Industrial Concrete Slab

Industrial Concrete Slabs

Preparation

How the surface is prepared depends on the type of slab. Industrial plants, warehouses, roads, car parks and other facilities all place different demands on a floor, so the design takes account of slab dimensions, concrete class, reinforcement and falls. Before work starts, the sub-base is brought up to formation level in stages with the appropriate plant, compacted as it goes. Bay areas are set out before the pour. Steel forms acting as bay edges are made up to standard and set to the design level, and the arrangements needed for structural joints and reinforcement are put in place. Mesh reinforcement is positioned to the drawings, allowing for the specified laps; where two layers are used, spacer chairs need watching.

The Pour

Once the preparatory work is done, the necessary precautions are taken and the pour begins. On an external project the weather has to be factored in. Access for the mixer truck and the concrete pump is checked first. When the concrete arrives, the mix and slump are checked and the pour starts from the planned position, bay by bay. The concrete is compacted with a poker vibrator and levelled with a vibrating screed.