AF Gruppen has used a new Dutch patent called Bubble Deck in the Sogn Arena project in Oslo. A 12 metre span between the columns places additional demands on slab element weight. The solution is to include plastic balls in the steel reinforcement grids.
Sogn Arena and the external facade towards Store Ringvei and the Esso petrol station is more than 200 metres long. The entire building is constructed without expansion joints, so there is little space between the steel reinforcement. AF Gruppen has here used a new Dutch patent which is called Bubble Deck - which has only been used once before in Norway.
A type of slab deck with a top face clad with large plastic balls of around 35 cm in diameter was delivered to the building site. The balls are kept in place and are prevented from floating upwards by a reinforcement grid which is welded to the steel reinforcement in the slab. Flowing concrete is used to fill all cavities around the balls. The completed slab is 45 cm thick.
This solution was selected because of the large spans - 12 metres between columns and up to 4 metres overhang. The bearing elements otherwise consist of steel pillars which we in addition fill with concrete. The facades are primarily constructed of glass, although with some aluminium sheeting sections.
