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BY 45 / BLY 7 Concrete floors 2023

Concrete floor foreman and concrete floor
coating foreman qualification course
Helsinki 22 March 2023
Kim Johansson

Kim Johansson
Specialist, DI
Suomen Betoniyhdistys ry
- The latest version of the publication by 45 Betonilattiat is
under construction and will be published after this course.

- In the 2023 version, the biggest changes are the

following
◦ The design section has been removed and will be published as a
separate by45a publication
◦ The effect of new low-carbon cements on the production of
floors has been added to the publication
◦ Matters related to floor drying and moisture engineering
have been updated
◦ Matters related to the use of fiber concrete have been clarified
◦ Matters related to durability have been updated
◦ Clarifications and additions made to some points

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- The content of BY 45 is divided into 8 main points, which are
as follows

1.Introduction and scope of the guideline

2.Basic types of concrete floors
3.Classification system for concrete floors
4.Quality requirements for concrete floors
5.Requirements set by floor coverings and coatings

6.Implementation instructions
7.Maintenance instructions

- The presentation focuses on points 3...6

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- The purpose of the classification system is to present
the main onesmeasurable existing quality
requirements for finished floors

- Key requirements for all floors are:

◦ Candor
◦ Wear resistance
◦ Crack control

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- In addition to these quality requirements, other quality
requirements can also be set for finished floors on a case-
by-case basis

- The classification system does not comprehensively describe the key

quality requirements and is mainly indicative

- The key quality requirements are presented with a classification label

where
◦ Straightness is indicated by the letter A0, A, B or C (A0is the most demanding)
◦ Wear resistance with numbers 1, 2, 3 or 4 (1 is the most demanding)
◦ Allowed cracking with Roman numerals I, II, III or IV, of which class
I is the most demanding. Class I is divided into three different
subclasses according to the purpose of use (table 4.4).

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- The classification defines the target qualityminimum level

- In general, the aim should be to have as good a quality as it is

possible to realize within the framework of the price defined on the
basis of the target level

- It is essential for class requirements that they can be measured and, if

necessary, the time of measurement is also indicated

- The letter T can be added to the class designation

- The marking is then in the form B-2-II-T

- The marking means that the execution of the floor must be managed
by a person with the qualifications of a floor foreman

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-The foreman should have the qualification of a concrete floor foreman, when
◦ the floor is extensive and seamless
◦ the floor is subject to wear and tear (stress class 1)
◦ the straightness requirement of the floor is strict (A or A0), always required
◦ efforts are made to limit cracking of the floor (cracking class I)
◦ environmental stresses are severe (XA, XD, XF2...XF4, XA).

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• The qualification of the FISE floor foreman is granted by
the qualification board whose secretarial organization is
Suomen Betoniyhdistys ry

• The qualification is granted by assimilation of the

information contained in the course organized for the
purpose (written exam) and sufficient practical
experience.

• The qualification is granted for 7 years at a time

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• The qualification of the floor foreman is granted by the qualification
board whose secretarial organization is Suomen Betoniyhdistys ry

• The qualification is granted upon the assimilation of the

information contained in the course organized for the purpose,
which is demonstrated after the course by a written exam, as well
as with sufficient practical experience

• The qualification is granted for 7 years at a time

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- Requirements regarding quality factors are set for each concrete
floor as applicable. The demanding level of the quality factors, on
the other hand, is determined by the use of the floor, and it is set
during the floor design phase. When setting the requirement level,
the work method used to make the floor should also be taken into
account.

- In the plans, the quality requirements must be presented in

full with a combination according to the classification, for
example B-4-II (T). The requirements for unclassified special
quality factors are presented separately in the plan.

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- Due to the rather rough division of the quality
requirements, the classification system is unable to describe
the quality requirements of all floors in detail.

- The purpose of the classification system is to act as a guideline, and quality

requirements or slight undershooting of the requirements should not
automatically be interpreted as meaning that the floor in question is
unusable for its purpose.

- If the quality requirements are exceeded, the limit values of the set quality
requirements should be compared to the actual quality requirements
according to the intended use of the object, as far as possible.

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- When making concrete floors, it is primarily necessary
to ensure that the finished floor enables the planned
operation in the space, i.e. the quality requirements are
determined by the floor's intended use.

- The BY 45 classification system deals with the

following quality requirements:
◦ Directness and evenness
◦ Wear resistance
◦ Crack control

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◦ shelf life
◦ no dust
◦ cleanability and hygiene
◦ impact resistance
◦ chemical resistance
◦ slippage
◦ looks
◦ moisture (coatability)
◦ Electrical conductivity/insulation
◦ no ponding.

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- The requirements for the horizontality and evenness of
the floor depend on the planned function of the space.
The floor must be straight enough so that the use of
mobile and stationary equipment is possible and
drainage works on sloping floors.

- Slope errors are used as the judging basis for straightness.

Straightness is compared to a horizontal plane or when the
floor is sloping
to the nominal slope.

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- The floor must be flat enough so that equipment for
handling material flows, such as forklifts, can operate
without interference. Coverings and coatings also set
requirements for the flatness of the floor.

- The evaluation criteria for the evenness of the floor surface

are the floor's serrations and undulations, but not the
surface's roughness. Evenness refers to the height
differences (bumpiness or undulations) of the floor surface
between two points approximately 200...300 mm apart.

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- The flatness requirements and measurement method of the floor to be coated
or covered are presented, among other things, in the publication SisäRYL 2013
General quality requirements for construction works.
Interior works of the building.

- Flatness is measured using instruction card RT 14-11039 Flatness

measurement. According to the measuring board and wedge method, using
a measuring board and wedges.

- In this case, only the flatness, not the straightness, and the
suitability of the floor to be coated or covered are assessed.
According to SisäRYL 2013, the floor must meet the straightness
requirements of this instruction before the flatness check.

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- The requirements stated in the BY 45 instructions are the horizontal
requirements of the floor. However, they are also suitable for
evaluating the flatness of the floor in industrial floors, when 200 or 700
mm is used as the measurement class.

- The floor can be classified as parts whose boundaries are, for example,
in accordance with the intended use of the floor or corresponding to the
natural boundaries of building parts. Evenness is examined as a single
entity if no division has been agreed upon.

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- The straightness of the floor is measured by leveling the floor in squares of at
least 2 mx 2 m with a leveling device, level laser or tachymeter. It is
recommended to do the leveling from the same points as where the base was
leveled, which also gives an estimate of the thickness deviation of the slab.

- The required area must be at least 20% of the entire floor area.

- The demanding areas are selected visually using a ruler as an aid.

- Measurement class 200 mm and 700 mm are used if there is forklift traffic
on the floor or other activities sensitive to unevenness.

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- The achievement of the straightness requirement is monitored throughout the
work. A straightness check measurement is made
as soon as possible after pouring, but at the latest
before the floor is loaded.

- Before the work is handed over or in connection with the handover,

a reception measurement is made in the presence of both the
person who did the work and the recipient's representative, unless
both parties consider the measure unnecessary.

- The measurement result is reported with an accuracy of 1 mm,

rounded to the nearest full millimeter.

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- In the classification guidelines, wear refers to wear caused by
the testing device in an untreated state
on a concrete surface or on the final treated concrete
surface, if the goal of the surface treatment is to improve
wear resistance.

- The quality specifications must always state whether the

surface is treated or untreated.

- The plans must show the way in which wear resistance is

verified from the finished structure, if necessary.

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- Concrete floor durability tests are carried outif necessary one for
every starting 5000 m2. The test is carried out no earlier than 3
months after the floor has been cast, if the maturity of the concrete
t20 is at least 50 days.

- The test is not usually performed unless there is a reasonable suspicion that the
floor does not meet the quality requirements for wear resistance.

- The wear resistance of a concrete floor can be measured according to the

standard SFS-EN 13892-3:2014Determination of wear resistance-Böhme
according to the Böhme test.

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- The experiment describes well the durability of cement-
based surfaces containing hard framework materials
against grinding, rotating and impact loads.

- The Böhme test has been established in the past,

especially for dry screeds and screeds
wear resistance testing method and is the most
common concrete floor surface today
wear resistance testing method in
Europe.

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- The Böhme experiment is performed in the laboratory with the device shown in
Figure 4.2. For the test, a representative number (at least 3 pieces/casting area) of
100 mm diameter drill bits are taken from the floor, from which cubes with side
dimensions of 71 mm are sawn.

- The test pieces are sawn so that the surface of the finished floor
becomes one surface to be tested.

- The result obtained from the surface part can be compared with the strength of the other
surfaces of the test piece.

- The surface to be tested must always be flat and horizontal. Test pieces may
not be taken from the edge areas of the floor or from other areas that have
not been properly sanded or surface treated.

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- Studded tire wear in parking facilities requires different treatments in
different wear areas. The wear resistance test presented in Table 4.2
does not correspond to the stress caused by studded tires and
therefore does not give a reliable picture of the wear resistance and
service life of parking facility floors.

- Regarding parking facilities, more detailed instructions are given in the

publication by 68 Concrete selection and service life planning – a guide
for designers 2016.

- The recommendation regarding wear resistance of parking garages in this

publication is presented in table 4.3.

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- Shrinkage is a typical material characteristic of concrete, which cannot be avoided in
practice. When shrinkage cannot occur freely, but the movement is completely or partially
blocked, cracks appear in the concrete.

- Cracks can also occur for other reasons, such as plastic shrinkage or
overloading. Plastic cracks are web-like cracks that appear during the first
hours when the concrete is in the plastic phase and mainly affect the
appearance of the floor.

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- Practically all concrete structures show some cracking, because no
concrete structure can move completely freely.

- In underground slabs, different charges and friction between the slab and the
substrate limit free shrinkage.

- Cracks caused by inhibited shrinkage usually have no structural significance

in ground-based slabs.

-Cracking refers to cracks over 0.05 mm wide measured on the surface of the concrete.

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- If cracks that exceed the crack width requirements appear in the structure, the
structure is usually not unusable.

- By injecting Oversized cracks, the floor can be returned to the set requirement
category in terms of cracks.

- However, before taking any corrective measures, the root cause of the cracking should always be
determined. Also, the need for repair should always be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

- The requirements regarding cracking must be presented in the plans for those floors where the
concrete surface remains visible. Limitation of shrinkage and cracking of concrete is discussed in more
detail in BY 45 chapter 7.4.

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- The maximum permitted crack width is selected based on functionality, feasibility of
preservation and appearance issues. The customer can, on a case-by-case basis, make
additional claims regarding cracking.

- The width of the cracks is usually measured during the warranty inspection, but
only after at least one heating season.

- The evaluation of the crack width is done with a magnifying glass equipped
with a measuring scale, with a crack microscope, or is evaluated visually
using crack reference cards.

- The calculated permissible crack widths of load-bearing concrete structures are presented
in standards and design guidelines.

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- The preliminary concrete shrinkage tests mentioned in Table 4.4 can
be done at this stage according to standard ISO 1920-8 and in the
future according to standard EN 12390-16, which is currently in the
preparation phase.

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-Strength of concrete
◦ High strength is often a disadvantage, not a benefit

◦ The evaluation age can be other than 28 days (e.g. 91 days), in which case it will be announced separately

◦ The minimum concrete strength is indicated in the plans as cylindrical or cubic strength.

-Adhesion of the fixed surface floor to the substrate and the tensile strength of the surface of the substrate

◦ Adhesion refers to the perpendicular tensile strength of the joint between the surface concrete and the base concrete. Good adhesion to the
substrate is the single most important factor in the performance and quality of the attached surface tile. The adhesion strength between the
surface casting and the substrate is checked with a separate adhesion tensile test.

◦ Adhesion tests are performed according to the standard, usually using a Ø 75 (50) mm cylinder drill. Samples for adhesion tests are
drilled through the structure and sent to the laboratory for examination, or the examination is carried out at the construction site, in
which case the drilling is extended through the surface floor to the sub-concrete 10...30 mm.

◦ Required adhesion strength at 30 days of maturity (t20) usually 1.0 N/mm2

◦ A0.6MN/m is sufficient for adhesion strength in hallways, offices and non-paved areas of secondary
value2
◦ The tensile strength of the base concrete is 1.5 N/mm2and under favorable conditions 1.0 N/mm2

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-Shelf life
◦ Floors in outdoor, rain-prone or otherwise cold and damp spaces must be frost-resistant
and prevent the reinforcement from rusting. Typical sites include loading docks and parking
garages.

◦ Floors below the ground can deviate from the BY 65 preservation instructions for a justified reason and upon agreement
with the customer, as there is no load-bearing structure

-Frost resistance
◦ The use of frost-resistant concrete together with surface sprinkles is challenging because the water content of weather-
resistant concrete is low. Can cause separation of the sprinkler surface.

-Corrosion of reinforcement
◦ In the presence of chlorides, corrosion of concrete steel may start, even though there is still an alkaline
environment around the steel. Because of this, the penetration of chlorides into concrete structures is limited by
making the concrete as dense as possible.

◦ To ensure tightness, concrete is given the maximum allowed concrete water-cement ratio in different stress classes and
design service life in the shelf life instructions. Corrosion of reinforcement Design service life, recommendation 50 years

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-Design life

◦ The design service life is defined as the period during which the properties of the concrete structure, with a
selected probability, remain at the level required of the structure, provided that the concrete structure is
properly maintained.

◦ The service life dimensioning can be done as a table dimensioning for either 50 or 100 years. Alternatively, service life
dimensioning can be done by calculation, in which case the design service life of the structure can be up to 200 years.

◦ In floor structures, the starting point is normally a design service life of 50 years, but in very difficult
conditions the service life can be shorter.

◦ In floors subjected to wear and tear (e.g. in parking garages), surface wear is often more
significant in terms of the floor's durability and usability than the shelf life requirement.

◦ If it is not a load-bearing structure, but for example a ground-based floor, it is worth considering the choice of
concrete mass, additives and surface materials in terms of durability rather than durability.

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-Design life

◦ This is especially recommended in the case of surface concrete, the service life of which could be
chosen for example 10 years, in which case they may need renewal or repair due to wear and tear.

◦ The values in Table 4.5 can then only be considered indicative.

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-Surface quality

◦ If special appearance requirements are placed on the concrete floor, the aspects affecting the
appearance should be clarified in advance.

◦ These include, for example, the uniformity of color (especially with colored concrete), the uniformity of
rubbing or sanding marks, the presence of surface cracks and the amount of dry matter on the surface

◦ When setting requirements, in addition to a verbal explanation, a comparison with

a previously implemented floor or test slab can be used.

◦ In floors where the concrete surface remains visible, cracking has a detrimental effect on the
appearance. In this case, in addition to crack widths, requirements can also be set for the
number of surface cracks. Usually, the recommendation for the maximum number of cracks
is 2...3 cracks per 10...15 m2. The claim is agreed on a case-by-case basis.

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-Surface quality

◦ The amount of steel fibers on the surface. Appearance and safety issue.

◦ Roughness (anti-slip)

◦ Dust-free (sanding, dust binder, silicate treatment)

◦ Cleanability and hygiene

◦ The color uses a comparison with a previously implemented floor or test tile.

-Special requirements

◦ Electrical conductivity

◦ Chemical resistance.

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-Deviations in floor thickness and platform height
◦ The thickness deviation refers to the variation of the slab thickness
compared to the nominal thickness

◦ Measured from the daily casting area during casting with thickness
measurements or mass flow

◦ The thickness and its variations are examined from the finished floor when it has not been
possible to establish them in connection with the control during manufacturing in a way that
satisfies the various parties, or the examination is used to supplement calculations based on
mass flow.

◦ The easiest way to find out the thickness of the finished floor is to level the floor at the same
points as where the base was leveled.

◦ Alternatively, the thickness of the floor can be found out by carefully drilling small holes in
the floor, from which the thickness is measured. The thickness can also be measured from
samples removed from the floor to determine the compressive strength.

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-Deviations in floor thickness and platform height
◦ An uneven and deviating from the planned height position of the concrete slab casting platform makes it difficult to
achieve a high-quality end result. An uneven substrate increases the risk of cracking the floor, because bumps and
holes in the substrate prevent the slab from shrinking according to the plan.

◦ An uneven base can also lead to a tile that is thinner or thicker than planned in places. In this case, the load-
bearing capacity may remain insufficient, and with centrally reinforced floors, the concrete covers on the
upper surface of the floor may remain too small.

◦ The height of the base of the ground floor must not deviate from its nominal level by more than the
values shown in table 4.8.

◦ If the height position deviations remain within the permitted limits, it is usually possible to stay within the permitted slab
thickness deviation limits as well. There is no correlation between the thickness deviations of the floor, the flatness of the
substrate and the straightness or evenness of the floor surface in the different straightness classes.

◦ For this reason, sufficient attention must be paid to monitoring the thickness variations of the platform
height during work. The height of the platform is checked by leveling it in 2 mx 2 m squares.

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-Floor coverings can be divided as follows:
◦ mosaic, stick, board parquet, etc. wooden floors
◦ soft-bottomed plastic mats
◦ plastic mats and plastic tiles without a soft base
◦ linoleum
◦ cork tiles
◦ rubber mats
◦ textile carpets with rubber, PVC or rubber latex coating as the base structure
◦ textile rugs made of natural material without a base structure
◦ fully synthetic textile carpets without underlay
◦ thin (8...12 mm thick) tiles, e.g. clinker tiles
◦ thick tiles, e.g. mosaic concrete tiles

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-The strength of the platform

◦ The strength and wear resistance of the floor concrete is selected in the
planning phase according to the intended use of the space.

◦ The recommended strength class of concrete to be coated is C25/30.

◦ When coating high-strength concrete (strength > C55/67), there are

problems with the adhesion of the coating, so when coating such
floors, special attention should be paid to the selection of the primer
(adhesive) and adhesion tests should be performed before the actual
coating.

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-Surface strength
◦ The strength of the surface to be coated refers to the perpendicular tensile
strength of the surface of the concrete surface or screed as determined by
the standard SFS 5446Concrete. Adhesion strengthby.

◦ The tensile strength of the concrete surface is an essential factor in terms of adhesion
and durability of the coating, because the adhesion strength of coatings to concrete
usually exceeds the tensile strength of concrete.

◦ Table 5.5 shows the surface strength requirements due to different

types of stress.

◦ Depending on the type of coating, coating manufacturers may also

have different requirements.

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-Surface strength
◦ The strength requirement placed on the surface to be coated depends
on the type of coating and the stress placed on the floor.

◦ If high strength is required from the surface, there is no reason to use the general
leveler. The stronger the coating is attached to the surface and the greater the
mechanical stress on the floor, the greater the strength of the surface should be.

◦ The wear resistance class of the floor is determined according to table 4.2. The wear
resistance requirement, which applies to the uncoated concrete surface, ensures
the sufficient strength of the floor concrete surface also on floors that can be
coated.

◦ Table 5.6 shows the floor concrete surface treatments required by different
covering and coating types in order to achieve sufficient strength.

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-Directness and evenness
◦ BY 45 table 4.2 and SišeRyl

-Tilt
◦ Pay attention to the quality and roughness of the coating and the work technique

-Surface smoothness

-Base concrete moisture

◦ Limit values for coverings and coatings
◦ Measuring humidity
◦ Coating conditions

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-Kick-off meeting and work area reception

-The choice of concrete

-Shrinkage and cracking

-Cracking and cracking control

-Work methods

-Implementation of quality requirements

-Surface preparation for use or coating

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-The parties to the opening meeting
◦ builder
◦ main contractor
◦ flooring contractor
◦ concrete supplier
◦ structural engineer.

-If necessary, the future user of the facilities should be present to

clarify and share information about quality goals and conditions.

-If necessary, other parties are also invited to the kick-off

meeting, such as the geotechnical designer, the earthworks
and coating contractor, and material suppliers.

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-The primary goal of the meeting is to ensure quality by going over
the issues related to the contract so that all parties have a clear
and uniform understanding of the issues related to the execution
of the work.

-The kick-off meeting is held in good time, so that there is enough

time to implement the changes identified in it.

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-The following matters, for example, are discussed to the extent
necessary at the kick-off meeting:
◦ plans and documents drawn up for the work (work reports, drawings)

◦ contract and liability limits

◦ quality requirements (also unclassified quality factors)

◦ the methods used to determine quality
◦ properties of concrete
◦ casting conditions and the need for weather protection

◦ driving routes, work schedule and concreting plan, including concrete transfer
◦ sealing method, surface finishing and aftercare measures
◦ structural details and parts that require special precision or unusual work techniques
◦ Timetable and connection of the contract to other work phases of the construction site

◦ responsible persons and contact information

◦ Minutes of the meeting will be drawn up

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- In connection with the reception of the work area, the flooring contractor and the customer
- together inspect the base of the future floor, the surrounding work space and the prepared plans

◦ height levels (platform, reinforcement, surface, floor wells, slopes, etc.)

◦ load-bearing capacity and flatness of the platform
◦ thermal insulation (material and installation) and reinforcement
◦ joint structures and provisions
◦ preparatory works and possible protections agreed for the customer's tasks
◦ the quality and tensile strength of the concrete surface that will be the base of the fixed surface floor
◦ the temperature and relative humidity of the casting room and the necessary insulation/closure
◦ temperature of the substrate, also in the corner areas. The substrate temperature must be at least +10 degrees
the setting of the concrete takes place in a controlled manner, and strength development is not disturbed.

◦ lighting and heating conditions

◦ weather protection necessary if casting outdoors.

- The acceptance inspection ensures that the pouring conditions are as agreed and that
concreting can be carried out as planned. Work area
a record is made of the reception inspection.

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-The choice of floor concrete is based on the quality requirements set for
the finished floor, the design solution, the chosen implementation
method and the conditions.

-All
components set their own requirements for concrete, and they
must be coordinated in a way that enables the desired end
result.

-The quality requirements set for floors may set contradictory

requirements for the composition of the concrete. In the
planning phase, conflicting requirements must be identified
and, if necessary, prioritized.

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- Aiming to minimize concrete shrinkage

- Strength is usually not very important. In terms of bearing capacity, concrete of

strength class C20-C30 is usually sufficient

- If it is a chloride-stressed floor or load-bearing structure, they may

require stronger concrete (C35 – C50)

- Wear resistance is most sensible to manage with good working methods

and sprinklers or hard concrete coating

- The properties of both fresh concrete and hardened concrete can be adjusted by
choosing the concrete components. The type of cement, admixtures and
additives affect these characteristics, and the concrete manufacturer can advise
on the selection.

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- The publication reviews the different types of shrinkage, their size and measures that can be used to influence
the size of the shrinkage

- Plastic shrinkage
◦ Evaporation of water from the surface of fresh concrete
◦ Sunshine and wind increase evaporation
◦ Starts immediately after the mass is applied and continues until the concrete starts to harden
◦ The cracks are dense and visible 1-2 days after casting
◦ Prevented by early follow-up care

- Plastic indentation
◦ Fresh concrete compacts when it is in a fresh state for a long time
◦ It can be seen at the reinforcements because the mass cannot sink there
◦ It is prevented by aftershocks and by avoiding overly flexible masses

- Drying shrinkage
◦ When the concrete dries, due to water evaporation, the volume decreases and the concrete hardens
◦ Let's reduce with the right concrete composition

- Thermal deformations
◦ Concrete expands as the temperature rises and shrinks as it cools.
◦ The forces are great and if the movement does not happen, the concrete cracks
◦ Cracking is reduced by reducing temperature differences

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-Let's go through the options for different floor work methods

-Single-layer casting or multi-layer casting

-Floating floors

-Sprinkle coating, hard concrete

-Control of casting conditions

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-Instructions on how to achieve what you want
◦ uniformity
◦ Wear resistance
◦ Instructions for ironing
◦ Smooth appearance

-Aftercare instructions

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-Grinding degrees and their use
◦ Light sanding
◦ Surface grinding
◦ Deep grinding

-Singular cleaning

-Milling

-Water jet cleaning

-Shower cleaning

-Flame brushing

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