INNOVATIONS IN HIGH-RISE TRANSFER FLOORS: THE PRESTRESSED TRANSFER PLATE SYSTEM

Prestressed concrete transfer slabs, or prestressed transfer plates, are emerging as an efficient structural solution for high-rise buildings, particularly at transfer floor levels. Widely adopted in Malaysia, Hong Kong, and China, these systems effectively redistribute shear wall loads from tower blocks to the broader column grids of podium structures below. Compared to conventional transfer beam systems, prestressed transfer plates offer significant advantages, including cost efficiency, simplified formwork, streamlined reinforcement detailing, and an aesthetically clean soffit. A key innovation is their ability to be cast in stages, where the initial cast is prestressed to support subsequent pours, dramatically reducing the need for extensive temporary formwork. This paper explores the evolution, structural behavior, and global trends in prestressed transfer plate design. Practical guidelines for preliminary sizing, reinforcement estimation, and finite element modeling are provided. The discussion highlights the interaction between shear walls and transfer plates under gravity loads, and the implications of multi-stage casting. The findings demonstrate that prestressed transfer plates are a viable alternative to conventional systems, offering economic and construction efficiency benefits for modern high-rise structures.