BAHR DAR UNIVERSITY

BAHR DAR INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

DEPARTEMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION

CHAPTER-4.2
FLOOR SYSTEMS
CONTENTS
❑ Introduction
❑ Components of a floor
❑ Ground floors
❑ Upper floors
❑ Floor finishes
❑ Review questions
❑ Floor refers to the horizontal surface that supports people,
furniture, and other objects.
❑ The purpose of a floor is to provide a level surface capable of supporting:
▪ The occupants of a building,
▪ Furniture,
▪ Equipment, and
▪ Sometimes the internal partition.
❑ Primary functions of a floor:
i. Provide a level surface with sufficient strength to support the
imposed loads of people and furniture.
ii. Exclude the passage of water and water vapor to the interior of the
building.
iii. Provide resistance to unacceptable heat loss through the floor.
iv. Provide the correct type of surface to receive the chosen finish.

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❑ To perform its function a floor must satisfy the following
requirements:
i. Adequate strength and stability,
ii. Adequate fire resistance,
iii. Sound insulation,
iv. Damp resistance, and
v. Thermal insulation.
❑ The depth of a floor system is directly related to the size and direction of the
structural bays it must span and the strength of the materials used.
❑ In the traditional floor construction, a floor is needed to have a clean, smooth,
impervious, level and durable surface.

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❑ A floor is composed of two essential components:
▪ Sub-floor, base course or floor base
▪ Floor covering or simply, flooring (paving)
a) Sub-floor or Floor Base
❑ The floor base is a structural component, which supports the floor
covering.
❑ It is the lower portion of a floor structure consisting of
beams, slabs etc upon which the base is formed.
b) Floor Covering or Paving
❑ The upper portion of a floor structure consisting of base,
under layer and topping is called floor covering or paving.
❑ The purpose of floor covering is to have a clean, smooth,
non-absorbent and a durable surface, It should also be
non-slippery, noiseless and pleasing in appearance.

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Floors are classified as ground floor and upper floor.
3. GROUND FLOORS
❑ Ground floors are further subdivided into solid floors, suspended floors and
basement floors.
Solid floors
❑ The floors supported directly on the ground are known as solid floors.

Suspended floors
❑ These are floors supported above the ground level.

❑ Suspended floors do not rely on the ground for support.

Basement floors
❑ These are floors resting at the lowest/basement level.

❑ Resistance to moisture ingress is one of the main criteria in the design of

basement floors.

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3.2 FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENT OF GROUND FLOORS
❑ For good performance of a ground floor, it should be able to
perform the following:
1. Support the loads imposed on it with out failure .
2. Prevent dampness inside the building by providing a damp proof
membrane in or below the floor.
3. Prevent the growth of matter and other living organisms.
4. Be reasonably durable so as to require minimum maintenance or
replacement work.
5. Provide a surface finish with a standard of appearance, comfort,
cleanliness, and heat retention.

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4.1 INTRODUCTION
❑ An upper floor is basically a principal structural element, and the
general structural design of a building greatly influence the choice
of type of floor.
❑ Upper floors are supported either on walls or on columns;
therefore, they have major problems of strength and stability.
❑ The structural design of the of upper floors has to be such as to
support:
▪ The loads set up by the use of the building,
▪ Self weight of the floor,
▪ Weight of partitions, etc.
❑ An upper floor can be constructed either from timber or concrete
(Cast in situ and precast concrete).

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❑ Upper floors are regarded to be composed of three parts:
▪ The structural element,
▪ Upper surface or floor finish, and
▪ Lower surface or ceiling.
4.2 FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS OF UPPER FLOORS
❑ An upper floor should:
1. Sustain its own weight and any other weights imposed on it.
2. Offer fire resistance especially in very tall buildings.
3. Minimise noise transfer from upper floor to the lower floor.
4. Be reasonably durable – minimum maintenance and
replacement.
5. Provide an acceptable surface finish which is safe,
comfortable, clean and of good appearance.
6. prevent dampness.
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4.3 CONCRETE FLOORS (R.C.C. FLOORS)
❑ Floors of modern buildings are invariably made of reinforced
cement concrete (R.C.C) for different advantages:
▪ Moderately cheap,
▪ Quite durable,
▪ Easy to construct,
▪ Fire proof and damp proof,
▪ Can be used in large spans, etc.
❑ R.C.C floors can be cast in situ or prefabricated.
4.3.1 CAST IN SITU R.C.C FLOORS
❑ Cast in situ concrete floors give the maximum freedom in design
since they can take up any shape dictated by the plan.

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4.3.1 CAST IN SITU R.C.C FLOORS (CONT…)
❑ Based on the design requirements cast in situ concrete can be:
▪ Simple slab flooring
▪ Beam and slab flooring
▪ Flat slab flooring
▪ Waffle grid slab flooring
▪ Drop slab floor
▪ Ribbed or hollow tiled flooring
A) SIMPLE SLAB FLOORING
❑ These slabs are quite suitable and economical for short spans and in most
cases they are wall supported.
▪ One way reinforced slab (ly/lx > 2). : the main reinforcement is placed in
the direction of the shortest side.
▪ Two way reinforced slab (ly/lx <2). : the main reinforcement is placed in
both directions.

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A) SIMPLE SLAB FLOORING (CONT…)

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B) BEAM AND SLAB FLOORING
❑ When the width of the room becomes more, the span of slab
increases, and simple R.C.C slab becomes more uneconomical. In
that case, the floor structure consists of RCC beams and slab cast
monolithically.
❑ The beams known as T-beams, act as intermediate supports to the slab
which is continuous over these beams.
❑ These types of floors are generally the most economic and most
usual form of floor construction.

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B) BEAM AND SLAB FLOORING (CONT…)

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C) FLAT PLATE AND FLAT SLAB FLOORING
1. Two way flat plate- A flat plate is a concrete slab of uniform
thickness reinforced in two or more directions and supported
directly by columns without beams or girders. Simplicity of
forming, lower floor- floor heights, and some flexibility in column
placement make flat plates practical for apartment and hotel
construction.

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C) FLAT PLATE AND FLAT SLAB FLOORING
❑ Flat Plate suitable span 6 to 7.5 m with LL= 3 5Kn/m2
Advantages
o Low cost formwork
o Exposed flat ceilings
o Fast
Disadvantages
o Low shear capacity
o Low Stiffness (notable deflection)

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C) FLAT PLATE AND FLAT SLAB
FLOORING
2. Two way flat Slab- A flat slab is a flat
plate thickened at its column
supports to increase its shear strength
and moment-resisting capacity.
❑ The reinforced slab is monolithically
cast with the supporting columns with
out any provision of beams.
❑ The flat slab transfers the load directly
to the supporting columns suitably
spaced below the slab.
❑ Used in case of large span and heavy
loads.

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❑ Flat Slab suitable span 6m to 9m with LL= 4 -7 Kn/m2
Advantages
o Low cost formwork
o Exposed flat ceilings/good appearance
o Fast
o The total storey height will be reduced
Disadvantages
o Need more formwork for capital and panels
o Weak resistance to lateral loads

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D) WAFFLE SLAB FLOORING
❑ The intermediate cross beams are cast on a rectangular square grid that
gives the under side of the floor the appearance of a waffle.
❑ The advantage of the intermediate beams of the waffle is they support a
thin floor slab and reduce the dead weight of the floor.
❑ This type of floor is used where a widely spaced square column grid is
necessary and floors support comparatively heavy loads.

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D) WAFFLE SLAB FLOORING (CONT…)

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❑ Waffle Slab suitable span 9 to 15 m with LL= 4 -7kn/m2
Advantages
o Carries heavy loads
o Attractive exposed ceilings
o Fast
Disadvantages
o Formwork with panels is expensive

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E) DROP SLAB FLOORING
❑ A floor slab which is thickened between columns in the form of a
shallow but wide beam.

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F) RIBBED SLAB FLOORING
❑ Advantages of ribbed slab:
▪ They are light in weight.
▪ They provide better
thermal insulation.
▪ They have better sound
proofing qualities.
▪ They have better fire
resistance.
▪ Convenient for installation
of electrical and
plumbing.

Ribbed slab before concrete casting

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F) RIBBED SLAB FLOORING (CONT…)

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4.3.2 PRECAST CONCRETE FLOORS
❑ Precast concrete floors are designed primarily with object of
eliminating formwork and wet poring, which make the installation
of an in situ floor rather a slow process.
❑ Precast concrete floors can be erected rapidly and immediately and
they are lighter in weight.

Advantages Disadvantages

• Elimination of the need for • Less flexible in design terms

formwork • Problems at connections
• Curing time of concrete is • Requirements for lifting
eliminated device
• Superior quality • High degree of site accuracy
• Erection at every weather is required
condition

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4.3.2 PRECAST CONCRETE FLOORS (CONT…)

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4.3.2 PRECAST CONCRETE FLOORS (CONT…)

Double T beam
Hollow precast

Solid plank
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4.4 TIMBER FLOORS
❑ The fact that wood can be glued, laminated or bonded to metal or
plates make it versatile construction material.
❑ Timber floors essentially consist of boarding supported on timber
joists called floor joists.
❑ The structural element of timber floors is the joist.

❑ The joists are designed to carry the necessary load across the span,
and the floor planking adds to the rigidity of the floor.
❑ Timber floors though quite light in weight, have poor fire
resistance and sound insulation properties.
❑ The resistance of wood to fire and insects can be improved by
coating.
❑ Care also should be taken in moisture flow.

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4.4 TIMBER FLOORS (CONT…)

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❑ Components are base, under layer and topping.
❑ The choice of floor finishes depends on the use to which the floor
is likely to be employed.
❑ The following are the factors that affect the choice of flooring
materials:
1. Initial cost: The cost of the material should be in conformity with the
type of building, and its likely use.
2. Appearance: covering should give pleasing appearance, it should
produce a desired color effect and architectural beauty.
3. Cleanliness: the flooring should be capable of being cleaned easily,
and it should be non absorbent.
4. Durability: the flooring should have sufficient resistance to wear,
temperature changes, disintegration with time and decay.
5. Damp resistance: flooring should offer sufficient resistance against
dampness.

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6. Thermal insulation: the flooring should offer reasonably good thermal
insulation.
7. Sound insulation: flooring should insulate the noise. It should not be
such that noise is produced when users walk on it.
8. Fire resistance: Flooring material should offer sufficient fire resistance
so that fire barriers are obtained between different levels of building.
9. Smoothness: the flooring material should be smooth, and should have
even surface. However it should not be slippery.
10. Hardness: It should be sufficiently hard so as to have resistance to
indentation marks, in prints etc.
11. Maintenance: the flooring material should require least maintenance.
However, whenever repairs are required, it should be such that repairs
can be done easily with least expenditure.

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5.1 BRICK FLOORING
❑ Is used in cheap constructions, especially where good bricks are
available.
❑ Is specially suited for warehouses, stores, pedestrian walk ways, etc.

❑ Good quality bricks of various shapes and colors can be used.

❑ Base course:
▪ Sub grade is compacted properly and a 7.5 cm thick layer of sand is
spread.
▪ 10-15cm thick layer of lean concrete is laid over the prepared sub
grade.
▪ Slopes shall be properly provided
❑ Construction:
▪ Bricks shall be socked and wetted
▪ The joints are rendered flushed and finished
▪ The brick flooring shall be cured for 3-7 days to improve the
durability
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5.1 BRICK FLOORING (CONT…)

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5.2 FLAG STONE FLOORING
❑ Dressed stone having rectangular or square sizes or any shapes are
used for making floors.
❑ Stone flooring can be used for garages, entrance corridors, pedestrian
walkways, etc.
❑ Base course:
▪ properly compacted ground or concrete base
❑ Construction:
▪ Joints are pointed and cured
▪ Provision of slope is necessary
❑ Advantages:
▪ Hard, durable and resistant to wear and tear
▪ Easy in construction and maintenance
❑ Not suitable in places like residential building or important public building.

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5.2 FLAG STONE FLOORING (CONT…)

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5.3 CEMENT CONCRETE FLOORING
❑ Suitable for residential, commercial and even industrial buildings,
laboratories, garage and ware houses.
❑ Properties:
▪ Moderately cheap, durable and easy to construct
▪ Moderately resistant to oil and weak acids
❑ Components:
▪ Base concrete and toping (wearing) surface.
❑ Construction:
▪ The components can be constructed monolithically or independently
▪ Monolithically the topping is damaged during subsequent operation
hair cracks are developed
work progress is low
▪ Independently: base surface is covered with slurry, mix 1:2:4
▪ In both cases the floor should be cured properly (at least for 7
days).
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5.3 CEMENT CONCRETE FLOORING (CONT…)

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5.3 CEMENT CONCRETE FLOORING (CONT…)

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5.3 CEMENT CONCRETE FLOORING (CONT…)

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5.4 TILED FLOORING
❑ Suitable:
▪ Residential houses, offices, schools and other public buildings
❑ Properties:
▪ Made of cement, clay, concrete or terrazzo
▪ Constructed in Square, hexagonal or other shapes and many colors.
❑ Construction:
▪ Similar to laying stone or brick floor
▪ Over a concrete base, a 25 to 30 mm thick layer of mortar is spread
▪ Neat cement slurry is spread over the bedding mortar
▪ Cement grouting of the joints
▪ The flooring need to be cured for 7 days
▪ Grinding and polishing

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 TILED FLOORING

C:\Documents and Settings\Admin\My Documents\LECTURE NOTES\BUILDING CONSTRUCTION\FLOOR\Ceramic\Tile - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia_files\180px-Cyprus_floor_tile.jpg

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5.5 WOODEN/TIMBER (PARQUET) FLOORING
❑ Timber is one of the oldest materials for floor finishing.
❑ Suitable:
▪ Living and Dinning Rooms, Bed rooms, dance halls, auditoriums
❑ Properties:
▪ Must have hard, Resistant to wear and durable surface
▪ Selection shall be based on texture, color, defects and grain
▪ Available in various shapes, sizes, texture and color
▪ Shall be avoided in moist areas
❑ Sub-base: cement screed finished concrete base
❑ Construction:
▪ Can be glued to concrete floors
▪ Can be joined by nails
▪ Protective coating like varnish, lacquer, wax shall be applied for
long service periods
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5.5 WOODEN/TIMBER (PARQUET) FLOORING (CONT…)
Buckled laminate flooring after flooding

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5.6 TERRAZZO FLOORING
❑ Terrazzo is concrete containing white and/or coloured cement and marble
chips as an aggregate in proportion of 1:2 to 1:3.
❑ Suitable:

▪ Residential, Offices and other public buildings

❑ Properties:

▪ Marble Chips exposed by grinding, may vary from 3-6 mm

▪ Decorative and high wearing resistance
▪ Can be found in market as precast terrazzo in the form of tiles (20-
30 cm, t = 2-3cm) even for Stair Treads and Risers or as cast in
situ.
❑ Sub-base: concrete base

❑ Construction:

▪ Shall be casted with the required mix proportion

▪ Grinding in three levels and then cement grout to seal holes
▪ Mirror - Polishing
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5.6 TERRAZZO FLOORING (CONT…)

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5.7 MOSAIC FLOORING
❑ Mosaic flooring is made of small pieces of broken tiles of china glazed or
of cement, or of marble arranged in different pattern
❑ Suitable:

▪ For Walls, Floors, Both internal and external, Stairs

❑ Properties:

▪ Glazed or Unglazed
▪ Impervious to water and have dense structure.
❑ Types:

▪ Porcelain - made by dust press method from ceramic materials

with vitreous body, resistant to freezing and thawing and abrasive
wear.
▪ Natural Clay (Ceramic) – made of natural clays or shale, which
produce a strong longwearing structure with slightly textured
surface.
❑ Sub-base: concrete base

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5.7MOSAIC FLOORING (CONT…)
❑ Construction:

▪ Concrete base made of mortar– mortar is spread & leveled to a

depth of 5 to 8 cm.
▪ 3mm thick suitable cementing material in the form of paste is spread
▪ Mosaics are arranged in different pattern and hammered
▪ Stone roller about 30 cm in dia. and 45-60 cm long is passed
▪ White cement grout of creamy consistency is applied as a filler

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5.8 PLASTIC (PVC) FLOORING
❑ It is made of plastic material, called Poly-Vinyl-chloride (PVC).

❑ Suitable:

▪ For residential (bedrooms) as well as non residential building

❑ Properties:

▪ Fabricated in rolls or tiles with different colors

▪ Resilient, smooth, good looking and cleanable
▪ Easily damaged by heat or chemicals
❑ Sub-base:

▪ concrete base (smoothly finished cement screed)

❑ Construction:

▪ Adhesive shall be applied to the cement screed surface

▪ Tiles are then pressed gently using lightweight rollers
▪ Floor is washed with warm soap water

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5.8 PLASTIC (PVC) FLOORING (CONT…)

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5.9 MARBLE FLOORING
❑ Marble flooring is one of the most expensive floor finishes.

❑ Suitable:

▪ Residential buildings (Stairs, Corridor, Kitchens), Public and

Worship places
❑ Properties:

▪ Made of sedimentary rocks

▪ Different sources – Granite, Marble
▪ Durable, Water proof but expensive
❑ Sub-base:

▪ concrete base
❑ Construction:

▪ Similar to tile and terrazzo flooring

▪ Has to be cured and cleaned before use
▪ Mirror - Polishing
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5.9 MARBLE FLOORING (CONT…)

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5.10 ASPHALT FLOORING
❑ Asphalt floorings are of many types and are used where wear resistance and
durability are the main design factor.
❑ Suitable:

▪ Mainly used in garages, stores, etc

❑ Properties:

▪ Wear resistance and durable

▪ Resilient, sound proof, non-absorbent and moisture proof
▪ Used for basement floors, ground floors, floors exposed to
external weather condition
❑ Sub-base:

▪ concrete base
▪ Wooden base (for asphaltic tiles only)

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5.10 ASPHALT FLOORING (CONT…)
❑ Types:

▪ Asphalt mastic: Made of sand and asphalt mixed hot and laid in
continuous sheets.
▪ Asphalt Tiles – made of asphalt and other ingredients such as
asbestos fibers, by pressing the mix in different sizes, with
thickness varying usually from 3 to 6 mm.
▪ Asphalt Mosaic – similar to mastic but made with marble chips in
the place of sand.
❑ Construction:

▪ The mix is poured on the concrete base

▪ Spread by means of trowel to get a level surface
▪ A thin layer of sand is spread which is then rubbed with a trowel
▪ Asphalt tiles are simply glued to the base surface

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5.10 ASPHALT FLOORING (CONT…)

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5.11 RUBBER FLOORING
❑ It consists of sheets or tiles of rubber, in variety of patterns and
colors.
❑ Suitable:

▪ Offices or public building like hospitals, schools, gym etc.

❑ Properties:

▪ It is manufactured by mixing pure rubber with fillers such

as cotton fiber, granulated cork or asbestos fire.
▪ Resilient and noise proof however they are costly
❑ Sub-base:

▪ concrete base or wood

❑ Construction:

▪ Fixed to the floor by means of appropriate adhesive or easily

laid on the base surface

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5.11 RUBBER FLOORING (CONT…)

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5.12 GLASS FLOORING
❑ This is a special purpose flooring used in circumstances where it is
desired to transmit light from upper floor to lower floor.
❑ Suitable:

▪ Basement and upper floor where light has to be transmitted.

▪ Very costly and not commonly used.
❑ Properties:

▪ Structural glass, in the form of tiles or slabs ( t = 12 to 30

mm)
❑ Sub-base:

▪ Steel Frames
❑ Construction:

▪ Suspended on closely placed frames

▪ Care should be taken to avoid joint failures
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5.12 GLASS FLOORING (CONT…)

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5.13 CARPET FLOORING
❑ A textile floor covering consisting of an upper layer of "pile" attached to a
backing.
❑ Suitable:

▪ Passage ways, Bed Rooms, Hall ways

❑ Properties:

▪ The pile is generally either made from wool or a manmade fiber

such as polypropylene, and usually consists of twisted tufts which
are often heat-treated to maintain their structure.
❑ Sub-base:

▪ Concrete or wood base

❑ Construction:

▪ Carpets and carpet tiles can be laid loose, stuck with a suitable
adhesive or in the case of carpets edge fixed using special grip
strips.

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5.13 CARPET FLOORING (CONT…)

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1. Explain in brief, the essential requirements of a floor.
2. Discuss the requirements that must be fulfilled for a floor to serve
its function.
3. In what occasions are suspended floor is recommended over solid
ground floor?
4. Enumerate various types of upper floors?
5. Explain with sketches the various types of RCC floors. Where do
you use flat slab floor?
6. What are the advantages that precast floors have over cast in situ
concrete floors?
7. Enumerate the advantages of ribbed slab floor system.
8. Briefly discus the different factors which affect the choice of floor
finishing.

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THANK YOU!

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