FACE CONSULTANTS LTD

ASTM : E1155 M
American Society of Testing Materials
(USA)

F Number Surveys

Further explanatory information

 F NUMBER SURVEYS
Method statement to survey a floor’s surface regularity, in accordance with the
’American Society for Testing and Materials’

Equipment
F Speed Reader and Android Phone
Chalk
Long Tape Measure
Short Tape Measure

Method
The ASTM recommends that 2 basic properties of the floor’s surface regularity
should be checked:-
1. Flatness - FF
2. Levelness - FL

An FF and FL number will be specified for each local area and the overall area.

Example: Overall FF50/FL40, Local FF45/FL35.

A higher number indicates a better flatness or levelness.

The above properties should be tested, by random sampling along straight lines, in
the following manner:

The F Speed Reader is simply run down sections of the floor at walking speed and
the F numbers for each of the test runs are generated by the F Speed reader
software. The specification requires the minimum total length of the survey runs (L
in metres) is greater than the Total floor Area (A) divided by 10.

Example: A floor area (A) or ‘Test Section’ of 30m x 30m = 900m2

Total length of survey lines L = 900 / 10 = 90 metres

Half of the total survey length is to be run in one direction and the other half at right
angles. Placing equal numbers of lines of equal aggregate length both parallel to
and perpendicular to the longest test section boundary.
Example: 3 x 15m runs parallel to longest boundary and 3 x 15m runs at right
angles to longest boundary.
Organisation of Survey Area

1. Test Surface – On any one building level, the entire floor area constitutes
the test surface.
2. Test Section – A test section consists of any sub division of the test surface.
3. No test section shall measure less than 2.4 metres on a side nor comprise
an area less than 12 m2.
4. No test section boundary shall cross a construction joint.

a) Divide the test surface into test sections. Give each test section an
identification number and record location of all test section boundaries on the
survey plan. See example ‘Organisation of Survey Area’ plan.

b) Determine the number, length and location of all sample measurement lines
(survey runs) to be used in each test section.

No survey run should be less than 3.3 metres.

No part of any survey run shall be within 0.6 metres of any test section boundary,
wall, penetration or similar discontinuity.

c) The area is set out by marking the start and stop positions of each survey
run. This can be done from building features such as columns, construction joints,
walls etc. Give each survey run a different identification number. See example
‘Organisation of Survey Runs’ plan. The start and stop positions of each survey run
should be recorded on the survey plan.

Survey runs parallel with the longest test boundary should be of equal length to
those at 90 degrees to the longest test boundary (alternatively lines may be
orientated at 45 degrees to the longest boundary).
Survey Procedure

The F Speed Reader is simply walked along the floor between the start and stop
points and the data collected digitally. At the end of a survey run the data is
downloaded to a phone and then the next run can start. When the whole of the
floor is surveyed the phone is then connected to a laptop or PC and all the survey
data downloaded to the F Speed Reader program. At the touch of a button the
data is analysed, the overall and local F numbers are calculated and a results table
produced.

F Speed Reader
Results

On the page overleaf is an example of a summary sheet of results produced by the

F Speed Reader.

The job details include: Job name, job number, location, survey date, surveyors
initials, area tested (m2) and specified tolerances (overall and local)

The surface results are then tabulated as follows

Overall FF and FL achieved

FF and FL by section

Each test section then has the survey runs listed with there individual FF and FL
numbers.

Understanding F Numbers

F numbers is a statistical method for the evaluation of the surface regularity of a

floor. Along each of the straight lines measured, a curvature profile is obtained,
represented by the parameter, q, in millimetres - see
below.
 F-Numbers Report
Job Name: Job Name
Job Number: FC/XX/XXXX
Location: Location
Date: DD/MM/YYYY
Surveyor: JD
Total Area: 900.0

Specified Tolerances FF FL
Overall 30 30
Minimum Local 30 30

Surface Results FF FL
Overall 19.7 18.0

Combined Values
Section
Section FF FL Cumalative
Area FF FL
Area
Section1 550 18.9 17.2 550.0 18.9 17.2
Section2 350 21.1 19.5 900.0 19.7 18.0

Section
1
Minimum Local FF 30 Achieved FF = 18.9 [17.3 ‐ 20.5]
Minimum Local FL 30 Achieved FL = 17.2 [15.6 ‐ 18.8]
Run FF FL Length Readings

Run 1 20.3 [16.6 ‐ 24.0] 19.8 [15.9 ‐ 23.7] 14.4 48.0

Run 2 17.3 [14.1 ‐ 20.4] 14.3 [11.5 ‐ 17.1] 14.4 48.0
Run 3 18.2 [14.8 ‐ 21.5] 19.4 [15.5 ‐ 23.2] 14.4 48.0
Run 4 20.5 [16.7 ‐ 24.2] 17.2 [13.8 ‐ 20.7] 14.4 48.0

Section
2
Minimum Local FF 30 Achieved FF = 21.1 [19.0 ‐ 23.2]
Minimum Local FL 30 Achieved FL = 19.5 [17.1 ‐ 21.8]
Run FF FL Length Readings

Run 5 23.5 [17.4 ‐ 29.6] 14.8 [10.3 ‐ 19.4] 7.2 24.0

Run 6 20.7 [15.3 ‐ 26.0] 18.7 [13.0 ‐ 24.4] 7.2 24.0
Run 7 25.1 [18.6 ‐ 31.5] 30.7 [21.3 ‐ 40.0] 7.2 24.0
Run 8 16.3 [12.1 ‐ 20.5] 28.3 [19.7 ‐ 37.0] 7.2 24.0
Run 9 20.7 [15.4 ‐ 26.1] 26.9 [18.7 ‐ 35.1] 7.2 24.0
Run 10 24.7 [18.3 ‐ 31.1] 14.5 [10.1 ‐ 18.9] 7.2 24.0
In the same manner, the elevation between points separated by three meters are
calculated, z in mm, as indicators of levelness – see below.

The average and standard deviation of the values q ( q y S q ) and z ( z y S Z ) are

then calculated and the F numbers of a measurement line are defined as:

115.84
FF =
3sq + q

314.67
FL =
3sz + z
In order to obtain the F numbers of a section having two or more measurement
lines, a combined F number is calculated by using the following equation.

rj + rk
Fj + k = Fj ⋅ Fk
rk ⋅ Fj2 + rj ⋅ Fk2
With rj and rk as the number of measurements obtained in lines j y k, and Fj+k the
value of the combined F number of both lines.

By proceeding in an iterative manner with all the lines of a section, the F numbers
of the section are obtained.

Finally, the F numbers of the surface are calculated by weight averaging the F
numbers of the sections according to the corresponding area of each section.

The distribution of the lines should be chosen so that they are evenly arranged
across the entire test section; lines may be orientated at 45 degrees however Face
Consultants usually place the lines perpendicular and parallel to the longest
boundary having an equal total length in each direction.

F number values usually vary between 10 and 100, a higher number indicates
better flatness or levelness.

Further queries on these specifications or on any other floor flatness issue can be answered by
calling Face Consultants Limited direct on:

TEL: 01484 6000 90 FAX: 01484 6000 95