What is Precast Concrete?
Precast concrete is a type of construction material made by pouring concrete into a reusable mold or “form,” curing it in a controlled environment, then transporting it to the job site and lifting it into position.
Cast-in-place concrete, on the other hand, is poured into site-specific molds and cured on location.
Precast is utilized on both the outside and inside of buildings. Precast concrete is allowed to cure properly and be continuously monitored by plant staff by being produced in a controlled setting (usually referred to as a precast factory).
Using a precast concrete system offers many potential advantages over onsite casting.
The Benefits of Precast Concrete
Precast Concrete Products are More Comfortable
Thermal inertia (allowing for a more consistent temperature in both cold and hot locations) and acoustic insulation are inherent qualities of the material.
Precast Concrete Materials are Safer
Concrete construction not only maintains structural stability for extended periods but also prevents fire from spreading from one building to another. It is sturdy enough to withstand impacts, blasts, and natural disasters such as earthquakes, tornadoes, and floods.
Precast concrete production can be done on the ground level, which improves project safety.
Precast Concrete has More Uses
Surface finishing, color range, and unique shapes are all available in factory manufacturing. Another advantage of precast concrete is its moldability, which allows designers to replicate classic elements such as keystones and capitals or emulate the finish of materials such as worn stones.
The precast concrete industry has access to a diverse range of aggregates and can create a wide range of colors and visual effects.
The alleged lack of adaptability of precast concrete is a common argument cited against it. While customization has its limitations, there are other instances where a perceived lack of adaptability is incorrect.
Precast concrete is more versatile than site-cast concrete in many ways because it is supplied to such a diverse range of clients for such a diverse range of applications. There are many different motifs, colors, and finishes to choose from, as well as smaller precast architectural features.
Precast concrete is Healthy
All of us are concerned about indoor air quality. Precast concrete remains stable throughout its life and requires no chemical treatment to protect it from decay and insect attack, resulting in no emissions into the internal environment.
Precast Concrete Material May be Optimized
In comparison to a building site, a precast plant has more control over material quality and workmanship. When compared to cast-on-site concrete, advanced technologies utilized in precasting facilities produce a higher-quality output (i.e. lower tolerances, smaller sections, and tailored solutions).
Precast Concrete is Strong and Durable
Concrete is a long-lasting material. Where structural stability must be maintained for long periods, concrete is used. Effective design details extend the life of a concrete structure, and precast manufacturers may provide advice on how to design for longevity.
Precast Concrete Materials are Friendly to the Environment
Precast concrete, which is made of natural raw materials (stones, gravels, sand, and cement) that are readily available practically everywhere and in large quantities, has the lowest overall environmental impact when compared to other construction materials.
Precast Concrete Materials are Easier and Faster to Construct With
When the foundations have not yet begun, the top floor of a skyscraper can be cast in the factory. However, modern building project needs favor just-in-time delivery! Precast concrete building on-site is not only faster but also safer, as secure working platforms can be constructed immediately.
Precast Concrete Materials areAffordable
Precast concrete blends the high quality of factory-produced concrete with the low cost of the material. The expense of repairing and maintaining concrete structures is quite low. As a result, there is no need to sacrifice quality to save money; simply choose the most efficient approach to employ locally available resources.
Precast Concrete is Efficient and Sustainable
You will be maximizing material efficiency by using precast concrete. Material waste is reduced thanks to the precision of precast concrete. On-site, this is far more difficult to achieve because the inefficiency of concrete preparation encourages contractors to mix more concrete than is required just in case.
Economies of Scale
Furthermore, because precast concrete slabs employ standard shapes, they may be mass-produced, resulting in cost savings. Because precast concrete is manufactured in a factory and is standardized, the price is fixed, allowing you to correctly budget construction costs and avoid going over budget.
Applications of Precast Concrete
Building and Site Amenities
Fireplace mantels, cladding, trim products, accessories, and curtain walls are all examples of architectural uses for precast concrete building components and site amenities. Foundations, beams, floors, walls, and other structural components are all examples of precast concrete’s structural applications.
Utility Structures
Precast concrete utility structures protect the key connections and controls for utility distribution in communications, electrical, gas, and steam systems. Precast concrete is harmless and safe for the environment.
Sanitary and stormwater
Precast concrete components are used to produce precast concrete products such as stormwater detention vaults, catch basins, and manholes.
Transportation and traffic-related products
Precast concrete transportation products, such as culverts, bridge systems, railroad crossings, sound walls/barriers, tunnel segments, concrete barriers, and other transportation products, are used in the construction, safety, and site protection of road, airport, and railroad transportation systems.
What Makes Precast Concrete Superior to Site Cast Concrete?
Quality control
Ideal conditions and fine measurements can be maintained throughout the process since precast concrete is mixed, poured, and cured in a factory. Unfortunately, the difficulties of casting on location make this much more difficult.
The humidity and temperature of the day you’re casting are factors to consider. You must complete the task with significantly less precise tools. Even under optimal conditions, the end consequence is a lower-quality product.
Labor efficiency
Because the task is done in a factory, the effort is maximized by utilizing tools and machinery that would otherwise be unavailable on the project site. As a result, work that could be done with machines must be done by hand with site casting.
This is substantially more labor demanding, resulting in higher labor expenses and a more expensive procedure.
Furthermore, because no machines are involved, on-site casting requires expert rather than unskilled labor. As a result, not only are more labor hours required, but they are also more expensive!
Curing conditions
Curing times can be shortened without losing strength or quality since curing conditions can be controlled in production. On the ground, it just isn’t the case. While there are some things you can do on-site to speed up the curing process, they are challenging and often not worth the logistical hassle and costs.
Furthermore, because delicate variables are difficult to account for, they risk producing lower-quality concrete. Precast is the only method to move forward with confidence if you need fast curing.
Full strength
Concrete does not become strong immediately after curing because it increases strength over time. Precast concrete, on the other hand, is hardened before it is delivered to the construction site. With site-cast concrete, this is not the case.
You must wait for the site-cast concrete to set completely before you can raise it into place. This can cause development to be delayed and costs to rise. It saves time and money to have fully hardened concrete slabs ready to be installed as soon as they arrive.
Furthermore, you do not need to conduct strength testing on-site because the precast undergoes a strength test during quality control inspections in the factory.This is essential for assuring the safety of your structure.
Because the precast concrete process is outsourced to the manufacturer, your job site will be considerably more time and cost-effective.
Cast ahead of time
With precast concrete, you may cast your materials ahead of time and store them until you need them. Unfortunately, site-cast concrete makes overlapping activities and increasing efficiency nearly impossible.
Because of the amount of space and personnel necessary for on-site casting, most projects must be halted while materials are being prepared. This is an expensive method to wait around.
Weather
If rainfall strikes when you’re sight casting, it can bring your construction project to a standstill. Thankfully, when it comes to precast solutions, this isn’t an issue. If it’s raining when your precast slabs arrive, you can still move them into place as if it were a sunny day.
Insulation
Because precast concrete is manufactured in a factory, certain components that cannot be added to site-cast concrete can be incorporated. One of the most popular additions is more insulation.
When constructing a structure, you can save both labor and architectural design space by inserting additional insulating materials within the concrete slab.
Precast concrete offers a particular benefit as more builders strive for green ratings for their buildings, both for the good public relations and the energy savings throughout the life of the building.
Specialized Reinforcement
Specialty structural reinforcements can be added to precast concrete in the same way as specialized insulation can. This is critical for some applications because it permits the panel to carry weights at a thickness that would be impossible with standard poured concrete.
By reducing the quantity of material required to make a structure structurally sound, you can save money while also reducing the strain on existing resources.
Specialized high-strength concrete necessitates stringent mixing and curing conditions. On-site control of these conditions is impossible. You can utilize specialtyhigh-strength concrete for your construction since industrial production provides for greater environmental control.
