Innovative solution to restrictive city project

Edited by the Buildingtalk editorial team Feb 14, 2005

Kingspan Structural Products are providing an innovative solution to the parking difficulties and constricted conditions in York City centre.

Due to the confined nature of the Spurriergate site the engineers and main contractor need to minimise site traffic and crane lifts.

One way to do this is to do away with the steel mesh used in the composite floor decking.

Using Dramix Steel Fibres in conjunction with Kingspan's Multideck MD60 gives a mesh-free, proven fire-rated solution.

The fibres are added to the hopper during mixing to create "pre-reinforced" concrete which means several lorry loads and crane lifts could be eliminated from the programme.

Multideck 60 profiled metal decking, from North Yorkshire-based Kingspan Structural Products, was selected as the ideal solution for the project which comprises retail space on the ground floor and 13 two-bedroom apartments over a further three floors.

Multideck provides savings in concrete volumes compared to other decks on the market.

Kingspan approved fixers, Metaldeck of Skelmersdale, are now undertaking all fixing and concrete pumping for the complex steel work layout.

John Williams, Marketing Manager for Kingspan comments: "The innovative use of Dramix and Multideck 60 has made a huge difference to the timescale and logistics of the Spurriergate development".

" This system eliminates the need for bulky floor mesh and Spurriergate is an excellent demonstration of how trapezoidal metal floor decking coupled with steel fibre reinforced concrete can provide an effective structural solution for a complex city centre project.".