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1.KAHINDI IAN MURAMBA- ABS211-0009/2019

2.BREYSKEEN MWAMVITA MAJENGO ABS211-0268/2019
3.XILNAQUE MUTURI ABS211-0017/2019
4.MUCHIRI JOSEPH KIMANIABS211-0414/2019
5. KISANGANI DANIEL BARASA ABS211-0038/2019
6.KEVIN EDWIN MWANGIABS211-0021/2018
7.CHARLES WAWERU NJAAGAABS211-0029/2019
8.KAITHYA ZEPHANIAH MULWA ABS211-0230/2019
9.BRIDGIT BOSIBORI OGOTIABS211-0285/2019
 FLOORS

Definition

• A floor is a structure formed of beams, girders and other

members with proper covering, which divides a building
horizontally into stories.
• It can also be defined as the base or surface of a building on
which all activities in the building take place.
• Floors maybe stone, wood, metal, or any other material that
can support the expected load.
 FUNCTIONS OF FLOORS
GROUND FLOORS
• To withstand the loads that will be imposed upon them, with domestic
buildings they are normally confined to persons and furniture but in
other classes such as factories floors maybe subjected to much
heavier loads and must be sufficient to carry them.
• To prevent growth of vegetable matter inside the building by
provision of concrete over site.
• To prevent damp penetrating the building by inserting a damp proof
membrane in or below the floor. Suspended floors also require under
floor ventilation to prevent stagnant, moist accumulating below them.
• To provide an acceptable surface finish which will meet the needs of
users with regard to appearance comfort safety cleanliness.
 UPPER
FLOORS
The functional requirements of upper floors include;
• To support their own weight, ceiling and super imposed
loads.
• To restrict the passage of fire, this is particularly important
in high rise buildings or where large amounts of
combustible goods are stored.
• To restrict the transmission of sound from one floor.
• To posses an adequate standard of durability.
• To bridge the specific span economically and be capable of
fairly quick erection.
• To accommodate services readily.
• To provide an adequate surface finish in the manner
described for ground floors.
FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS OF FLOORS
Strength;
The strength of a floor depends on the material used for the structure of
the floor such as concrete timber or steel. The floor must be strong
enough to support safely the dead load of the floor and finishes fixtures
partitions and services and anticipated imposed loads of occupants and
furniture.Bs.6399: Part 1 is the code of practice for dead and imposed
loads for buildings
Stability
A floor is designed and constructed to serve as a horizontal surface to
support people and their furniture. The floor should have adequate
stiffness to remain stable and horizontals under the dead load of the floor
structure and such partitions and other fixtures it supports and the
anticipated static and live loads. The floor should also support and
accommodate services either in its depth or below or above the floor
without affecting the stability.
• Durability and freedom from maintenance
All floors should be durable for the expected life of the
building and require little maintenance or repair. The
durability of floor finishes will depend on the nature of
materials used and the wear to which they are subjected to.

• Fire resistance
Suspended upper floors should be constructed to provide
resistance to fire for a period adequate for the escape of the
occupants from the building. The notional periods of
resistance of fire range from ½-4 hours depending on the size
and use of the building set out in the building regulations.
Resistance to passage of heat
A floor should provide resistance to transfer of heat where there i
normally a significant air temperature difference on the opposite
sides of the floor. This would include any building which was
heated but would not include some external buildings, such as
garages.
Resistance to passage of sound.
Upper floors that separate dwellings (party floors), or separate
noisy from quiet activities, should act as a barrier to the
transmission of sound. The comparatively low mass of timber
floor will transmit airborne sound more readily than a high mass
concrete floor.
TIMBER FLOORS
• Timber floors essentially consist of boarding
supported on timber joints 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.
• Where a timber surface is required on the
ground floor, therefore, suspended floor may
be found to be an economical solution.
• Suspended timber floors are usually
constructed using timber joist suspended
from bearing walls which are covered with
either floor boards or some other form of
boarding materials
 TYPES OF TIMBER
FLOORS
• Basement or ground timber floor.
• Single joist timber floor.
• Double joist timber floor.
• Framed timber floor.
• Filler joist floor.

Basement/ground timber floor

• Timber floors are constructed on
ground floors, generally in the
theatres where dance and drama
performances are held.
The following precautions are recommended:
• Well seasoned timber should be used in the construction of such floors.
• 100 mm thick plain cement concrete (1: 2; 4) is provided over the soil
beneath the timber floor.
• The empty space between the floor and the concrete base is filled up
with sand
• The damp-proofing courses are placed in the external walls and at the
top of the sleeper walls.
2. Single joist timber floor
• This type of floor is used for residential buildings where spans are
comparatively small and the loads are lighter.
Advantages
• Single joist timber floors are simple to construct
• They require less initial cost.
• (Distribution of loads on the wall is more uniform as the joists are
spaced closely.
Disadvantages
a) The joists may sag and hence cracks will develop in the
ceilings
b) They are not sound-proof.
c) Deep joists are required for larger spans which increase
the weight and construction cost of the floor.
d) The loads are transmitted on the openings such as window
or door lintel because of evenly spaced joists.

3.Double joist timber floor.

Double joist timber floor is stronger than the single joist
timber floor. They are used for longer spans of 3.60 to 7.50
meters and prevent the travel of sound waves to a great
extent.
Advantages
(a) The loads are transmitted to the wall at certain
specified points and hence door and window opening may
be avoided.
(b) This is more rigid type of flooring and hence there is
less chance of developing cracks in the plastering
(c) It is more Sound-proof.
(d) The use of additional binder near the walls can
eliminate the need of walls plates.
Disadvantages
(a) More labour is required.
(b) The depth of floor is considerably increased and thus
the head room is reduced.
4. Framed timber floor.
 This type of timber floor is used for spans
more than 7.5 metres.
 Girders are placed between the walls and the
binders are put on the girders and the bridging
joists rest on the binders.
 The spacing between girders depends on the
type and size of the girder and the size of the
binders.
 Binders are staggered and connected to girder
by tusk and tenon joints.The ends of girders
are put on stone or concrete templates in the
wall.
 Ceilings are fixed directly to the binders or
ceiling joists may be employed
Requirements on methods
• Correct position of an over-site concrete. Correct construction of honey
combed sleeper walls to carry the suspended timber floor members.
• Provision of damp proof course between
• Provision of floor joist to receive the floor boards .
• Air vent provision within the external wall is necessary to promote free
circulation of air around the wooden members of the floor to prevent decaying.
Requirements on materials.
• All materials used are required to be of good quality
• The timber members are required to be well seasoned to prevent premature
decaying.
• The sizing of the floor joist and wall plates must be according to the specified
sizes and shapes.
• Timber members strength and durability should be enhanced through the use of
appropriate preservatives.
Requirement on quality
• The timber members especially the joist, boards, wall plates and others
required to have a uniform selection this will enable to determine how
effective the suspended timber floor can be
 CONSTRUCTION
HUNG TIMBER FLOORS

The principle on which the floor is constructed is quite simple:

 The inside of the building is filled with inert material up to finished ground level and
a DPM laid
 The floor is built over the filling, leaving a minimum gap of 150mmbetween the
DPM and the nearest piece of timber
 The floor is constructed of timber planks or boarding fixed to joists supported by the
outside walls.
The joists are timbers laid on edge and these are
fixed at centers , i.e.
they are evenly spaced out across the area of the
floor at precise intervals.
The timber or man-made board is nailed down to
The joists to provide a flat, usable surface.
• The size of the joists used depends on:
• The live and dead load on the floor
• The span of the joists
• The spacing or centres of the joists
• The strength of the timber used.
• The type and thickness of floor boarding
• depends on:
• The live and dead load on the floor
• The spacing or centres of the joists.
 TIMBER UPPER FLOORS

• By the term ‘upper floor’ we mean any floor not

accessed at ground level or below ground level.
UPPER FLOOR JOISTS
• In modern timber frame construction, the upper floor joists
are supported by the wall panels, and a ‘ring beam’ is
included for the full depth of the joists.
• The ring beam serves:
• As a support and fixing point for the joist ends and as a
‘stop’ to prevent the spread of fire from the cavity into the
floor void.
 • The size of the floor joists is
determined by:
• The loads and span to be carried
• The spacing or ‘ centres ’ of the
joists
• The grade of timber selected
• And, not so important in domestic
ring beam structures, the vertical space
available or required for other
purposes such as hidden services –
ducts and large pipes etc.
• With joists having a depth of 200
mm,it is advisable to have a span of
3.5 to 4.0m.
• When spans start to exceed this range
it is time to think of alternative ways
to support the joists – that is, to break
the span into two or more manageable
proportions.
• The best options are to have a
Upper floor joists supported by a partition
loadbearing partition under the joists
or provide a beam of some kind.
• Breaking the span of joists can also be
achieved by:
• The use of beam(s) spanning from
wall to wall at right angles to the joists
• A combination of the above with a
partition.
 SOLID GROUND FLOOR
A ground floor construction continuously supported by
the ground or through a fill material in contact with the
supporting ground
A floor that consists of a layer of concrete brought up
to ground floor level with hardcore and sand
blinding filling under it

REASONS FOR
• USEload to the ground
Transfers
• Provides a level dry hygienic surface that facilitates
a functional living environment
 252.5
Facing brick to
be Bloggs heather 100 aac blockwork
mixture wire cut, 12.5 plasterboard/urethene
weather struck foam laminate 95
pointed x 15 S/w
skirting
DPC
150 Concrete 90
min. Weeps at Mix C
FGL 1115 c/c 50 bead board on
Concrete 250g Visqueen
Mix 160 DPM
300 min. D filling
cavity in Hardcore of broken brick
wall or stone to pass a 100
Concrete ring, blinded with ashes
150
Mix A Backfill with selected
inert material
550 from the excavations

solid f l o o r detail
DETAILED
SECTION
 PERFORMANCE
REQUIREMENTS
• Strength and stability; Floor must be able to safely carry
the weight of any load placed on them
• Material selection can have a large effect on the aesthetic
and the functional qualities of the floor e.g. a tiled floor is
easier to clean than a carpeted floor but carpeted floor
creates a cozier environment
 PERFORMANCE
REQUIREMENTS
• Durability; Floors must be made to last the lifetime of
the building without degrading or cracking

• Moisture and gas resistance; Ground floors must

prevent any rising damp or gases from entering the
building

• Thermal insulation; Floors must be properly insulated

to prevent heat from escaping through the floor. The floor
should not act as a cold bridge
 METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION

• The soil strata is well compacted and a layer of hardcore

is placed over it.

• The hardcore is then compacted to 100mm minimum

thickness

• A layer of sand blinding is placed over this and equally

compacted to 30-50mm minimum thickness

• A layer of Damp Proof Membrane is laid over the sand

blinding
 METHOD OF
CONSTRUCTION
• Class 25 concrete is poured over the rebars to 150mm
depth and the surface levelled and tamped by use of a
trowel for a slightly irregularly raised surface texture
o This texture is excellent for application of the layer of
screed
• A 50-65mm layer of screed is applied over the cured
reinforced concrete slab
• Appropriate floor finish is applied over the cured screed
layer, preferably later in the building operations so as
to prevent damage of the finishes e.g. breaking of tiles
 COMPONENTS
• Hardcore base; The weight that the floor imposes on the subsoil
can easily compress the soil and cause the floor to sink. To prevent
this, the weak subsoil is removed and replaced with non-
compressible hardcore base. It could comprise one material or an
aggregate of materials; examples being gravel, waste materials (e.g.
blast furnace slag) and more commonly used; rubble of brick, tiles,
natural stone and concrete.

BRICK RUBBLE CONCRETE BLAST FURNACE SLAG

 COMPONENTS
• Damp Proof Membrane is a heavy duty plastic that is
impervious to water thus preventing rising damp through
capillary action

• Sand blinding laid between hardcore and DPM to

prevent the sharp hardcore from tearing the DPM
 COMPONENTS

• Thermal blocks are blocks with low thermal

conductivity used to prevent the rising wall acting as
thermal bridge between the floor and the inner leaf.
They consist of two outer leaves of normal weight
concrete sandwiching a polystyrene core
 COMPONENTS
• Reinforced Concrete Slab; consists of Class
25 concrete(ratio of cement: sand: aggregates at
1:2:4) with adequate reinforcement bars.

• Screed; Thin layer of sand and concrete mixture that

is used to level the floor prior to the final floor finish
 COMPONENTS
• Finish floor material determines the durability of the
floor. Different floor finishes can be used depending on
the aesthetics or the functional requirements of the floor.
Commonly used floor finishes include wood, laminate,
carpet, marble, ceramic tiles, linoleum.

WOOD LINOLEUM

LAMINATE
 ADVANTAGES OF SOLID FLOOR

• Requires low maintenance ,properly sealed concrete

floors shrug off dirt, grit stains, spills and hard
impacts.

• Beautiful design option made possible through

modern techniques

• Can withstand wear and resistant to fire water bacteria

and odors

• Elimination of dry rot normally associated with

hollow joisted floors
 DISADVANTAGES OF SOLID FLOOR

• The floor is less resilient to walk upon and may be more

tiring for the user
• Despite adequate measures to prevent heat loss to the
surrounding e.g. use of thermal blocks and DPM placed
under the reinforced concrete slab, they do not retain heat
well thus are cold
• If the concrete flooring is not properly finished and
sealed it will be very susceptible to penetration by
moisture
• Concrete floors can be loud e.g. ceramic tiles
• If not expertly installed it may develop cracks over time
 SUSPENDED HOLLOW POT FLOORS
 They are in essence a ribbed cast in-situ floor with permanent formwork in the form of hollow
clay or concrete pots.
 Performance:
This type of cast in-situ floor has a flat soffit which is suitable for the direct application of a plaster
finish or an attached dry lining.
The voids in the pots can be utilised to house small diameter services within the overall depth of
the slab.
These floors can be designed as one or two way spanning slabs, the common format being the one
way spanning floor.
Functional Requirements:
Hollow clay pot slabs are usually constructed with less concrete and fewer reinforcement bars
compared with solid slab, which are located between the blocks.
SUSPENDED HOLLOW POT
FLOORS
 CONSTRUCTION PROCESS

• Formwork construction: This is done either by laying the

formwork to cover the floor area and then lay the pots on them, or
laying the formwork just directly under the ribs of the pot.
• Laying and arrangement of hollow blocks: This is done
according to the structural drawing.
• Placing of reinforcement: for ribs and concrete topping.
• Pouring of concrete: workable Concrete and compaction by the
use of vibrator.
• Curing: Curing of the slab for 28days to attain its design strength.
• Removal of formwork: This is done after 28days of curing
CONSTRUCTION PROCESS
Detailing-Section;Suspended
Hollow Pot Floors
Detailing; Section
Detailing;Section with
Measurments
SPACES SUITED FOR
SUSPENDED HOLLOW POT
FLOORS
• These types of construction are economical for
building where there are long spans, over
between 5m to 6m with light to moderate life
load (1.5 - 3kN/m2), such as residential houses,
schools, hospital, hotels etc.
• Economic for spans > 5m with moderate live
loads.
• They are not suitable for : warehouses,
production facilities , garage etc. where floors
are expected to have heavy loading.
 ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
ADVANTAGES
• Ease of construction, especially when all beams are hidden beams.
• Improved insulation for sound and heat ie. Better temperature control
and sound damping.
• Minimum shear reinforcement could be used due to shearing stresses
being less than the concrete shearing capacity.
• Reducing slab weight by reducing amount of concrete below the neutral
axis.
• Increases arm for reinforcement while reducing amount of concrete used
which is economical

DISADVANTAGES
• Not economic for small spans
• Not suitable for heavy loads or dynamic loads.
• Difficult to repair or strengthen
 SUSPENDED FLOORS
Hung concrete floors suitable for domestic construction are generally formed
in one of two ways:

 Using precast concrete beams and filler blocks.

 Using permanent steel formwork or shuttering spanning over beams or
joists with a thin in-situ concrete slab poured over. The joists may be of
concrete or wood and very occasionally of galvanised cold rolled steel.

 The first of these floors uses inverted T beams of prestressed, precast

concrete, placed at centres across the required floor area. The space
between the beams is filled with blocks.
 Generally the blocks are ordinary building blocks and particularly
lightweight or concrete blocks. Some proprietary systems use specially
cast blocks which may be shouldered to fit into the ‘T’ beam. They may
be especially strong; they may be hollow or solid. Alternatives for the
filler blocks are shown below.

Because the beams are of prestressed13, precast concrete:

 They can be built into outer walls without the worry of ends rotting away, and so save
on the need for corbelling or formation of scarcements for joist support

 They can be cast with a modest depth but in long lengths and so can span across most
houses without the need for sleeper walls.
 FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS
• Spans available generally do not exceed 8 m. If intermediate support should be required, a
dwarf support wall of half brick thick honeycomb brickwork should be provided.

• The wall must have its own foundation and should not rest on any oversite concrete layers
as the self-weight of the floor is quite considerable.

• A DPC is still required in the walls, and the beams should be bedded in mortar
immediately above that DPC. A solum finish is required, including a DPM.

• The underfloor void must be ventilated in the same way as the void under hung timber
floors. Weeps must be provided in the outer leaf of cavity walls.

• The cavity must be filled up to ground level with weak concrete. Once the beams and
concrete blocks are in place, this rough floor provides a useful working platform for any
work which is to follow.
 100 a a c blockwork 20 MR flooring grade particle
252.5
12 Carlite plaster in 2 ctsboard nailed to ea ch joist with 4
95 x 15 improved nails across width of
Facing bricks skirting
S/w and ground sheet
nailed to block
30 extruded, expanded
100 glass fibre quilt 100 x 50 sawn laid
polystyrene board b et we en joiststanalised S/w joists
clipped to wall ties 100 x 39 Tanalised Wallplate
wallplate DPM of 10
S/w Polypropylene DPC
150 min. 3 course hot bitumen mesh stapled
corbel to
Broken brick/stone joists
Concrete Mix D
hardcore blinded
filling cavity with ashes
300 min.

Backfill with selected

material from the Concrete Mix
excavations 100
150 Concrete Mix A A
300
550

suspended f l o o r detail
 PRECAST CONCRETE
SYSTEMS:
 Precast slabs, beams, tees, one-way spanning units
• Cast and cured in a factory / plant transported as components to site
• set in place on site
 Prestressed for greater structural efficiency

 Supported by;
- walls: insitu concrete/ precast
concrete/masonry loadbearing
- frames: steel / insitu concrete /
precast concrete
 SUSPENDED TIMBER FLOORS
• Joists / beams to support

planking / decking

subflooring

Joists / beams supported by

posts

loadbearing walls

Wood joist floors

- form a level platform with wood panel sheathing or sub-flooring

- combustible: rely on flooring and ceiling for fire resistance

- susceptible to decay and insects: drainage and ventilation

- may be exposed (without ceiling) or concealed (with ceiling)

Advantages of Suspended concrete floors
- Less depth
- Reduced weight
- Longer spans
Disadvantages of Suspended concrete floors
- Modular nature not suitable for irregular building shapes
- generally standard sizes
 all service opening must be predetermined
 cannot chase or core into slab (unless first analysed by engineer although
still) risky
 FINISH TO FLOOR STRUCTURE

floor finish applied over timber plank sub-

flooring
underside may be left exposed
ceiling applied directly to joist or suspended
below
TYPES:
• subflooring

• decking

Timber subflooring:

- closely spaced joists with timber panel subflooring over

- joists

a) openings or cuts may be made for services

b) supported on load-bearing walls
c) wrapped in dpm, built into the corbelled brickwork wall
d) fixed to steel brackets bolted onto concrete walls
e) bridging between joists
 SUBFLOORING

- Material that spans across floor joists

- Working platform during construction
- Provides a base for finish flooring
- Typically plywood
- Underlay and screeds
•Impact (load) resistance
•Sound insulation
•Smooth surface for flooring material
 DECKING:

Types:

- Timber planking

- Plywood

- Stressed-skin panel

 Timber planking:

- timber planks laid across spaced joists

- laid perpendicular to joists / beams

- solid or laminated strip flooring

PLYWOOD:
- laid perpendicular to joists / beams

- 30mm thick over 1.2m span

- laid continuously over 2 spans

- tongue and groove edges

STRESSED SKIN PANELS:
- Plywood facing bonded to distribute loads

With adhesive

To solid timber stringers and cross bracings

- integrated into single component with:

Thermal insulation, vapour retarder, interior finish

REFERENCES
• Mitchell’s Introduction to Building; 4th edition Derek Osbourn
and Roger Green, 2007
• Ching, F.D.K (2008) Building Construction Illustrated 4th edition, John
Wiley & Sons:New York.
• Eric Fleming (2005)Construction Technology an illustrated introduction

• Mutebi Ronald ;Building Construction Theory

• R. Chudley and R. Greeno; Building Construction Handbook
• Ching, F.D.K, (2008) Building Construction Illustrated 4th edition, John
Wiley & Sons: New York.

• Grobbelaar, A (2010) Building Construction & Graphic Standards,

Anglo-Rand Publications: South Africa.

• Eric Fleming, (2005) Construction Technology Chapter 2: Hung Floors