ECHO FLOORS (PTY) LTDHOLLOW-CORE

CONCRETE FLOORINGA NAME TRULY CAST IN CONCRETE

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The oldest company in the group, established in Gauteng in 1982. The core business is the manufacture and installation of precast reinforced hollow-core concrete slabs.

Product quality and client satisfaction has always been important to Echo Floors hence our statement “Committed to Quality, Committed to you.” Echo Floors quality management systems has secured an ISO9001:2008 certification and the product is SABS approved.

Typical applications of Echo Floors

Echo reinforced hollow-core concrete slabs can be used for most types of buildings with short spans between load-bearing supports.

Typical applications are residential - townhouses, clusters, new houses and house additions. The product is the preferred solution for affordable housing developments. Industrial and commercial application are also common, provided the spans do not exceed 6,8m between load-bearing supports.

Echo slabs are also ideally suited in areas of heaving clay where suspended ground floors are required. The Echo precast slabs can be installed onto load-bearing brickwork, precast or in-situ beams or steel frames.

IntroductIon to Echo Floors

High density housing developments

Individual houses / clusters

Echo Floors factory (2 facilities available)

Upmarket Residences

Echo Floors office block

Townhouses

Affordable HousingTownhouses

Light Industrial / Commercial

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Echo Floors provide a complete service, from the professional design to the manufacture, delivery, installation and grouting of precast reinforced hollow-core slabs. Standard size: 900mm wide, 150mm deep and supplied in lengths of up to 8.2m in 100mm increments

This service can include any or all of the following:• Detailed layout drawing• Design and engineer’s certification• Site measurement• Supply only of slabs ex factory• Full installation service• Supply and installation of structural steel over openings (if necessary)

Design Service• The level of design service supplied by Echo may be specified by the client and/

or the Consulting Engineer. • The Echo design service is provided by an independent Consulting Engineer. • The Echo layout drawing service and engineer’s certificate is included in our price.• Slabs are supplied to suit “as built” dimensions which are checked by the Echo installation teams on site. • Should you require Echo’s independent engineer to design the foundations and structure the charge will be independent of

Echo’s quote.

InstallationThe Echo panels are hoisted into position by a mobile or truck mounted crane. This means that sound and clear access to the building on which the slabs are to be erected is required. The installation of 600m2 per day per installation team is possible. Echo Floors use various size cranes depending on the site requirements and access available. Should a suspended slab be required inside an existing building, the entrance available must be a minimum 4,5m high x 3,0m wide provided there is sufficient turning space in front of the entrance for articulated trucks.

Our standard cranes have a reach up to 13m with a 6m panel and 18m with a 3m panel. In order to obtain a flush ceiling finish on brickwork, the load bearing walls and internal walls must be level. Where the spans between the walls exceed 5,0m our slabs require a centre line of temporary propping for a minimum of 10 days after grouting the joints and structural topping / screeding is complete.

GroutingThis service is also included in the price and is done by an in-house team. Echo grout the longitudinal joints between the slabs, not the ends nor the sides. This is a labour only service, all the materials are sourced from the site. Approximate quantities: 1m3 of riversand and 10 bags of cement per 100m2 of slab. A specification is available on request.

sErVIcEs oFFErEd

Echo provide the labour for the grouting of longitudinal joints

The conduiting is placed above the slab by the electrician prior to screeding or topping being

poured by the contractorMesh in screed / topping by the contractor

Props supplied by the client. Propping done by Echo’s installation team.

The installation of Echo Floors is done by mobile or truck mounted crane.

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1. All clear spans 5.0m and over must be propped in the centre during the grouting of the joints.2. All clear spans over 5.0m require a structural topping cast on the slab (minimum 30MPa with 13mm stone).3. Props should be left in position for a minimum of 10 days after grouting and casting a topping.4. External walls at first floor level can be built while props are in position. Internal walls which are supported by the slab may

only be constructed after props have been removed.5. Openings up to 2 metres wide can be covered by 2 lintels side by side plus five courses of brickwork with brickforce in every

course. This is suitable for the support of slabs up to 7.8m long. Openings wider than 2 metres should be referred to the engineer for the detailing of additional structural steel support.

6. Cantilevers up to 1.8m long can be done with Echo slabs with a structural topping and reinforcement.7. Where Echo slabs are used as balconies, external walkways and flat roofs, we recommend a minimum reference 100 mesh

in the screed/topping over the slabs.8. The bearing of the Echo panel varies from 60-110mm depending on the type of support structure (masonry, steel or concrete).

If the panels are installed into the flange of the beam a minimum 60mm bearing is required.

9. Echo Floors keep stock at all times, in lengths up to 8.2m in 100mm increments. Standard width, 900mm and depth of 150mm.

10. The slabs are cut to shape and size to suit the building.11. Maximum clear spans should not exceed 6.8m

Echo Floors BAsIc dEsIGn PArAMEtErs

Steel beam

Echo slab resting insidethe beam flange

110mm Prestressedlintel bearing pad

Mortar

12. A 110mm prestressed lintel used as a bearing pad for a beam. The lintel is bedded into position with the same mortar used to build the wall. This must be done and cured prior to Echo placing the steel beam and slabs.

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DownlightsIt’s possible, it’s simple and more economical than other systems, no matter what the electricians say.

The fitting of downlights is a matter of coring holes through the slab, or using a hammer and chisel to form the required diameter hole.

Coring is done once the slabs are placed into position and the downlight positions are marked. The result is accurately aligned lights.

The cost per light point is also lower as single light transformers can be placed into the horizontal hollow-cores of the slab, instead of lightboxes.

Conduits can be laid across the slab. They must be placed onto the slab before the contractor places the screed/topping.

Echo provides the contractor with copies of the slab layout. The electrician can use the hollow-cores for the conduits, this eliminates unnecessary criss-crossing of conduits. We encourage the electricians to core in a straight line along the length of the panels which means only one structural rib is removed.

Openings in Echo FloorsService holes up to 150mm diameter may be made in Echo slabs. Any service holes larger than 150mm should be referred to the Design Engineer to check the detail.

We recommend that all service holes should be cut from the underside up. This minimises patching to the soffits of the units. Openings required for staircases or skylights are made with steel hangers which are supplied and erected by Echo Floors. Alternatively a steel/brick beam can be used as support around the opening. Refer to typical sections and details.

Plastering of Echo Floors soffitsApply a mastic filler to the ‘V’ joint of the ceiling.

The mastic fill creates a permanent, malleable, crack free filler that remains flexible so that hairline cracks caused by thermal or other movement don’t transfer to the skimmed soffits.

Once this has been applied Echo recommend a bonding liquid be applied to the slab before skimming the ceiling with rhinolite.

Finish off with a textured paint or good quality PVA

Full specifications for both downlight placement and plastering of the soffits are available on www.echo.co.za click on Echo Floors Technical Details

Structural Steel BeamsEcho Floors use various steel sections to support the slabs over openings or to reduce span lengths or to carry walls above the slabs.

The steel sections and applications vary to suit the requirements on site.

Echo endeavour to use steel sections as unobtrusively as possible, by placing the panels into the beam flanges or by encasing the beam in the brickwork.

Echo Floors BAsIc dEsIGn PArAMEtErs

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Echo Floors structural details Echo Floors self weight & finishes / m2

Standard depth available 150mm Slab only 2.65kN/m2

Standard width 900mm Slab and joint 2.77kN/m2

Non Standard widths In 100mm increments Slab joint and 40mm leveling screed

3.73kN/m2

Minimum concrete strength at 7 days 40MPa Slab, joint and structural topping(50mm)(60mm)(70mm)(80mm)(90mm)(100mm)

3.97kN/m2

4.21kN/m2

4.45kN/m2

4.69kN/m2

4.93kN/m2

5.17kN/m2

Minimum concrete strength at 28 days 50MPa

Suggested maximum span/depth ratio Typical limiting L/30 for deflectionSubject to Engineer’s design

Reinforcing type 450MPa high tensile

Minimum bearings On brickwork100mm, concrete beams and steel beams 60mm

Fire rating 1 hour standardHigher ratings are possible when a 30MPa structural topping is applied

Reinforcing contentSlab Type Slab length

(mm)Top steelQty/Dia

Bottom steelQty/Dia

C 1000 - 3400 3 x ø8mm 5 x ø8mm

D 3500 - 3800 3 x ø8mm 6 x ø8mm

E 3900 - 4200 3 x ø8mm 8 x ø8mm

H 4300 - 4600 3 x ø8mm 6 x ø12mm

X 4700 - 7700 3 x ø8mm 9 x ø12mm

Z 7800 7 x ø8mm 9 x ø12mm

EK and EZ used over internal load - bearing walls - the maximum span between walls being 4000mm

EK 5500 - 7400 3 x ø8mm 8 x ø8mm

EZ 7500 - 8200 7 x ø8mm 8 x ø8mm

Ultimate moment of resistance tableResistance moment kN./m / metre width (per 1.0m width of slab)

Total slab depth (mm) 150 200 210 220 230 240 250

Structural topping (mm) 0 50 60 70 80 90 100

Slab Type C 13.73 19.20 20.32 21.44 22.56 23.68 24.79

Slab Type D 16.40 22.93 24.28 25.61 26.94 28.30 29.64

Slab Type E/EK/EZ 21.64 30.29 32.07 33.78 35.64 37.43 39.22

Slab Type H 34.88 49.12 52.14 55.16 58.17 61.19 64.21

Slab Type X/Z 50.43 71.16 75.69 80.21 84.74 89.27 93.78

Total Weight kN/m2 2.77 3.97 4.21 4.45 4.69 4.93 5.17

Echo Floors structurAl dEtAIls

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tYPIcAl sEctIons And dEtAIls

Refer to www.echo.co.za(click on Echo Floors Technical Details)

Plot 87 Of The FarmDriefonteinRiverside RoadMuldersdrift

PO Box 706Muldersdrift1747

LASTING VALUE OF CHOICE

Echo Floors (Pty) ltdReinforced Hollow Core Floors

tel: 011 662 4600Fax: 086 667 2037Email: floors@echofloors.co.zaWeb: www.echo.co.zaGPs: 25° 59’ 56.6” S; 27° 50’ 32.4” E

Echo Floors reserves the right to alter or change any of the details contained herein without prior notice. © Echo Floors 2011. Designed and produced by Gartone Press.