The use of jointless floors is growing in the logistic sector across Europe. Fewer joints mean less equipment maintenance (as it reduces the impact force on forklifts and other mobile facility equipment, as well as equipment operators that would occur when they pass over the joints) and improved durability (by avoiding the risk of degradation of the floor near linear joints and the need for maintenance of joints over time) – benefitting developers, contractors and, most importantly, customers.
Joints create significant challenges in concrete floor slabs subjected to repetitive use and heavy loads. Most of the floor damage in warehousing, manufacturing and processing facilities occurs at the joints. Reducing the number of joints, or even eliminating them all together, reduces maintenance costs and obstruction of day-to-day operations. Jointless floors also reduce construction times and offer impact resistance, high ductility, crack control and easier concrete placement, higher level of health and safety, floor load, floor smoothness, and floor finish quality. All of these reduce operational downtime and maintenance costs, contributing toward improved profits for the customers.
“We are always working to reduce the operational costs of our customers. Using jointless floors in our newest warehouses at P3 Bucharest A1 park is another way in which we can do this. There are only a few contractors using this new technology in Romania and we are proud to have introduced this new solution while staying on schedule, within the budget, and delivering high class warehouses for our customers,” says Serban Juverdeanu, Head of Construction, P3 Romania.
The jointless floors are made possible by new technology called TAB-Floor™, which allows the casting of bays up to 2,500 m2 without any saw-cut joins. By doing this, significant maintenance costs normally associated with joints are reduced or avoided. The joint edges are protected by a steel profile, thus reducing the spalling effort under heavy traffic. Due to the high number of fibres within the concrete, the width of shrinkage cracks is limited.
A jointless floor has a very high finish quality, which ensures resistance to wear, skid resistance, minimal water absorption in relation to hygiene requirements, chemical resistance, heat resistance, static conductivity, frost and road salt resistance.
“P3 develops environmentally sustainable warehouses that meet the highest international standards. Our warehouses include eco initiatives that match the requirements of our customers, while at the same time creating a building environment which allows our clients to increase their profitability. Jointless floors are part of that approach,” Juverdeanu continued.
P3 currently has a total of 372,000 m² in 14 warehouses at P3 Bucharest A1 and land for another 100,000 m² of further development. P3 is also looking to expand in Bucharest, as well as in the central and western parts of the country.