Author: Haroon Khalil

For larger spans and heavy loading conditions RCC beam and slab construction is generally resorted to. This type of construction is commonly used for most of the important buildings (Fig. 23.8).

All modern buildings are invariably constructed with reinforced cement concrete. For small spans a simple RCC slab floor is generally suitable. For rooms, with the ratio of length of the room to its width is greater than 1.5, slabs are designed to span along the shorter width. That is, the main reinforcements are placed to…

Bricks and plain concrete can not be used directly as flooring system without proper strengthening. Either reinforcement can be provided or provision can be made so as to develop arch action. Rolled steel joists (RSJ) are used to build arches so as to form jack arch floorings. The arches have spares varying from 1.25 to…

Timber floors are used only in areas where more timber is available at reasonable cost. Further they are used for residential buildings where the span is less and load on the floor is less. The floors may be of single joist, double joist or triple joist. Joists of floors should be strong enough and not…

Upper floors should be strong to take heavy loads, should have sound insulation and fire resistance and also have a good wearing resistance. The upper floors are generally classified based on the materials of construction arrangement of beams and girders or materials used. Commonly used floors are explained below.

Timber flooring is not generally preferred for ground floors. If it is used as a ground floor, the prevention of dampness is most important. Timber floorings can be provided in any one of the following methods. Strip flooring consists of narrow and thin strips of wood jointed to each others by tongue and groove joint.…

High quality marble slabs in the required sizes and colours are available in the market. The construction procedure is same as that of mosaic flooring except that marble slabs or pieces are used instead of mosaic tiles or pieces. This type of flooring is preferred when sanitation and cleanliness are required as in the case…

Asphalt floorings are of two types, viz., (i) using asphalt tiles and (ii) using mastic asphalt. Asphalt tiles are made from asphalt, asbestos fibres and other materials and pressed under pressure. Asphalt mastic is a mixture of fine aggregates and natural or artificial asphalt. Asphalt tiles are used to cover wooden or concrete floors. These…

In this type of flooring tiles either of clay or cement concrete, manufactured in different shapes, are used. A 15 cm thick layer or lime or cement concrete is laid over the levelled ground. In order to receive the tiles at 25 mm thick layer of lime mortar (1: 3) or cement mortar (1:1) is…

For construction of this type of flooring, a hard concrete base is laid first. When the base is wet, a 2 cm thick layer of cement mortar (1: 2) is evenly laid. Over this layer small pieces of broken tiles are arranged in different pattern. After this the inner space between tiles is filled with…