The Building System
Description of the Building System
In Central Europe, a special type of technology has been developed which systematically splits up the various elements of a construction planned in in situ concrete in order to have them produced as pre-cast concrete parts which, then, only need to be assembled at the construction site. This system is called "Pre-cast parts with in situ concrete finishing". After these parts have been assembled and given the required finishing with in situ concrete, the building they form is considered to be statically as worthy and stable as constructions built monolithically. Apart from this type of pre-cast product, there is also the completely ready made pre-cast parts. Although they are different, both types, in whatever form they come, are generally called 'pre-cast concrete parts'.
Every construction which can be built with in situ concrete can also be built using this technology.
A common misconception concerning pre-cast products is, that they lead to architectural restrictions. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth, for in addition to the typical parts or similar standard units, one can also deconstruct any geometrical element of a building into pre-cast concrete parts and reassemble it at the construction site. The main area where one can apply such technology is in residential and office buildings, as the rooms it creates are aesthetically more beautiful.
Office Building in Belgium
The main advantages are:
- Building with pre-cast concrete elements opens up the opportunity to have a separate production because a part of the required products can be stored ahead of time no matter at what stage the construction is.
- Pre-casting takes place in work sheds and therefore weather conditions are irrelevant.
- Pre-cast concrete parts have a different rate of production than at the construction site. One could therefore stock supply and only deliver the amount required to the construction site.
- This production technology is extremely precise when it comes to measuring. As a result, the usually prescribed width of the fixed concrete layer can be reduced. The steel reinforcement can be built exactly to requirement and therefore used optimally.
- The finished construction is built with a high level of precision.
- Due to a so called "all round calculation" the normally statically required reinforcement can be completely built and set into the concrete parts. As a consequence the time required to process reinforcement material at the construction site is reduced.
- Transporting the pre-cast concrete parts to the construction site is easy. The measurements of most pre-cast concrete parts often do not require the use of a long vehicle. Floor slab elements normally weigh about 130kg/m², double walls about 270kg/m².
- This technology could replace building with skeleton frameworks. The advantage lies in having smooth wall and ceiling surfaces. Visible support structures are no longer required as they are incorporated within the concrete part.
- Pre-cast concrete parts replace formwork at the construction site as they themselves form the layer into which in situ concrete is poured.
- The surface of the pre-cast concrete elements is smooth due to being produced in pallets (steel formwork). Plastering is not required as very often the concrete surface is good enough for paint work.
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