PRE-CAST

CONCRETE SYSTEM
BLDG. TECH- 05 | BS ARCH- 3 | OLOGAR
Pre-Cast Concrete

 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 lifted into place "tilt up". In contrast, standard
concrete is poured into site-specific forms and cured on
site.
Pre-Cast Concrete

 Available in many shapes and sizes, including structural elements and

unreinforced pieces.
 Panels are the most common members used in building construction, and may
serve as structure or cladding or both.
 As structural-architectural panels, they provide a cost effective solution to
building enclosures. Panels can be full- or half-sandwich or hollow core
construction.
 Hollow core panels can be used for walls, but are especially well suited to floors.
The cores can be used for utility chases or sometimes as ducts for heating,
ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC).
Points describe
precast concrete
panels for low-rise
buildings

• Advantages
• Sizes
• Installations and
Connections
Finishes
• Sustainability
and Energy
Advantages
 The ability to quickly erect panels at the site is another advantage of precast.
 Once footings are prepared, panels can be placed quickly to form the enclosure.
 It also means that construction can be completed within a relatively small
footprint and may allow building in weather that would negatively affect other
types of construction.
 Solid, high-quality concrete construction built with an efficient use of labor
makes for cost effective structures.
Precast, like all concrete construction, provides fire, rot, termite, and mold
resistance.
 Exterior walls can withstand tornado-force winds. It is solid construction that
protects occupants from weather and from natural disasters.
Advantages to Precasting
• Since precast is manufactured in a controlled casting environment it is easier to control
the mix, placement, and curing
• Quality can be controlled and monitored much more easily
• Since a precaster can buy materials for multiple projects, quantity discounts can lower
costs
• Weather is eliminated as a factor-you can cast in any weather and get the same results,
which allows you to perfect mixes and methods
• Less labor is required and that labor can be less skilled
• On site, precast can be installed immediately, there is no waiting for it to gain strength
and the modularity of precast products makes installation go quickly
• Repeatability-it's easy to make many copies of the same precast product; by
maximizing repetition, you can get plenty of value from a mold and a set-up
• Accelerated curing, by heating the precast parts, greatly increases strength gain,
reducing the time between casting the part and putting it into service
• With the ability to so tightly control the process, from materials to consolidation to
curing, you can get extremely durable concrete
Decorative Precast
Applications Huge precast units
can be moved with
the proper
Looking at the entire concrete equipment.
industry, there are lots of
applications for precast concrete,
including:

• bridge beams
• double Ts
• hollow-core slabs
Precast fence
• septic tanks/manholes
panels can be cast
• pipes/culverts
with form liners
• foundation walls
and stained
• architectural panels
• traffic barriers and retaining
walls/soundwalls
But there are also lots of
great decorative
applications:

But highly custom

• countertops pieces are also
precast. Rafter C
• sinks and bathtubs Precast Concrete.
• furniture/planters-
especially outdoor
furniture like picnic tables
• rock features (cast as
panels and joined onsite)
• architectural elements:
lintels, window sills,
quoins, accent strips But highly custom pieces
are also precast. Rafter C
• statuary Precast Concrete.
• paving stones
Sizes

 When the precasting facility and site are located relatively close to each other,
panels have been as long as 50 feet.
 Panel size should be suited to the building design. For instance, for a single-story
structure, the panel may be eight to 10-feet tall, and 20 or 30 feet long. For a two-
story building, the panel might be 15- to 20-feet tall.
 As long as the panel can be trucked to the site without causing problems on
roads or under bridge overpasses, the size is dictated by the building itself.
Installation,
Connections, and
Finishes
 Connections between panels are
made either by grout columns
(hollow core slabs) or by bolting
or welding plates cast with the
concrete
 Architectural finishes for precast
are varied
 Portland cement plaster is also a
suitable finish for precast, and
can be directly applied to panel
faces.
 Interior finishes may be given
the same treatment as exterior
faces, may receive a direct
application of plaster or paint,
or they can be finished with
drywall for a more conventional
appearance.
 • Precast on the material side, it can contain recycled
materials like fly ash and rebar, which may help
contribute to credits in green rating systems.
• The size of panels dictates joint spacing, but often
the number of joints is reduced over other types of
construction, which helps create tight building
Sustainability envelopes. This protects against unwanted air
losses and may even require that air changes be
and Energy provided.
• Insulated precast panels may reduce energy
Considerations consumption by 20 to 30 percent in smaller
buildings. This is because the panels are so energy
efficient, having insulation combined with the
thermal mass of concrete

Precast Concrete
Wall Systems
Precast Panel Types for
Building Envelopes
Four types of precast panels
used as part of building
envelopes:
• Cladding or curtain walls
• Load-bearing wall units
• Shear walls
• Formwork for cast-in-place
concrete
• Precast cladding or curtain walls are the most
common use of precast concrete for building
envelopes. They are only designed to resist wind,
seismic forces generated by their own weight, and
forces required to transfer the weight of the panel to
the support. Common cladding units include wall
panels, window wall units, spandrels, mullions, and
column covers.
• Load-bearing wall units resist and transfer loads from
other elements and cannot be removed without
affecting the strength or stability of the building.
Typical load-bearing wall units include solid wall
panels, and window wall and spandrel panels.
• Precast concrete shear wall panels are used to provide
lateral load resisting system when combined with
diaphragm action of the floor construction.
• Precast panels are used as formwork for cast-in-place
concrete. The precast panels act as a form, providing
the visible aesthetics of the system, while the cast-in-
place portion provides the structural component of
the system.
Applications
 Precast concrete wall systems allow a wide variety of
colors, finishes and architectural shapes. Precast concrete
can be used in environments that allow the use of
conventional cast-in-place concrete. In addition, precast
concrete may be made in a controlled environment and
erected in an environment that would not allow site
casting of concrete. The concrete used in precast panels
should be designed to be durable in the environment in
which it will be used.
  Precast concrete building panels
and related products provide a
strong, flexible and versatile
PRECAST CONCRETE building material for commercial
BUILDING SYSTEMS and residential projects. From
impressive durability, fire resistance
and sound/vibration attenuating
BUILDING characteristics to easy installation
and lower maintenance
TYPES requirements, precast concete
building systems deliver numerous
advantages over other conventional
products.
Parking structures

 to provide efficient, economical solutions to their

parking project needs. More than ever building projects
need to progress quickly through the stages from concept
to occupancy
Precast Office buildings

 The natural aggregates, sand and cement components of

precast concrete allow building designs that are totally
unique. Inherent color, texture, and finish variations offer
endless possibilities for your sustainable design project.
Precast Multi-Housing

 Dormitories, hotels, apartment complexes, senior living

and condominiums alike, all benefit when constructed
with precast concrete. With an exceptional fire resistance
rating of up to 3 hours, and improved sound attenuation
characteristics.
Precast Schools

 Precastconcrete is perfect for unique designs in school

architecture. Precast concrete works well with the diverse
building types required for different school activities. In
addition, precast concrete is reliable and long lasting,
providing great value and efficiency. Whether a school
needs a gym, atrium, or auditorium
Precast Retail Stores

 Precast concrete for commercial buildings is a durable, flexible,

attractive answer that is both more reliable and more affordable
than many other department store materials you might use for
construction. Precast concrete panels are easy to install and can be
designed to fit your specific needs.
Precast Warehouses

 Whether you’re constructing a new warehouse for

inventory storage or building onto your existing
warehouse, precast concrete is a reliable, economical,
affordable way to manage your construction needs.
 PRECAST
CONCRETE
WALLED HOUSE
A precast concrete
walled house under
construction
LOW QUALITY
PRECAST
CONCRETE
An example of low-quality
precast concrete with exposed
dowels, connectors and presence
of cracks and malformations even
during its installation.
PRECAST
COMPONENTS
Interior view of the walls,
supports, and roof of a precast
commercial shop. Utilities are
preassembled into the precast
components.