The first step in planning and designing cladding is to analyze the basic design data . It is necessary to collect data on the following three aspects: environment; type and characteristics of the structure; geometric characteristics of the surface.
Environment
The importance of proper environmental assessment is obvious. Here it is necessary to take into account: the position of the surface (horizontal - floor, vertical - wall); location (outside or inside) and expected weather conditions (harsh climate); purpose of the surface (for a private or public building, for civil or industrial use); operating conditions of the surface (for example, in the case of a floor surface in a private house, floor in a kitchen, living room, bedroom). Any of these cases refers to a certain level of load (mechanical, chemical, hydrothermal) on the floor and wall surfaces, which must be taken into account when implementing the project.
Type and characteristics of the structure
The basic data, characteristics and behavior of the structure must be known. These include: surface condition; surface behavior during linear expansion; possible dimensional deviations; modulus of elasticity, and, consequently, the rigidity and flexibility of the surface under load; composition and articulation of the structure. Such information is indispensable for obtaining accurate data regarding surface maintenance, bonding between tiles and structure, location of expansion joints and elastic joints.
Geometric characteristics of the surface
They can affect the choice of size and shape of ceramic tiles, the choice of their location and the method of installation.
Design Criteria
Already this introductory stage helps to appreciate the fundamental role of successful planning and design of ceramic tiles. In this case, two main criteria must be taken into account:
- The materials used (tiles, joint filler, adhesive mixture, leveling agent) must have appropriate chemical, physical and mechanical properties that can withstand environmental influences.
- All materials must be laid in such a way as not to cause a “pathological” effect on the “physiological” quality of the constituent parts.
Regarding the second criterion, it should be noted that each individual layer consists of different materials, and if the layers were mobile, they would react differently to environmental influences. However, in this case, each layer (material) is connected and limited to another layer. The presence of such bonds leads to the formation of tension inside the layer. The greater the rigidity (that is, the higher the modulus of elasticity) of the materials used, the greater the stress on the structure. Under certain conditions, this stress can exceed the stability of the material, causing cracks, buckling and loss of adhesion of the tiles.
The article was based on the following materials:
“How and Why” by Timellini Giorgio and Palmonari Carlo.