PRECAST CONCRETE

-What is precast concrete?

Precast concrete refers to the prefabricated, reinforced
structural units which have been cast and cured
beforehand in a factory instead of in place on site.
Precast concrete is used for architectural and structural
purposes, and acts as a load carrier for the building,
which also gives the building an exterior finish.
-Advantages of precast concrete:
1-casting
-curing conditions
-designing concrete that controls the design
-resulting in high quality concrete consistently
2-closed supervision
-control of materials
-specialized workforce in a centralized plant helps
produce a high-quality product.
3-it is easier and more efficient to finish on the
concrete’s surface in plant than in position on site.
 4-cost of forms is reduced, since they can be placed on
the ground rater than having to be suspended or
supported in position.
5-where mass production of a unit is possible, forms can
be made very precisely of wood, steel, or plastic to insure
long life and very smooth surfaces.
6-time factored (members are in the plant or factory
while the excavations are on site.)
7-being able to increase the load-carrying ability of a
member and to decrease its dead load by reducing the
required amount of concrete.
8-better protection from weather conditions.
Types of precast concrete
1 2
Structural Architectural
Precast Precast

Normally reinforced Pre-stressed

Pretension Post Tensioned

-Examples of structural precast:
Columns, beams, girders, roof slabs, floor, joints,
wall panels, bearing piles, and stairs.
-Types of structural precast:
a-Normally reinforced precast:
-Same reinforcement as the one in the site, but the
reinforcing maybe made as a unit, called a cage,
placed in the form. These units can be divided into 2
classes:
1. Tilt-up construction: includes the type of wall
panel which is cast on a flat surface on the job site
and raised into position.
2.The other group includes units. Unique girders
and beams and many columns fall into this
category.
-Why do they include units?
-because of their size or the fact that they may
be few in numbers, cannot be economically
pre-stressed.
-because of the way in which they will be
loaded, don’t require pre-stressing.

Reinforcing is made up as a unit called a

cage and is placed in position in the completed
form.
How the end of the beam can be supported