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Precast Concrete Aesthetic Solutions

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 Precast Concrete
Aesthetic Solutions

Dr. Hussam
u Ali Mohammed
Al M d
PhD Structural Engineering
Precast concrete offers a virtually unlimited palette of
options for creating unique aesthetic treatments ranging
o
from a historic
s o c appearance
ppe ce too bblend
e d w with nearby
e by
landmarks or a contemporary style that makes a strong
statement of its own.
own The material can provide any
appearance desired in a cost-efficient way with added
b fit no other
benefits th material
t i l can match.
t h
The options include:

Presentation prepared from official site PCI Mid-Atlantic - http://www.mapaprecast.org

Brick
Using inset thin-brick
thin brick techniques on precast
precast’ss panelized
systems can create the masonry appearance that
b ildi
building owners seek k while
hil adding
ddi b fit masonry
benefits
can’t provide. Precast’s inset brick eliminates the long
scheduling needed for laid-up brick while removing
several trades from the site. It ensures a high-quality,
g q y,
even-spaced appearance that is difficult to achieve with
actual brickwork—while
brickwork while eliminating on-site
on site
inspections.
Using
U i inset
i t brick
b i k with
ith precastt panels
l makes
k efficient
ffi i t
use of materials, minimizes time and construction
materials, avoids problems with weep holes from falling
mortar and eliminates concerns over inconsistent labor
expertise, weak mortar joints, efflorescence and
disruptions due to bad weather.
S
Stone R
Replication
li i
Special mixes and finish techniques are used on panels
to mimic limestone, sandstone, granite and any other
t
type off stone
t d i d The
desired. Th finishes
fi i h are produced
d d far f
more economically than real stone can be laid, and they
can be erected much quicker. Form liners can replicate
unusual ppieces such as cut stone or slate,, limitingg
options only to the designer’s imagination.
Replicating Existing Styles
With its ability to replicate such a wide range of
materials,, pprecast concrete p
panels ensure new buildings
g
blend with existing ones. This is particularly true if the
original buildings also were made of precast concrete,
concrete
as previous mixes often can be reproduced.
Contemporary
p y Designs
g
Precast concrete panels offer a plasticity in shapes,
curves andd geometries
t i that
th t can create
t any desired
d i d look.
l k
They interface smoothly with glass and other modern
materials.
Embellishments
Corporate or school names,
emblems
bl andd other
h custom
touches can be embedded into
panels, creating unique accents
at an attractive cost. Glass
Fiber-Reinforced Concrete
(GFRC) can create sculptural
forms for custom designs that
create
t a standout
t d t facility.
f ilit
Colors/Tints
Precasters’ capability to tint concrete and provide
several tones by using various surface treatments within
one panel allow designers to specify any color they
want A wide range of finish combinations and textures
want.
can be achieved easily.
T t
Textures
A wide variety of textures can be created in the
concrete to add interest. The most common of these
are:
•Smooth or off-the-form finishes show the natural
look of the concrete without trying to simulate any
other building product.
•Exposed aggregate finishes,
•Exposed-aggregate finishes via chemical retarders
or water washing, are achieved with a non-abrasive
process that
h effectively
ff i l brings
bi out the
h full
f ll color,
l texture
and beauty of the coarse aggregate.
•Form
Form liners create unique patterns or textures.
textures The
liners can be made of wood, steel, plaster, elastomeric,
plastic or foam plastic.
plastic
•Sand or abrasive blasting provides all three degrees
off exposure notedd above.
b
•Acid etching dissolves the surface cement paste to
reveal the sand, with only a small percentage of coarse
aggregate
gg g being g visible,, p
providing
g a light
g exposure.
p
•Tooling, usually called bushhammering
, mechanically spalls or chips the concrete using any of
a number of hand or power tools, exposing the
aggregate te t res
textures.
•Hammered-rib
Hammered rib or fractured
fractured-fin
fin designs creates a
bold, deeply textured surface by casting ribs onto the
surface of the panels and then randomly breaking the
ribs to expose the aggregate.
•Sand
S d embedment
b d t creates a massive
i appearance using i
1- to 8-inch-diameter stones or flagstones. The stones
typically are placed in a sand bed at the bottom of the
mold,, and finishing
g reveals the stone face,, resultingg in
the appearance of a mortar joint.
Honing or polished finishes are achieved by grinding
•Honing
the surface to produce smooth, exposed-aggregate
appearances
appearances.
•Painting
Painting is used purely for decorative purposes. The
decision to paint should be made early to ensure the
finished concrete surface is not so smooth that pain
won’t adhere to it easily.
•Combination
C bi ti Finishes.
Fi i h Two T or more finishes
fi i h can be b
readily achieved using the same concrete mix. This
procedure will raise the cost of the product, but it will
be less expensive
p than p producingg a separate
p unit that
must be attached to the primary panel, as with an
accent sill.
sill
Precast s plasticity and variety of finishes make it an
Precast’s
outstanding choice no matter what style of architecture
is desired.
Ensuringg the p
proper
p look is achieved can be made easyy
with precast concrete. Precasters can provide finish
samples, range samples and large large-scale
scale mockups,
ensuring design concepts translate into reality.
Designers
g can inspect
p window interfaces, jjoint
connections and other critical elements to ensure they
are visually acceptable and will properly interface
between trades. Plant visits to discuss technical and
aesthetic concerns provide control without requiring
constant site supervision.
As the
A th single
i l source forf so many architectural
hit t l andd
structural components, and the source for brickwork or
other finishes, the precaster works closely with the
construction team to ensure satisfaction. Overlapping
trades and gaps in responsibilities are eliminated when
the precaster provides the entire exterior design.
 P
Precastt Concrete
C t
Aesthetic Solutions
View publication stats

References:
1. PCI Mid-Atlantic - http://www.mapaprecast.org
2. Hussam Ali Mohammed, "Experimental and Nonlinear Analysis of Non-
Prismatic Double Tee Prestressed Concrete Beams"
Beams , PhD Thesis
Thesis, Baghdad
University, 2005.
3. Hussam Ali Mohammed, "Nonlinear Analysis of Flanged Reinforced Concrete
Beams Using Three
Three-Dimensional
Dimensional Finite Element Model
Model",, MSc Thesis, Saddam
University, 2000.
4. Hussam Ali Mohammed, Ihsan A. Shaarbaf, Khild S. Mahmod, " Finite Element
y of Prestressed Concrete Double Tee Beams",, Journal of Babylon
Analysis y
University for Engineering Science, Vol.12, No.5, 2006.
5. Hussam Ali Mohammed, "Behavior of Prestressed Concrete Non-Prismatic
Double Tee Beams", Journal of kerbala University, Vol.8, No.1, 2010.
6. Hussam Ali Mohammed, "Finite Element Analysis of Non-Prismatic Prestressed
Concrete Double Tee Beams" Journal of Kerbala University, Vol.8, No.1, 2010.
7. Hussam Ali Mohammed, "The Effect of Web Opening on Prestressed Concrete
Double Tee Beams under Flexure", The Second Annual Scientific Conference
of the College of Engineering /Babylon University, Iraq, 24-25 March 2010.
8. Hussam Ali Mohammed, " Analysis and Design of Precast Concrete
St t ” B
Structures”, Bookk , ISBN
ISBN: 978 9922 20 146 7 2018
978-9922-20-146-7, 2018.
9. Hussam Ali Mohammed, " Analysis and Design of Prestressed Concrete
Structures”, Book , ISBN: 978-9922-20-145-0, 2018.