Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
core so that the layers become an
integral whole. The material was
available in two thicknesses: 6 mm
and 9.5 mm.
Yet other types might consist of
prefabricated chipboard sheets faced
with vinyl on the outer surface and a
balancing layer, often paper
mounted, on the inside.
Wallplates or padstones set into loadbearing cross walls
Moveable partitions
Moveable partitions are of many
types. The simplest consist of
lightweight accordian or concertina-
type fibreboard, or steel cored vinyl-
covered narrow slats hinged together
by the coverings. More substantial
systems consist of hinged leaves,
similar to doors, connected in pairs or
multiples and carried on overhead
tracks and, for the heavier versions,
also floor tracks. Fully glazed types
are also available which are held in
upper and lower clamping rails, but
no stiles, where the safety glass alone
acts as the leaf (Figure 7.13). Most of
the types described here may be hand
operated or mechanically driven and
may or may not have pass doors and
vision panels.
Partitions sometimes carry intermediate floors
d partitions sometimes carry intermediate floors
Figure 7.11
Trussed framed partitions sometimes carry intermediate floors
these systems, although formed from
galvanized steel pressed metal
sections, is in principle assembled
the same way as traditional timber
stud construction using horizontal
head and sole plates, vertical 'studs'
between these and horizontal cross
noggings at intermediate positions
between the studs. Self-drilling self-
tapping screws are used to connect
the members together.
Non-loadbearing proprietary
paper cored prefabricated
plasterboard panels with taped and
filled joints became available after
the 1939-45 war (Figure 7.12). They
have been widely used in housing in
the years since then.
The number of different designs of
proprietary partitions is legion, and it
is not possible to cover all of them in
this topic. However, mention may be
made of very lightweight hollow
cored melamine units introduced
after the 1939-45 war, and steel and
mineral fibre reinforced cement
composite panels. These latter panels
consist of 0.5 mm thick galvanized
steel sheets mechanically bonded
under pressure to both sides of a non-
combustible fibre reinforced cement
Storey height door frames help to
give stability to the partition
External corners
These are the most vulnerable areas
of lightweight framed or cored
partitions, and should be protected,
for example by cover moulds or other
forms of armouring.
Accommodation of services
Partitions, even though nominally
non-loadbearing, are frequently
required to carry asymmetrical
hanging loads (eg bookshelves and
sanitary fittings). Failure to allow
adequately for live loads associated
with these has been noted on BRE
site investigations.
In the past, support for fixtures and
fittings, particularly cantilevered
sanitary fittings fixed on stud
partitions, often relied on wood
noggings between studs; this
produced mixed results. In
prefabricated paper-cored panels,
support is provided by means of
noggings driven into the cores.
Figure 7.12
Paper cored prefabricated plasterboard
partitions
