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Glossary for gem taxonomy

Authors: Luke Allen, Andrew Charleson, Svetlana Brzev, and Charles Scawthorn

This online Glossary explains around 400 terms contained in the GEM Building Taxonomy v 2.0 and nearly 700 images.

The terms have been listed in alphabetical and numerical order. Text description of each term is accompanied by illustrations (photos and/or drawings) where possible.

We welcome contributions in the form of photographs or images, illustrating glossary terms. If you have any questions you can also contact us at buildingtaxonomy@globalquakemodel.org


Slabs and columns are constructed without beams. Unlike flat plates, flat slabs have capitals and/or drop panels at the tops of columns. (A capital is the upper portion of the column, which is usually of conical shape and larger in cross-section than the remaining portion of the column; a drop panel is a thickened portion of the slab in the area adjacent to a column.) Slab band systems, consisting of continuous wide beams spanning between the columns, also fall in this category due to specific beam-column connections (click here for more information). Primarily designed to resist gravity loads, these systems possess very limited ability to resist earthquake forces. If there are numerous walls they should be considered the lateral load-resisting system.

LFLS_-_Charleson_1

A simplified drawing of a flat slab / plate or waffle slab structure (adapted from: A. Charleson, Seismic Design for Architects, Architectural Press 2008, p. 64, Fig. 5.2)

LFLS_Allen&Brzev_1

Partial section of a flat plate structure

LFLS_Allen&Brzev_2

Diagram showing examples of flat plate and flat slabs

LFLS_USA_Brzev_3

Reinforced concrete flat plate system, Eugene, USA (S. Brzev)

LFLS_Canada_Brzev_1LFLS_Canada_Brzev_2

Flat slab structure, Canada - note column capitals (S. Brzev)

LFLS_Canada_Brzev_5

LFLS_Canada_Brzev_6

 

Reinforced concrete flat slab system (note column capitals), Vancouver, Canada (S. Brzev)

LFLS_UK_Brzev_1

Reinforced concrete flat slab with a column capital, London, UK (S. Brzev)

Flat Slab Plate or Waffle Slab 2.jpg

Flat slab, Australia - note drop panels beneath the slab (A. Charleson)

LFLS_Canada_Brzev_8

Slab band system, Canada (S. Brzev)

A reinforced concrete building with flat slabs under construction, Kenya (K. Jaiswal)

A reinforced concrete building with flat plate system under construction, Kenya (K. Jaiswal)

LFLS_Canada_Brzev_2

Reinforced concrete flat slab under construction, Canada (S. Brzev)

LFLS_USA_Brzev_1LFLS_USA_Brzev_2

Reinforced concrete parking garage with flat slab system, USA (S. Brzev)

LFLS_Canada_Brzev_7

This reinforced concrete building has a waffle slab system, Vancouver, Canada (S. Brzev)

LFLS_USA_Brzev_4LFLS_USA_Brzev_5

A reinforced concrete waffle slab, Eugene, USA (S. Brzev)

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