Self-Build House
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND.
DESCRIPTION:
A self-build developer has utilised the far reaching benefits of DEVCO mesh as part of a luxury housing development. The large five-bedroom detached home was built using a traditional brick and block approach. However, a number of alternative and innovative design and build solutions where applied including the specification of DEVCO mesh.
WHERE FRP COMPOSITES WERE USED AND WHY:
DEVCO mesh 3mm 100×100 was used across the ground floor as an alternative to traditional steel mesh for use within ground bearing concrete slabs.
SPECIFIC DESIGN DETAILS:
The ground floor was constructed using a beam and block floor and ground bearing concrete slab the original specification called for A142 and A193 steel mesh sheets which weigh in excess of 30Kg per sheet. The concrete slab was reinforced with DEVCO mesh prior to the concrete having a polished finish.
TYPE OF COMPOSITE USED:
Composite mesh was chosen as it was found to be more cost effective than using traditional steel mesh.
PERFORMANCE IN SERVICE:
In total, 150M2 of concrete floor was reinforced with just five rolls of composite mesh and installed by two people in only a matter of hours over underfloor heating pipes. DEVCO mesh has a very low co-efficient of linear thermal expansion and is ideal for use with underfloor heating due to the absence of any thermal expansion and contraction from the underfloor heating.
The installers preferred to use composite mesh as opposed to steel mesh and commented on the speed of installation compared with steel and the ease of use – there were notably no sharp edges and no heavy lifting as each 36M2 roll weighed less than 11Kg.
