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Precast Applications
PRECAST CONCRETE
Precast concrete is simply concrete that is cast somewhere other than where it will be used. Most precast products are cast in a factory using a
wet-cast method, but others are cast on site—such as tilt-up panels. There are lots of reasons—mostly advantages—why one would precast, and
we'll get into those, but the biggest negative of precasting is that the resultant concrete item must be moved. Concrete is heavy—typically about
150 pounds per cubic foot—so concrete elements don't have to be very big before moving them becomes unrealistic.
(/photo-gallery/site_26/castlestone-inc-castlestone-inc_54484/)
Castlestone, Inc.
(/photo-gallery/site_26/castlestone-inc-castlestone-inc_54483/)
Castlestone, Inc.
Some decorative contractors, such as those that precast concrete countertops, stretch the boundaries on what's too big or heavy to move,
developing special rigs to transport massive pieces of their concrete work. Other times, it's just simpler to cast the concrete in place as the precast
Find Decorative Concrete Contractors (/decorative-concrete-contractors/)
advantages are outweighed by convenience, such as with concrete slabs and floors.
Or: Enter Postal Code GO
Find a local concrete contractor (/concrete-countertop-contractors/) that can create a custom precast piece for your home or business.
Shop for GFRC mixes (/suppliers/gfrc-mixes/usa-and-canada/) and molds and mold rubbers (/suppliers/MoldsMoldRubbers/usa-and-canada/).
As long as there has been concrete it has been precast—going clear back to the Romans (see Anne Balogh's take on that in this section about
Concrete Architectural Accents (/architectural-precast-concrete/)). And there are lots of good reasons for that. The National Precast Concrete
Association (http://precast.org/) has information on its website outlining the value of precast concrete. Most of the advantages they cite are really
advantages of concrete in general rather than specific to precast, but when compared to site-cast concrete, precast does have lots of advantages:
Since precast is manufactured in a controlled casting environment it is easier to control the mix, placement, and curing
Quality can be controlled and monitored much more easily
Since a precaster can buy materials for multiple projects, quantity discounts can lower costs
Weather is eliminated as a factor—you can cast in any weather and get the same results, which allows you to perfect mixes and methods
Less labor is required and that labor can be less skilled
On site, precast can be installed immediately, there is no waiting for it to gain strength and the modularity of precast products makes
installation go quickly
Repeatability—it's easy to make many copies of the same precast product; by maximizing repetition, you can get plenty of value from a mold
and a set-up
Accelerated curing, by heating the precast parts, greatly increases strength gain, reducing the time between casting the part and putting it
into service
With the ability to so tightly control the process, from materials to consolidation to curing, you can get extremely durable concrete
(/photo-gallery/site_26/roman-concrete_12982/)
Roman concrete was being precast more than 2000 years ago.
(/photo-gallery/site_26/sustainable-precast-concrete_12983/)
Bridge beams
Double Ts
Hollow-core slabs
Find Decorative Concrete Contractors (/decorative-concrete-contractors/)
Septic tanks/manholes
Pipes/culverts Or: Enter Postal Code GO
Foundation walls
Architectural panels
Traffic barriers and retaining walls/soundwalls
Steps
Fences
Pool coping (/concrete/pool_decks/coping.htm)
(/photo-gallery/site_26/concretenetwork-com_12980/)
(/photo-gallery/site_26/concretenetwork-com_12981/)
Precast fence panels can be cast with form liners and stained.
Countertops (/concrete/countertops/)
Sinks and bathtubs (/concrete/sinks_vessels/)
Furniture/planters (/concrete/furniture/) - especially outdoor furniture like picnic tables
Rock features (/glass-fiber-reinforced-concrete/decorative-panels.html) (cast as panels and joined onsite)
Architectural elements (/architectural-precast-concrete/): lintels, window sills, quoins, accent strips
Statuary (/concrete/concrete-statuary/)
Paving stones (/concrete/pavers/)
Fireplace surrounds (/concrete/fireplaces/)
(/photo-gallery/architectural-details_24/95076-ca-monterey-bay-cast-stone-ballard-hand-
rail_1416/)
Repetitive parts lend themselves to precasting. Monterey Bay Cast Stone.
Find Decorative Concrete Contractors (/decorative-concrete-contractors/)
But highly custom pieces are also precast. Rafter C Precast Concrete.
Nearly any decorative finish application can be used with precast, from integral color to stains to exposed aggregate. Precasting lends itself to the
use of form liners, especially for architectural panels and rock features. Polishing and engraving is no different with precast than for any concrete
surface.
Precast Structures
Another popular use for precast concrete is large-scale commercial buildings such as apartments, hotels, warehouses or office buildings.
However, it is also possible to build smaller scale structures, such as single-family residences using precast concrete.
Some of these buildings are built using a tilt-up construction (/tilt-up/) method where concrete panels are cast flat, cured and then raised into
position. Others are built with a prefab or modular approach where more complete units are created, delivered to the site and set in place.
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TIPS ON STARTING A PRECASTING OPERATION
Precasting offers contractors an opportunity to make more money—to increase the scope of the types of concrete work they can offer their
customers. To begin precasting, you will need a shop large enough to accommodate the size of the pieces you intend to precast (or a yard if you
intend to precast outside), material storage areas or bins, molds, a mixer sized for the precast products you are making, a way to consolidate the
concrete in the molds, and a material handling system.
Starting with good materials is the first step. All aggregate is not acceptable for use in concrete. If there are organic materials, shale, chert, or
other soft materials in your aggregate, you can't produce good concrete. Reactive aggregates can lead to alkali-silica reaction that can destroy
your concrete. The best defense may be simply to require that the aggregate meets ASTM C 33, "Standard Specification for Concrete
Aggregates." It's your aggregate supplier's responsibility to assure that you are getting good aggregate.
Sampling the fresh concrete is critical and the simplest test is slump. Although not always the best measure, slump does indicate workability,
which Adam Neville, in his book "Properties of Concrete," defines as "the amount of useful internal work necessary to produce full compaction."
Slump can vary dramatically, though, when admixtures are used. The best use for slump is to give you some indication of whether the mix will flow
easily into the forms and to monitor different batches of the same mix design. All else equal, different slumps indicate different amounts of water,
but slump variations can also indicate changes in entrained air content, aggregate moisture, or temperature.
The temperature of your concrete is another important thing to test. Cold concrete can set very slowly and will mean waiting longer to strip the
molds. Hot concrete gains strength faster, but the ultimate strength will be lower. Higher temperatures can also reduce air entrainment and
workability. Hot concrete can lead to cracks as thermal gradients develop.
Entrained air content is something you'll have to control for concrete that is to be used outside where it will be exposed to freeze-thaw cycles.
Without any air entraining agent, well-consolidated concrete will have an air content of about 2% (this will be entrapped air, not entrained). For
concrete that is to be used outside, you will want an air content around 5 to 6%. This is achieved using an admixture called an air entraining agent
—basically a soap that makes the concrete froth when mixed. But you need to be careful to control the air content since too much can reduce
strength. Air content can be difficult to control and can change from temperature changes, changes in admixtures, and different handling methods.
Air content is measured with either a pressure meter or a volumetric meter (also called a roll-a-meter). You can also monitor air content pretty
easily just by running unit weight tests (ASTM C 138).
Finally, you may also want to monitor the strength of your concrete. For cast-in-place concrete, 6x12-inch cylinders are standard. You would
probably want to send those cylinders to a lab for testing. You can also make 2-inch cubes, following ASTM C 31. Either of these will tell you the
compressive strength of the concrete, which is an important indicator. Checking your concrete's compressive strength at various ages, may help
you decide when the precast product can be put into service and might also allow you to fine tune your mixes.
There are three rules for successful precasting: Or: Enter Postal Code GO
1. Weight/size—the weight and size of the unit cast must be something that you have the equipment to handle and move and it can't be too
big to move into place at the job site.
2. Pull-out—the shape of the precast unit must be such that it can be stripped from the mold or the molds must have the flexibility to handle
the shape.
3. Repetition—the more times you will make the same unit, the more effective precasting is as a manufacturing process, although some
custom jobs also lend themselves to precasting, especially countertops and furniture.
(/photo-gallery/site_26/46062-az-corvid-supply_12988/)
This is an important aspect of precasting: getting used to the idea that you are a manufacturer rather than a contractor. As a manufacturer, you will
need to set up work flow procedures, configure your production area, and establish quality control methods. Of course, you do those things on a
construction job site too, but since a job site is a temporary operation, you may be content to work around small inconveniences that in a
precasting operation could cost you time and money.
Material handling is an important part of the operation—we talked about that a little in relation to materials. But you also have to be able to handle
molds and the finished product. Lifting systems need to be safe, easy to use, and not damage the finished product. Some proprietary systems
have been developed to minimize your space requirements, such as Verti-Crete (http://www.verti-crete.com). Forklifts and overhead cranes are
the most common material handling equipment. Used equipment is often a good buy when you are starting a new operation since you can usually
get it immediately and at a better price than
Findbuying new.Concrete Contractors (/decorative-concrete-contractors/)
Decorative
Often, lifting inserts are cast into the concrete products. Select inserts that are simple to install and use. There are many commercially
manufactured inserts available made from reinforcing steel, steel cable (prestressing strand), or plastic. For precast products that will be outdoors,
steel should be galvanized to prevent corrosion. An advantage of commercially manufactured insets is that they have been designed for their rated
load. Homemade lifting inserts are cheaper but if one fails, falling precast concrete is very dangerous. Some precast products may lend
themselves to the use of special clamps or slings designed just for that product.
Size your mixer to match the size of your castings and the type of concrete you plan to cast.
Molds can be a big expense in a precast operation. Steel molds are available from companies like Del Zotto (http://delzottoproducts.com) or
Norwalk Precast Molds (http://www.norwalkprecastmolds.com/). These are more commonly used for large precast items, like septic tanks or burial
vaults. Molds of expanded polystyrene work
Find well, but will
Decorative only get
Concrete a couple of
Contractors uses—one source for polystyrene baluster or column molds is
(/decorative-concrete-contractors/)
Hotwire Direct (http://www.hotwiredirect.com). Most decorative
Or:
molds are custom madeGOusing melamine and rubber—see Concrete Molds
Enter Postal Code
(/concrete-molds/) for more on that. You can also get someone else to make custom molds for you—such as Architectural Precast Inc.
(http://www.archprecast.com) Molds can incorporate form liners and various insets and blockouts—remember that the geometry must allow
stripping.
Coat your molds with a form release agent prior to casting concrete. Be careful with block outs, since some materials can react with some form
release agents. The best release agents are reactive releases that form a metallic soap to aid in mold removal. Some plastic or melamine molds
may be slick enough to demold without a release agent.
Proper consolidation of your precast products is the only way to get good surface finishes and the required strength and durability. In precasting it
is much easier to test and perfect your consolidation methods than it is on a job site. Any concrete mix will typically have about 20% entrapped air
coming out of the mixer. Consolidation gets that air out, increasing the concrete density which improves bond, increases strength, and reduces
permeability—it also eliminates surface voids and bubbles.
A good way to consolidate precast, especially smaller products, is with vibrating tables. The better vibrating tables eliminate any dead spots and
can consolidate the concrete in seconds. Some even come with a foot pedal to turn the vibration on, and with controls to adjust both vibration
frequency and amplitude to fine tune it for a specific product. Other vibrators used are internal pencil vibrators (stingers) and form vibration
(external vibrators mounted on the outside of the forms).
Curing the precast products is critical to getting the quality you want. Protect your precast products from the sun and wind during curing and make
sure they have adequate moisture. One good curing method is simply to leave the concrete in the forms. But if you must strip, especially in hot dry
weather, maintain high humidity in the curing area.
There are two ways to get concrete for your precasting operation—have ready-mixed concrete delivered or make your own concrete in your shop.
In general, most decorative precasters make their own concrete. That allows them to make only as much as they need and to more carefully
control the characteristics and quality.
But if even you are only making small batches, you will need to maintain stock piles of the various ingredients, which include aggregate—in
various sizes, cement and other cementitious materials, admixtures, and reinforcement. Controlling the quality of the materials is critical, both
before they arrive and after.
Start with your aggregates which will make up the largest portion of the concrete and take up the most room for storage. Keep the different sizes
of aggregate separate so you can blend them as needed for each casting job. Make sure the aggregate sizes don't segregate during storage. Bins
are available for aggregate or you can just keep aggregate in piles. Either way, you need to be able to control the moisture content and prevent
contamination—make sure dirt isn't dug up with the aggregate and that adjacent aggregate stockpiles don't cross contaminate one another. The
moisture content of the aggregate can have a big impact on the workability of the concrete and its water-cement ratio. Ideally, aggregate is kept in
a state of saturated surface dry (SSD) meaning the rock is wet on the inside but just barely dry on the surface. Load your bins with a front-end
loader and maintain about a two-day supply. Larger precast operations use conveyors to fill their bins.
Cement, on the other hand, must be kept completely dry—for obvious reasons. Even moist air will allow some of the cement to hydrate, reducing
its strength and leading to clogging of the bins. Fly ash isn't as sensitive to moisture, but still needs to be kept dry to flow easily. Both cement and
fly ash can be purchased in bags or delivered by bulk and moved by fluidizing with air.
Admixtures come as liquids or powders and should be clearly marked. Liquid admixtures should not be allowed to freeze, since that can damage
some materials. Powdered admixtures in water-soluble packets are a good approach for smaller operations. Remember that most liquid admixture
dosages are specified in fluid ounces per hundred pounds of cement (fl oz/cwt) not on a cubic yard basis.
Reinforcing steel also needs to be protected from contamination. This usually means just not storing it on the ground. A little rust on the surface
doesn't damage the steel—in fact some research suggests that slightly rusted surfaces provide better bond. Fiber reinforcement typically comes in
toss-in degradable bags.
Self consolidating concrete (/self-consolidating-concrete/) (sometimes called self compacting), or SCC, is a dream material for precasters. Not only
does it virtually eliminate the need for vibrators, it allows much higher pour rates and fewer workers, results in glassy smooth surfaces, and can
provide the finest of details in the casting. SCC is a very high-slump, flowable concrete—but it's not as simple as just adding a dose of water and
some high-range water reducer (superplasticizer). A true SCC must also be "stable," meaning that the mix doesn't segregate into paste and
aggregate portions.
True SCC requires a mix with higher fines content, low water-cement ratio, a well-graded aggregate blend, and doses of a polycarboxylate high-
range water reducer and, usually, a viscosity-modifying admixture (VMA). The mix must be carefully worked out, but once it has been established
in a precast plant setting, you should be capable of achieving consistent results. Work with your materials suppliers to develop a mix design and
do a lot of experimentation before going live with this.
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