RESEARCH GRANT AWARD: RGA #01-25 - Behavior of Modular Steel Plate Floor Assemblies (FastFloor Phase 3)

Posted on 10 March 2025

The Charles Pankow Foundation (CPF) along with several Industry Partners is pleased to announce the award of a new research grant to continue investigation of a new, modular steel floor framing and diaphragm system for commercial building structures with broad applicability, including high seismic zones. The proposed system 'FastFloor' has key benefits of increasing the speed of construction, including eliminating the pouring of a concrete deck. This type of system is key to achieving the goals of the AISC Need for Speed initiative to reduce the time from conception to occupancy for steel building structures.

Our Industry Partners are:

Phase 1 investigated the viability of design using computational simulation and experimental testing. Phase 2 conducted a wide range of prototype structural analyses, including gravity loading, vibration and acoustics tests, and assessment of the new flooring’s interaction with the rest of a building’s structural systems.

Phase 3 will continue development of the Modular Floor System prototype, to include archetype structural design, archetype structure analysis, vibration and acoustic tests, gravity strength assessment of the Modular Floor System, and in-plane diaphragm strength assessment of the Modular Floor System.

This project aligns very well with the vision of the Charles Pankow Foundation: to provide the AEC industry with a better way to design and build.

Principal Investigators are:

Jerome F. Hajjar, Ph.D., P.E. (Northeastern University)
Benjamin W. Schafer, Ph.D., P.E. (Johns Hopkins University)
Matthew Eatherton, Ph.D., P.E., S.E. (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University)
Onur Avci, Ph.D., P.E. (West Virginia University)
W. Samuel Easterling, Ph.D., P.E. (Iowa State University)

Industry Champions include:

Ron Klemencic and Josh Mouras, Magnusson Klemencic Associates
Chris Raebel and Devin Huber, AISC
Cori Amadon and Daryll Bridges, J.F. Stearns
Jeffrey Diguette, Clark Construction
Chad Fox, Ruby + Associates
Brad Fletcher, Atlas Tube
Tony Giansanti and Bill Perry, Tate, Inc.
Tim Hanenburg, Cives Steel
Bob Hazelton, Herrick Steel
Will Jacobs, SDL
Larry Kruth, Kruth Engineering
Dave McCrary, Barton Malow
Ron Meng, Banker Steel
Kim Olson, NUCOR
Jeff Pate, Owen Steel
Jim Perry, Cerami & Associates
Pedro Sifre, SGH
Todd Weaver, Metals Fabrication
Corey Wilson, Pliteq
Joseph C Windover, Sherwin-Williams
David Wright, Schuff Steel
Duff Zimmerman, Cooper Steel