Despite having well-documented performance capabilities, lightweight concrete often conjures several questions in the minds of specifiers. From its lead times to cost, unanswered questions can cause some professionals to steer away from the material, even when its use would enhance the building’s design and support cost-savings to the project’s bottom line.
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As a part of the living history of construction, archaic floor systems exist in many buildings despite having been supplanted by modern construction methods. As a building manager or design professional, it is important to be aware these systems are in use today, and to recognize one in place before attempting repairs, alterations, or construction to avoid inadvertently damaging the integrity of a structure.
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In the world of architectural exposed concrete floors, few considerations are more important than coefficient of friction (COF). French-American architect Paul Philippe Cret (1876-1945) once asked, “Of the many doorways one passes, most are well enough built—but which ones are worth a second look?”
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To some, it may seem impossible to meet the flatness required by the Americans with Disabilities Act’s (ADA’s) 2.1 percent maximum slope for random traffic floors, landings, walkways, sidewalks, curb ramps, entrances, exit ways, ramps, and intersections at walkways.
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Economical, durable, and aesthetically pleasing, polished concrete floors are no longer a novelty as they are continually used for industrial, commercial, and residential projects.
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