glazing already installed; the manufacturer (The Marble
Mosaic Company) arranged with a glazing subcontractor
to preframe and glaze the panels at the precast yard.The
panels were installed shortly after completion of the
cast in-situ frame. The use of scaffolding was largely
avoided; the panels were craned into position and
quickly made watertight with a temporary sealant
applied to the insides of the joints. To apply external
sealants, trained workers used abseiling techniques to
reach the external joints of the panels. By enclosing each
floor with the precast panels speedily, a clean dry
environment was provided for the following trades.
Insulation was fitted to the panels as part of a dry
lining package which was applied to the walls, ceilings
and floors. The panels are thin and are suspended
beyond the floor slab footprint, providing more living
space while achieving a high standard of heat and noise
insulation.
Further advantages of using precast panels instead of
bricks or blockwork are the reduction in on-site waste
and debris and a quicker finished appearance to the
building.
The panel fixings presented a serious challenge. As
most of the development is residential there are no
deep raised floors or suspended ceilings to provide
space to hide the fixings. The precaster developed a
special fixing method that could work in the restricted
depth available. Each panel is supported on a pair of
stainless steel bearing angles and laterally restrained by
being bolted to stainless steel plates which are fixed to
channels cast in the slab edge.
CREDITS
PRECASTER The Marble Mosaic Company
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