Peikko provided the structural solution for the extension of the Nestlé soup production facility in Prievidza, where the originally considered design with a pair of prefabricated reinforced-concrete beams was replaced by composite steel–concrete beams, achieving a significant reduction in the overall floor depth.
Key Investor Requirements and Structural Challenges
During the design of the plant extension, the structural engineers faced several challenges that required efficient and innovative solutions. These included the proximity of the existing building—necessitating the offset of the new foundation system from the original one—cantilevering of slabs toward the existing facility to ensure proper structural continuity, limited available beam depth due to the required clear storey height, and a relatively high imposed load of 20 kN/m². The beams also had to span 11 m between columns while simultaneously being cantilevered 2.5 m.
“The extension is located within a fully operational production facility, so construction speed was one of the investor’s priorities. DELTABEAM® girders proved highly suitable due to their relatively low weight compared to concrete beams.”
— Ing. Miroslav Ignačák, PhD., Project Manager, ISPO spol. s r.o.
Comparison of Concrete Beams vs. Composite DELTABEAM® Girders
“We initially considered a conventional prefabricated frame using concrete beams. However, due to the required 11 m spans dictated by the operation layout and the high imposed loads, structural calculations resulted in concrete beams with a depth of up to 1.1 m. This solution had to be excluded because it did not comply with the investor’s clear height requirements.
Ultimately, the only feasible way to meet the requirement for a prefabricated frame with a maximum floor thickness of 625 mm was to use Peikko’s DELTABEAM® girders combined with Spiroll hollow-core slabs.”
— Ing. Miroslav Ignačák, PhD.
Replacing the original beams with composite steel–concrete beams allowed for a reduction of the beam depth to 625 mm, representing a 475 mm decrease.
Building Description
The extension of the Nestlé production plant consists of five storeys. Four storeys share the same footprint with a floor area of 580.4 m², while the fifth storey is smaller with a floor area of 331.7 m².
The load-bearing structure is a frame system composed of transverse frames. The columns are continuous and connected at each floor using Peikko anchor bolts, as well as to the pile caps. The frame beams are placed laterally onto reinforced-concrete corbels. The beams are continuous and cantilevered on one side toward the original production building.
The spacing between transverse frames is 6 m, and the spacing between columns within each frame is 11 m. One entire side of the structure is cantilevered by 2.5 m toward the original building. Typical beam length is 13.8 m, with the longest beam—located above the 4th floor—reaching 17 m.
“The investor intended to install a robotic machine requiring a large operational space. This beam solution allowed us to eliminate one column from the structural grid, creating sufficient space for the installation and operation of the robot.”
— Ing. Róbert Hajský, Project Manager, DAK s.r.o.
Design of the Floor Structure
The beams were designed and verified using Peikko Designer®. Several loading stages were assessed, including:
- erection stage,
- service stage,
- fire exposure.
Each beam was individually designed to ensure maximum structural efficiency and safe performance. While all floors followed the same structural concept, they differed in applied loads, local point loads from production technology, and the presence of large openings.
The structure consists of transverse frames, with one side of each frame cantilevered toward the existing building. This was necessary due to the extensive pile foundation system, which had to be installed at a safe distance from the original structure. The cantilever also positively influenced the internal force distribution and beam deflections.
Supply Process and Products Used
Construction of the load-bearing structure began in July 2024. The beams were delivered in stages by floor level, in five separate deliveries approximately one month apart. The structural frame was completed in November 2024. Thanks to prefabrication, a well-prepared design, and the contractor’s precision, the construction progressed quickly and without major issues despite the constrained environment of an operating factory.
In addition to the composite DELTABEAM® girders, several other Peikko products were used:
- COPRA® anchor bolts to prevent beam overturning due to unilateral loading from the hollow-core slabs,
- BOLDA® column shoes combined with modified PPM® anchor bolts for all column connections and for connecting columns to the pile caps,
- MODIX® threaded rebar couplers and GRIP® casting plates to connect the monolithic RC shear wall to the prefabricated RC columns,
- PC® hidden corbels for suspension of the edge DELTABEAM® girders.
