Industrial Flooring

In relation to the nature of strengthening of the floor frames, there are three main options:

• Frame made of unreinforced concrete;
• Frames reinforced with rod or fibre reinforcement in order to reduce the number and depth of cracks in case of shrinkage, changes in temperature conditions, concrete moisture content and environmental factors;
• Frames reinforced with rod and/or fibre reinforcement sensitive to both temperature-shrink stresses and force consequences of operational loads.

When using the floors in industrial fields, the main factor is the special mode. It is associated primarily with a regular increase in loads, as well as aggressive destructive influence of the environment or chemicals. In these types of structures, the reinforcement plays a significant role in providing the necessary strength. But one should not forget about its high sensitivity o corrosion, which may significantly reduce the stability of the structure and entail an inverse effect. Given the above, the durability and strength of the industrial flooring is directly dependent on chosen reinforcing material. After a certain passage of time, steel reinforcement will be covered with corrosion, and at high loads it will give up its positions in 3-5 years not having met the requirements for the durability of the flooring. Fibreglass reinforced plastic bars are not sensitive to corrosion. Moreover, this material has a low level of thermal conductivity and light weight. This is one of the main advantages of such reinforcing bars, which increases its level of irreplaceability when laying industrial floors.

Industrial floor structures are often made of cement and concrete in the form of single-layer or monolithic slabs consisting of two layers and differing in the thickness and nature of the reinforcement. Floor reinforcement arranged using the fibreglass reinforced plastic bars is the most appropriate option for parking, garage, car wash, livestock buildings, agricultural and food industry facilities – wherever the concrete floor is exposed to harsh operating conditions.

In recent years, the use of fibreglass reinforced plastic bars for constructing such structures has been significantly increased in Ukraine. The initiators of the replacement of steel reinforcing bars with fibreglass reinforced plastic bars are both customers and contractors. At the same time, each pursues its own goals. So, as for the customer – the owner of the object, the key features of the use of fibreglass reinforced plastic bars are the technical possibilities of long-term operation of the structures, as well as reducing the cost of their maintenance. As for the contractor, the convenience of working with this polymer material is important. The lightness of the reinforcement, as well as the possibility of rolling up into coils allow reducing to nothing the troubles related to transportation and unloading of the reinforcing bars, and simplifies the process of mounting the reinforcing frame. The assembly procedure does not exhaust the workers, and at the same time it allows reducing time for installation or other types of work.

Quite effective is the use of multicomponent reinforcing bars for the floors used in aggressive conditions:

• Open and closed type parking areas or garages;
• Bases specializing in car washing;
• Agricultural or livestock buildings;
• Industrial facilities.

Considering the high physical and mechanical characteristics and corrosion resistance of Arvit Fibreglass Reinforced Plastic Bars, one should agree that such a material is more suitable for rod-type reinforcement of the concrete floor frame compared to other materials.