Right arrow Vehicle Movement and Floor Behaviour

Load Movement on Sub Zero Cold Floors

In sub zero environments, the floor is not just a surface to drive on. It affects stopping distance, steering behaviour, pallet handling and how loads move through door lines and pick faces. Forklift tyres, pallet truck wheels and turning patterns also determine where the surface wears, where joints take impact and where small level changes become operational problems. We treat these as part of the wider cold storage warehouse flooring strategy, so the slab, finish and joints support the way the site actually moves product.

20 +

Years
Improving Cold Store Traffic Floors

Sub zero traffic floors often show problems first where braking, turning and load transfer concentrate, not where the air temperature is lowest. Tyre choice, wheel scrubbing and pallet truck point loads can create local polishing, paste break up and joint edge damage that then traps water films and increases slip exposure. These effects overlap with the moisture and cycling mechanisms covered in freeze thaw cycling, and the traction conditions discussed in slip risk and ice formation. For vehicle side controls that reduce collision and load shift risk, we align floor route decisions with HSE guidance on using lift trucks safely.

How Vehicles Change Floor Performance in Sub Zero Areas

Forklifts and pallet trucks apply the floor loads in different ways. Forklifts introduce braking forces, steering shear and point loading at the tyre contact patch, particularly in turning circles and at racking approaches. Manual pallet trucks and powered pallet movers concentrate load through small wheels that can pick up at joints, catch on minor lips and transmit repeated impact into the surface paste and joint arrises.

The sub zero environment adds extra constraints. Ice films can appear without obvious water pooling, tyre rubber can behave differently at low temperature, and small surface defects can become operational hazards because stopping distances and turning behaviour change. On new facilities, this is considered early during concrete slab installation so that joint layout, flatness, falls and interface levels reflect the planned traffic, pallet types and turning patterns. On existing sites where wheel paths have created uneven bands, spalling or racking approach damage, resurfacing can restore levels and rebuild edges so pallet movement stays predictable. In defined routes where visual inspection and cleaning outcomes matter, polished concrete can suit the right conditions, but only where the slip control plan is realistic for sub zero handling.

Floor Behaviours Driven by Traffic and Load Transfer

Wheel scrubbing in tight turns that smooths the surface in repeat bands.
Braking zones that concentrate shear forces and accelerate surface wear.
Pallet truck wheels catching at joints, lips and local repairs.
Racking approach impacts that damage joint arrises and slab edges.
Load drop and set down points that create local crushing and fretting.

Where Traffic Related Floor Issues Show Up First

Vehicle damage in cold stores is usually repeatable. If you know the truck routes, the turning circles and the points where loads transfer, you can predict where the floor will change first and where repairs will be needed most often.

Turning circles at aisle ends where tyre scrub is highest.

Brake and stop points at pick faces and inspection checks.

Racking approaches where forks and wheels concentrate impact.

Door thresholds where speed changes and moisture entry overlap.

Battery change or charging approaches with repeated tight manoeuvres.

Dock and marshalling interfaces where loads transfer between zones.

Right arrow Our Approach

How We Match Floors to Cold Store Traffic

STAGE 1

Understanding Routes, Loads and Handling Method

We start by mapping how loads actually move: pallet types, truck types, wheel materials, typical speeds, turning patterns and the points where loads are set down. We also identify where pedestrians share space with trucks, because floor traction and visibility influence both handling safety and route discipline.

Double arrows STAGE 2

Inspecting Wear Bands, Joints and Edge Performance

Next we inspect the wear bands and the details that fail under repeated movement. This includes smoothing in wheel paths, fretting at set down points, joint edge damage, and local repairs that have created small lips or low points. We relate what we see to the site routine so the root cause is addressed, not just the symptom.

Double arrows STAGE 3

Setting Floor Details That Reduce Repeat Damage

Finally, we define the level corrections, edge rebuilding and surface choices that suit the traffic profile. This may include repairing joints and arrises in turning areas, restoring flatness at racking approaches, and improving run off in zones where wheel paths push water films toward the same low points that later freeze.

Separating Wear Bands From Ice Bands

Smooth wheel paths can look like a traction issue, but the cause may be shear and polishing rather than ice. We distinguish wear driven loss of texture from moisture driven icing so the response fits the real mechanism.

Protecting Joint Arrises in Turning Areas

Joint edges often take the highest impact where trucks turn under load. We focus repairs and detailing on these zones so pallet truck wheels do not catch and water films do not sit along broken edges.

Keeping Racking Approaches Level and Predictable

Small level changes at racking approaches affect fork entry, set down control and wheel stability. We restore levels and edges so handling remains consistent and the floor does not develop repeat impact points.

Planning Repairs Around Operational Peaks

Cold store repairs are often time constrained. We plan works around peak movements, define temporary route controls, and avoid creating new lips or low spots that become the next failure point under traffic.

Right arrow FAQ

Cold Store TrafficCommon Questions

Why do forklift routes create smooth bands on freezer floors?

Repeated wheel scrubbing in the same lane can gradually change the surface texture, especially in tight turns and at stop points. In sub zero areas, this can be mistaken for icing because the traction drop happens in narrow bands rather than across the whole floor. Checking whether the band is linked to turning and braking points helps separate wear from moisture related ice.

How do pallet trucks damage joints and edges?

Pallet trucks place high load through small wheels, so any joint step, broken arris or repair lip becomes a repeated impact point. Over time this can widen the defect, create a catching point and hold thin water films along the edge. Once water sits in that line, it can refreeze quickly and turn a minor edge defect into a repeat slip location.

What floor details matter most at racking approaches?

Flatness and edge condition are key because fork entry and set down control depend on stable wheel behaviour. If approach areas have small depressions or broken edges, trucks tend to brake and correct steering more often, which increases shear and impact in the same spots. Keeping these approaches level also reduces the chance of water being pushed into a low point that later freezes.

Why do turning circles fail faster than straight aisles?

Turns combine side load, steering shear and repeated wheel scrub, often under load. That concentrates stress at the surface paste and at joint edges, particularly where trucks pivot at aisle ends. In cold stores, these areas also see speed changes and sometimes moisture entry from nearby doors, so wear and icing can compound in the same geometry.

How can we tell whether traction loss is ice or wear?

Ice driven traction loss often changes quickly with door events, defrost or cleaning, and may be linked to damp films near thresholds and drains. Wear driven traction loss usually aligns with traffic lanes, turning points and braking zones, and persists even when the floor is visually dry. Looking at where the issue occurs and whether it varies over a shift is often more informative than relying on temperature readings alone.

What makes cold store floor repairs fail under traffic?

Repairs often fail when they create level edges that trucks repeatedly strike, or when the repaired area does not match the surrounding slab behaviour at joints. In sub zero zones, a small lip can also trap water that refreezes and breaks the edge again during traffic. Planning repairs around levels, edges and water routes helps avoid creating the next failure point in the same lane.