Design methods for domestic floors constructed

BS 5268 pre-dates the widespread use of engineered I-joists in intermediate floor construction in the UK and hence does not fully address the performance of lightweight floors and user acceptability. NHBC commissioned TRADA to review the stateof- the-art research into the performance of lightweight engineered floors and to conduct limited laboratory tests to develop improved design solutions. This paper outlines two simple design methods based on BS 5268-21 and the UK National Annex2 (NA) to BS EN 1995-1-13 (EC 5) respectively.

The use of either method to design longer span lightweight domestic timber floors, whether strutted or unstrutted, would produce better performance than at present.


A. V. Page BSc (Mech Eng), BD, MIWSc
Former Senior Engineer, TRADA Technology Ltd

V. G. Sangarapillai BSc Eng(Hons), MSc, MICE, CEng
Engineer, National House Building Council (NHBC)