Qiu Dapeng was awarded one the 2006 Rowen Travel Awards by the Institution of Structural Engineers Trust for his subject of industrial ground bearing floor design. The award provided an opportunity for him to gain a close look at the activities of UK’s industrial floor sector and for an overview of the development of industrial floor construction in China.
The floor is a basic part of a functional building and its quality has a direct impact on safety and the efficient operation in many manufacturing and logistic facilities, especially where material handling equipment (MHE) or very narrow aisle (VNA) trucks are employed. The demand for high tolerance flooring is driven by rapid industrial development which in China is increasing. However the traditional local floor making practice is not meeting the requirements needed for the changes in floor design.
The research explores the different phases of floor construction in the UK where international practice has been adopted with many modern floor techniques being used, laser screed, superflat floor and etc. The report comprises a detail study on floor specifications, design, construction and testing compiled from site visits, literature searches and discussions with designers and contractors.
The report is intended to give Chinese engineers a general view of the UK’s flooring systems and the advanced techniques used. Reference is also made to British floor practices in the UK to help Chinese engineers to improve the quality of Chinese flooring.
Qiu Dapeng, BEng
Shanghai SIP Engineering Consulting Ltd