Background of design
MSZ EN 1992-1-1:2010 Eurocode 2
MSZ EN 206:2014
MSZ 4798:2016
MSZ 4798:2016/2M:2018
MSZ EN 13670:2010
ÖVBB Faserbeton Richtlinie (2008) - Guidelines for Fiber-Reinforced Concrete
Lohmeyer – Ebeling: Concrete Floors in Manufacturing and Warehouse Facilities (2008)
Design and Execution Rules for Industrial Floors (Construction Technical Guideline, 2020)
We have more than twenty years of experience in designing fibrillated and macro fiber-reinforced concrete structures, which translates to over 20,000,000 square meters of completed and in-use industrial floors, pavements, and other concrete structures worldwide. The primary key to the success of fiber reinforcement lies in the complete elimination of traditional reinforcement in concrete structures or, in the case of higher loads, the combination of reinforcement and fiber reinforcement, thus optimizing the reinforcement. The oldest Hungarian reference for this technology is the nearly 20,000 square meter industrial floor of the Tesco hypermarket in Budaörs, completed in 2000.
An additional major advantage of the industrial application of fiber reinforcement is time savings. The reduction of reinforcement significantly decreases the amount of steel fixing work, which is an important consideration given the current labor shortage.
There are no good or bad products; the key is to apply the right product in the right place. We provide complete professional support in this regard (design, concrete technology, project management). The basis of our fiber design is the latest standards (Eurocodes) and project-specific calculations according to the Austrian Fiber Concrete Guideline.
When designing fiber-reinforced concrete structures, it is crucial to correctly apply a large number of accredited laboratory tests. The manufacturer possesses the material knowledge, as they commission the accredited laboratory tests for both the raw material and fracture tests. It is the manufacturer's responsibility to average the results and apply a safety factor to ensure reliability. The designer uses the design value provided by the manufacturer.
Among all structures, the design and construction volume of industrial floors are increasing the most, thus this area is experiencing the most significant changes and developments. Looking ahead, the development of track slabs and all smaller or deformed structures with flexible bedding as a supporting structure is expected.
A fundamental principle in our design approach is that an industrial floor is a concrete slab that is structurally independent (separated by expansion joints) from the building and other structures, is not a load-bearing structure, and is continuously and flexibly supported. The design procedure does not consider moments and horizontal tensile forces acting on the industrial floor, but only the useful loads specified below, as well as shrinkage and temperature loads.
The guideline provides detailed coverage on the design methods for fiber-reinforced concrete. Its major advantage is the classification of fiber concrete according to the intended use and requirements. This classification is based on specific characteristics such as flexural tensile strength, post-crack behavior, increased fire resistance, or reduction in early shrinkage.
Why do we rely on the Austrian Fiber Concrete Guidelines instead of the British TR34? Synthetic or steel fiber-reinforced concrete structures require more detailed classification than TR34 provides. This is primarily because the British TR34 guideline is mainly intended for the design of steel fibers and does not cover the classification of synthetic fibers in such detail as the Austrian Fiber Concrete Guidelines.
For these reasons, we apply the Austrian Fiber Concrete Guidelines for our design recommendations. The foundations are provided by EuroCode, and we use the AxisVM finite element program for assistance.
