Beam Manufacture
Beams are manufactured by the slip form method providing a textured finish to facilitate improved bonding performance and use both wire and 7 wire strand as prestressing reinforcement. The characteristic T-profile of the Supreme floor beam also lends itself to a strong bond being established between the beam and the in-fill grout. They are designed in accordance with BS8110 - 1997.

They are produced using concrete with a cube strength of 60N/mm2 at 28 days and have a 1-hour fire rating. In terms of durability they are capable of "moderate" to "severe" exposure. The raw materials used comply with British Standards and in addition suppliers have to satisfy our own quality requirements. Random samples of beams are tested for accuracy, stiffness and strength.

Ground Floor (Application)
Supreme beams are 120mm wide and 155mm deep and can be used with any suitable infill block by any manufacturer, subject to design requirements and specification. The selection of blocks available for use as infill varies in density mainly between 480kg/m3 and 2000kg/m3. Standard blocks are 100mm thick with a face size of 440 x 215. For specially supplied floor blocks the face size can vary. For domestic application block strength should be transversely tested to 3.5KN on a 420mm span. Note! Most blocks with a standard crushing strength of 7N/mm2 will achieve this (please consult block manufacturer for a specific case).

The infill block may be selected to suit budget, strength or thermal and sound recommendations as required. Aerated blocks sometimes have a larger face size than standard blocks. Care must be taken when the infill block is bedded into a load bearing wall as the floor blocks must be of the same crushing strength, or stronger, than the requirement of the wall.

Upper Floor (Application)
Supreme T Beams are also suitable for upper floors in domestic dwellings where for example a dense floor is required to create a "quiet home" or the first floor partitions are to be of block work, which can be supported by the floor.

Compartment Floors between Dwellings
Building Regulations Approved document part E (Resistance to passage of sound). The document gives minimum mass requirements for separating floors, for example floors between flats, of 365kg/m3 for type 1, concrete base with soft covering and 300 kg/m3 for type 2, concrete base with floating layer.

As shown in the self-weight table in this brochure Supreme's beam and block floors do not generally attain these minimum masses without the use of non-standard infill blocks or a directly bonded screed and ceiling finish. As the centres of the beams differ then so does the minimum depth of bonded screed required but as a guide when using dense concrete infill blocks a 65mm screed will always give a greater mass than that required.

For more specific advice please contact our technical department.

Thermal Considerations
Building Regulations Approved document part L (The conservation of fuel and power). The document gives advice on limiting heat loss through the fabric of the building and gives methods of assessment to show compliance.

The choice of materials used in the construction of the ground floor will obviously have an effect on the U value of the floor.

The beam and infill block are only two elements in the make up of the floor however the chosen infill blocks will have bearing on the U value and/or level of additional insulation required. For example when using dense concrete infill blocks a layer of insulation over the structural floor but below the finish of either screed or timber would suffice, thickness of insulation would vary depending on U value required to be achieved. However, the thickness of insulation could be reduced if the infill blocks in the floor were of a thermal nature, aerated concrete.

Safety
Until the floor is grouted, shuttering board or scaffold planks should be used as a spreader over the beams and blocks to take any barrow or other wheeled loads at all times. Any loads placed on the floor should not exceed the load for which the floor was designed; these loads should be short term and kept to the minimum.