Level Best Concrete Flooring the design and build industrial concrete flooring contractors based in Yorkshire but with coverage throughout the country has constructed this new waste recycling facilities concrete floor slabs in Coventry. The scheme started two years ago when initial concept designs were discussed with both client and main contractor in order to provide the best long term solution for the waste recycling depot. Once floor slab drawings were drawn up and approved the works commenced approximately 6 months later with Level Best actually commencing on site throughout the first quarter of 2022.
Heavy duty steel construction joints were placed at locations avoiding machinery and equipment where possible and also positioned to suit the pour sequence of the concrete flooring contractors. Beneath the construction joints the sub base was installed using Level Best’s laser controlled equipment to extremely accurate tolerances and gas membranes placed on top of the sub base.
The entire footprint of the internal concrete floor slabs was 12,000m2 and this was made up of the Feed Hall, Process Halls, Glass bays and Main Reception areas. Level Best used Bekaert 3D steel fibres as the primary reinforcement with both standard 40n/mm2 concrete and vast amounts of concrete containing a microsilica additive to increase the abrasion resistance for the concrete surface ad compressive strength, especially in heavily trafficked areas.
The concrete was cast in each bay without the need for any sawn induced joints which would have been highly likely to have been damaged under the constant battering from the waste itself and the large plant and machinery which is operated in this type of waste recycling facility.
The concrete was laid using hand laying techniques were access was tight and also utilising the laser screed concrete floor laying machines. The laser screeds owned and operated by Level Best Concrete Flooring compact and control the levels of the concrete to create very flat and smooth surfaces which enable the loading shovel operators to drive with their buckets down on the floor, without hitting any bumps and humps within the concrete surface.
Steel fibres are added on site by Level Best operatives to the correct dosage levels dependant upon the design of the floor. In the case of this project most of the concrete was reinforced with Bekaert steel fibres at dosages of 35kg/m3. Ready-mixed concrete is delivered to site at a slump class workability of circa S4 standard with a superplasticiser added to increase workability, especially in hot conditions.
Level Best Concrete flooring applied a concrete surface hardener also known as a dry shake topping to the surface of the concrete to increase the abrasion resistance and life span of the concrete. The Metal Top dry shake is one of the toughest materials available to protect your concrete floor and although increases initial costs, vastly improves surface resistance to chemicals, loading shovels, recycled glass and other products.
Level Best Concrete Flooring leave “back up” laser screed machines on site in case of any potential breakdowns during very expensive concrete pours. The addition of another laser screed on site gives clients and main contractors surety of a quality concrete floor. Concrete is an extremely volatile material, especially when adding microsilica to the mix, which reduces initial setting times even further.
Concrete with steel fibres already integrated within the mix is laid directly onto the gas membrane barrier via direct discharge from the truckmixer. Ordering the correct quantities for each recycling bay is of paramount importance as there can be no joints within the bays. Level Best ensure that concrete “back up” plants are provided where possible to allow continuation of the concrete pours during the day.
The concrete surface in these large warehouses and recycling facilities is the first thing the client views and the easiest part of the project to critique, as they are highly visible. Level Best Concrete Flooring employ a highly skilled and competent workforce to provide clients with the best possible concrete surface finish, when casting large areas of “jointless concrete floor panels. Not only is the surface of the concrete floor flat and level and it also functional and durable for a long lasting concrete floor slab.
