What is Composite Metal Decking for?
What is Composite Metal Decking for?
Composite metal decks were created to hold freshly-poured concrete allowing for a reinforced slab that serves as a permanent concrete form with the benefit of positive reinforcement.
Composite metal decks (also known as composite steel decks) combine the tensile strength of steel with the compressive strength of concrete to improve design efficiency and potentially reduce the volume of material necessary to cover a given area. These decks, when supported by composite steel joists, can span greater distances between supporting elements and have reduced live load deflection when compared to previous construction methods.
The composite metal deck itself has a ribbed profile (also referred to as bumps or bump outs) in the flutes called “embossments.” The embossments protrude into the poured concrete itself and grip the concrete as it cures, resulting in greater structural integrity when compared to a slab poured in a metal deck without embossments.