Testing of Selected Self-Leveling Compounds for Floors

Published

January 1, 1995

Author(s)

Chiara F. Ferraris

Abstract

During the past year, a severe odor developed in some floors of a large office building. The odor has been attributed to interactions among a self-leveling compound, carpet adhesive, and the carpet. The owner of the building, the General Services Administration (GSA), wanted to ascertain if the odor could be eliminate by removing the existing self- leveling compound and replacing it with a compound of a different composition. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) was asked to evaluate the properties of selected self-leveling compounds being considered for use in the building. Lightweight concrete was also to be tested for possible use as a substrate for the self-leveling compounds. This report gives the results obtained on the self-leveling compounds alone or in combination with normal weight concrete or lightweight concrete. It also gives the test results obtained on lightweight concrete alone. An overall ranking of the compounds was not attempted, because the rank would depend on the tight given to each property by the user in each application of the compound. Specifications for some of the properties tested were developed by GSA. It was not the aim of this study to measure or observe any odor generated by the self- leveling compounds alone or in conjunction with the concrete substrate or any other material.

Citation

NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR) - 5633

Report Number

5633

NIST Pub Series

NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR)

Pub Type

NIST Pubs

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DOI Link

Keywords

Bond to concrete, building technology, lightweight concrete, mechanical properties, self-leveling compounds, shrinkage, water interaction

Citation

Ferraris, C. (1995), Testing of Selected Self-Leveling Compounds for Floors, NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR), National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, [online], https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.5633 (Accessed July 27, 2024)