Strengthening existing floors

Existing floors in a building being modernized or converted may require strengthening. This
could also be
due to a number of factors:
excessive deflection caused by over-notching of joists;
timber decay caused by woodworm or fungal attack;
the installation of a partition running parallel to the joists (see Figure 7.21);
under-designed load-bearing members;
overloading.
Overloading can result in a phenomenon called creep. The degree of sag in a floor may not
be such
that its structural integrity is threatened. However, deflection in a floor can adversely affect
its functionality
or serviceability.
Thus, even if a deflected floor is structurally sound, it may not be comfortable to use. For
example, users
may feel that the floor uncomfortable to walk over, furniture placed on the floor will lean or
appear lopsided,
and the ceiling finish in the room below is likely to suffer extensive tensile cracking along its
middle
where deflection is greatest.
Changing the use of the building from, say, residential to commercial will in all likelihood
incur higher
imposed floor loadings from 1.5 kN/m2 to 3 kN/m2 (per BS 6399). Suspended ground and
upper floors in
dwellings were usually not designed to accommodate this increased loading. Unless some
strengthening
work is done to such a floor, it will sag over time. This affects not only the stability of the
floor but also its
serviceability.
The decision to strengthen or replace a deflected floor structure will be influenced by its
state of repair
and suitability for the upgraded use. If the deterioration of the floor structure is extensive,
complete
replacement may be the only feasible solution.
On the other hand, if a suspended timber floor structure is generally sound, it may only
require
strengthening to take increased loadings. This is usually done in one of the following ways:
(i) Inserting a steel or composite beam under the floor structure.
(ii) Inserting steel angle sections within the timber floor structure.
(iii) Inserting additional joists between the existing joists.

Inserting additional floors

In many older redundant buildings the floor to ceiling height is often well over 6 m. This
feature is often
encountered in single-storey properties, such as churches. A high floor to ceiling is a
standard feature of
ecclesiastical buildings, because of the need to have large spaces for giving a sense of
grandeur and openness.
However, in a redundant church building this high room size is a waste of space for most
alternative
uses. A room with a high ceiling is difficult and expensive to heat and decorate, and
awkward to clean.

As indicated in Chapter 4 the potential to insert extra floors in such a building as part of,
say, a conversion
scheme is quite good. Ideally the new floor to soffit height should be at least 3 m. This is
required to
accommodate a floor to ceiling height in each level of about 2.3 m leaving around 0.7 m
for the new floor
structure and ceiling void. There are, though, a number of issues that affect the choice of
floor design:
the span/s involved;
the means of support for the new floor/s;
the extent of coverage of the new floor/s;
the anticipated floor loads (any crowd loading conditions?);
the degree of separation involved, if multiple use is envisaged;
the last point will therefore determine the fire and acoustic performance of the new floor/s;
junction of floor with existing fenestration.
The proposed span will obviously influence the construction form of the new floor (see Figure
7.24).
Timber joist floor structures are usually neither economical nor suitable for spans around 4.2
m or more.
In such cases it may be more suitable to split the span in half by inserting a steel I beam
across the shortest
width of the room. The new timber joists can then be installed across the longer span now
reduced by
half by the steel beam.
The form or method of support for the new floor structure depends on the suitability and
condition of
the wall it is abutting. Inserting pockets to accommodate joist or beam-ends in thick walls is
sometimes
acceptable. However, inserting the beam into the two pockets can be difficult in confined
spaces. In such
cases, it may be necessary to splice the beam in half to allow for easy installation. This is
easily achieved
using a steel beam, which can come in two sections if necessary to facilitate ease of
installation. The
flanges at each of the abutment side are then bolted together.