The floor is that part of the building, room, hallway that forms the lower enclosing surface and is the part upon which one walks. The Industrial civil consultants give more importance to it as it provides a clean, durable, leveled finish to the floor.
The flooring is an essential part of any building and involves a significant part of the cost too. Hence, the civil design for flooring has an impact on the overall cost.The process to complete flooring involves a proper base for it.
Industrial civil consultants see to that an industrial floor provides a smooth, seamless movement of not only the workers but also the material handling equipment. Also, it should be able to take the load of the machines. Because, there could be additional requirements like dustproof, easily cleanable, joint-less, hygienic, chemical resistant, impact-resistant, scratch-proof, etc.
Subgrade:
The subgrade should be properly compacted. Because the purpose of the floor base is to provide a strong surface to the covering. So, the soil is watered and rammed properly.
Sub-base:
This is the layer above the subgrade and is usually 380mm thick. Granular Sub Base (GSB) is usually laid in 3-4 layers with the total thickness not exceeding 380mm. Any increase in the thickness would increase fluidity. This layer prevents water from moving upward and seeping into the slab.
Vapour Barrier/ Slip Membrane:
This is usually of a thickness of 500 microns or above. To avoid moisture, we can place this membrane.
Flooring:
They use steel reinforcements or fiber reinforcements to do flooring. This is the most critical part of the entire process. The concrete used has to be based on the load requirements.
Floor finishes:
We can cover the floor by any of the following methods:
- Hardner & Densifier sealer
- Tiles/Granite
- Epoxy Coating etc
Likewise, each method of finishing the flooring has its advantages and disadvantages. The Industrial civil consultants choose hardner and sealer for the flooring for industrial projects as it becomes dustproof, has easy maintenance. In residences, commercial complexes, offices, etc., they use tiles and granite. The consultants should ensure that civil design in industrial projects is as per client requirements.
