Table of Contents
What strength blocks for block and beam floor?
Floor Blocks All infill blocks should have a compressive strength of 3.5N/mm2 or 7.0N/mm2 and be able to support a minimum transverse load of 3.5kN on a 420mm span.
Do you put DPC under block and beam?
A damp-proof course (DPC) is located between the beams and supporting blocks to prevent rising damp (see Figure 1). One or more beams can be placed immediately adjacent to each other requiring an in-situ concrete infill to support internal non loadbearing walls.
How far can block and beam span?
Under normal residential loading, the 155mm House Beam can span up to 7 metres while the 225mm Deep Beam can span up to 8 metres.
What is the minimum void under a block and beam floor?
A void is left under the floor of at least 150mm between the soil and underside of the beam. If heavy clay soil is present it is good practice to increase the void depth to as much as 225mm or possibly more. All organic material must be removed from the soil and the surface should be treated with weedkiller.
What is the minimum end bearing of a pre cast beam to a beam and block floor?
100mm bearing
Beam ends laid onto a DPC and spaced out using the block infill, with a minimum of 100mm bearing. Blocks are bedded onto split course blocks and built into the wall.
How much void is beam and block floor?
A void is left under the floor of at least 150mm between the soil and underside of the beam. If heavy clay soil is present it is good practice to increase the void depth to as much as 225mm or possibly more.
How long can a concrete beam span?
On the other side the span of the beam has some limitations. Generally reinforced concrete becomes not economic with spans bigger than 10m. For bigger spans you use prestressed concrete and you can reach up to 150m span. Longer spans are generally done with composite steel concrete or only steel structures.
Is block and beam cheaper than slab?
Beam & block floors While a simple concrete slab can be relatively cheap, it takes time to lay and dry out, so over the last few years, the beam and block suspended floor has become more prominent. It’s slightly more expensive, especially on relatively small jobs, but for speed and convenience it’s hard to beat.
Why do I have air bricks with a concrete floor?
Why Do Some Homeowners Block The Vents? The air bricks create an airflow underneath the floor; this can lead to drafts that pass through the floorboards into the home. Due to rising energy prices and a desire by many to reduce heating bills, some people choose to block the vents.
Is beam and block a suspended floor?
Beam and block is also referred to in some countries as ‘rib and block’ or ‘lintel and block’. The technique is used to create in-situ, suspended concrete floors (ground or upper) in concrete or masonry buildings and has become popular in residential construction.
How far can a concrete beam span without support?
Generally reinforced concrete becomes not economic with spans bigger than 10m. For bigger spans you use prestressed concrete and you can reach up to 150m span. Longer spans are generally done with composite steel concrete or only steel structures.
Can you use prestressed beam and block flooring?
Available for use at both ground floor, and in certain circumstances at first floor, prestressed beam and block flooring offers a flexible and dependable method to overcome difficult site conditions.
Which is the best beam and block flooring?
The slimline block is a cost effective solution for making good the edges of the floor using our combined products. We also have a range of precast staircase and landing products that can be designed and manufactured around all of our flooring systems.
How are concrete blocks used in beam construction?
The blocks are either designed to lap under the concrete T-beam in order to prevent cold bridging, or an additional insulation layer is positioned over the EPS infill blocks. More manufacturers are developing EPS block systems which have varying profiles and methods of construction.
What kind of flooring is used for suspended concrete?
Suspended concrete floors can be constructed using different methods. They can be cast in situ reinforced concrete slabs, precast concrete planks or slabs, or the focus of this article, beam and block floors. The beam and block floor system is a popular form of domestic floor construction.