×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

steeltex decking

steeltex decking

steeltex decking

(OP)
Is anyone familiar with or have information on steeltex decking. I am working on a building constructed in the early 1950's that utilizes "Steeltex" decking with perlite concrete fill over the deck. Steeltex is a paper backed wire mesh which appears to be the sole load supporting member in the assembly. The perlite concrete appears non-structural. I need to verify that the perlite concrete is non-structural.

RE: steeltex decking

What an odd post for today.

I am in a similar situation with a 1950s vintage building.

There is a current Steeltex product produced by Ivy Wire & Steel (or Steel and Wire). It looks to be a welded wire fabric mesh with a fiberglass "fabric" backing. Ivy has been around since the early 50s producing welded wire fabric.

I suspect that the perlite lightweight concrete is indeed structural and the Steeltex "fabric" acts as reinforcing. Notes on the drawing I have reference streatching the Steeltex and bracing the walls against the tensile forces.

Wish I had more info.

Rik

A call to Ivy yielded leaving a voice mail which has not been returned.

RE: steeltex decking

(OP)
As a follow-up. The perlite concrete in question is very soft and can be removed by mere scraping. I have no experience with this "concrete" but it seems unusual. The "steeltex" spans only two feet between bar joists. Obviously the "steeltex" is capable of supporting the weight of wet lightweight concrete. I am trying to determine if it has enough capacity to support a 40 psf snow load while spanning two feet.

RE: steeltex decking

I have seen this material quite a few times on buildings built in the 50's.  The concrete when dry is structural, reinforced with the wire mesh contained in the SteelTex.  The deck thickness is usually around 3", although you get a good bit of sag between joists, so I would take that into account when calculating the weight.  I don't have any load capacities for it, although my gut tells me 40 psf is probably ok.  I personally don't like this material, because if you do need to add structure, the sagging SteelTex makes it difficult.

RE: steeltex decking

Load tables would be great if anyone has them.....  I have a client that wants to place a couple of aquariums (200 and 300 gal) on an upper floor.  The floor is constructed with 4" of vermiculite on Steeltex supported by joists @ 2'-0" o.c.  The joists are capable of supporting 101 psf of D+L.  I have a table that notes vermiculite as 2.6 psf/in which is about 31 psf/ft.  Does that sound about right?  Thanks
-K

RE: steeltex decking

The 2.6 psf/in sounds about right.  I have no experience with this material used as a floor slab.

RE: steeltex decking

My mistake - Vermiculite was for the roof (as was typical) and 2 1/2" concrete on steeltex.  

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources