Building Technology 5

Alternative Construction
Systems
• Precast Wall System
Precast Wall System
Precast concrete wall panels come with a number of distinct advantages.
Economy, ease of handling, low material and labour cost, strength and verticality
are among the reasons they are growing in popularity. Precast wall panels are
now used in areas of the building. There are four types of precast wall panels
that are usually used in construction. Let’s learn more about these –

Types of Precast Concrete Wall

1. Cladding or curtain wall panels 
2. Shear walls 
3. Framework walls 
4. Sandwich walls 
Precast Wall System
Types of Precast Concrete Wall:

1. Cladding or curtain wall panels 

The cladding or curtain walls are the most

widely used precast wall for building
envelopes. They are non-load bearing
walls intended for the use to oppose the
wind and encase the space. This type of
precast wall incorporates divider boards,
window divider units, spandrels, mullions,
and section covers.

 
Precast Wall System
Types of Precast Concrete Wall:

1. Cladding or curtain wall panels

 
Precast Wall System
Types of Precast Concrete Wall:
1. Cladding or curtain wall panels 

1.2. Types of Precast Concrete Cladding

• There are three main types of cladding panel:

1. Spandrel Cladding Panel

Has the same basic features of a cladding
panel, but it also has a beam incorporated
in it. This allows a greater performance from
the cladding panel than simple building
enclosure. Panels can be manufactured in
many shapes and sizes, but mainly they are
either storey height spanning from floor to
floor, or spandrel panels forming a sill wall
beneath windows. They are also load
bearing panels.

 
Precast Wall System
Types of Precast Concrete Wall:
1. Cladding or curtain wall panels 

1.2. Types of Precast Concrete Cladding

• There are three main types of cladding panel:

2. Load Bearing Cladding Panel

Load bearing panels are specified when the
engineer decides that their use will produce
the most economic structural solution. In
this case, the panels are designed and
detailed by the engineer. The precast
manufacturer checks the handling aspects
and if necessary will modify the
reinforcement accordingly.

These walls are generally 125 mm to 200

mm thick.
Precast Wall System
Types of Precast Concrete Wall:
1. Cladding or curtain wall panels 

1.2. Types of Precast Concrete Cladding

• There are three main types of cladding panel:

3. Non-Load Bearing Cladding Panel

A non-load bearing cladding panel must be
designed, together with its fittings, to
withstand the appropriate wind forces.
Panels are either be top-hung or bottom-
supported from the building structure,
though both methods should never be used
together on the same panel.

 
Precast Wall System
Types of Precast Concrete Wall:
1. Cladding or curtain wall panels 

Features of Precast Cladding Panels

Cladding panels can incorporate openings, such as windows or doorways, which can
be fixed during manufacture. In this way a finished section of wall is delivered to site,
only lacking its internal lining – a truly fast build method of enclosing a building.
Precast Wall System
Types of Precast Concrete Wall:
2. Shear walls 

Shear walls are structural walls that resist and

provide protection against lateral forces. These could
include wind forces or even seismic forces in case of
an earthquake. These shear walls are very important
when it comes to high-rise projects which are
particularly vulnerable to earthquake activity or high
wind speeds. Precast concrete shear walls can be
either placed around the perimeter of the building or
can form the core (around the lift shaft or the stairs.
The high resistance and strength of precast walls
make them perfect for use as shear walls.
Precast Wall System
Types of Precast Concrete Wall:
3. Framework walls

Sometimes builders design their project in such a

way that the precast concrete wall panels are used
as a framework. The remainder of the wall is either
composed of traditional walls or as cast-on-site
concrete units. The precast concrete panels now
provide a stable framework for the structural
component adding to both the strength and
enhancing the aesthetics of the wall itself. Most
readymade walls also follow this design of a precast
framework that can be put in place with the
remaining concrete wall cast or constructed at the
site itself. 
Precast Wall System
Types of Precast Concrete Wall:
4. Sandwich walls 

Sandwich walls are usually used for

areas which need high thermal
insulation. Facades, exteriors, and
sometimes even roofs are
constructed with panels between
reinforced concrete shells. Between
the shells and the inner core are
sheathes of insulation material.
These help in greater fire and heat
resistance. The enhanced insulation
properties makes sandwich walls
suitable for a number of different
construction projects.
Precast Wall System
Types of Precast Concrete Wall:
4. Sandwich walls 

Precast concrete insulated

sandwich wall panels, or sandwich
wall panels, are composed of two
concrete panels, or wythes,
separated by a layer of insulation
and connected by wythe
connectors.

These panels can be broken into

two primary design categories: non-
composite and composite.
Precast Wall System
Types of Precast Concrete Wall:
4. Sandwich walls 

The construction of larger projects

and high-rise complexes have now
made it necessary to include
precast concrete walls in almost all
areas – from standalone perimeter
walls to facades, from exteriors to
highlight walls in the interior. Precast
concrete walls can both enhance
aesthetics and be economical in
such large scale projects.
Building Technology 5
Alternative Construction
Systems
• Tilt-up Wall Construction System
Tilt-up Wall Construction System
There are many ways to build a commercial building or a
home, but tilt-up construction offers the greatest benefits.
Tilt-up construction combines the Design-Build method’s
efficiency and precision with the durability and strength of
reinforced concrete.

This is a proven system in which concrete panels are

poured on-site and assembled using cranes. The tilt-up
method enables quick and easy construction while also
creating visually appealing structures that last.

Tilt-up concrete buildings are typically built faster than structures using wood, insulated concrete
form (ICF) or metal. Overall, tilt-up construction requires less material and labour, resulting in
lower construction costs. Additionally, tilt-up concrete structures are more energy efficient and
sustainable, and they’re more affordable.

Tilt-up construction has a wide range of applications for both residential and commercial needs.
Tilt-up Wall Construction System
Construction Process
Site Preparation & Pouring the
Foundation Slab

This is where tilt-up construction

officially begins. All required materials
and equipment are gathered for job
site preparation. Next, the concrete
floor slab is poured. Also during this
phase, workers will install footings
around the slab to get ready for the
panels.
Tilt-up Wall Construction System
Construction Process
Forming of Tilt-Up Wall Panels
and Adding Form liners

Now, the crew assembles the panel

forms on the floor slab. The form is
usually created using standard
dimensional lumber that has been
joined together. The panel forms
essentially serve as molds for the
concrete. Each form provides the
panel’s exact shape and size as well
as openings for doors and windows.

The forms ensure that each panel meets the project’s design specifications. They also
ensure that the panels fit together properly.
Tilt-up Wall Construction System
Construction Process
Panel Reinforcement and
Installation of Lifting Inserts &
Embeds

Up next, workers tie in the steel grid

to reinforce bars into each form. This
part of the process gives the panels
additional structural integrity over the
course of their service life, ensuring
that the tilt-up concrete structure can
withstand tensile forces from applied
loads and shrinkage.

Also during this phase, workers install inserts and embeds, which will be used to lift the
panels and attach them to the footing, roof system and each other.
Tilt-up Wall Construction System
Construction Process
Pouring Concrete Tilt-Up
Panels & Adding Insulation

The floor slab beneath the forms is

cleaned of any debris or standing
water. Then the workers pour
concrete into the prepared forms to
create the panels.

Sandwich Insulation is also encased into each building panel. Sandwich Insulation gives
tilt-up structures true edge-to-edge insulation, offering greater design versatility, energy
efficiency and fire resistance. So, this is a critical step in the tilt-up construction process.
Tilt-up Wall Construction System
Construction Process
Lifting Concrete Panels in Place

The concrete panels are given time

to solidify; then, the forms are
removed. The crew connects the first
panel to a crane with cables that
hook into the installed inserts. The
crane size may vary depending on
the height and weight of the concrete
panels in a given project. Typically,
the crane is two to three times the
size of the largest panel.

The crew will also attach braces to the panel. The crane then tilts up, or lifts, the panel
from the floor slab until it’s in a vertical position above the footings. Workers will help guide
the concrete panel into position. The crane will set the panel in place.
Tilt-up Wall Construction System
Construction Process
Lifting Concrete Panels in Place

From here, the workers will connect

the panel’s braces to the slab, attach
the panel’s embeds to the footing
and disconnect the cables from the
crane.

The crew moves to the next panel

and repeats this process until are
panels are tilted up and secure.
Tilt-up Wall Construction System
Construction Process
Panel Finishing & Caulking Joints

During the last step of the process,

the building begins to look like a
finished product. Exterior wall
finishes, like painting, staining or
sandblasting, take place. The joints
are also caulked to prevent water
penetration. And, imperfections on
wall surfaces are patched. The roof
system is also installed at this stage.
Then, trades can begin interior work,
such as electrical and plumbing.

The tilt-up construction process is like a 3D puzzle. It’s a time- and cost-saving
process that’s simplistic and effective and should be considered. 
Tilt-up Wall Construction System
Tilt-up Wall Construction System
Tilt-up Wall Construction System
Tilt-up Wall Construction System
Tilt-up Wall Construction System
Tilt-up Wall Construction System
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQN33d5GXrQ

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yd3wjFn_KEw&t=5s
Building Technology 5
Alternative Construction
Systems
• Slip-Form Construction System
Lift-Form Construction System
Slip Form Construction System
Slip Form Construction System
Slip Form Construction System
Slip Form Construction System
Slip Form Construction System
Slip Form Construction System
Slip Form Construction System
Slip Form Construction System
Slip Form Construction System
Slip Form Construction System
Slip Form Construction System
Slip Form Construction System
Slip Slab Construction System
https://www.gleitbau.com/en/videos/
Building Technology 5
Alternative Construction
Systems
• Lift Slab Construction System
Lift Slab Construction System
Basically, the method entails casting floor and roof slabs on or at ground level and jacking
them up into position.

Flat plate floors are commonly used because they are so well suited to stack-casting,
requiring for work at only the edges of the slab and at floor openings.

After the slabs have cured long enough to reach a prescribed strength powerful hydraulic

jacks mounted on top of the columns lift the slabs into their respective positions.
 
A console connected to each hydraulic jack synchronizes the number of turns of the check
nuts to assure that the concrete slabs is being raised the same amount at all points.
Lift Slab Construction System
Lift Slab Construction System

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcXQsnnaA00