Point-Supported Timber-Concrete-Composite

This innovation project supported by Innosuisse — Point-Supported Timber–Concrete Composite (PSTCC) Flat Slabs — builds on Simon’s Master’s thesis. The research is being conducted at ETH Zürich as part of a PhD with Prof. Dr. Andrea Frangi and Marie Keller, with the aim of bringing a low-carbon alternative to point-supported concrete slabs to the market.

What PSTCC can do as well as a conventional concrete slab:

• Large spans >7 m in both directions, well suited for offices, commercial buildings, and schools.
• Slabs supported only by columns, without beams or load-bearing walls. This simplifies the routing of building ser-vices, reduces storey height, and enables flexible, modular floor plans.
• Excellent acoustic and dynamic performance.

What PSTCC can do better than a conventional concrete slab:

• Up to 50% lower CO₂ emissions of slab, by reducing the amount of concrete required and storing CO₂ in the timber.
• Lower foundation costs and CO₂ emissions due to the significantly reduced building weight.
• Attractive aesthetics with exposed timber, increasing the market value of the space.
• Faster construction, as the timber slab serves as prefabricated formwork for the concrete.

Component and large-scale prototype testing will take place between 2026 and 2028.