Thickness of Floor Finishes in Hospital Buildings
Thickness of Floor Finishes in Hospital Buildings
(OP)
Dear all,
We are in the phase of designing a new cardiac center. The building has 7 Floors and has got 400,000 Sft covered area.
What should be the minimum and maximum thickness of (PCC 1:2:4 as floor finish on each slab) for such a hospital building?
The building would be constructed in an area of high seismic activity.
We are in the phase of designing a new cardiac center. The building has 7 Floors and has got 400,000 Sft covered area.
What should be the minimum and maximum thickness of (PCC 1:2:4 as floor finish on each slab) for such a hospital building?
The building would be constructed in an area of high seismic activity.
Engr. Shakeel Ahsan
Director Engineering
CMEC - Pakistan






RE: Thickness of Floor Finishes in Hospital Buildings
RE: Thickness of Floor Finishes in Hospital Buildings
I am not sure I understand your question. When you say "PCC 1:2:4 as floor finish", what do you mean? Will the floor finish be polished concrete?
RE: Thickness of Floor Finishes in Hospital Buildings
If it is a private hospital, of course the floors will be polished (concrete).
If it is a public hospital, the answer is inversely proportional to the number of welfare patients. The more welfare patients, the less polished concrete.
It's all about money with the hospitals. I trust you watch "House". I would not have learned this important fact if I did not watch this valuable series. It's too bad though that Hugh Laurie does not want to play the fool anymore. Hope this helps.
Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
RE: Thickness of Floor Finishes in Hospital Buildings
It doesn't help me, although I have seen that show a couple of times. Perhaps someone can interpret.
Somehow, I doubt whether the OP's hospital is in the US, as his signature indicates that he is in Pakistan. So there may be something we are missing. Are you saying polished concrete is an expensive floor finish? Where I am, it is typically used in some very cheap buildings.
RE: Thickness of Floor Finishes in Hospital Buildings
Porcelain/ Terrazzo Tile with mortar bed over
1.5" Thick Concrete (1:2:4) over
4 " Thick PCC (1:4:8) over
RCC Slab
My question is if it is right practice to recommend such a flooring, 4" thick PCC (1:4:8) is sometimes required to accommodate laying of electrical conduit/ internal water supply network lines and at points, internal sewerage conduits etc.
Recommendations requested.
Engr. Shakeel Ahsan
Director Engineering
CMEC - Pakistan
RE: Thickness of Floor Finishes in Hospital Buildings
1.5" may be enough for the concrete topping for polished finishes, but you should seek advice from the architect based on the required finish.
I don't know why you would ever use a 4" topping to accommodate services. Electrical conduit, water pipes, and sewerage pipes should all be hung below the floor. Sometimes electrical conduit is built into the structural floor itself, at about middepth of the slab if there is sufficient room.
RE: Thickness of Floor Finishes in Hospital Buildings
Hospitals are a complete different kettle of fish to your average building. The amount of service runs is many times what you would normally have. I have seen photographs of hospital slabs where there was more volume of embedded ducts than concrete.
I understand why you would want to put this in the screed over rather than in the slab, particularly in a seismic zone.
RE: Thickness of Floor Finishes in Hospital Buildings
RE: Thickness of Floor Finishes in Hospital Buildings
RE: Thickness of Floor Finishes in Hospital Buildings
Also, how effective can this thick floor finish be to resist sound from HVAC AHUs and other equipment, walking people on above floor slab to space underneath, was another reason to provide extra thick flooring.
I am concerned about the mass that would elevate up to 110' above ground, we have used shear reinforcement in Raft to limit the thickness of raft.
Your expert opinion is requested.
Engr. Shakeel Ahsan
Director Engineering
CMEC - Pakistan