concrete mix or other material idea needed 1

[CTW]

Project Background: I'm designing a building in an industrial facility to serve as a wash station for equipment. Sort of like a manual car wash. The equipment will be transported into the building via a transport car running on 40 lb crane rail anchored to the floor. I'm cutting out a portion of an existing slab on grade and pouring another slab 5.5 inches lower than top/existing floor to support the rail. The reason for this is so that the top of rail is at the same elevation as the top of the existing floor.

Once the rail is in place, I need a material to place in between the rail and on the outside of the rail between the rail and the existing slab so traffic (trucks, fork trucks) can drive over it. I was thinking about using a pea gravel concrete mix with some WFF in it to fill up the remaining depth. The reason for the pea gravel was to make sure the concrete flows under the rail instead of having to grout the rail. Does anyone have any other suggestions for type of concrete or other materials? I would prefer the concrete be atleast 4000 psi.

 

[jheidt2543]

Just a thought, if you are going to use a 4,000 psi concrete and for some unforseen reason you have to pull up a section of the rail, you'll have to jackhammer out the filler concrete. One alternative would be asphalt, it could be removed a little easier.

I've also seen the "rail trench" left open except at forktruck crossings. At the crossings they used diamond plate for a "bridge" over the track.

 

[CTW]

Good point about the potential to pull up the rail for some unforseen reason. I'll look at using plate as you mentioned.

 

[BigH]

Why not use a joint sealant? . . . or mastic asphalt? These could be pulled out easily if needed. Both are used for deck slabs of bridges.

 

[CTW]

Thanks. I'll check those out.