FAQs - Floors & Ceilings
Raised access floors and suspended ceiling systems for critical IT environments including floor loading calculations and the use of bespoke plinths.
Floor loadings are measured in KN/m². For computer room Raised Access Floors and/or non-ground floor basement areas it is important to check the floor loading to ensure the the floor structure can support the weight of the server rack or UPS system to be placed upon it. A three-phase 100kVA UPS with a 5m battery can have a total weight of 1200Kg or 1.2tonnes. Spreader plates can be used to reduce point loadings and if necessary floors can be reinforced with additional central pedestals and supports. The total loading should be verified by a structural engineer if there are any doubts.
Servers can be sensitive to static electricity and electrostatic discharges. The floor tile and system chosen should have dissipative and conductive characteristics to deal with electrostatic discharges (ESD). Special floor mats can be also be placed on top of existing floor tiles of this purpose.
Static electricity is generated via contact and separation. Airflow can cause static electricity generation when it is laden with particulates that are large, numerous and visible. In a clean room environment there is little chance for static electricity to be generated or build up. The opposite is true in dusty environments or in some cases sandy ones.
The answer depends on what the ceiling void is to be used for. This could include network cabling and power cable trunking and routing or air flow. At a minimum it is best to leave 0.5 to 1M of ceiling void for access and to assist with repair or ceiling tile replacement.