A new product for concrete floor construction is using engineering principles to improve on traditional product designs, and deliver additional benefits to building owners and contractors alike.

BetaPlus, from leading armoured joint manufacturer Permaban, has been designed with strength in mind, specifically for heavy-duty applications where traffic across the floor is heavier and more frequent.

Yet its engineering-led design looks significantly different from traditional-style armoured joints – prompting the company to promote the product as ‘surprisingly strong’.

Understanding the properties of steel has been key to the development of BetaPlus. Traditional armoured joints incorporate thick steel top strips, which literally ‘armour’ the concrete – assumed for many years to be the best way to protect exposed construction joint arrises. However, because steel doesn’t absorb energy, the thickness of the steel is largely immaterial in terms of countering impact forces, and serves only to prevent the steel deforming under the repeated impact of materials handling vehicles.

BetaPlus uses much thinner steel, which envelops the arris completely.  A solid triangular reinforcing section provides support beneath the top corners, which ensures the top edges hold their shape under impact.  Thanks to this clever design BetaPlus uses less steel, yet protects the floor just as well as a traditional-style heavy-duty armoured joint.

Other BetaPlus features help ensure a superior and trouble-free installation for flooring contractors – which means clients can enjoy a swifter handover, with fewer snagging issues.

Continuous ‘grid-cut’ concrete ties along the length of the joint ensure the joint is anchored securely into the concrete, speeding installation and eliminating the time-consuming remedial work sometimes experienced with traditional-style joints.

The product also incorporates twin full-height central divider plates which add strength and rigidity – particularly helpful to ensure it stands firm against the weight of the concrete during the pour.

BetaPlus also offers added benefits to building owner and operators once the building is in use. Should any surface damage (‘spalling’) occur behind the joint, the grid-cut concrete ties ensure it is contained, preventing the problem extending along the joint and thus limiting the cost and inconvenience of floor repairs.

BetaPlus’s performance has been proven through an arduous R&D testing process at Permaban, including both weight resistance tests and intensive cycling on a test rig, with impressive results.

The product was officially unveiled at the Association of Concrete Industrial Flooring Contractors’ (ACIFC) conference on Thursday 11th October. The first commercial installations took place during October 2012.

Permaban Ltd

www.permaban.com

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