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6.56.4.3 Upper floor design
Upper floors shall support and transmit loads safely to the supporting structure without undue deflection or deformation. Issues to be taken into account include:
- loads and support to partitions
- steelwork
- support of external envelope and projections.
Loads and support to partitions#
Structural design of timber and concrete upper floors should be in accordance with BS EN 1991-1-1.
The design of upper floors should account for dead loads, including:
- floor structure, decking and finishes
- ceilings and applied finishes
- walls and partitions supported by the floor
- permanent fixtures such as boilers, watertanks etc.
Imposed loads should be calculated in accordance with the relevant British Standards, including BS EN 1991-1-1 which recommends:
- 1.5kN/m2 for self-contained homes
- values for communal areas serving flats or maisonettes.
Bearers or additional joists should be used to support heavy loads.
Joists built into separating walls may provide lateral support, and should be detailed to ensure that sound insulation and fire resistance requirements are met.
Masonry partitions
Where first floor masonry partitions cannot be built directly in line with ground floor masonry walls, steel or reinforced concrete support should be specified. Masonry should not be supported on timber or engineered joists.
Lightweight partitions
Where multiple solid timber joists support lightweight non load-bearing partitions which are parallel to the joists, they should be suitably fixed together. Where I-joists and metal web joists are used, they should:
- be positioned centrally below a non load-bearing partition and, where necessary, additional joists should be doubled or tripled in accordance with the designers and manufacturer’s recommendations
- support the weight of the non load-bearing partition by noggings or bearers fixed to the joists on either side. Unless designed otherwise, noggings should be a minimum 38mm x 90mm minimum at 600mm centres and fixed with metal clips. The sole plate of the non load-bearing partition should be fixed to the noggings, or
- be in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations.
Steelwork#
Steelwork supporting upper floor should be:
- designed by an engineer in accordance with Technical Requirement R5 and comply with Chapter 6.5 ‘Steelwork’
- sized to allow an adequate bearing of the floor system.
Structural continuity of the floor should be provided by the use of continuous decking fixed to joists on both sides of a transverse steel joist.
Steel beams should be protected by a suitably durable paint coating as detailed in Chapter 6.5 ‘Steelwork’.
Support of external envelope and projections#
Deflection of concrete upper floors should be adequately designed, monitored and controlled to ensure it does not adversely affect its proper functioning or appearance.
Particular attention should be paid to edges of upper floors in flat slab constructions or floors without edge beams spanning over 5 meters.
Where upper floors are required to support balconies and or masonry support systems, and horizontal joints are to be provided as part of the external envelope of a framed building, they should be suitably designed and detailed to cater for both thermal and moisture movements of the envelope, in addition to any residual floor deflection that may be expected from the supporting structure. The concrete floor together with any associated horizontal (eg masonry) movement joint it supports should be appropriately designed taking into consideration the following:
- floor deflection behind the cladding/envelope/balcony
- cladding (eg masonry) support system deflections
- cladding (eg masonry) joint details
- building elevation and load paths
- elastic shorting of structural columns and walls
- building sway.
Further guidance on horizontal movement joints in masonry can be found in Chapter 6.1 - External masonry walls.
Last updated: 2nd January 2024