Vehicles are used in two very different areas in a warehouse: areas for defined movement traffic and areas for free movement traffic. In a defined movement area, vehicles are restricted to permanently fixed paths; in a free movement area, vehicles can travel freely and randomly in any direction. Factory floors generally come into the free movement category. The two differing floor uses mean that different specification types are needed for each. The floor surface profile within defined movement areas can be readily measured on the known wheel paths e.g. in trucking aisles. This means that the wheel path area of the floor as constructed can be precisely and accurately assessed.
It is important to note that, if the precise positions of aisles in warehouses are not known at the time of floor construction, the defined movement area specifications of TR34 cannot be operated and therefore cannot be demanded by building owners. The only-choice is to use a free movement (FM) area specification and to choose a flatness classification appropriate to the intended use of the facility. The most relevant FM specification will depend on how much is known about the storage system to be installed and the orientation of the racking. Where the orientation of the racking is not known, special consideration should be given to the position of any formed joints which need to be placed in the least trafficked area. It is important that specialist advice is taken. When completed, the floor surface should meet as nearly as possible the defined movement specification applied when aisle positions are known. Some grinding of wheel paths will still almost certainly be required to bring the floor within the defined movement area specification limits.