LOW COST EFFECTIVE BUILDING DESIGN AND

CONSTRUCTION IX
Describe any four innovative building techniques for
low cost construction.

Shabnam
24/08
Prefabrication

The practice of assembling 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 located.

• Time and cost is saved if similar construction tasks are grouped

• Assembly line techniques can be employed in prefabrication at a location
where skilled labour is available
• Congestion at the assembly site, which wastes time, can be reduced
• Finds application particularly where the structure is composed of repeating
units, or where multiple copies of the same basic structure are being
constructed
• Self-supporting ready-made components are used, so the need for
formwork, shuttering and scaffolding is greatly reduced.
• Less waste may occur

Prefabrication techniques are used in the construction of apartment blocks,

and housing developments with repeated housing units. The quality of
prefabricated housing units had increased to the point that they may not be
distinguishable from traditionally-built units to those that live in them.

Classification of Prefab Materials:

Large Prefabricates: wall, roofs, floors,

staircase, slabs– these are suitably
textured and finished on the external
façade.
Walls are replaced by blocks or panels
with internal finishes done at site.

Factory made Pre-Fabricates classified as:

1. Large or Small prefabricates: Where area is less than 2m²

2. Light, Medium or Heavy prefabricates:
1. light– weight less than 30 kgs and no mechanical equipment is
required for handling.
2. Medium– less than 500 kg and simple mechanical equipment is
required.
3. Heavy– more than 500 kgs and specific equipment is required

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3. Mono planer( 2d blocks, panels or beams) and Space prefab (entire room in
3d, example habitat 67)
4. Homogenous and composite
homogenous– one constituent material
composite– sandwiched units with different structural or
thermal properties.

Partial prefabrication

• Precast stone masonry block

• bigger stones molded with cement mix.
• 1’x8”x6”

• Prefab floor/roof using structural clay panels

• ribbed hollow clay panels

• Prefab floor/roof using joists

• Concrete Skelton system

• Brick panel system

• Integrated thin wall and column system

• Brick Skelton system.

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Disadvantages
• Careful handling of prefabricated components such as concrete panels or
steel and glass panels is required.
• Attention has to be paid to the strength and corrosion-resistance of the
joining of prefabricated sections to avoid failure of the joint.
• Similarly, leaks can form at joints in prefabricated components.
• Transportation costs may be higher for voluminous prefabricated sections
than for the materials of which they are made, which can often be packed
more efficiently.
• Large prefabricated sections require heavy-duty cranes and precision
measurement and handling to place in position.
• Larger groups of buildings from the same type of prefabricated elements
tend to look drab and monotonous.
• Local jobs may be lost, if the work done to fabricate the components being
located in a place far away from the place of construction. This means that
there are less locals working on any construction project at any time,
because fabrication is outsourced.

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Terra-cotta

Canter for Science for Villages, Wardha, India has developed technique of
providing potter made tile lining to mud-walls protecting them from rain and
moisture. In place of potter made tiles, Kiln-fired brick or tiles may also be
used to protect mud walls from rains. These tiles/bricks can be fixed with mud
mortar & pointed with cement mortar.

Terracotta Interlocking Tubes

Hollow burnt clay tubes are stacked to achieve catenary vaults that require no
structural steel. Substructure such as wooden rafters in terracotta roof tile
applications are redundant as the system is self supporting. Neither is
shuttering required. This leads to an insulated roof based on locally produced
materials and quick assembly.

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Terracotta Filler Slabs
An option for building floor slabs that are not the uppermost and as such not
requiring thermal insulation. The idea is to increase the effective slab depth
and there by save steel substantially, while also reducing the volume of
concrete by creating voids. Inexpensive com- monly used shuttering planks
can be used to achieve good finish and plaster and paint can be eliminated
leading to further savings.

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Terracotta Jack Arches
Series of shallow vaults are built out of hollow burnt clay trapezoidal tubes that
are assembled between prefabricated trapezoidal beams involving minimal steel
for reinforcement, which is far less than the regular RCC slab. This option is ideal
for roofs that are the uppermost layer and therefore need insulation, but where
the vault cannot be applied, such as in the case of a desired flat terrace above.

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Rammed Earth
Lightly moistened soil excavated from the site or nearby is compacted in a
shuttering similar to concrete for monolithic walls. The walls may be stabilized
as in this case with an addition of 5% of cement to the soil mixture which makes
the walls water resistant.

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Ferro cement
Ferro cement is a type of thin-wall reinforced concrete construction where
cement is reinforced with layers of small diameter mesh, of metallic or other
materials. Although similar to reinforced concrete the amount and distribution
of reinforcement is such that it acts as a composite material exhibiting a
completely different behaviour compared to reinforced concrete. Ferro
cement is always less than 3 cm thick and reinforced concrete usually more
than 10 cm. It is easy to fabricate and skills for construction are quickly
acquired, including many skills traditional in developing countries. Ferro
cement construction does not need heavy plant or machinery; it is labour
intensive.