0 Abstract

Industrial floors are required to resist extreme environmental stresses. The planning and the installation are therefore not easy tasks. Unnecessary damage is an all too common result. A properly dimensioned and placed concrete slab is not expensive, and is sufficient for many practical demands. There are possibilities to improve the slab - increasing workability and reducing cracks - by modifying the concrete by addition of powerful additives. If the strength of the surface needs to be further improved, and/or needs protection against chemical attack, a protective layer of a reaction polymer is essential: impregnation, coating, overlay, repair mortar with or without an additional topcoat [2]. In general, the application of a further component or layer is only worthwhile if it brings significant added benefits. The cost-benefit analysis indicates that a system consisting of fewer elements is better when the costs and properties are the same. A plain concrete from Portland cement is therefore pref-erable unless pronounced added benefits are involved. Reference is made to future developments under consideration by RILEM TC 184 "Industrial Floors".