular to provide a floor element and a corresponding floor system with an ef ficient use of materials and / or an ef ficient fabrication and assembly .

[0008] This problem is solved by a floor element according to claim 1 and a floor system according to claim 18 .

[0009] Hence according to embodiments of an aspect of the invention a floor element is provided which comprises a main structure comprising a plurality of ribs and being configured to operate in a compres sion mode and a top plate configured to provide one or more f irst functional features for the floor element . The floor element comprises interspaces between the plurality of ribs . The interspaces are configured to provide one or more second functional features for the floor system . The floor element is configured to be pre- fabricated and to be assembled together with a plurality of further pre- fabricated floor elements to form the floor system .

[0010] Accordingly, embodiments of the invention provide a modular floor system which is configured to operate in a compression mode and hence to resist the applied loads through compression . More particularly, the modular floor system trans fer loads , in particular vertical loads , from the top plate via the main structure , in particular via the ribs , to the support structure of the building through compression forces .

[0011] This provides the particular advantage that it allows to omit distributed reinforcement bars in the main structure . The floor elements according to embodiments of the invention comprise two main components . The first component is a discretised main structure configured to operate in compression and a discretised top plate configured to provide one or more first functional features for the floor element .

[0012] The floor element according to embodiments of the invention is not embodied as massive construction but comprises interspaces between the plurality of ribs . Hence such a floor-element having interspaces allows to optimise the use of the material capacity of the floor system . The interspaces may be also denoted as cavities . This contributes to reducing material usage and enhancing both the li fecycle and recyclability of the floor system .

[0013] The floor elements according to embodiments of the invention may be assembled together to form the floor system either on- or of f-site . The discretisation can be made such that the floor elements can be transported to the construction site by common means . Moreover, by the discretisation the stress distribution in the structure can be controlled by creating hinges between the floor elements . More particularly, when loaded, the floor-elements can rotate with respect to each other along the respective contact interfaces (hinge lines ) . By allowing these movements , it is possible to control how the stress is distributed in the structure . The modular design also promotes ef ficient assembly and disassembly, allowing for the individual components to be easily replaced, reused, or recycled .

[0014] Despite the modular design, the individual floor elements according to embodiments of the invention as such are already in "ready-to use" state . In particular, the individual floor elements comprise already in the pre- fabricated state as integrated functions the first and the second functional features which will be explained in more detail further below . This allows a highly ef ficient assembly of the modular floor system, be it on-site or of fsite . Furthermore , the top plate eases the stocking of the floor elements on top of each other during storage and transport . And the top-plate provides already a water-tight cover for the floor-element . A further advantage is the versatility of the floor elements and the resulting floor system as it allows to fabricate a variety of di f ferent floor systems with a plurality of di f ferent combinations of the first and second functional features .

[0015] According to an embodiment , the f loor element further comprises a curved shell as bottom plate .

[0016] With such a system comprising a top plate and the curved shell as bottom plate , the floor elements are embodied already as a closed structure which is in particular already water-tight from top and bottom . This further facilitates an ef ficient construction . In addition, the curved shell may provide a fire barrier . Furthermore , such a floor element provides advantages in terms of manufacturing, in particular as the plurality of ribs and the curved shell may be formed together in one step by moulding according to embodiments , in particular i f the main structure and the curved shell are fabricated from concrete or concrete mixes .

[0017] According to embodiments , the main structure does not comprise any embedded reinforcement bars .

[0018] This provides several advantages . On the one hand, it reduces the carbon footprint . On the other hand, it provides advantages in terms o f cost-ef ficiency . Furthermore , it provides additional flexibility for an ef fi- cient pre- fabrication of the floor elements . In this respect , according to an embodiment of the invention, the curved shell and / or the plurality of ribs may comprise penetrations for a passage of mechanical , electrical and / or plumbing systems (MEP-systems ) . The integration and prefabrication of such MEP-systems with penetrations is not possible within conventional concrete flat slabs comprising reinforcement bars . More particularly, it requires additional separate layers for the MEP-systems , or the MEP- systems must be embedded in the concrete matrix and cannot be upgraded and / or repaired .

[0019] According to embodiments , the curved shell , the plurality of ribs and the top plate comprise concrete or a concrete mix . According to embodiments , the curved shell , the plurality of ribs and the top plate consist of a concrete or a concrete mix .

[0020] This facilitates a cost-ef ficient and reliable fabrication . According to embodiments the main structure comprising the plurality of ribs and the curved shell may be formed by concrete moulding in one step as a single piece . According to embodiments , the concrete mix may comprise fibres of steel .

[0021] Embodiments of the invention allow in particular the use of a concrete mix with a low compressive strength and a low share of carbon .

[0022] The use of such a concrete is resource-ef ficient and is facilitated by the advanced design of the floor system . More particularly, the low magnitude of the stresses in the floor elements facilitates such a use of concrete mixes with low compressive strengths and low embodied carbon .

[0023] By placing material only where it is structurally needed, following the flow of forces in compression, the floor system according to embodiments of the invention may save up to 70% of concrete compared to a standard reinforced concrete flat slab.

[0024] According to embodiments, the top plate may provide as first functional feature a horizontal force transfer. As an example, the top plate may transfer horizontal forces generated in the buildings by for example wind or seismic events. More particularly, the top plate can transfer the horizontal loads to the building's lateral resisting system through contact. Furthermore, the top plate may transfer both concentrated and distributed vertical loads to the plurality of ribs by contact.

[0025] According to embodiments, the top plate may provide as first functional feature a flat walkable surface. This facilitates an efficient assembly. In particular, the construction workers can use the top plate as walkable surface right after the assembly.

[0026] According to embodiments, the top plate may provide as first functional feature an anchoring surface for building systems, in particular mechanical, electrical and / or plumbing (MEP) -systems . In addition, the top plate may provide a base for further build-ups, e.g. a surface for raised floors or other architectural features.

[0027] According to embodiments, the top plate may provide as first functional feature acoustical performance and / or vibrational performance. As an example, the top plate may contribute to the improvement of the acoustic and vibration performance of the floor by allocating additional mass.

[0028] According to embodiments, the top plate may provide as first functional feature providing thermal performance. As an example, already the mass of the top plate may provide additional thermal insulation. According to embodiments , the interspaces may provide as second functional features acoustical performance , thermal performance and / or vibrational performance . Hence according to such an embodiment , the provision o f the interspaces do not only save structural material , in particular concrete , but it can additionally be used to enhance the acoustical , thermal and / or vibrational performance of the floor system . In this respect , the interspaces may be filled fully or partly with non-structural materials to provide the second functional features . This may include the provision of sound absorbing materials , vibration damping materials and / or thermal insulation materials . In addition, the interspaces may be used to host MEP-systems running above the curved shell and below the respective top plate . Accordingly, also the MEP-systems can be already pre- fabricated which further facilitates a highly-ef fi- cient assembly .

[0029] According to embodiments , the floor element comprises one or more contact interfaces configured to be attached to corresponding contact interfaces of an adj acent floor element of the floor system .

[0030] The contact interfaces establish contact surfaces between adj acent floor elements . After assembly, the applied loads are trans ferred among the floor elements through compression contact forces at the contact interfaces .

[0031] According to embodiments , the floor element comprises one or more support interfaces configured to be attached to corresponding support interfaces of the building .

[0032] Similar to the contact interfaces , the support interfaces establish contact or in other words support surfaces between outer floor elements and the support interfaces of the building . After assembly, the applied loads are trans ferred from the floor elements through compression contact forces from the support interfaces of the floor elements to the support interfaces of the building .

[0033] By relying on only compression contact forces at the contact interfaces and the support interfaces to trans fer loads , it is possible to avoid permanent mechanical connections ( e . g . brackets , bolts , etc . ) between the floor elements and between the floor elements and the support structure of the building .

[0034] According to embodiments , the ribs are configured to distribute vertical loads of the top plate by compression forces towards the corresponding contact interfaces of the adj acent floor elements and / or to the support interfaces of the building .

[0035] According to embodiments , the ribs are in particular configured to form a funicular network .

[0036] Hence according to such an embodiment , the applied vertical loads are internally distributed in the floor elements towards the contact interfaces with adj acent floor elements and the external structure through a funicular network of ribs .

[0037] According to embodiments , the geometry of the plurality of ribs is in particular designed to contain the envelope of the funicular equilibrium network for all vertical loading cases .

[0038] Such a speci fic funicular geometry of the floor elements and the floor system results in a near uni form stress distribution in the structure .

[0039] According to embodiments , the ribs are connected to the top plate by mechanical connectors . According to embodiments , the connectors may be in particular reversible , i . e . demountable , in order to facilitate ef ficient assembly and disassembly . The mechanical connectors may be in particular bolts .

[0040] According to embodiments the floor element comprises vertical interspaces between the ribs and the topplate . Hence the ribs are not directly connected to the top plate or in other words do not touch or only partly touch the top plate . Instead, separate mechanical connectors are provided between the main structure and the top plate for connecting or bridging the main structure with the top-plate via the vertical interspaces .

[0041] According to embodiments , the top plate and / or the curved shell is made of or formed by a plurality of panels . Such panels may consist in particular of timber .

[0042] This allows an ef ficient and flexible fabrication .

[0043] According to a further aspect of the invention, a modular floor system for a building comprising a plurality of floor elements according to any of the embodiments of the previous aspect is provided . The plurality of floor elements are assembled together to form the floor system .

[0044] Such a floor system has particular advantages in terms of prefabrication, the ef ficient assembly by contact forces as well as the ef ficient use of material resources . Furthermore , such a floor system of fers a high versatility . As an example , it may be prefabricated with or without integrated MEP-systems , with or without fillings and generally with a variety of di f ferent combinations of first and second functional features in dependence on the respective application . According to a further aspect of the invention, a building comprising such a modular floor system is provided . The building comprises columns , beams and / or walls and the columns , beams and / or walls comprise support interfaces for the floor elements of the modular floor system . This facilitates an ef ficient assembly and disassembly of the floor system .

[0045] According to an embodiment of another aspect of the invention, a method for fabricating a modular floor system of a building is provided . The method comprises steps of pre- fabricating a plurality of floor elements for a modular floor system of a building and assembling the plurality of pre- fabricated floor elements to form the floor system . The plurality of floor elements comprise a main structure configured to operate only in a compression mode , a top plate configured to provide one or more first functional features , a plurality of ribs and interspaces between the plurality of ribs . The interspaces are configured to provide one or more second functional features for the floor system .

[0046] Such a method allows a highly ef ficient assembly of a floor system, wherein the floor system as such comprises several advanced features , e . g . the integrated first and second functional features and the ef ficient use of materials .

[0047] According to an embodiment , the plurality of floor elements each comprise one or more contact interfaces configured to be attached to corresponding contact interfaces of an adj acent floor element of the floor system and / or one or more support interfaces configured to be attached to corresponding support interfaces of the building . Furthermore , the step of assembling the plurality of pre- fabricated floor elements comprises a step of connecting the respective contact interfaces of the plurality of floor elements to each other by compressive forces and connecting the respective support interfaces of the plurality of floor elements to the respective support interfaces of the building by compressive forces .

[0048] According to an embodiment , the step of assembling the plurality of pre- fabricated floor elements is performed without using any permanent mechanical connection means between the contact interfaces and between the support interfaces .

[0049] According to an embodiment , the step of assembling the plurality of pre- fabricated floor elements is performed by using mechanical connectors . The mechanical connectors may be in particular non-permanent or in other words reversible connectors , e . g . bolts .

[0050] According to an embodiment , the step of assembling the plurality of pre- fabricated floor elements comprises providing grout between the contact interfaces and / or between the support interfaces . The grout may ensure a uni form contact / touching between the contact and support interfaces . Furthermore , it may provide a seal against fire and avoids a point-to-point only connection between the contact interfaces and the support interfaces .

[0051] According to an embodiment of another aspect of the invention, a method for pre- fabricating floor elements for a modular floor system of a building is provided . The method comprises steps of fabricating a top plate configured to provide one or more first functional features for the floor element and fabricating a main structure comprising a plurality of ribs . Furthermore , support interfaces for the top plate are provided by the main struc- ture . The support interfaces may be provided by the plurality of ribs itsel f or by separate mechanical connectors which are arranged between the plurality of ribs and the top plate . A further step includes arranging the top plate on the main structure by connecting the top plate with the support interfaces of the main structure .

[0052] This is an ef ficient method for prefabricating the floor elements . In particular, the floor elements comprise already in the pre- fabricated state the first and second functional features which are integrated into the floor elements right after assembly of the floor system .

[0053] According to an embodiment , the method further comprises filling the interspaces between the plurality of ribs partly or fully with a non-structural material to provide one or more second functional features for the floor system .

[0054] Hence due to the provision and subsequent filling of the interspaces / cavities it is possible to integrate the second functional features , e . g . acoustical and thermal isolation into the floor elements already in the pre- fabricated state .

[0055] According to an embodiment , the method further comprises designing the geometry of the main structure as compression-only surface structure by performing a thrust network analysis ( TNA) . This is an ef ficient and advantageous design-method .

[0056] According to an embodiment , the method further comprises cutting out penetrations from the plurality o f ribs and / or the curved bottom shell and providing mechanical , electrical and / or plumbing systems in the main structure through the penetrations .

[0057] Due to the cutting out and subsequent filling of the penetrations it is possible to integrate the MED- systems into the floor-elements already in the pre- fabricated state . This allows a highly-ef f icient and automated fabrication of the MEP-systems , in particular compared with conventional methods according to which such systems are installed on the construction site by handcraft only .

[0058] According to an embodiment of another aspect of the invention, a method for designing a modular floor system of a building is provided . The floor system comprises a plurality of floor elements . The method comprises designing the plurality of floor elements by designing the geometry of a main structure comprising a plurality of ribs as compression-only surface structure by performing a thrust network analysis ( TNA) . A further step includes designing a top plate configured to provide one or more first functional features for the floor element . Another step may comprise designing a curved shell as bottom plate .

[0059] This is a highly-ef f icient and flexible method to design and subsequently fabricate modular floor systems .

[0060] Features and advantages of one aspect of the invention may be applied to the other aspects of the invention as appropriate .

[0061] Other advantageous embodiments are listed in the dependent claims as well as in the description below .

[0062] Brief Description of the Drawings

[0063] The invention will be better understood and obj ects other than those set forth above will become apparent from the following detailed description thereof . Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings , wherein :

[0064] Figure 1 shows a 3-dimensional partly exploded view of a floor system according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 shows a cross sectional view taken along section I- I of Figure 3 ;

[0065] Figure 3 shows a corresponding top view of the floor system of Figure 1 ;

[0066] Figure 4 shows a top view on the main structure of the floor system of Figure 1 , i . e . on the floor system without the top plate ;

[0067] Figure 5 shows a 3-dimensional partly exploded view of a floor system according to another embodiment of the invention;

[0068] Figure 6 shows a top view on a floor system according to an embodiment of the invention with integrated MEP-systems ;

[0069] Figure 7 shows a 3-dimensional partly exploded view of a floor system according to another embodiment of the invention;

[0070] Figure 8 shows a cross sectional view of contact interfaces between two exemplary floor elements including mechanical connectors ;

[0071] Figure 9 shows a 3-dimensional partly exploded view of a floor system according to another embodiment of the invention;

[0072] Figure 10 shows a flow chart of a method for pre- fabricating floor elements of a modular floor system according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0073] Figure 11 shows a flow chart of a method for fabricating a modular floor system according to an embodiment of the invention; and

[0074] Figure 12 shows a flow chart of a method for designing a floor system according to an embodiment of the invention .

[0075] Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0076] Same reference signs across the Figures refer to same elements . At first , some general aspects and terms o f embodiments of the invention will be introduced .

[0077] Traditional concrete floor slabs working in bending typically consist of a solid section of concrete reinforced with large amounts of steel .

[0078] In contrast , floor elements according to embodiments of the invention comprise a main structure which comprises a plurality of ribs and a top plate on top of the main structure . Between the ribs there are interspaces or in other words cavities which may be filled or not by non-structural materials . Hence the floor elements according to embodiments of the invention establish initially a hollow structure .

[0079] The main structure of the floor elements i s configured to operate in a compression mode .

[0080] The term compression mode shall mean that the main structure is configured or in other words designed such that it can withstand the applied loads through compression only . More particularly, the main structure transfers loads , in particular the loads from the top plate to the support structure of the building through compression forces only . The compression forces may be in particular accumulated in support structures of the building which are arranged at the corners of the modular floor system . In this respect , it should be noted that in service conditions , i . e . during normal use , there is always some unavoidable tension, but the main structure is designed such that tension is reduced to a minimum under service conditions . However, in ultimate conditions , the floor system according to embodiments of the invention can resist only in compression . According to embodiments , the ribs form a funicular network and accordingly the floor system is funicular . A funicular floor system may be defined as a floor that is shaped to follow a funicular network of the applied loads .

[0081] The term funicular may be generally defined as following the shape of a hanging cable or chain . Accordingly, a funicular form may be de fined as a form taken by a cable or chain under any given load . A funicular form in pure tension can be inverted vertically or in other words flipped to obtain a compression-only funicular form and vice-versa . Such an inverted funicular form may be also denoted as anti- funicular form . In this document the main- structure is configured to operate in compression only and is hence a vaulted structure that has strictly speaking, when taking into account the orientation, an anti- funicular form . But as the form as such is the same , the geometry of the main structure may also be denoted generally as funicular .

[0082] Such a funicular geometry of the floor system results in low stresses in the structure . This allows low- strength materials with a low carbon footprint to be used, and even high percentages of construction demolition waste instead of scarce natural resources .

[0083] According to embodiments the geometry of the main structure may be designed as compression-only surface structure by performing a thrust network analysis ( TNA) .

[0084] Thrust network analysis ( TNA) is a method for generating compression-only networks as described e . g . in the paper by Block, Philippe & Ochsendorf , John, " Thrust network analysis : A new methodology for three-dimensional equilibrium" , Journal of the International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures , 2007 , Vol . 48 . The method can be used to find possible funicular solutions under gravitational loading within a defined envelope. The method may be performed in particular by the compas-tna package of compas which is available under https : / Zblockre- se archgroup . git hub . io / compas tna / 0.2.0 / .

[0085] A floor system according to embodiments of the invention may be pre-fabricated in a versatile manner in a plurality of different configurations. In particular it allows to have floor systems with or without MEPs, with corner or linear supports, with several different fire resistance capacities, etc.

[0086] Figure 1 shows a 3-dimensional partly exploded view of a floor system 100 according to an embodiment of the invention. Figure 3 shows a corresponding top view and Figure 2 a cross sectional view taken along section I-I of Figure 3. Figure 4 shows a top view on the main structure of the floor system, i.e. on the floor system 100 without the top plate.

[0087] The floor system 100 comprises a plurality of discretized floor elements, more particularly in this example five floor elements 110, 120, 130, 140 and 150. Each of the floor elements 110, 120, 130 and 140 comprises a main structure 10 and a top plate 20. The main structure 10 comprises a curved shell 11 and a plurality of ribs 12. The central floor element 150 may be formed according to embodiments as massive element without ribs as illustrated in the cross-sectional view of Figure 2. However, according to other embodiments, the central floor element 150 may also comprise ribs. The floor elements 110, 120, 130, 140 and 150 are configured or in other words designed to operate in a compression mode. The floor element 140 is shown in an exploded view. The curved shells 11 form a bottom shell of the floor elements 110- 140 and the ribs 12 are arranged on top of this bottom shell 11 , in particular in a vertical or substantially vertical direction . The plurality of ribs 12 extend between the curved shell 11 and the top plate 20 . Between the top plate 20 and the curved shell 11 there are interspaces 13 , separated or in other words divided by the ribs 12 . The curved bottom shell 11 follows the curvature of the ribs 12 . The thickness of the curved bottom shell 11 may be variable and may be adj usted to meet application-speci fic thermal insulation and acoustic performance requirements .

[0088] The top plate 20 is configured to provide one or more first functional features for the corresponding floor element 110- 140 and as a result to the floor system 100 . More particularly, the top plate 20 may provide a continuous and flat surface , allowing construction workers to safely walk on the floor . Furthermore , the top plate 20 may provide a suitable surface for the installation of building systems , raised floors or other architectural features of the building . The top plate 20 is configured or in other words designed to trans fer both concentrated and distributed vertical loads to the ribs 12 by contact . Furthermore , the top plate is configured to trans fer hori zontal loads , in particular hori zontal forces generated in the corresponding buildings by for example wind or seismic events , to the buildings lateral resisting system by contact . The lateral resisting system is the building' s main structure designed to sustain lateral loads such as wind and seismic events . Additionally, the top plate 20 may contribute to the improvement of the acoustic and vibration performance of the floor system 100 by allocating additional mass . Furthermore , it may serve thermal insulation purposes and provide other functional features denoted as first functional features . The thickness of the top plates 20 may be variable and can be adj usted to meet the static and acoustic requirements of the respective application .

[0089] According to embodiments , a layer (not shown ) of vibration absorbing materials can be inserted between the top plate 20 and the ribs 12 to enhance the vibration performance of the floor system 100 .

[0090] The interspaces 13 , which may be also denoted as cavities 13 , may be fully or partly filled with fillings 14 . The fillings 14 may be implemented in particular as non-structural materials 14 , i . e . as materials which do not serve a structural purpose of the floor system . Rather, the fillings 14 provide as second functional features in particular acoustical , thermal and / or vibrational performance .

[0091] Each of the floor elements 110- 150 is pre- fabricated and can then be assembled together with the other pre- fabricated floor elements 110- 150 to form the floor system 100 . The assembly of the floor system 100 can be performed in particular on the respective construction site of a respective building 30 .

[0092] Each of the floor elements 110- 150 comprises contact interfaces 15 which are configured to be attached to corresponding contact interfaces 15 of the respective adj acent floor element 110- 150 of the floor system 100 . In addition, the outer floor elements , i . e . the floor elements 110- 140 which are configured to be attached to walls , beams or columns of the building 30 comprise support interfaces 16a and 16b which are configured to be attached to corresponding support interfaces 31a and 31b of the building 30 . The support interfaces 16a of the floor elements 110- 140 and the corresponding support interfaces 31a of the building 30 establish vertical or in other words straight support interfaces , while the support interfaces 16b of the floor elements 110- 140 and the corresponding support interfaces 31b of the building are inclined support interfaces , i . e . non-vertical interfaces to provide a support in the respective vertical direction . The inclined support interfaces 16b and 31b are arranged in particular at the corners of the floor elements 110- 140 and the building 30 respectively . This facilitates an ef ficient assembly . More particularly, there may be provided e . g . beams or columns at the corner and this facilitates a provision of support structures with inclined support surfaces .

[0093] It should be noted that according to other embodiments , the support interfaces 16a of the floor elements 110- 140 and the corresponding support interfaces 31a of the building 30 may be formed in an inclined manner, while the support interfaces 16b of the floor elements 110- 140 and the corresponding support interfaces 31b of the building may be embodied as vertical interfaces .

[0094] The ribs 12 are configured to distribute vertical loads of the top plate 20 by compression forces towards the corresponding contact interfaces 15 of the adj acent floor elements and / or via the support interfaces 16a, 16b to the support interfaces 31a, 31b of the building 30 .

[0095] The ribs 12 may be connected to the top plate 20 by mechanical connectors 17 . The mechanical connectors 17 may be in particular reversible or in other words removable connectors , e . g . screws . The ribs may comprise support interfaces 12a for the top plate 20 . The top o f the ribs 12 can either be flat , sloped or a combination of both . The geometry of the ribs 12 is designed to contain the envelope of the funicular equilibrium network for all loading cases . The main structure 10 does not comprise any embedded reinforcement bars .

[0096] The curved shell 11 , the plurality of ribs 12 and the top plate 20 may comprise or consist in particular of concrete mixes , in particular of concrete mixes comprising steel fibres . The absence o f embedded reinforcement bars and the use of reversible connections 17 with the top plate 20 guarantees easy reuse of the floor elements and full recyclability of their materials .

[0097] According to embodiments the ribs 12 are dimensioned to minimise the amount of material based on structural requirements and fabrication constraints . The depth of the main structure 10 may be set to control the amount of thrust that the assembled floor elements 110- 150 trans fer to the support structure of the building 30 .

[0098] According to embodiments , the underside I la o f the curved shell 11 may be faceted to create a suitable surface to attach additional layers for acoustic insulation .

[0099] According to embodiments , the curved and hence vaulted underside I la of the curved shell 11 can also be used for the installation of MEP-systems .

[0100] Optionally the floor elements 110- 150 may be additionally connected by mechanical connectors 18 . The mechanical connectors 18 may be in particular embodied as bolts . The mechanicals connectors may serve as additional safety connectors and may facilitate the assembly .

[0101] Figure 5 shows a 3-dimensional partly exploded view of a floor system 500 according to another embodiment of the invention .

[0102] Similar as the floor system 100 of Figure 1 , the floor system 500 comprises a plurality of discreti zed floor elements 110 , 120 , 130 , 140 and 150 . Each of the floor elements 110, 120, 130 and 140 comprises a main structure 10 and a top plate 20. According to this embodiment, the main structure 10 has no curved bottom shell, but is only formed by a plurality of ribs 12. The floor elements 110, 120, 130, 140 and 150 are again configured or in other words designed to operate in a compression mode. The floor element 140 is shown in an exploded view. Between the plurality of rips 12 there are interspaces 13. According to this embodiment the floor elements 110-140 do not comprise fillings within the interspaces 13. Furthermore, the top plate 20 is formed by a plurality of panels 21. According to such an embodiment the main structure 10 and the top plate 20 may be formed e.g. of timber.

[0103] As with the floor system 100 of Figure 1, the ribs 12 form a funicular network and distribute vertical loads of the top plate 20 by compression forces towards the corresponding contact interfaces of the adjacent floor elements and / or via the support interfaces to the support interfaces of the building.

[0104] The ribs 12 may be connected to the top plate 20 by mechanical connectors such as screws, nails or bolts or according to a timber embodiment also with glue.

[0105] Figure 7 shows a 3-dimensional partly exploded view of a floor system 700 according to another embodiment of the invention.

[0106] Similar as the floor systems 100 of Figure 1 and 500 of Figure 5, the floor system 700 comprises a plurality of discretized floor elements 110, 120, 130, 140 and 150. Each of the floor elements 110, 120, 130 and 140 comprises a main structure 10 and a top plate 20. According to this embodiment, the main structure 10 has a curved bottom shell 11 and a plurality of ribs 12. The floor elements 110, 120, 130, 140 and 150 are again configured or in other words designed to operate in a compression mode . The floor element 140 is shown in an exploded view . Between the plurality of rips 12 there are interspaces 13 . According to this embodiment the floor elements 110- 140 do comprise fillings 14 within the interspaces 13 . Furthermore , the top plate 20 is formed by a plurality of panel s 21 and the curved bottom shell 11 is formed by a plurality of panels I la . According to such an embodiment the main structure 10 and the top plate 20 may also be formed e . g . of timber .

[0107] The ribs 12 may be connected to the top plate 20 by mechanical connectors such as screws , nails or bolts or in case of a timber embodiment also with glue .

[0108] The ribs 12 may be connected to the curved bottom shell 11 by mechanical connectors such as screws , nails or bolts or in case of a timber embodiment also with glue .

[0109] FIG . 6 shows a top view on a floor system 600 according to an embodiment of the invention, more particularly on the main structure of the floor system of Figure 7 , but without the top plates 20 . According to this embodiment , the plurality of ribs 12 comprise penetrations 19 for a passage of mechanical , electrical and / or plumbing systems 40 . As shown, the mechanical , electrical and / or plumbing systems 40 are integrated in the pre- fabricated floor elements which allows a highly-ef f icient assembly of the floor system .

[0110] Figure 8 shows a cross sectional view of contact interfaces 15 between two exemplary floor elements 110 and 120 including mechanical connectors 18 . The mechanical connectors 18 are embodied as bolts and are arranged in nuts of the main structure , in particular between outer rips 12 . The bolts 18 are arranged in a reversible manner, i . e . they can be removed easily without destroying or damaging the main structure 10 .

[0111] Figure 9 shows a 3-dimensional partly exploded view of a floor system 900 according to another embodiment of the invention .

[0112] Similar as the floor systems 100 of Figure 1 and 500 of Figure 5 , the floor system 900 comprises a plurality of discreti zed floor elements 110 , 120 , 130 , 140 and 150 . Each of the floor elements 110 , 120 , 130 and 140 comprises a main structure 10 and a top plate 20 . According to this embodiment , the main structure 10 has no bottom shell and consists of a rip structure comprising a plurality of ribs 12 . Between the plurality of rips 12 there are interspaces 13 without fillings . The top plates 20 are formed by a single piece . The floor elements 110- 140 comprise vertical interspaces 51 between the ribs 12 and the top-plate 20 , i . e . the top plate 20 is not directly attached to the ribs 12 or at least partly not directly attached . Instead, separate mechanical connectors 50 are provided for connecting or in other words bridging the main structure 10 with the top plate 20 via the vertical interspaces 51 , in particular connecting a top surface of the ribs 12 of the main structure 10 with the top-plate 20 . Accordingly, the separate mechanical connectors 50 extend from the top surfaces of the rips 12 in a vertical direction to the top plate 20 . The mechanical connectors 50 may be in particular metal connectors and may have enlarged flanges 50a and 50b respectively for connecting to the top plate 20 and the ribs 12 .

[0113] Figure 10 shows a flow chart 1000 of a method for pre- fabricating a floor element according to an embodiment of the invention . At a step 1010, a top plate, e.g. the top plate 20, is fabricated. According to embodiments the top plate may comprise or consist of concrete and may be in particular fabricated by moulding. According to other embodiments the top plate may be a timber plate.

[0114] At a step 1020, a main structure is fabricated, e.g. the main structure 10. According to embodiments, the main structure may comprise or consist of concrete or a concrete mix and may be in particular fabricated by moulding. If the main structure 10 is fabricated by concrete or a concrete mix and encompasses a curved shell 11, the plurality of ribs 12 and the curved shell 11 may be moulded together as a single piece.

[0115] At a step 1030, the interspaces 13 may be filled with fillings 14 comprising a non-functional material to provide one or more second functional features. In addition, or alternatively, MEP-systems 40 may be installed in the interspaces 13.

[0116] At a step 1040, the top plate 20 is arranged on the main structure 10, e.g. by connecting the top plate 20 with the support interfaces 12a of the plurality of ribs 12 by mechanical connectors 17 or separate mechanical connectors 50.

[0117] Figure 11 shows a flow chart 1100 of a method for fabricating a floor system according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0118] At a step 1110, a plurality of floor elements for the modular floor system of a building are pre-fabricated, e.g. by the steps 1010-1040 as described with reference to Figure 10.

[0119] At steps 1120 and 1130, the plurality of prefabricated floor elements 110-150 are assembled together to form the floor system 100. More particularly, at the step 1120 the respective contact interfaces 15 of the plurality of floor elements are connected to each other by compressive forces and at the step 1130 the respective support interfaces 16a, 16b of the plurality of floor elements are connected to the respective support interfaces 31a, 31b of the building by compressive forces .

[0120] The step of assembling the plurality of prefabricated floor elements , in particular the step 1120 of connecting the respective contact interfaces 15 of the plurality of floor elements may be performed by using mechanical connectors 18 , in particular reversible connectors .

[0121] The assembling may be performed on the construction site or also already at the fabrication site .

[0122] Figure 12 shows a flow chart 1200 of a method for designing a floor system according to an embodiment o f the invention .

[0123] At a step 1210 , the geometry of a main structure 10 comprising a plurality of ribs 12 is designed as compression-only surface structure by performing a thrust network analysis ( TNA) . The main structure comprises interspaces 13 between the plurality of ribs and the interspaces 13 are configured to provide one or more second functional features for the floor system .

[0124] At a step 1220 , a top plate 20 is designed . The top plate 20 is configured to provide one or more first functional features for the floor element . The top plate is in particular designed to provide sti f fness and a hori zontal surface of the floor element .

[0125] At an optional step 1230 , a curved shell 11 is designed as bottom shell . The curved shell 11 may be in particular designed to provide fire protection and / or to provide a completely closed shell for the floor element . However, the curved shell is optional according to embodiments of the invention and not required for static reasons .

[0126] The diagrams , drawings and further elements in the Figures illustrate the architecture , functionality and assembly of possible implementations of floor elements , floor systems and fabrication methods according to various embodiments of the present invention .

[0127] While there are shown and described presently preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodied and practiced within the scope of the following claims .

[0128] List of reference signs :

[0129] 10 Main structure

[0130] 11 Curved shell

[0131] I la Panels of curved shell

[0132] 12 Ribs

[0133] 12a Support interfaces of ribs

[0134] 13 Interspaces / cavities

[0135] 14 Fillings of interspaces

[0136] 15 Contact interfaces between floor elements

[0137] 16a Support interfaces (non-inclined)

[0138] 16b Support interfaces ( inclined)

[0139] 17 Mechanical connectors

[0140] 18 Mechanical connectors

[0141] 19 Penetrations

[0142] 20 Top plate

[0143] 21 Panels of top plate 30 Building

[0144] 31a Support interfaces (non-inclined)

[0145] 31b Support interfaces ( inclined)

[0146] 32 Columns , beams or walls of building

[0147] 40 MEP-systems

[0148] 50 Separate mechanical connectors

[0149] 50a Flange of separate mechanical connector

[0150] 50b Flange of separate mechanical connector

[0151] 51 Vertical interspaces

[0152] 100 Floor system

[0153] 110 Floor element

[0154] 120 Floor element

[0155] 130 Floor element

[0156] 140 Floor element

[0157] 150 Floor element

[0158] 500 Floor system

[0159] 600 Floor system

[0160] 700 Floor system

[0161] 900 Floor system

[0162] 1000 Flow chart

[0163] 1100 Flow chart

[0164] 1200 Flow chart

Claims

Claims1. A floor element (110, 120, 130, 140) for a modular floor system (100) of a building (30) comprising a main structure (10) comprising a plurality of ribs (12) and being configured to operate in a compression mode; a top plate (20) configured to provide one or more first functional features for the floor element (110, 120, 130, 140) ; and interspaces (13) between the plurality of ribs; wherein the interspaces (13) are configured to provide one or more second functional features for the floor system; and the floor element (110, 120, 130, 140) is configured to be pre-fabricated and to be assembled together with a plurality of further pre-fabricated floor elements (110, 120, 130, 140) to form the floor system (100) .

2. A floor element according to claim 1, wherein the floor element further comprises a curved shell (11) as bottom plate.

3. A floor element according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the main structure (10) does not comprise any embedded reinforcement bars.

4. A floor element according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the main structure (10) and the top plate (20) comprise concrete or a concrete mix, in particular consists of concrete or a concrete mix.

5. A floor element according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the first functional features are selected from the group consisting of: providing a horizontal force transfer; providing a walkable surface; providing an anchoring surface for building systems, in particular mechanical, electrical and / or plumbing systems; providing acoustical performance; providing thermal performance; and providing a base for further build-ups.

6. A floor element according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the second functional features are selected from the group consisting of: providing acoustical performance; providing thermal performance; providing vibrational performance; and providing space for building systems, in particular mechanical, electrical and / or plumbing systems.

7. A floor element according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the interspaces (13) are fully or partly filled with non-structural materials (14) to provide the second functional features.

8. A floor element according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the floor element (110, 120, 130, 140) comprises one or more contact interfaces (15) configured to be attached to corresponding contact interfaces9. A floor element according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the floor element (110, 120, 130, 140) comprises one or more support interfaces (16a, 16) configured to be attached to corresponding support interfaces (31a, 31b) of the building (30) .

10. A floor element according to claim 8, wherein the ribs (12) are configured to distribute vertical loads of the top plate (20) by compression forces towards the corresponding contact interfaces (15) of the adjacent floor elements.

11. A floor element according to claim 9, wherein the ribs (12) are configured to distribute vertical loads of the top plate (20) by compression forces towards the corresponding support interfaces (31a, 31b) of the building (30) .

12. A floor element according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the ribs (12) are configured to form a funicular network.

13. A floor element according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the ribs (12) are connected to the top-plate (20) by mechanical connectors (17) , in particular reversible mechanical connectors.

14. A floor element according to any of the preceding claims, the floor element comprising vertical interspaces (51) between the ribs (12) and the top-plate (20) ; andseparate mechanical connectors (50) for connecting the main structure (10) via the vertical interspaces (51) with the top-plate (20) .

15. A floor element according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the plurality of ribs (12) comprise penetrations (19) for a passage of mechanical, electrical and / or plumbing systems (40) .

16. A floor element according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the top plate (20) is made of a plurality of panels.

17. A floor element according to any of the preceding claims 2-16, wherein the curved shell (11) is made of a plurality of panels.

18. A modular floor system (100) for a building (30) comprising a plurality of floor elements (110, 120, 130, 140) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the plurality of floor elements (110, 120, 130, 140) are assembled together to form the floor system.

19. A building (30) comprising a modular floor system (100) according claim 18.

20. A building according to claim 19, wherein the building (30) comprises columns, beams and / or walls (32) ; and the columns, beams and / or walls (32) comprise support interfaces (31a, 31b) for the floor elements (110, 120, 130, 140) of the modular floor system.

21. A method for fabricating a modular floor system (100) of a building (30) , the method comprising pre-fabricating a plurality of floor elements (110, 120, 130, 140) for the modular floor system of the building; and assembling the plurality of pre-fabricated floor elements (110, 120, 130, 140) to form the floor system, wherein the plurality of floor elements comprise a main structure (10) comprising a plurality of ribs, the main structure being configured to operate in a compression mode; a top plate (20) configured to provide one or more first functional features for the floor element; and interspaces (13) between the plurality of ribs, wherein the interspaces (13) are configured to provide one or more second functional features for the floor system.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein the plurality of floor elements (110, 120, 130,140) each comprise one or more contact interfaces (15) configured to be attached to corresponding contact interfaces (15) of an adjacent floor element of the floor system and / or one or more support interfaces (16a, 16b) configured to be attached to corresponding support interfaces (31a, 31b) of the building (30) ; and the step of assembling the plurality of prefabricated floor elements comprise connecting the respective contact interfaces (15) of the plurality of floor elements to each other by compressive forces; andconnecting the respective support interfaces (16a, 16b) of the plurality of floor elements to the respective support interfaces (31a, 31b) of the building by compressive forces.

23. A method according to claim 21 or claim 22, wherein the step of assembling the plurality of pre-fabricated floor elements (110, 120, 130, 140) is performed without using any permanent mechanical means between the contact interfaces (15) and between the support interfaces (16a, 16, 31a, 31b) .

24. A method according to any of the preceding claims 21-23, wherein the step of assembling the plurality of pre-fabricated floor elements is performed by using mechanical connectors (18) , in particular reversible mechanical connectors.

25. A method according to any of the preceding claims 21-24, wherein the step of assembling the plurality of pre-fabricated floor elements (110, 120, 130, 140) comprises providing grout between the contact interfaces (15) and / or between the support interfaces (16a, 16, 31a, 31b) .

26. A method for pre-fabricating floor elements for a modular floor system of a building, the method comprising fabricating a top plate (20) , the top plate being configured to provide one or more first functional features for the floor element; fabricating a main structure (10) , the main structure comprising a plurality of ribs (12) and interspaces (13) between the plurality of ribs;providing support interfaces (12a, 50a) for the top plate (20) ; and arranging the top plate (20) on the main structure (10) by connecting the top plate (20) with the support interfaces (50a, 12a) of the main structure (10) .

27. A method according to claim 26, further comprising filling the interspaces (13) between the plurality of ribs partly or fully with a non-structural material (14) to provide one or more second functional features for the floor system.

28. A method according to claim 26 or 27, further comprising fabricating a curved shell as bottom shell of the main structure.

29. A method according to any of the preceding claims 26 to 28, further comprising designing the geometry of the main structure (10) as compression-only surface structure by performing a thrust network analysis (TNA) .

30. A method according to any of the preceding claims 26-29, further comprising cutting out penetrations (19) from the plurality of ribs (12) ; and providing mechanical, electrical and / or plumbing systems (40) in the main structure (10) through the penetrations (19) .

31. A method according to any of the preceding claims 26-30, wherein the step of fabricating the top plate (20) and the step of fabricating the main structure (10) is performed by moulding.

32. A method for designing a modular floor system of a building, the floor system comprising a plurality of floor elements, the method comprising designing the plurality of floor elements by designing the geometry of a main structure (10) comprising a plurality of ribs as compression-only surface structure by performing a thrust network analysis (TNA) ; wherein the main structure comprises interspaces (13) between the plurality of ribs and the interspaces (13) are configured to provide one or more second functional features for the floor system; and designing a top plate (20) configured to provide one or more first functional features for the floor element (110, 120, 130, 140) .

33. A method according to claim 32, further comprising designing a curved shell (11) as bottom plate.

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