New Zealand Commercial Design Trends Series NZ Commercial Design Trends Vol. 30/12 | Page 50

A robust, durable, high-performance concrete
floor is the working surface for all warehouse
operations, and consequently presents its own
unique construction challenges.
Conslab was engaged at the start of the project
to design and construct the concrete floor for the
new JPL Distribution Centre. General manager Tim
Walker says because the company was involved
right from the start, it could work collaboratively
and optimise the floor design and construction to
suit the client’s requirements.
“The client needed a robust, durable solution that
would stand the test of time. The surface could not
wear out or dust, and it was crucial to ensure there
would be no weak points, such as saw cuts in the
floor, which could be damaged by material handling
equipment (MHE). We aim for zero maintenance in
all our concrete floors .”
Walker says because the client was intending to
use a cutting-edge, very narrow aisle (VNA) system
of racking and forklifts – up to 16m high – the floor
had to be perfectly level.
“The tolerances are paper thin,” he says. “If the
floor is out by even 2mm across the aisle, the MHE
could be leaning by more than 30mm at the top of
the mast, and the system would be compromised.

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“The traditional New Zealand standards are not
suitable for the exacting requirements of a VNA
facility, so we introduced the most up-to-date
European standards to ensure a smooth operation
for the MHE. We then sourced specialist equipment
in Sydney to survey the floor to maintain the
world-class standard.”
Instead of constructing the floor in the traditional
manner, with long, narrow strips, Conslab used a
special laser screed technique to accommodate the
tight tolerance. Technical director Andrew Dallas
says this also avoided having a lot of joints.
“We were able to pour large bays of about
2500m2 in a single day and still get the floor very
level,” he says. “We then ground along the wheel
tracks of the MHE in each aisle to further ensure a
completely flat floor.”
Walker says the post-tensioned floor has just
two opening joints in the main racking area of the
25,000m2 distribution centre, and no saw cuts.
Conslab’s proprietary Rhino joint, developed in
New Zealand, protects the joints and mitigates curl.
The floor features high-strength 40 MPa
concrete with high abrasion resistance. The
Conslab Diamond surface treatment was applied to
increase the floor’s sheen.

Above:Conslab supplied and
installed more than 11,000m3
of concrete for the new JPL
Distribution Centre. To ensure
the floor would be completely
flat with minimal joints, the
company employed a laser
screed technique. This enabled
Conslab to pour large bays
of about 2500m2 each day.
Specialist surveying equipment
sourced from Sydney was used
to ensure the required standard
was maintained.