Sultanate of Oman Department Stamp

For Educational Purposes Only

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION – III [EGAR4230]

S EM -I (2024-2025) ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

Student Name ID #
Section # 1 Day/Time SEC-1_SUNDAY & TUESDAY – 02:00 PM TO 04:00 PM [SP14]
SEC-2_MONDAY & WEDNESDAY – 04:00 PM TO 06:00 PM
[AR005]
Lecturer’s Name: Ar. Ghufran Ahmad Khan Office Hours: Monday: 02:00 - 03:00

E-mail Address: [email protected] Version No. 1 Last Date of Revision

Approved By: Specialization Architecture

Program Coordinator’s Dr. Samiya Al Mabsali

Name:

Verified by: Section CAE EEE MIE

Curriculum Committee Date

Signature 10.09.2024
Member:
ENGG_CC_LECTURE NOTES_10 Sep2023_V04
UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY AND APPLIED SCIENCES
DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE

EGAR 4230
Building Construction - III

Semester – I
Session: 2024-2025

Prepared by: Ar. Ghufran Ahmad Khan

Course Overview

CHAPTER – 1: COMPOSITE STRUCTURES

CHAPTER – 2: PRECAST AND PREFABRICATED STRUCTURES
CHAPTER – 3: PRE-TENSIONING AND POST-TENSIONING
CHAPTER – 4: ADVANCED FLOOR SLABS
 Course Description
To impart the modern building construction systems incorporating the use of metals like steel, aluminium and composite materials and
familiarize the construction details of specialized building elements like pre-cast, and pre-stressed concrete elements etc.
Course Objectives Course Learning Outcomes
1. Analyze various new research materials of 1. Assess various new materials like Corian, Veneers, Hydro-ceramics,
construction and to understand about the Self-Healing Concrete, Light gauge steel structure, PVC, Particle
composite structures. board etc.
2. Illustrate various materials used in building 2. Enumerate the definition & principle of composite structure, types
elements of pre-cast and pre-fabricated of composites, basic components of composite structure, examples
structures. of composite materials such as mud bricks, wood, fiberglass,
3. Analyze various sequences of operation translucent concrete, absorbent concrete, etc.
with pre-tensioning and post-tensioning 3. Precast floor systems with Beams, Channels, and infilling floors
structures. with blocks of various materials and understanding about pre-
4. Know the different types and forms of tensioning and post-tensioning.
large spans structures. 4. Connection and assemblies of various building elements (prefab
5. Explain about the composite materials and walls, beams, columns, staircase flight, floor units etc).
advance slab methods. 5. Understand the Advance Slab Floor like Flat Slab with drop and
columns capitals, Waffle slabs, Diagrid Beam Slabs, Hollow Slabs,
Space frames etc.
 ASSESSMENT PLAN
Learning
No. Assessment Activity Weight % Outcomes
Mapping

1 Quiz + Test 5% + 10% 3,4

2 Midterm 15% 1,2,3

3 Final 40% 1,2,3,4,5

Practical
4 [Sheets-15% + Presentation-10% + 1,2,3,4,5
30%
Report-5 %]

Total 100%
PRECAST AND PREFABRICATED STRUCTURE TABLE OF CONTENT

1. INTRODUCTION

2. HOW AND WHERE IT CAN BE USED

3. ELEMENTS OF PRECAST STRUCTURAL SYSTEM AND

COMPONENTS

4. PRECAST CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION CONSIDERATIONS

5. TYPES, BENEFITS AND DISADVANTAGES OF PRECAST

CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION

6. PRECAST CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION PROCEDURES

7. Summary

8. References
Precast and Prefabricated Structure
PREFABRICATION CONSTRUCTION IS WELL ESTABLISHED AS
ONE OF THE PRINCIPAL CONSTRUCTION METHODS IN
EUROPE.

Prefabrication is the practice of casting components

of a structure in a factory or other manufacturing
site, and transporting complete assemblies or sub-
assemblies to the construction site where the
structure is to be erected.

Need for Prefabrication

❖Structural efficiency
❖Cost Control
❖Optimum use of materials
❖Speed of construction
❖Quality consciousness
❖Adaptability
❖Protection of the environment
HOW AND WHERE PRECASTING IS USED

Reinforced concrete is a material usually used for structural systems due to its strength, durability, and
affordability. Precast concrete is used in the following ways:

•to make beams, columns, floor slabs, foundations, and other structural members for buildings

•to make wall or cladding panels for buildings

•to make precast pre-stressed elements for buildings

•to make components for infrastructure projects: elements such as bridge spans, or metro line viaducts
are often precast in a casting yard

•to make products for sale: precast water tanks, septic tanks, drainage chambers, railway sleepers,
floor beams, boundary walls, water pipes are all available

•Since it can be moulded into any shape, it can also be used to create one-off unusual forms such
as boats, sculptures
ELEMENTS IN PRECAST CONCRETE BUILDING SYSTEMS

Precast concrete members are manufactured in factory under

controlled conditions to keep standard dimensions and
tolerances. Structural elements used in the construction of
precast concrete buildings include:

• Precast concrete wall (Panels)

• Precast Slabs
• Precast Beam and Girders
• Precast Columns
• Precast Stairs
DIFFERENT PRECAST CONCRETE STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS
BEAMS
• Precast concrete beams can be reinforced with steel reinforcement and prestressed with steel strands.
• Beam profiles are usually inverted T-beams or L-
beams to support a precast concrete slab.
COLUMNS
• Precast columns are usually square, rectangular or
circular, although other shapes are possible. It is good
practice to apply 50 mm increments to the columns’
sides (or diameter).
• Circular columns are typically cast vertically, reaching
one-storey height. Square and rectangular columns
can be cast horizontally, allowing heights up to 24 m.
• The columns can have corbels or structural inserts to
provide support for beams.
HOLLOW CORE SLABS
• The cores help reduce the slab’s self-weight, optimize
the structural capacity, and provide room for service
ducts.
• Units are available in standard 1200 mm widths and
depths from 110 mm to 400 mm. Other dimensions
can be fabricated when required.
WALLS IN CONCRETE FRAME BUILDINGS
• Concrete frame structures are strong and economical. Hence almost any walling materials can be
used with them.
• The heavier options include masonry walls of brick, concrete block, or stone.
• The lighter options include drywall partitions made of light steel or wood studs covered with sheeting
boards.
• When brick or concrete blocks are used, it is common to plaster the entire surface - brick and
concrete - with a cement plaster to form a hard, long-lasting finish.
• Cross-wall is the most common form, where the panels can form structural load-bearing partition
walls, external walls and floor slabs.

CLADDING OF CONCRETE FRAME STRUCTURES

• Common cladding materials are glass, aluminum panels, stone sheets, and ceramic facades.
• Since these structures can be designed for heavy loading, one could even clad them in solid masonry
walls of brick or stone.
• Precast concrete cladding provides low-maintenance facades.
• The panels can include windows and insulations to reduce construction time on site. They are divided
into structurally load bearing and non-loadbearing.
• Load bearing cladding systems have an inner structural panel, an insulation layer and an outer non-
structural panel. The most common type is sandwich panels.
• Non-loadbearing cladding systems, like the single-leaf precast cladding, have no structural function.
• They provide the required architectural finish to the building, along with a weather barrier.
PRECAST CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION CONSIDERATIONS

1. Erection Sequence
• Precast concrete members shall be erected according to preplanned sequence.
• The erection plan is commonly prepared drawings if it is important for structural stability and for
access to connections at specific location.
• The erection sequence shall avoid multiple handling of elements.
• Finally, a trial erection operation should be considered to identify any unforeseen erection difficulties.

2. Erection Safety
• Safety during the handling and erection of precast concrete elements is substantially important.
• Therefore, all machines and equipment employed precast concrete element handling and erection
need to be maintained to a high standard, load tested, and be suited to the intended utilization.

3. Erection Tolerances
• Generally, the precast unit should be erected in accordance with the tolerances provided by
applicable codes, unless other tolerances are used in the design and specifications.
4. Rigging
• A rigging system for handling and erecting precast elements requires careful preplanning.
• It may be necessary to equalize loads between lifting points on certain precast elements, such as beams
or flat slabs.
• Lifting accessories may be in the form of slings/cables, hooks or shackles.
• The selection of such components should take into consideration the forces due to all operations
involved in the handling units.

5. Temporary bracing
• Precast concrete elements must be adequately braced and supported during all phases of erection to
ensure proper alignment and structural integrity until permanent structural connections are completed.

6. Leveling shims
• Leveling shims should be formed from a suitably durable material and should have adequate strength to
carry the full imposed loads.
• Leveling shims carry the full construction load of the precast element and must provide adequate
support to prevent movement until the element is incorporated in the main structure.

7. Propping
• All temporary propping requirements must be shown on the erection drawings.
• The design of temporary propping systems should be in accordance with applicable codes.
• Temporary propping should provide full support for all construction loads.
TYPES OF PRECAST SYSTEMS
Precast systems are classified on the basis of the load bearing structure:
1. Large Panel System
• Large panel systems are useful for the construction of apartments and hotels.
• It consists of large walls and floor concrete panels connected in the vertical and
horizontal directions.
• Both horizontal and vertical panels withstand gravity loads.
• There are three arrangements of large panel system based on wall layouts which
include cross-wall system, longitudinal-wall system, two-way system.
2. Frame System
• It is suitable for the construction of car parks, stadia, and offices.
• Precast frames can be constructed using either linear elements or spatial beam-
column sub assemblages.
• Precast beam-column sub-assemblages have the advantages as the connecting faces
between the sub-assemblages can be placed away from the critical frame regions.
• However linear elements are generally preferred because of the difficulties
associated with forming, handling and erecting spatial elements.
3. Slab-Column System with Shear Wall
• In this system, gravity loads supported by slab-column structure whereas shear walls
withstand lateral loads.
• There are two types of slab-column system with shear walls namely; lift slab system
with walls and pre-stressed slab-column system.
CONCRETE FRAME STRUCTURES

• As the name suggests, this type of building consists of a frame or skeleton of concrete.
• Horizontal members of this frame are called beams, and vertical members are called columns.
• Humans walk on flat planes of concrete called slabs. Of these, the column is the most important, as it is
the primary load-carrying element of the building . If you damage a beam or slab in a building, this will
affect only one floor, but damage to a column could bring down the entire building.
• Concrete in the building trade refers to reinforced concrete. It is reinforced cement concrete, or
RCC. RCC is concrete that contains steel bars, called reinforcement bars, or rebars.
• This combination works very well, as concrete is very strong in compression, easy to produce at site,
and inexpensive, and steel is very strong in tension.
• To make reinforced concrete, one first makes a mould, called formwork, that will contain the liquid
concrete and give it the form and shape we need.
• Then one looks at the structural engineer's drawings and places in the steel reinforcement bars and ties
them in place using wire. The tied steel is called a reinforcement cage.
• ​Once the steel is in place, one can start to prepare the concrete, by mixing cement, sand, stone chips in
a range of sizes, and water in a cement mixer, and pouring in the liquid concrete into the formwork till
exactly the right level is reached.
• The concrete will become hard in a matter of hours but takes a month to reach its full
strength. Therefore, it is usually propped up until that period. During this time, the concrete must
be cured, or supplied with water on its surface, which it needs for the chemical reactions within to
proceed properly.
 • Working out the exact proportions of each ingredient is a science. It is called concrete mix design.
• A good mix designer will start with the properties that are desired in the mix, then take many factors
into account, and work out a detailed mix design.
• A site engineer will often order a different type of mix for a different purpose.
• For example, if he is casting a thin concrete wall in a hard-to-reach area, he will ask for a mix that is
more flowable than stiff.
• This will allow the liquid concrete to flow by gravity into every corner of the formwork.
• ​So, the structure is a connected frame of members, each of which are firmly connected to each other.
• In engineering parlance, these connections are called moment connections, which means that the two
members are firmly connected to each other.
• There are other types of connections, including hinged connections, which are used in steel structures.
• Shear Walls are important structural elements in high-rise buildings and could easily measure 400mm
thick by 3m long - making them appear like walls rather than columns.
• Their function in a building is to take care of horizontal forces on buildings like wind and earthquake
loads. Normally, buildings are subject to vertical loads - gravity. Shear walls also carry vertical loads. It is
important to understand that they only work for horizontal loads in one direction - the axis of the long
dimension of the wall. These are usually not required in low-rise structures.
• Elevator Shafts are vertical boxes in which the elevators move up and down - normally each elevator is
enclosed in its own concrete box. These shafts are also very good structural elements, helping to resist
horizontal loads, and carrying vertical loads.
The concrete frame rests on foundations, which transfer the forces - from the building and on the building -
to the ground.
STEEL FRAME STRUCTURES

• An important feature of steel framing is its flexibility.

• It can bend without cracking, which is another great advantage, as a steel building can flex when it
is pushed to one side by say, wind, or an earthquake.

• Another characteristic of steel is its plasticity or ductility.

• This property allows steel buildings to bend out of shape, or deform, thus giving warning to
inhabitants to escape. Failure in steel frames is not sudden - a steel structure rarely collapses.

• However, one important property of steel is that it quickly loses its strength in a fire. At 500
degrees celsius (930 degrees F), mild steel can lose almost half its strength. This is what happened
at the collapse of the World Trade Towers in 2001.

• Therefore, steel in buildings must be protected from fire or high temperature; this is usually done
by wrapping it with boards or spray-on material called fire protection.
 WHERE STEEL FRAME STRUCTURES ARE USED
Steel construction is most often used in

• High rise buildings because of its strength, low weight, and speed
of construction
• Industrial buildings because of its ability to create large span
spaces at low cost
• Warehouse buildings for the same reason
• Residential buildings in a technique called light gauge steel
construction
• Temporary Structures as these are quick to set up and remove

TYPES OF STEEL BUILDING CONSTRUCTION

Steel construction is also called steel fabrication.

CONVENTIONAL STEEL FABRICATION

• It is when teams of steel fabricators cut members of steel to the correct lengths, and then weld them
together to make the final structure.
• This can be done entirely at the construction site, which is labor-intensive, or partially in a workshop, to
provide better working conditions and reduce time.
BOLTED STEEL CONSTRUCTION

• Occurs when steel fabricators produce finished and painted steel components, which are then shipped
to the site and simply bolted in place.
• This is the preferred method of steel construction, as the bulk of the fabrication can be done in
workshops, with the right machinery, lighting, and work conditions.
• The size of the components are governed by the size of the truck or trailer they are shipped in, usually
with a max length of 6m (20ft) for normal trucks or 12m (40ft) for long trailers.
• Since the only work to be done at site is lifting the steel members into place (with cranes) and bolting,
the work at site is tremendously fast.
• Pre-engineered buildings are an example of bolted steel construction that is designed, fabricated,
shipped and erected by one company to the owner.

LIGHT GAUGE STEEL CONSTRUCTION

• It is a type of construction that is common for residential and small buildings in North America and
parts of Europe.
• This is like wood framed construction, except that light gauge steel members are used in place of wood
two-by-fours.
• Light gauge steel is steel that is in the form of thin (1-3mm) sheets of steel that have been bent into
shape to form C-sections or Z-sections.
WEIGHT OF STEEL FRAME STRUCTURES

Consider a single-story building measuring 5 x 8m (16 x 26ft). If it is getting constructed in concrete, with
four columns at the corners, beams spanning between the columns, and a 150mm (6") thick concrete slab at
the top. Such a structure would weigh about 800 kg/m² or 32 Tons (32,000 kg) in total. If we build this of
steel instead, with a sloping roof covered with corrugated metal sheeting with insulation, this will weigh only
about 65 kg/m². The steel framed building will weigh only 2.6 Tons (2,600 kg). So, the concrete building is
over 12 times heavier! This is for single-story structures - in multi-story structures, the difference will be less,
as the floors in multi-story steel buildings are built of concrete slabs for economy - but the difference is still
significant.
ADVANTAGES OF STEEL STRUCTURES-Steel structures have the following advantages:
• They are super-quick to build at site, as a lot of work can be pre-fabbed at the factory.
• They are flexible, which makes them very good at resisting dynamic (changing) forces such as wind or
earthquake forces.
• A wide range of ready-made structural sections are available, such as I, C, and angle sections.
• They can be made to take any kind of shape and clad with any type of material.
• A wide range of joining methods is available, such as bolting, welding, and riveting.

DISADVANTAGES OF STEEL STRUCTURES-Steel structures have the following disadvantages:

• They lose strength at high temperatures and are susceptible to fire.
• They are prone to corrosion in humid or marine environments.
TIMBER FRAME CONSTRUCTION/ WOOD FRAME CONSTRUCTION
Light wood framed construction is one of the most popular types of building methods for homes in the
United States and parts of Europe. It has the following characteristics:
1. It is light and allows quick construction with no heavy tools or equipment. Every component can easily
be carried by hand - a house essentially becomes a large carpentry job. The main tool is a handheld nail
gun.
2. It can adapt itself to any geometric shape and can be clad with a variety of materials.
3. There are a huge variety of products and systems tailored to this type of construction.

It has these negative characteristics:

1. It is not highly fireproof, as it is made of wood.
2. It is not strong enough to resist major wind events such as tornadoes and hurricanes.

Every timber frame home structure is made of a few basic components:

Studs are vertical wooden members within the walls.

Joists are the horizontal wooden beams that support the floors.
Rafters are the sloping wooden beams that support the roof.
Sheathing are the sheets that are nailed over the studs to connect them securely and form the wall
surfaces.
Siding is the exterior cladding that covers the walls from the outside.
PLATFORM FRAME STRUCTURES –

This is the sequence you would follow to erect a 2-story platform frame house.

1. Erect the ground floor platform, a horizontal wooden platform over the foundation.

2. Build all the walls up to a height of one story. This can easily be done by building each wall flat - on
the floor platform - and then tilting it vertically.

3. Build the next floor platform.

4. Erect the next set of vertical walls in the same manner on the top of the second platform.

5. Build the sloping roof over the walls.

PRECAST CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION PROCEDURE

1.Create a detailed design for the precast component.

2.Prepare the mould to obtain the shape required.
3.Place steel reinforcement bars (and prestressed wires if needed)
in the mould.
4.Pour concrete into the form.
5.If you don’t use self-consolidating concrete (SCC), vibrate the mix
to remove air bubbles and increase the strength of the precast
concrete.
6.Let the concrete cure.
7.Remove the precast element from the mould after reaching the
required strength.
8.Do a quality check. If it’s satisfactory, move the component to the
storage area.
9.Once the construction team orders the precast components, load
them in a lorry considering the order of erection and take them to
the site.
10.Additional quality controls are carried out on-site.
11.If the precast concrete components are accepted, use a crane or
other heavy equipment to lift them into place.
12.Connect the elements after they are in the final position.
CONNECTING PRECAST CONCRETE ELEMENTS
Precast concrete components can be connected in a number of ways:

1. Bolted
• They can be bolted together.
• In order to do this, steel connectors are embedded in the concrete at the time of casting.
• This must be done with great precision.

2. Grouted or Concreted
• They can be grouted or concreted together.
• In this method, loops of steel reinforcement are left protruding out of the precast concrete members.
• Two members are placed in position, and reinforcement is threaded between the loops.
• Fresh concrete is then poured around this reinforcement, in a space left for this purpose.
 TYPES OF CONNECTIONS

1.Beam to Column Connection

2.Column to Floor Connection
3.Panel to Panel Connection

STRUCTURAL STABILITY

The stability of precast concrete structural systems are provided through

bracing. There are number of techniques through which structures are
braced.
FLOOR SLABS - 1.2M WIDTH FOR
HOLLOWCORE SLABS - 2.4M WIDTHS FOR
WIDESLAB ANDDOUBLE-TEES.
COLUMNS - 300MM MINIMUM WIDTH
AND THEREAFTER IN INCREMENTS OF
50MM.
BEAMS - 300MM MINIMUM WIDTH AND
THEREAFTER IN INCREMENTS OF 50MM.
WALLS ARE TYPICALLY PRODUCED IN
150MM OR 200MM SECTION SIZES.
PARTY WALLS - 150MM THICK PRECAST
CONCRETE PARTY WALLS ARE SUFFICIENT
AND IT CAN BE CHANGE ACCORDING TO
REQUIREMENTS
BENEFITS OF USING PRECAST CONCRETE

1.Speed of construction: Precast concrete elements can be manufactured off-site, allowing for faster
construction times.
2.Quality control: Precast concrete units are manufactured in a factory environment, allowing for higher
quality control than casting concrete on-site.
3.Economy on site: Using precast concrete components reduces the need for temporary works, requires
fewer workers, and reduces the construction program, saving costs.
4.Increased safety: Once precast concrete floors are installed, they provide a safe, non-combustible, and
weather-durable working platform for site operatives. Offsite construction also reduces the amount of
labor on site, helping to improve safety.
5.Better durability: Precast concrete elements are typically made with high-quality concrete and
reinforcement, making them more durable than cast-in-place concrete.
6.Greater design flexibility: Precast concrete components can be made in various shapes and sizes.
Repetition of elements can make even complex shapes more affordable.
7.Low maintenance: Precast concrete offers superior weathering and corrosion-resistant qualities.
8.Reduced site disruption: Because precast concrete elements are manufactured offsite, there is less
disruption on the construction site.
9.Thermal and energy efficiency: The material’s high thermal mass can be improved further with
insulation, helping to reduce energy costs.
10.Sustainability: Precast concrete fabrication uses materials and energy resources efficiently. It can also
reduce waste on construction sites and decrease a project’s carbon footprint.
DISADVANTAGES OF USING PRECAST CONCRETE

1.Initial cost: Precast concrete components can be more expensive than cast-in-place concrete but come
as a finished unit, meaning installation on-site can be done with less labor and overall cost than casting
the equivalent unit on-site.
2.Transportation cost: Precast concrete units must be transported from the manufacturing facility to the
construction site, which can add to the project's overall cost.
3.Limited on-site customization: On-site customization may have limited opportunities because precast
concrete elements are manufactured offsite.
4.Limited repair options: If a precast concrete unit is damaged, it may be difficult to repair it on-site.
5.Dependence on the manufacturer: The precast concrete elements' quality and timeliness can depend
on the manufacturer's capabilities.
6.Risk of damage during transportation: Precast concrete units may deteriorate on the way to the
construction site.
7.Limited ability to use on refurbished structures: It may be challenging to incorporate precast concrete
units into existing structures.
8.Increased need for storage: Precast concrete components may need to be stored on site until they are
ready to be installed, which can require additional space.
9.Specialized equipment needed: The handling and installation of precast concrete elements may require
specialized equipment, which can add to the project's cost.
10.Incompatibility with certain soils: Precast concrete elements may not be suitable for use in certain soil
conditions, such as expansive soils that can cause differential settlement.
PRECAST CONCRETE REPAIR

Precast concrete components may require on-site repairs to satisfy the original requirements of the
material. The most common repair methods are:

Patching
• Patches replace damaged or deteriorated concrete with a cementitious material.
• They may be structural (for load transfer) or cosmetic (for visual appearance).

Crack repair
• A low-viscosity epoxy is a good solution to repair cracks.
• It can be installed by gravity flow or pressure injection.
• The cracks should be cleaned before performing the repair.

Connection repair
• The connections may require repair if the components are misplaced or damaged or the embedment is
missing.
• Structural calculations are needed before choosing a repair method.
• Some available solutions are increasing the dimensions of the connection material, installing a new
connection close to the original, or adding stiffeners to the connection.
PRECAST CONCRETE MAINTENANCE
Precast concrete elements usually require little maintenance except when subjected to harsh conditions,
in which case they should be inspected periodically to detect and prevent long-term maintenance
issues. Some of the examples are:
Residential buildings Educational facilities
• Budenberg, Altrincham • Crown Woods School, Greenwich
• The Lansdowne, Birmingham • National School of Ballet, London
• Burlington Gate, London
Public buildings
Office buildings • Victoria and Albert Museum Dundee
• Police Federation of England and Wales HQ, • Roehampton Library
Leatherhead
• Kings Cross P2, London Parking structures
• 11 Baker St, London • Poole Multi-Storey Car Park
• Wakefield Multi Storey Car Park
Hotels
• Ramada Encore Hotel, Warrington Bridges
• Marriott Hotel, Manchester • N22 Bridges over the Sullane and Laney Rivers,
• Motel One and Staycity Aparthotel, Macroom
Manchester • Plymouth Road Bridge, Blackpool
• POINTS OF CONVENTIONAL METHOD MODERN DAY METHOD PREFABRICATED METHOD
DIFFERENTIATION

Frame of ALUMINIUM covered

TIMBER( Plywood Or moisture- STEEL AND ALUMINIUM. with ALUMINIUM OR TIMBER
• MATERIAL USED resistant Particleboard).

• TIME CONSUMPTION VERY TIME CONSUMING. DESIGNED FOR SPEED AND Work happens simultaneously
(For large structures.) EFFICIENCY. (mostly modular) with construction hence saves
time.

• LIFE SPAN The plywood facing has a LONGER LIFE SPAN The frame is very durable
relatively SHORT LIFE SPAN. (If made of metal n aluminium
can be used for 2000 times)

The labour costs are LOWER The labour costs are HIGHER The labour costs are HIGHER
• USED IN than the costs for procuring than the costs for procuring than the costs for procuring
reusable formwork. reusable formwork. reusable formwork.

There is NO FLEXIBILITY after

• FLEXIBILITY MOST FLEXIBLE LESS FLEXIBLE. making the formwork.
TIME OF REMOVAL OF FORMWORK

Sr. Structural Member OPC Rapid

No (Ordinary Portland Hardening
Cement) Cement

1 Beam sides, walls & Columns 2-3 Days 2 Days

2 Slab (Vertical Supports remains intact) 4 Days 3 Days

3 Slab (Complete Formwork removal) 10 Days 5 Days

4 Beams (Removal of Sheeting, Props 8 Days 5 Days

remains intact)
5 Beams & Arches (Complete formwork 14 Days 5-8 Days
removal) (up to 6 m span)
6 Beams & Arches (Complete formwork 21 Days 8-10 Days
removal) (more than 6 m span)
ADVANTAGES OF PRE- FABRICATED FORMWORK

• Very little on-site skilled labor needed.

• The ability to reuse forms either as a large section

or as individual units.

• All prefabricated systems are designed for light as

well as heavy construction.

• Contractors can bid almost any type of work;

straight, battered, curved or cut-up.

• Prefab forms may be set in any combination,

horizontally and vertically, to any wall height.

• On high walls, one side of forms can be erected,

and ties placed; then the close-out side can be
erected during placement, minimizing concrete
drop and assuring effective vibration.
 REASONS TO FAILURE OF PRE- FABRICATED FORMWORK
• Formwork failures are the cause of many accidents and failures that occur during concrete construction
which usually happen when fresh concrete is placed.

• Generally, some unexpected event causes one member to fail, then others become overloaded or
misaligned and the entire formwork structure collapses.

• Some of the more reasons are there for the failure:

✓Improper stripping and shore removal
✓Inadequate bracing
✓Vibration
✓Unstable soil under mudsills, shoring not plumb
✓Inadequate control of concrete placement
✓Lack of attention to formwork details
✓Inadequate cross bracing and horizontal bracing
of shores
Forms sometime collapse when their shores/ jack are displaced by the vibration caused by:
❖ passing traffic
❖ movement of workers & equipment on the formwork
❖ the effect of vibrating concrete to consolidate it
SITE VS. FACTORY PRECASTING

Precasting can be done at a casting yard, in or near the site, or in a factory. A key aspect of determining
whether to use site or factory precasting are the transportation costs.

Factory work offers superior quality for obvious reasons, so if there is a factory close to the site, it
makes sense to use it. If a precasting yard is to be created, below specified activities can be carried out:

• STORING THE RAW MATERIALS, SUCH AS CEMENT, AGGREGATE, SAND, ADMIXTURES, WATER,
REINFORCEMENT BARS, AND STEEL OR PLYWOOD SHEETS FOR FORMWORK
• A FORMWORK MAKING AND MAINTENANCE YARD
• A CONCRETE MIXING PLANT
• A STEEL REINFORCEMENT YARD TO MAKE REBAR CAGES TO BE PLACED INSIDE THE CONCRETE
• A CASTING AREA
• A CURING AREA
• A STACKING AREA FOR FINISHED COMPONENTS​

For infrastructure projects, a casting yard is created on a piece of open land in the city.

It is important that this be located near a major highway, as the precast elements can be very large or
heavy, and cannot be taken through narrow roads.
CONCLUSION

Precast concrete allows you to build faster, safer and save costs. However, the process of casting and
demoulding is critical to meet the project deadline.

If you demould too soon, the elements won't be ready, and you must cast new units. This could delay
the whole project.

If you demould too late, the precast concrete will be stronger, but you are throwing time away.

Precast allows you to demould sooner without losing quality as because:

•It predicts concrete strength on real-time.

•It notifies in advance of the optimum time to demould.

•It keeps track of the precast factory production so no time is wasted.

REFERENCES

1. Elliott, Kim S.: Precast concrete structures. Boca Raton (FL), CRC Press, 2018.
2. Manual for fabrication of precast prestressed concrete products. Springfield, Illinois Department of
Transportation, 2020.
3. Moore, Richard: “An early system of large-panel building”, RIBA Journal, vol. 76, 1969, pp. 383-386.
4. Offsite concrete construction: The solutions. MPA The Concrete Centre, 2018
5. Offsite concrete construction: A guide to the design and construction of precast concrete in buildings.
6. MPA The Concrete Centre, 2019.
7. PCI design handbook: precast and prestressed concrete, 8th Edition. Chicago, Precast/Prestressed
Concrete Institute, 2017.
8. “Precast concrete”, Designing Buildings, Designing Buildings
Ltd, https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Precast_concrete [Accessed on 22 January 2023]
9. https://youtu.be/fqfSZjCzbpU