Estimation of Floor Slab Distortion from Elevation Differential Data on Groups of Residential Structures

Abstract

Uncertainties about the initial surface elevation of the slab-on-grade floor of a residential single-family home have been shown to complicate the analysis of elevation survey data for single slabs. However, because significant and consistent literature exists on the distribution of maximum elevation differences on new slabs, elevation data should be more useful for groups of homes. To test this hypothesis, a simulation study was conducted in which groups of 100 virtual slabs were distorted according to several different distributions of maximum slab distortion and the resulting elevation profiles analyzed statistically. The findings are presented in terms of cumulative distribution functions. An application using real data is presented to demonstrate how these results allow one to estimate postconstruction distortion for groups of residential slab-on-grade floors.