Fibre Concrete Solutions are the first fibre supplier able to offer an independently assessed and approved fibre concrete solution for the composite metal decks manufactured and supplied by all of the UK’s leading deck manufacturers including SMD, CMF, Tata and Kingspan.
Adopting our Apex 60 steel fibres across all these deck types allows traditional mesh reinforcement to be replaced, providing fire resistance up to and including 120 minutes.
Critically, the use of fibres in composite metal decks significantly reduces the risks associated with handling mesh and when working at height. It also significantly reduces the embodied energy/CO2 associated with steel mesh and traditional bar reinforcement.
Fibre Reinforced Solutions For Composite Metal Decks
At Fibre Concrete Solutions, we understand the engineering requirements and the applications where fibre reinforced concrete can improve the overall construction solution.
Composite metal decks are typically adopted in steel frame construction with multiple floors being built. The reinforced concrete then acts together with the deck to form a platform capable of supporting loads while spanning between beams within the building frame.
Working closely with the Steel Construction Institute, Fibre Concrete Solutions were able to develop a fibre reinforced concrete adopting our Apex 60 steel fibres which could be adopted across a range of deck profiles manufactured by the major suppliers SMD, CMF, Tata and Kingspan.
Individual load span tables were developed for individual deck types using NCCI PN005c to determine the fire condition calculations, with all checks undertaken to the relevant Eurocodes.
An additional assessment was also undertaken with regard to the performance of the Apex 60 fibre reinforced concrete in transverse shear – again giving engineers the relevant information to design for this condition.
Why Trust Fibre Concrete Solutions For Composite Metal Decks?
Historically, mesh reinforcement has been used in the construction of composite metal decks. However, as many buildings are constructed in urban or city centre locations with potentially limited access, and/or storage space on site, the handling of mesh can be problematic. Cranage of materials and operating at height can become not only a health and safety risk, but also time-consuming and expensive.
The Apex 60 solution for composite metal decks reduces construction time, eliminates the need for lifting and placing mesh reinforcement into a building and reduces the risk associated with these activities.
Environmentally, the adoption of Apex 60 steel fibres reduces the embodied energy and CO2 associated with the construction of composite metal decks using traditional reinforcement. Using figures published by the University of Bath ICE report published in 2008, reductions in EE and CO2 can be in the order of 20 to 50% depending on the deck profile and designated steel mesh replaced.
