STRUCTUTE SYSYTEMS

PRECAST
CONCRETE
HEMANT VERMA
200BARCH108
Precast concrete is a construction product
produced by casting concrete in a reusable mold
or "form" which is then cured in a controlled
environment, transported to the construction site
and maneuvered into place; examples include
precast beams, and wall panels for tilt up
construction. In contrast, cast-in-place concrete is
poured into site-specific forms and cured on site.

A precast concretewalled house under construction

An example of low-quality precast concrete with
exposed dowels, connectors, indications of cracks,
and malformations, even during its installation,
Barangay Lantic, Carmona, Cavite, Philippines

Interior view of the walls, supports, and roof of a

precast commercial shop in Williston, North Dakota,
USA. Utilities are preassembled into the precast
components.
Recently lightweight expanded polystyrene foam is
being used as the cores of precast wall panels,
saving weight and increasing thermal insulation.

Precast concrete forming systems for

architectural applications differ in size, function,
and cost. Precast architectural panels are also
used to clad all or part of a building facade or
erect free-standing walls for landscaping,
soundproofing, and security. In appropriate
instances precast products - such as beams for
bridges, highways, and parking structure decks -
can be prestressed structural elements.
Stormwater drainage, water and sewage pipes,
and tunnels also make use of precast concrete
units. Precast concrete molds can be made of
timber, steel, plastic, rubber, fiberglass, or other
synthetic materials, with each giving a unique
finish. In addition, many surface finishes for the
four precast wall panel types – sandwich,
plastered sandwich, inner layer and cladding
panels – are available, including those creating
the looks of horizontal boards and ashlar stone.
Color may be added to the concrete mix, and the
proportions and size aggregate also affect the
appearance and texture of finished concrete
surfaces.
ADVANTAGES
With precast concrete you can use the mould as
many identical panels as you require. The process is
quick, the factory setting facilitates the setting up of
good quality control arrangements which result in a
high-class product each time. However, as the
process only requires semi-skilled operators, labour
costs are kept down. Furthermore, construction isn’t
dependent on the weather. The precast concrete can
be easily manoeuvered and transported to the site
by lorry when the construction is ready for them.
Once on site, they can be incorporated into the
building quickly. In addition to prestressing, steel can
be incorporated into each unit to provide additional
strength.
ELEMENTS OF PRECAST
CONCRETE BUILDING
Precast panels can be moulded for a variety of
functions, which is why you can find all types of precast
components in buildings of all types, including
industrial units, superstructures such as bridges and
flyovers, hospitals and residential homes.
Formwork is the name for the mould which provides the
method used to create the precast concrete. The
concrete is poured in and is supported by the formwork
until it is strong enough to stand alone. Each unit can
be manufactured to meet the architect’s requirements
and can incorporate different joining and fixing
solutions.
The type of building being constructed will determine
the precast concrete requirements. Industrial buildings
use precast columns and long beams, whereas
domestic housing incorporates precast floors, which
can be flat or ribbed, and walls.
Precast Footings
Precast footings are foundations that are easy to
install and use as soon as they arrive on site.
They are extremely strong and provide a stable
and level base from which to build. The
installation of precast footings isn’t weather
dependant and there is no mixing or other on-
site preparation required.

Columns
With both strength and flexibility, precast
concrete columns add strength and flexibility and
increase the life of any building. Columns can be
made to the architect’s design and incorporate
any special features or fittings. These columns
can be erected as much as five times faster than
in-situ methods of concrete production, so are
labour saving. A high-quality finish can be
achieved and furthermore they can be erected at
night, even in residential areas, because there is
none of the noise associated with making
concrete on site.
Shear walls
Precast concrete wall panels can be used for both exterior and interior surfaces. They provide strength
and lateral stability and when assembled can form a shear wall. Using walls panels and building them
up is the most common method used and enables lateral-force resistance to be determined. They
have been used in building projects as high as 30 stories but are more commonly seen in lower level
constructions. The panels fit together easily, and the design can incorporate fixing mechanisms, such
as steel edging plates that can be welded together for added strength. Examples of sheer precast
concrete wall building includes elevator shafts.

Partition Walls
Partition walls made from precast concrete can be lifted into position or the panels cemented together
on site to provide a wall to ceiling partition wall solution. This type of assembly can be as much as six
times quicker than alternative brick work. Panels are particularly suited to sound insulation, so are
suitable for use in hotels, kitchens, hospitals, schools and apartments anywhere a degree of privacy is
required, or noise from machinery needs to be deadened.
They also act as excellent fire retardants and the thicker the panels the greater the level of protection
offered. Precast concrete panels also have good resistance to moisture so are suitable for use in wet
rooms, bathrooms and kitchens. With most partition wall solutions, no plastering is required as the
surface is already finished. Panels are strong enough to hang fittings from and the interiors can
include ducts for wiring.