Concrete floor spec

Cider

Member
Location
Devon
Ive got an area 40ft x 120ft between two grain stores to concrete.
Good base but heavy traffic by artics and farm machinery.
What spec concrete should I use and do I need fibres and or reinforcing mesh?
Cheers
Cider
 

Cider

Member
Location
Devon
Daily multiple tractor and trailer traffic during harvest and artic collection.
Does the frequency of use matter, the slab is either up for it or not?
Problem is tight turning of artic and trailer axles creating a screwing effect of tyres on concrete.
What is AIR and what spec mesh?
Will it need to be vibrated?
 
Daily multiple tractor and trailer traffic during harvest and artic collection.
Does the frequency of use matter, the slab is either up for it or not?
Problem is tight turning of artic and trailer axles creating a screwing effect of tyres on concrete.
What is AIR and what spec mesh?
Will it need to be vibrated?


A slab that gets 50 wagons a day over it needs to be a lot stronger
Then one that gets 1 a year but I understand where you're coming from.

Tyres screwing is the worst for the concrete, go 8" thick.

Air is an additive they put in

I don't know mesh spec, I ask for 8mm @BAC might know the name for it

Yes vibrate it, un-vibrated concrete is weak
 

BAC

Member
What thickness of slab were you considering to do?? Obviously if it's a thick slab then it may need double meshing. If you are putting mesh in then there is no real need for fibres as long as you don't skimp on the cement content, would suggest a C35 or stronger
 

BAC

Member
A slab that gets 50 wagons a day over it needs to be a lot stronger
Then one that gets 1 a year but I understand where you're coming from.

Tyres screwing is the worst for the concrete, go 8" thick.

Air is an additive they put in

I don't know mesh spec, I ask for 8mm @BAC might know the name for it

Yes vibrate it, un-vibrated concrete is weak

We tend to use A252 or A393. All depends on thickness again. The main thing to consider when doing slabs is the expansion joints, getting the expansion joints is crucial as this is when the concrete is most likely to crack.

Just to be on the safe side it is worth using a poker to make sure there are no voids in the concrete
 

BobGreen

Member
Location
Lancs
Air entraining is an additive put in concrete used by road traffic to resist the effects of road salt brought in on tyres.

The use of single mesh A252 or similar allows joints to be spaced further apart.

For more strength then double mesh or use Structural fibres These are not the same as anti surface cracking fibres and cost similar to mesh

Depth of slab 200mm ( 8'') but most important is well compacted sub base

Mix RC45/50 as dry as you can lay it and use vibrating beam to compact
 

CORNFLAKE

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Warwickshire
Air entraining is an additive put in concrete used by road traffic to resist the effects of road salt brought in on tyres.

The use of single mesh A252 or similar allows joints to be spaced further apart.

For more strength then double mesh or use Structural fibres These are not the same as anti surface cracking fibres and cost similar to mesh

Depth of slab 200mm ( 8'') but most important is well compacted sub base

Mix RC45/50 as dry as you can lay it and use vibrating beam to compact
What depth of sub base would be ideal for 8" concrete?
 

BobGreen

Member
Location
Lancs
If its a greenfield site Then dig off topsoil and build back up with hardcore.
Biggest in bottom and build up in layers using smaller stone and more fine nearer top. Most important is too compact each layer well
If base is solid with no soft spots then 8'' to 12'' subbase of 40mm down to dust will be ok if compacted till it won't compact no more
 

Hesston4860s

Member
Location
Nr Lincoln
If its a greenfield site Then dig off topsoil and build back up with hardcore.
Biggest in bottom and build up in layers using smaller stone and more fine nearer top. Most important is too compact each layer well
If base is solid with no soft spots then 8'' to 12'' subbase of 40mm down to dust will be ok if compacted till it won't compact no more

What depth of slab would you generally put inside a general machine shed/workshop and how thick would you go on the sub base ?.
 

BobGreen

Member
Location
Lancs
I would have concrete 6'' ( 150mm ) with a subbase around 8'' but it all depends on the ground underneath You need to get rid of any soft spots

Also have a strong mix to leave a tight hard surface, no added water and powerfloat. This will then withstand banging and scratchs better
 

CORNFLAKE

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Warwickshire
If its a greenfield site Then dig off topsoil and build back up with hardcore.
Biggest in bottom and build up in layers using smaller stone and more fine nearer top. Most important is too compact each layer well
If base is solid with no soft spots then 8'' to 12'' subbase of 40mm down to dust will be ok if compacted till it won't compact no more
Thanks for the advice.
 
They always say you shouldn't add water, it goes down a lot easier if you do but I always resisted until we had a concrete pump here at which point they made it into slop and insisted it would be fine so now I'm confused.
 

Hesston4860s

Member
Location
Nr Lincoln
I would have concrete 6'' ( 150mm ) with a subbase around 8'' but it all depends on the ground underneath You need to get rid of any soft spots

Also have a strong mix to leave a tight hard surface, no added water and powerfloat. This will then withstand banging and scratchs better

That's about what I was thinking, I was planning on 3" clean too 4" thick then build up with 3" of 2" clean and 1" down to finished level well rolled at each stage.
Grounds good n hard but would you use terram ?, I haven't used terram outside in the yard area !. It's settled but no more than I expected it to.
 

BobGreen

Member
Location
Lancs
That's about what I was thinking, I was planning on 3" clean too 4" thick then build up with 3" of 2" clean and 1" down to finished level well rolled at each stage.
Grounds good n hard but would you use terram ?, I haven't used terram outside in the yard area !. It's settled but no more than I expected it to.
No need for Terram if you can do the job without the ground getting wet while you get stone compacted. That would mean around here doing the digging next summer as the water table is about 1ft above ground !!!
 

Hesston4860s

Member
Location
Nr Lincoln
No need for Terram if you can do the job without the ground getting wet while you get stone compacted. That would mean around here doing the digging next summer as the water table is about 1ft above ground !!!

Shouldn't be a problem doing it dry the roofs on the shed and I never even hit water digging the 1m square post holes. The grounds so hard inside the shed my 3.5 tonner struggles as it is !.
 

Lincsman

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lincolnshire
They always say you shouldn't add water, it goes down a lot easier if you do but I always resisted until we had a concrete pump here at which point they made it into slop and insisted it would be fine so now I'm confused.

If you want it runny and wet order it runny and wet, you dont let the driver add water thats all.
 

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