IMPACT FLOORS INDIA PVT. LTD. AND

ALLFLAT Consulting, Inc.

Floor Flatness and Floor Levelness

FF/FL and F-min

Dipstick® Floor Profiler• Random-Traffic Measurements or• FF/FL (Floor Flatness and Floor

Levelness)

Dipstick® 2200

F-Meter®• FF/FL?• Best for FF only

F-Meter

FloorPro®• FF/FL only

FloorPro

JSM-9000 Joint Stability Meter• for measuring vertical joint

movement under vehicle (forklift) loads.

• This is to monitor slab panel movement between construction and contraction joints.

F-min Profiler™• This device is a “True Profileograph”

and emulates the “Exact Wheelbase” of any lift truck or stacker crane.

• Don’t be fooled by other companies, which claim their “Random Traffic” devices can quickly and accurately simulate F-min Profiles. It’s simple NOT true!

Controlling Documents

ASTM E-1155 96(2001)

ACI 117-06 (Concrete Tolerance)

ACI 302.1R-04 (Guidelines for construction )

ACI 360-10 (Design of Slabs On Ground)

ASTM E 1155 96 (2001)

• Mathematics for FF / FL

• Measure within 72 hours• Parallel and perpendicular or 45° to placement• 2 foot boundary• Joint measurement

WHAT IS FLOOR FLATNESS?

FF

It is the statistical quantification of the 24 inch curvature.

4.57/(3xStd Q + |mean Q|)

WHAT IS FLOOR LEVELNESS?

FL

It is the statistical quantification of the 10 foot slopes.

12.0/(3xStd Z + |mean Z|)

ACI 117

4.5.6 The FF FL system set forth in Section 4.5.6 of this specification provides the specifier, contractor, and owner with a convenient and precise method of communication, measurement, and determination of compliance of the floor surfaces required and achieved, using the procedures set forth in ASTM E 1155. Floor profile quality has traditionally been specified by limiting the size of the gap to be observed under a free-standing or leveled 10 foot long straightedge. However, recent improvements in floor profile measurement technology have surpassed all variations of this "gap-under-the-straightedge" format.

F-numbers provide a convenient means for specifying the local floor profile in statistical terms. Two distinct profile variables are controlled: Flatness and Levelness

ACI 117

“Any individual floor section that measures less than either of the specified minimum local F-numbers is rejected. If, after combining all of the individual section results, the entire floor measures less than either of the specified overall F-numbers, then the whole floor is rejected.”

"the system provides a method for calculating the exact percentage compliance between the floor's specified and estimated F-numbers. To avoid any dispute regarding remedy, the specification should clearly state the specific corrective measures to be applied in the event of an out-of-tolerance result."

ACI 117

“Shrinkage, curling, and deflection can all adversely affect floor levelness. Measuring FL within 72 hours after floor slab installation and before shores and/or forms are removed insures that the floor's "as-built" levelness is accurately assessed.”

"None of the conventional concrete placement techniques in use today can adequately compensate for form or structure deflections that occur during the concrete placement and, for this reason, it is inappropriate to specify levelness tolerances on un-shored floor construction."

ACI 117

"Note that ASTM E1155 excludes measurements within 2 ft. of an imbed or a construction joint. The specifier should provide a limitation on the variation and possible offset potential at these locations appropriate to the use and function of the structure."

ACI 117

“neither deflection nor curling will significantly change a floor's FF value, there is no time limit on the measurement of this characteristic...the prudent specifier will provide for the measurement of both FF and FL as soon as possible after slab installation to avoid any possible conflict over the acceptability of the floor (and to alert the contractor of the need to modify finishing techniques on subsequent placements if necessary to achieve compliance.)"

F-number Gap under an unleveled 10-ft straightedge

FF 12 1/2 inch gapFF 20 5/16 inch gap

FF 25 1/4 inch gap

FF 32 3/16 inch gap

FF 50 1/8 inch gap

ACI 117

ACI

• The difficulty in testing large areas of floors.• The difficulty of randomly sampling floors.• The inability to reproduce testing results.• The inability using normal construction procedures to meet the

tolerance limits normally specified, that is 1/8 in. in 10 ft or 1/4 in. in 10 ft, and the wide-spread lack of conformance and lack of testing for conformance of slab surfaces.

• Failure of the method to predict acceptability of irregularities or roughness in the floor surface. The evaluation of the roughness for a given amplitude should be based upon the frequency of the wave forms.

• The inability of the unleveled straightedge to evaluate levelness of the surface.

Do not use gap under a straightedge because

ACI 117

The unleveled straightedge measuring system is adversely affected by shrinkage and curling; therefore, measurements are to be taken within 72 hr after floor slab installation and before shores and/or forms are removed.

ACI 117

ACI 302

8.15.1.1 F-number system:It is recommended that both flatness and levelness requirements be described by Face Floor Profile Numbers.

--two tiers of specified FF/FL values should be indicated: one for the composite values to be achieved (Specified Overall Value), and one for the minimum quality level that will be accepted without repair (Minimum Local Value).

• Specified Overall Value• Minimum Local Values

(67% of Overall Value but Not lower than 50%)• Do not specify lower than 13/10• Section boundaries column and half-column lines.

ACI 302

8.15 Floor flatness and levelness:

8.15.1 Floor flatness/levelness tolerances—Tolerances for various floor uses should conform to the requirements set forth in ACI 117.

ACI 117 specifies that overall conformance to design grade shall be within 3/4 in. (19 mm) of design elevation. For suspended cast-in-place concrete slabs, this tolerance is to be achieved before removal of any supporting shores. For suspended slabs on metal deck, this tolerance for overall conformance to design grade does not apply, since tolerances for erected steel frames are not consistent with those for form-work in cast-in-place concrete frames.

ACI 302

Bull Float

ACI 302

8.15.3.2 "...FL...should only be applied to slabs on ground that are level and to suspended slabs that are both level and shored at the time data are taken. The FL levelness tolerance should not apply to slabs placed on unsupported form surfaces...cambered or inclined slab surfaces."

What F-numbers to specify

ACI 302 covers this in fig. 8.15.1.1

Carpeted floor 25/20Vinyl Tile 35/25Warehouse conventional 35/25Ceramic Tiles Thin-set 35/25Ceramic Tiles 6” 40/30Ceramic Tiles 8” 45/35Ceramic Tiles 12” 50/50TV Studio 100/60VNA warehouse F-min 100

Specification Check-Off Sheet

1. Overall FF / FL Values

2. Minimum Local Values

3. Minimum Local Area

4. Penalty for not Achieving the Overall FF / FL Values

5. Remedy for Violating the Minimum Local Values

6. Timeliness of Measurements and Report with Distribution

7. Proof of Achievement

1. Overall FF / FL Values

When the floor(s) are completed, the FF / FL should statistically combine to the specified overall values. This pertains to the area of the building of a particular use, e.g. office, warehouse, manufacturing area, operating room, TV studio, etc.

2. Minimum Local Values

Should be 2/3 of the overall value.

3. Minimum Local Area

320 to 550 Sq. Ft. bound by columnsQuarter or half baysGive references for boundary

5. Remedy for Violating the Minimum Local Values

Slab on grade - Remove and replace defective minimum local areas.

Elevated slabs - skim coat

No hand grinding!!!

6. Timeliness of Measurements and Report with Distribution

List of entities to receive the reportDistribute reports before next pour

24 hours to 72 hours

7. Proof of Achievement

Instrument to use — Accuracies of instruments reflect the end results. You have to choose or designate which instrument is going to be used to measure the floors FF / FL at time of specification creation.

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1990 Superflat

1991 - Six Months Later

WHY CHOOSE IMPACT FLOORS INDIA PVT. LTD.?

1. IMPACT FLOORS & ALL FLAT specializes in Floor Flatness and Floor Levelness.

2. IMPACT FLOORS & ALLFLAT provides you with Engineering Consulting services. We assist Architects and Engineers with writing of floor flatness and levelness specifications.

3. IMPACT FLOORS & ALLFLAT provides on-site consulting for the placement of floors which require specific degrees of flatness and levelness.

4. IMPACT FLOORS & ALLFLAT provides precision on-site testing of floor flatness and floor levelness with instant results.

5. IMPACT FLOORS & ALLFLAT also provides F-min profiling for Superflat defined traffic warehouse floors.

IMPACT FLOORS INDIA PVT. LTD.

101, PARVATI INDUSTRIAL PREMISES, SUN MILL

COMPOUND, OFF TULSI PIPE ROAD, LOWER PAREL

( WEST ), MUMBAI – 400 013.

TEL :- +91 22 6716 6000EMAIL :-

INFO@IMPACTFLOORS.CO.IN