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FOREWORD PAGE 3
1 APPLICATIONS PAGE 4
4 DETAILING PAGE 17
5 CONSTRUCTION PAGE 23
7 COSTS PAGE 37
REFERENCES PAGE 39
Foreword
The tilt-up construction technique was pioneered in the
USA around 1908 but it was not until the late 1950’s
that it was practiced in New Zealand. The concept was
mainly confined to flat panels in commercial buildings
where aesthetics was not of importance, however, in
more recent times, universally, the growth of tilt-up has
run parallel with the developments in architectural tilt-
up. The system now offers designers a diversity of
aesthetically pleasing structures at economic advantage
compared to other building systems.
1. Applications
Tilt-up is a construction method which allows the associated office accommodation (the
a great deal of flexibility and innovation. The prestigious ‘front’ of the building) was carried
use of concrete as a construction material out using a different form of construction.
offers the designer structural capacity, fire Current detailing and finishing approaches
resistance, acoustic capacity, thermal have made tilt-up walls suitable for use
capacity, aesthetic qualities and durability. throughout the project.
Initially tilt-up panels were often used simply
as cladding panels continuously supported on
strip footings. Today most tilt panels span
between pad footings and have the potential
to carry the roof load and provide transverse
load resistance in shear. Figure 1.
availability which will determine the It is important to realise the scope of the
maximum panel size, special surface project at this stage and a scale model of the
finish requirements, positioning of panel building and site can be very useful. Figure
props and time available for casting and 2.
erection.
3. Structural Design
3.1 GENERAL to other types. Table 1 lists some of the
broad considerations to be evaluated when
selecting the type of construction.
The same structural principles apply to the
design of tilt-up panels as to normal insitu
concrete construction. It is necessary, in their
design, to satisfy a number of independent Table 1: Comparison of Concrete
criteria. Wall panels must be designed for not Construction Types for Tilt-up
only the loadings and conditions to be
experienced in the final structure, but also for Type of
Advantages Disadvantages
construction loads during erection, and when Construction
temporarily braced. Account should be taken
Reinforced Materials and labour Panels reasonably heavy
of the volumetric effects of shrinkage and (Normal-Weight) readily available
temperature. Skills readily available
Dimensional limitations
imposed by lifting
considerations and lifting
stresses
Durability and fire-resistance requirements for
the panels need to be established. These Fibre reinforced Permits thinner panels Restricted availability
considerations may control some aspect of (steel fibres) and/or longer spans
Thinner panels may warp
the design.
Higher cost
Design for lifting (tilting) is frequently the most Prestressed Permits thinner panels Requires the introduction
critical design state and will dictate the design and/or longer spans of special skills
of the panel for a majority of situations. Reinforced Lower density may Lightweight aggregate
Design for lifting is normally based on (lightweight permit the use of available only in certain
smaller cranes or areas
uncracked design whereas ‘in service’ larger panels
loadings are based on cracked design. Better insulation and
Concrete tensile strength
could be lower
fire resistance
Throughout the design phase there should be
a conscious striving for ‘buildability’. A check
of the design details should be carried out to
ensure that they are practicable. The Information in this manual is for normal-weight
designer must also anticipate the construction reinforced concrete. Some of this data will be
practices and allow for realistic tolerances. directly applicable to other types of
See Section 5.12. construction. If adapted for this purpose then
the designer must satisfy himself as to the
validity of the data.
3.2 PRELIMINARY Secondly, consideration must be given to the
CONSIDERATIONS implications of particular details for the total
design, joint and connection details, for
Before embarking on detailed structural example. The New Zealand loadings code
design, two broad questions need to be NZS 4203(5) stipulates that depending on the
answered: earthquake risk zone and the height of the
building, the building can be classed as ductile
Firstly, the type of concrete construction, e.g. or non-ductile. This will influence the
reinforced concrete or prestressed concrete, connection details adopted between panels
normal-weight or light-weight to be used. and the magnitude of the design lateral forces.
Reinforced concrete will usually be favoured Similarly, connection details will determine
because the constituent materials and whether volumetric changes need to be
construction skills are readily available. considered over the total length of the building
Nevertheless, consideration should be given or not.
openings. The programme will also give happens that this moment is similar to that in
details on lifting anchor design and rigging Table 2 using the similar method. For the
requirements. For panels with large openings edge lift or single row lift Table 2 will be
it may not be feasible to lift the panel without conservative.
some cracking at critical sections. In this
circumstance additional reinforcing steel In the vertical direction the bending moments
should be placed locally on the tension face to are assumed to be uniform over the full width
ensure the cracks remain closed. The of the panel and calculations are based on a
computer will calculate this steel. An advisory typical one metre width. For panels which are
computer design service is available in New wider than they are high, transverse bending
Zealand.(6) moments can be critical and are calculated on
notional beams through the lifting points. The
Figure 4 shows some of the simple tilt-up assumed width of these beams is shown in
rigging configurations. The position of the Figure 5.
lifting points as shown, result in an equal
positive and negative bending moment for
rectangular panels with no openings.
FIGURE 8
Transverse Load Resistance
design guidance is given. It is not feasible to between the units and the footings must be
provide detailed design advice within this designed to carry the induced forces.
manual covering the many and varied
situations. However, some broad comment is Where tilt-up wall panels supporting a roof
made on the following aspects. rafter replace a portal frame design, the size
of the roof rafter will generally be heavier than
3.4.1 Transverse Loads the portal rafter it replaces. If the height of the
panels is high relative to the roof span, the
One of the main economic benefits of tilt-up is weight of eliminated columns will be
the elimination of columns. substantially more than the increase in rafter
weight. For longer spans the weight of
Where the walls are being used as load additional roof bracing may make a
bearing elements, it is important that they column/portal frame support system more
provide sufficient restraint for the applied economic.
lateral loads due to wind or earthquake. For
panels up to approximately 6 metres, loads 3.4.2 Vertical Loads
can be taken at ground level by cantilever
action alone. Beyond this height the roof can Wall panels can be used to carry roofs,
be designed to function as a diaphragm to intermediate floor loads and light gantries.
carry the lateral load applied to one set of This can be done by providing a connection
walls to those at right angles. The latter can on the face of the panel. Figure 10. For
act as shear walls to resist the applied loads. specific situations encountered in tilt-up
Figure 8. The panels in this wall resist the panels reference can be made to Weiler and
loading as illustrated in Figure 9. The Nathan(8) and Kripanarayanan(9) for
connections and fixings between the units and recommended design approaches.
3.6 REINFORCEMENT IN
PANELS
Reinforcement in the panel is usually
determined from consideration of loading
acting on the panel in the long term, see
section 3.4. A single layer of reinforcement
placed at the mid-depth of the section will
usually suffice. Two layers of reinforcement
may be necessary in thick panels, or where
items such as crane rails impose severe
loads.
The control of temperature and shrinkage concrete with a specified 28-day strength of
cracking in tilt-up panels should be carried out 40 MPa are as follows:
in accordance with NZS 3101.
Recommended minimum areas of A1 Interior 20 mm
reinforcement are given in Table 3. A2 Exterior 25 mm
B1 Coastal Zone 30 mm
B2 Coastal Frontage 40 mm
Table 3: Minimum Shrinkage and
Temperature Reinforcement The precise definitions of environmental
zones are contained in NZS 3101.
Specified yield stress Ratio of area of
of reinforcement reinforcement to gross
(MPa) area of concrete
3.7 SAFETY
Mesh .0014
Grade 300 bar .0020 While tilt-up panels are routinely tilted, lifted,
Grade 430 bar .0018 handled and braced without incident, the
safety of these operations must be taken into
account during design. The Australian
Extra reinforcement is recommended both at Standard for tilt-up construction AS 3850(10) is
edges and around openings in a panel to specifically aimed at this aspect of the
control shrinkage stresses and possible process. See also Section 8 of this manual.
cracking even in fibre-reinforced panels. One aspect which needs to be emphasised is
Diagonal bars D12, or D16 in thick panels, that of the choice of inserts. Lifting and
should be used across re-entrant corners if bracing inserts should be purpose-made.
the panel thickness can accommodate the Drilled-in expansion anchors must not be used
extra bar and provide required cover. Figure for lifting and should be used with care when
11. used as fixing inserts for braces. Frequently,
drilled-in expansion anchors are used to fix
the braces to the floor because the fixing
positions are located under casting positions.
As 3850 places special requirements for
anchors used for this situation. Section 4.1.2.
3.8 DURABILITY
Durability as a design criterion is frequently
overlooked, as concrete when well made from
sound ingredients is inherently a durable
material. NZS 3101 provides guidance on
concrete quality and cover for reinforcement
for a range of environmental conditions. In
general terms these will not greatly influence
the design of tilt-up panels but they should be
adhered to strictly. They may demand a
concrete quality higher than that required for
lifting design.
The minimum cover durability requirements
are set out in NZS 3101 Section 5. The
thickness of cover varies with the quality of 3.9 FIRE RESISTANCE
the concrete chosen and the environment the
panels will be placed in. NZS 1900 Chapter 5(11) gives the fire rating
requirements for walls depending on the type
For example the cover requirements for a of occupancy and the building location.
MP9(12) gives the fire resistance ratings (FRR) a thickness of ceramic fibre blanket to be
for different thickness of wall, which are provided on the inside of the joint. The
summarised in Table 4. thickness requirements vary with the panel
thickness and joint width. Reference(13) is a
useful design aid. Lower risk occupancy
Table 4: Wall Thickness Fire Rating areas require no additional joint protection.
Requirements (from MP9)
The performance of panel structures in an
FFR (min) Minimum equivalent thickness actual fire is of concern to fire protection
agencies. It is recommended that the design
60 75 mm (75)
provide details such that the panels, during
90 100 mm (95) the fire rated period will remain standing as a
120 120 mm (110) cantilever or a box, and after that will tend to
180 150 mm (140) collapse into the building envelope. This will
affect the type of connection details used for
240 175 mm (165)
panels. Except in low risk areas, every
These figures are based on concrete with siliceous aggregates. external boundary wall in a fire compartment
Required thicknesses for pumice or limestone panels are shall extend at least 450 mm above its
reduced.
adjoining roofline to form a parapet.
Apart from the panels themselves, the joints Recent, as yet unpublished, fire testing work
between panels may need additional by BRANZ, indicates that the wall thickness
protection to satisfy the appropriate FRR. In tabulated in Table 4 could be amended to
high risk occupancy areas, boundary walls those in brackets. Formal acceptance from
where all openings must be fire rated, require SANZ MP9 is being sought.
4. Detailing
4.1 INSERTS some angle. The loading on the insert being
either direct tension, shear or a combination of
the two. Figure 12. Note that failure may
4.1.1 Lifting occur in either the steel anchor or in the
concrete anchorage, both should be checked.
The use of proprietary lifting inserts
specifically designed for lifting and carrying Some inserts require reinforcing steel to be
panels is recommended. Each manufacturer threaded through the insert to achieve their
will normally supply test data giving the load capacity. Where concrete anchorage for
capacity of the insert under various types of direct pull relies on the shear cone, the
loads. AS 3850 sets out requirements for capacity is reduced by inadequate edge
testing inserts and the procedure for distances or low concrete strength. When
calculating the load capacity. The critical edge lifting, reinforcement may need to be
loading condition for the insert may occur provided above the insert to prevent spalling.
when the panel is either horizontal or tilted at These details should be sought from the
manufacturer.
4.1.2 Bracing
Cast in inserts should be used for bracing
connections where practical. The dynamic
loading on bracing caused by wind will cause
some types of drilled in expansion anchors to
work loose at less than their rated loading.
For this reason the allowable load capacity for
bracing inserts should be based on the load at
which the insert first slips in the hole.
to the working load limit. The Reid Anchorage bending of the casting steel and not by weld
design guide(14) is a useful reference on failure or fixing pullout.
concrete anchorages.
Permanent fixings, especially those exposed
to the external environment, should be
4.2 FIXINGS protected against corrosion. This can be
achieved by using stainless steel or by
protective coatings, e.g. epoxy or rustproof
General criteria to be considered when
paint. Any protective coating should be
specifying fixings for tilt-up panels are:
applied over the entire fixing, including those
parts to be cast into concrete.
• For stability the panels may require more
than one level of fixings.
Fixings may have to be protected against fire
if heat will adversely affect their performance.
• Panels should be supported on seatings
In general this can be achieved by recessing
in direct bearing. See Section 4.3.
the parts in a pocket and filling with concrete
or mortar. The Portland Cement Association
• The wall should be carried at one level by
(USA) publication ‘Connections for Tilt-up Wall
two (no more, no less) seatings.
Construction’ is a useful reference.(15)
• Fixings should be designed to
accommodate the permitted dimensional
inaccuracies of both panels and structure. 4.3 SEATINGS
• Fixings should allow the panel to Various types of seating are illustrated in
flex/move under environmental Figure 14. Design for vertical loads on these
conditions. connections is based on the bearing strength
of the various material, e.g. concrete. Friction
Welded connections are sometimes preferred should not be considered to carry any of the
but care must be taken to avoid locking the horizontal forces imposed on the panel at the
joints up, thus preventing movement. Bolted base. Footing should be detailed to provide
systems will generally permit such movement an easily accessible area to land wall panels
to occur. Figure 13. and complete seatings.
of false joints (grooves) in the panel surface. Open-drained Basic sealing mechanism Require complex edge
dependent on geometry formwork
not on adhesion
It is usually desirable to express the joints, not Profiled edge prone to
to try to hide them. The use of a recess or a Will tolerate larger
construction variations and
damage
dark band of paint on either side will help subsequent movements Installation of baffle is
difficult
mask any variation in the width of a joint. It Installation during wet
will also minimise the effects of any variable weather possible The drumming of baffle
under wind conditions
weathering at the joint line. In certain Air seal protected from UV may be objectionable
circumstances, e.g. with heavily ribbed light and weather
panels, it may be possible to conceal the Gasket Simple edge profile Maximum construction
joints in the overall texture of the wall. width tolerance ± 4 mm
Quick to install
Limited movement
Bevels at the edges of panels are desirable to Completed joints easy to capability
inspect
reduce the vulnerability to damage during
handling.
Corners of tilt-up buildings demand special At a corner joint the situation is different. The
consideration. Oversail joints are preferred movement of the joint will include some
where it is acceptable to show a panel edge shearing as well as tension and compression
on one facade (its prominence will depend on so the criteria will be different for the selection
the finish used on the face of the panels). of the joint-sealing material.
Mitred joints allow a uniform surface treatment
of both walls, but they do impose greater Flashing details at the top of the wall and roof
restrictions on erection tolerances and are not need to be matched to that adopted for the
recommended, see Section 5.3. joints. In all situations the use of a cap
flashing is recommended. Figure 18. Such
4.3.2 Weathertightness and Main- cappings must be securely fixed to prevent
tenance wind uplift.
Joints between wall panels will usually need to 4.3.3 Joint Width and Sealants
be weathertight. Face-sealed joints or Gasket
Joints are usually preferred between panels, Joints must be able to accommodate rotation
although more expensive open-drained joints and the variations in width caused by
can be used for exposed situations. Figure construction and erection practices. They
17. The advantages and disadvantages of must also allow the panels to move relative to
the three types of joint are summarised in each other as the environment changes, e.g.
Table 5. changes in temperature or humidity.
• The removal of a failed sealant can be provides some general guidelines for panel
difficult and the cleaning of the joint shape.(17)
surfaces to permit the installation of a
new seal may not be easy. Thus for low
maintenance costs a resistant sealant
(not the cheapest available), shielded
where possible from direct exposure to
sunlight and weathering, is desirable.
5. Construction
5.1 PROGRAMME All-weather access to the casting locations
and for erection will be required if construction
is to proceed with the minimum of interruption.
The dual aspects of construction and
Consideration should be given to providing
programming should be anticipated during the
temporary construction roads around the
planning and design stages and not regarded
building area, or the early construction of final
as a problem solely for the builder.
and car parking area bases.
As well as considering the physical aspects of
Having checked the requirements for access
how the building is to be constructed, thought
during construction, those for erection need to
must be given to the requirements for labour,
be examined. Usually the crane will be
time for construction, and the sequence and
operated off the floor and at point of access,
timing of the construction.
the ground will need to be built up outside the
slab to ensure that the edge of the slab is not
The size of the workforce needed to complete
overloaded with crane movements.
the job in the required time will depend
(amongst other things) on the level of
Where the crane operates on construction
experience with tilt-up. The learning period
roads or on the ground within the building
need not be long, particularly if there is a high
perimeter, it is important to ensure the ground
level of standardisation, but allowance for this
is adequate to take the loads from the crane
must be included.
wheels, track and/or outriggers. These loads
are more severe than those imposed by
As much work as possible should be carried
general construction traffic. Where panels
out on panels when they are on the ground
have to be ‘walked’, the preparation of the
rather than when they are, or are being,
ground must be examined extremely carefully.
erected. For example, fixings (both temporary
and permanent) and preparation for jointing.
It is desirable that crane operation is restricted
as little as possible by other construction
operations or by the building itself. For
5.2 ACCESS example, even with a steel-frame building
where the tilt-up wall panel are being used
Access to and around the site greatly only as cladding, the panels should be erected
influences the construction and erection as soon as possible. Depending on the type
processes. Two aspects have to be of column-base connections, the panels may
considered: access for construction of the tilt- be erected and braced before or after the
up panels and access for their erection. It is columns. The roof beams can then be
desirable for the builder, in conjunction with erected inside this shell. This is preferable to
the crane operator, to prepare a site plan the crane having to operate in the restricted
showing the casting layout, vehicular access area between the already erected frames.
and lifting-point locations for crane as well as
the erection sequence and bracing layout. The position of overhead services should be
established so that clearances during erection
The locations for casting the panels should can be checked.
allow easy access for concrete trucks and the
discharge of the concrete, preferably directly The position of underground services should
from the truck. If truck access to the casting also be determined and the path of any
areas is not possible then other methods, required connections to them plotted.
such as pumping or crane/bucket will need to Operating a mobile crane over or near
be considered. recently backfilled trenches is always
dangerous; particularly when carrying a large, To assist in this planning a crane radius/rating
heavy wall panel. transparency can be used, produced to the
scale of the layout drawings. Figure 21.
Alternatively cardboard cutouts of the panels
5.3 LAYOUT AND CASTING can be used in conjunction with the layout
drawings.
METHOD
The choice of surface finish will determine
whether the panels are cast face-up or face-
down. Erection procedures will influence both
the decision whether to cast singly over a
large area or to stack cast, and the choice of
casting locations.
Advantages Disadvantages
external surface. The choice of materials for close the opening temporarily. The coat of
formwork and the accuracy of its concrete can be knocked out after the panels
construction, play a vital part in ensuring that have been tilted. An alternative system is to
the erection process goes smoothly and form up the opening using formply or
efficiently. polystyrene and place a 20 mm coat of
concrete over the formed surface.
A straight and true bottom edge to a panel As with all formwork, great care must be taken
may be particularly important if this surface is at the joints, e.g. at corners and between the
relied upon for the panel to be erected plumb edge forms and casting surface, to form a
on prelevelled shims. If a gasket type seal is tight seal to prevent leakage of fines and
to be used in the panel joints, the side forms mortar which could lead to honeycombing,
will need to be more accurate to meet the weakened edges and severe discolouration.
tighter joint width tolerance. Edge forms should be coated with form
release agents to permit easy stripping.
Proprietary aluminium angle forms are
available which are robust and stiff. These 5.4.3 Blockouts
also have the advantage that they can be
fixed at wide spacings. The fixing of formwork Blockouts for major openings can be treated
to the floor becomes important depending on in similar fashion to edge forms. They should
the floor’s subsequent serviceability be securely fixed to the base slab to avoid
requirements or if that part of the floor is to be displacement during concreting. However, the
subsequently used for panel casting. The use blockout formwork must be released as early
of explosive fastenings may lead to spalling of as possible to avoid shrinkage cracks
the floor. developing.
The use of chamfers on the edges has many
benefits. They reduce spalling on the edges
5.4.4 Grooves, Indents and
during removal of the side forms or due to Rebates
handling. They also mask visually any
variations in joint width and make installation Grooves, indents and rebates are most easily
of joint sealants easier. formed on the face-down surface as
mentioned previously. Timber strips for
One efficient method of casting a long line of forming grooves should be splayed as shown
panels is to form up and cast every second in Figure 28 and sealed to prevent swelling.
panel and then to cast the panels in between. These can be fixed with double-sided
The sides are formed by glueing polystyrene, adhesive tape. Polystyrene can be used for
the thickness of the panel joint width to the single casts.
previously cast panels, and the end forms
being just moved along by one panel width.
single captive panel can disenchant all • The compound should be applied
associated with the project. Thus the choice uniformly, with particular care being taken
and application of the bond breaker is crucial at the perimeter of the panel adjacent to
to the success of any project. edge forms. Puddles should not be left
on the surface.
The functions of bond breakers are:
• If the surface is rained on prior to the
• To permit clean complete separation of bond breaker drying, a recoat may be
the tilt-up panel from the casting surface. necessary.
• To minimise the dynamic loading caused • When applying over fine textured
by suction at the time of separation. surfaces, a heavier application will be
required than on smooth trowelled
• Some bond breakers also function as a surfaces.
curing compound for the casting surface.
• If spraying over old concrete, e.g. dry
The residue of the compound on the panel or absorbent surfaces, dampening the
the casting surface should not discolour or surface prior to spraying is
interfere with the adhesion or performance of recommended, as well as a heavier
any applied coatings or coverings or cause application, to limit and compensate for
discolouration of the concrete. absorption.
it off. This method will probably damage the Secondly, the compatibility of the chosen
edges of the panel and the casting surface. compound with the bond breaker and its effect
Alternatively, a hydraulic jack giving a on subsequent surface treatments needs to
sideways push between panels can also be be evaluated, e.g. wax emulsion will impair
effective. the bond of future surface coatings.
lowest operational radius is in fact around 6 reasonable level (10T/m2 for a 125 mm thick
metres but this will increase for larger cranes. slab). Crawler-mounted cranes impose lower
bearing stresses on the ground and can be
useful when erection from outside the building
is possible.
5.10 RIGGING AND shimming, cleaning out inserts, etc. and all
rigging and bracing gear to be checked and at
BRACING HARDWARE hand. Delays during the erection operation
can be very costly.
The erection of panels on a boundary against
an existing wall can often be difficult. Face Where possible the crane should be on the
lifted panels will always hang slightly off same side of the panel as the bracing so that
vertical (3o to 5o). Edge lifted panels will hang the driver can see the erection operation.
vertical. However this lifting configuration is
not economical for panels over 3-4 metres The lifting inserts must be placed
high. One solution is to use an extra set of symmetrically about the centre of gravity in
inserts in the top edge for face lifted panels. the horizontal direction so that the panel will
The load can be transferred to these using a lift level, and above the centre of gravity in the
second crane or alternatively the panel could vertical so that the panel will tilt. Centres of
be temporarily propped off vertical and relifted gravity for each panel should be calculated as
off the top edge. Alternatively offset lifting shown in Figure 31, or by computer, and
brackets can be used or trigger mechanisms marked on the drawings.
which lock the lifting ropes against the top of
the panel when the panel is near vertical.
These operations need to be planned
beforehand and should only be carried out by
an experienced crane operator.
The rigging must not be released until the The layout of the lifting inserts should also be
panel is adequately braced. Lateral bracing clearly shown. Very tall panels, or those with
where required should be fixed immediately thin legs of multiple or large openings may
so that it is not more than one panel behind need to be strengthened by strongbacks
the last panel erected. All braces should be before lifting.
checked at regular intervals for tightness and
security. Lifting should be carried out so that the panel
rotates about the bottom edge. Any damage
to this edge can be hidden by appropriate joint
detailing. Bottom-edge chamfers are normally
5.11 LIFTING used to reduce this risk.
Prior to the crane coming on to site all Care should be taken to avoid sliding or
preparatory work should be completed – panel dragging panels across the finished floor
because of the risk of damage to panel, oversail corner of doorway. Figure 32.
casting slab, personnel and equipment. With
stack-cast panels, more care is needed to
prevent the panels sliding off the stack and
damaging the face of the lower panel.
PANEL LOCATION
Deviation of panel from the specified final position in the structure 5 mm
Construction plans should include details of (e) The concrete grade and minimum
the following: specified strength.
(c) The size, configuration and cover of any (i) Any architectural features.
additional reinforcement required for
lifting of panel. (j) The rigging configuration and minimum
sling length.
(d) Where applicable, the make, type and
capacity of technical specifications of: (k) Strongbacks, if applicable.
6. Surface Treatments
A major factor in the acceptance and therefore over surface finish that is normal in a
the increased use of tilt-up overseas has been precasting factory.
improved appearance in recent years. A wide
range of treatments and finishes, most of Coatings can be used to provide strong visual
which are easy to achieve and some for which effects, to mask colour changes and reduce
specialist skills are available, have been the visual prominence of accidental variations
developed. This move has been assisted in texture. Grooves should be used to break
greatly by the development of a wide range of up the scale of panels and to separate
paints and textured applied coatings. These different finishes or colours. Such grooves
afford versatility and variety in appearance at should never be more than 20 mm deep,
reasonable cost. frequently 10 mm is adequate. If these
grooves are to be painted then they should be
The increase in the use of tilt-up can be wide enough to accept a small-size standard
attributed to the promotion of architectural tilt- paint roller.
up and expansion into the more prestigious
building market. Apart from the use of shapes The compatibility of the bond breaker with the
and outlines to achieve the desired effect, desired surface finish should be checked, by
improved appearance of tilt-up building stems test panel if necessary. This should establish
largely from sensitive detailing of panels, any risk of surface staining and the effect on
small changes in panel shape and size, and any subsequent paint film to be applied to the
an almost limitless range of colours, patterns surface.
and textures, breaking up the monotony of
long walls of large uniform panels. Often tilt- Concrete mix design should take account of
up can be made to look impressive by the quality of surface finish desired. It should
contrasting different surface finishes within a be cohesive and be rich enough to reproduce
panel or line of panels. Examples of these any fine textures which may have been
are: specified. To ensure uniform colour on
concrete surfaces it will be necessary to
maintain a consistent supply of cement,
• Picture frame effect – exposed aggregate
aggregates and sand. Good mix design
panel with a border of fairface concrete
(including control of water-cement ratio and
around the edges.
minimum cement contents), uniformity of
casting-surface absorption and curing
• Use of broad band of contrasting high
conditions are also imperative. (Note that
build paint. This band could either be
these considerations rather than structural
recessed in the panel or alternatively
considerations may control the specification of
defined by edge rebates.
the concrete).
• Use of rebates in exposed aggregate or
The use of test panels for special finishes/
contrasting paint to display company
treatments is strongly recommended. They
logos.
should be large enough to be representative
of the specified technique, approval should be
• Use of formliners contrasted with painted
related to the entire panel, not just sections of
fairface concrete.
it.
joints, column blockouts, etc., will not be Chemical retarders should be specialist
reflected in the panel. Depending on the architectural retarders which are available in
texture, liner sections can be lapped or butt varying degrees of etch. For face-down
joined and filled with a silicone sealant. application care needs to be taken with the
Formliners need specialist release agents, application of the retarder and the placing and
these are usually recommended by or vibration of the concrete. It is not possible to
available from the manufacturer. Where not obtain the same degree of exposure with face-
supplied by the formliner manufacturer, testing up retarded panels although it can be
will be necessary. improved by seeding. In both cases it is likely
that there will need to be a modification to the
6.3.3 Dimple Finish structural concrete mix to obtain effective
exposure. Care needs to be taken in removal
This finish is achieved by placing two sheets of the retarded surface to ensure uniformity of
of polythene (6 mils) over a layer of stones finish. This is normally achieved with a high
and placing the concrete directly over this. pressure water blaster.
This imparts a ‘dimpled’ effect and gives the
concrete a very smooth glossy texture. The Retarders in the form of chemically
effect can be varied with the size, shape and impregnated paper rather than paint form are
grading of aggregate used from 20 mm to now available. These are a recent innovation
boulder size. It is widely used in the USA from Europe and trial would need to be carried
owing to its relatively low cost, it masks any out prior to full scale use. They would be
imperfections in the casting surface and suitable for use in small areas of a panel to be
eliminates the need for a bond breaker. used to break up a fairface finish. The use of
retarders requires specialist skills and trial
panels should be used to obtain the required
6.3.4 Rebates and Grooves finish. One option is use specialist labour
from a precast manufacturer under sub-
Rebate strips made of timber or polystyrene
contract, they should be experienced in this
can be glued to the casting bed. The strips
type of work.
must have sufficient taper to ease demoulding
and any fixings used to join the strips must be
Face-up exposure of panels can also be
plastered over smooth to avoid spalling on
achieved by water washing the face some
demoulding. It is important to avoid a
hours after casting.
mismatch of rebate alignment between
panels.
The sand bed method allows the hand placing
of uniform size aggregate into a sand bed,
6.3.5 Exposed Aggregate Surfaces over which the concrete is poured. This
method is preferred in the USA because of its
There are four common methods of exposing versatility.(19)
aggregate in tilt-up construction. These
include the use of chemical retarders, either Sandblasting – As tilt-up is some days old
face-up or face-down, sand blasting, sand bed when lifted, only light or medium sandblasting
casting face-down, and seeding of aggregate textures can be used. Sandblasting without
on the face-up surface finish. The general the use of retarders can give a softening effect
method is therefore suitable for either floor or to the normally shiny surface of a panel.
stack casting.
7. Costs
Tilt-up construction has proven to provide erection costs in particular will ‘blow out’ if site
significant cost advantage over alternative efficiency is disrupted. The following unit
heavyweight cladding systems such as costs based on panels 6 m high by 5 m wide
concrete blockwork, brickwork or offsite and 120 mm thick are based on 1991 prices.
precast panels in many low rise construction
projects. The scope for cost savings depends
on the extent to which the advantages of tilt- 2 Material
m
up, as outlined in Chapter 1, are incorporated rate
% supply
into the design, e.g. elimination of columns, rate
architectural features, etc. Lightweight Reinforcing Steel – Supply and place $11.90 19 $2685/T
cladding systems may compete with tilt-up on Concrete – Supply and place $20.30 33 $140/m
3
8. Safety Checklist
Tilt-up construction involves the handling of The following list, which is not exhaustive,
large, heavy concrete elements and requires gives some of the areas of responsibility that
careful planning and proper execution by each party has in safety:
experienced personnel using good quality
equipment to proceed in a safe manner. The Designer
majority of work follows good practice and • Overall building stability.
shows that the method is safe. This requires • Panel lift design.
a good team-approach as safety is a job • Insert selection.
involving the designer, contractor, and lifting • Insert location.
operator. They each have a role and must • Bracing design.
each know what is being done and agree/ • Bracing type.
accept that procedure. • Reinforcement.
• Concrete strength.
• Fire performance.
• Lifting procedures.
• Load design of floor/pavement.
• Communication of all aspects via drawings
and documentation to the builder.
Contractor
• Panel size/shape/tolerance.
• Access for crane/trucks.
• Preparation of pavement.
• Reinforcement location.
• Insert selection.
• Insert location.
• Brace-point location.
• Fixings.
• Bond breaker type.
• Bond breaker application.
• Concrete quality.
• Compaction of concrete.
• Concrete curing.
• Casting sequence.
• Erection sequence.
• Workshop drawings and casting and
erection drawings – essential forms of
communication.
Erector
• Safe working environment/procedures.
• Crane access.
• Crane position.
• Erection procedure.
• Crane/panel weight ratio.
• Strongbacks.
• Rigging gear.
• Correct lifting eyes.
• Concrete strength.
• Fixing bracing.
References
1. ‘This is Tilt-Up’, Australian 13. ‘Design for Fire Resistance of Precast
Constructional Review, Vol. 57, No. 1, Prestressed Concrete’, MNL 124-89,
February 1984, pp. 49-64. Portland Cement Association, 1989.
2. ‘Tilt-Up Today’, October 1989, G67, C & 14. ‘Anchorage Design Guide’ – Reid
CA Australia. Construction Systems Publication 170/1.
Since the information provided in this manual is intended for general guidance only and in no way replaces the service of
professional consultants on particular products, no liability can be accepted by the associations for its use.