Precast concrete

Precast concrete is a 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. Precast stone is distinguished from
precast concrete using a fine aggregate in the mixture, so the final product approaches
the appearance of naturally occurring rock or stone. More recently expanded
polystyrene is being used as the cores to precast wall panels. This is lightweight and
has better thermal insulation.
Precast is used within exterior and interior walls. By producing precast concrete in a
controlled environment (typically referred to as a precast plant), the precast concrete is
afforded the opportunity to properly cure and be closely monitored by plant employees.
Using a precast concrete system offers many potential advantages over onsite casting.
Precast concrete production can be performed on ground level, which helps with safety
throughout a project. There is greater control over material quality and workmanship in
a precast plant compared to a construction site. The forms used in a precast plant can
be reused hundreds to thousands of times before they have to be replaced, often
making it cheaper than onsite casting when looking at the cost per unit of formwork.[1

Precast concrete products

Agricultural products[edit]
Precast concrete products can withstand the most extreme weather conditions and will
hold up for many decades of constant usage. Products include bunker silos, cattle feed
bunks, cattle grid, agricultural fencing, H-bunks, J-bunks, livestock slats, livestock
watering trough, feed troughs, concrete panels, slurry channels, and more.
Building and site amenities

Multi-storey car parks are commonly constructed using precast concrete. The
constructions involve putting together precast parking parts which are multi-storey
structural wall panels, interior and exterior columns, structural floors, girders, wall
panels, stairs, and slabs. These parts can be large; for example, double-tee structural
floor modules need to be lifted into place with the help of precast concrete lifting anchor
systems

Retaining walls[edit]
Precast concrete provides manufacturers with the ability to produce a wide range of
engineered earth retaining systems. Products include: commercial retaining walls,
residential walls, sea walls, mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) panels, modular block
systems, segmental retaining walls, etc. Retaining walls have five different types which
include: gravity retaining wall, semigravity retaining wall, cantilever retaining wall,
counterfort retaining wall, and buttress retaining wall.[7]

Utility structures[edit]
. For communications, electrical, gas or steam systems, precast concrete utility
structures protect the vital connections and controls for utility distribution. Precast
concrete is nontoxic and environmentally safe. Products include: hand
holes, hollowcore products, light pole bases, meter boxes, panel vaults, pull boxes,
telecommunications structures, transformer pads, transformer vaults, trenches, utility
buildings, utility vaults, utility poles, controlled environment vaults (CEVs), and other
utility structures

Prestressed concrete[edit]
Prestressing is a technique of introducing stresses into a structural member during
fabrication and/or construction to improve its strength and performance. This technique
is often employed in concrete beams, columns, spandrels, single and double tees, wall
panels, segmental bridge units, bulb-tee girders, I-beam girders, and others. Many
projects find that prestressed concrete provides the lowest overall cost, considering
production and lifetime maintenance.[7]
Applications and benefits[edit]
Precast concrete sandwich wall panels have been used on virtually every
type of building, including schools, office buildings, apartment buildings,
townhouses, condominiums, hotels, motels, dormitories, and single-family
homes. Although typically considered part of a building's enclosure or
"envelope," they can be designed to also serve as part of the building's
structural system, eliminating the need for beams and columns on the
building perimeter. Besides their energy efficiency and aesthetic versatility,
they also provide excellent noise attenuation, outstanding durability
(resistant to rot, mold, etc.), and rapid construction.
In addition to the good insulation properties, sandwich panels require fewer
work phases to complete. Compared to double-walls, for example, which
have to be insulated and filled with concrete on site, sandwich panels
require much less labor and scaffolding.[15]
Advantages of Prestressed Concrete:
1. Prestressed concrete members are free from cracks and the
resistance to the effect of impact, shock, and stresses are higher
than rcc structures.
2. Longevity of prestressed structure is greater than rcc structure
because the reinforcement stays unaffected from outer agencies.
3. High compressive strength of concrete and high tensile strength of
steel are used for prestressing that makes it more economical.
4. Smaller sections can be used for longer span by reducing the section
of members.
5. Prestressed members are lighter in weight and easily transportable.
6. It requires a smaller amount of construction materials.
7. The shear resistance of members can be increased by using curved
tendons.
8. Prestressing also reduces the diagonal tension in concrete.

Disadvantages Of Prestressed Concrete:

1. The main disadvantage of prestressing is that it requires some
special equipment like jacks, anchorage etc, which pretends the use
of prestressing.
2. High tensile steel is required for prestressing that is very difficult to
procure.
3. It requires highly skilled workers and should be prepared under
expert supervision.
4. It is costlier than other rcc structures.

Advantages of Precast Concrete

There are many advantages of precast concrete. They are discussed below.

1. Saves Construction Time: Precast Concrete construction saves time, the risk of
project delay is also less. The precast concrete casting can be carried on
simultaneously with other works on site such as earthwork, survey, etc. and thus
saves time.
2. Quality Assurance: The key factors which regulate the quality of construction such
as curing, temperature, mix design, formwork, etc. can be monitored for Precast
Concrete. So, improved quality construction can be performed.
3. Usage of Prestressed Concrete: By using pre-stressed precast, structural
materials of high strength and load-bearing capacity can be achieved, which can
 result in greater clear span, reduced size of the cross-section of structural members,
etc.
4. Cost-effective: The simplified construction process reduces the time, increases the
productivity, quality and safety and thus the cost is reduced.
5. Durability: Precast Concrete structure has a longer service time period and minimal
maintenance. The high-density Precast Concrete is more durable to acid attack,
corrosion, impact, reduces surface voids and resists the accumulation of dust.
6. Aesthetics: As the structures are prefabricated in a controlled factory environment,
several combinations of colors and textures can be used. A wide range of shapes
and sizes are available to choose from with smooth finishing and thus the aesthetical
value of products are increased.
7. Safe Construction Platform: No raw materials have to be stocked in site for
Precast Concrete construction. It reduces the requirement of traditional formworks
and props, wastage, workers, etc. and thus provides a safe working platform.

Disadvantages of Precast Concrete

There are some disadvantages to precast concrete. They are discussed below.

1. High Initial Investment: For installing a Precast Concrete plant, heavy and
sophisticated machines are necessary which requires a high initial investment. A
large scale of precast construction projects must be available to ensure sufficient
profit.
2. Transportation Issue: The construction site can be at a distant location from the
Precast Concrete plant. In that case, the precast members must be carried to the
site using trailers. In many cases, the reduced costs of Precast Concrete is
compensated by the transportation cost.
3. Handling Difficulties: Proper care and precaution have to be taken for handling
precast concrete. Usually, precast members are heavy and large which makes it
difficult to handle without damage. Generally, portable or tower cranes are used to
handle precast members.
4. Modification: Limitation In case of precast structures, it is difficult to modify the
structure. For example, if a structural wall is to be dismantled for modification it will
impact the overall stability of the structure.
5. Sensitive Connection Works: Assembling of the precast members is one of the
key points for ensuring strong structural behavior. Connections between several
structural members must be supervised and done properly to ensure the intended
behavior of the connection such as simple, semi-rigid or rigid connections. Besides
this, faulty connections may lead to water leakage and fail sound insulation.

Modern materials
Fibre Reinforced Concrete Fiber reinforced concrete is a type of concrete which contains
fibrous material which enhances the structural integrity. The reinforcement for this type of
concrete is internal and it does not require additional reinforcement. Its necessities are: 1) It
increases the tensile strength of the concrete. 2) It increases the durability of the concrete. 3) It
reduces the air voids and water voids. a) Advantages of Fibre Reinforced Concrete i) It enhances
the strength of the concrete. ii) Ductility, impact resistance, tensile and bending strength are
improved. iii) Fibers help in reducing the cracks
Self-Compacting Concrete Self-compacting concrete is a type of special concrete which does not
require vibration for placing and compaction. It has ability to flow under its own weight. The
hardened concrete is dense, homogeneous and possesses the same engineering properties and
durability similar to traditional vibrated concrete. The advantages of self compacting concrete is
as follows:- 1) Self compacting concrete provides faster construction 2) It helps in reducing the
requirement of manpower at the site. 3) It enhances the durability of the concrete. 4) It helps in
reducing the noise level.

1. Translucent wood as construction material

We now have translucent wood that can be used to develop windows and
solar panels. It is created by first, removing the lining in the wood veneer and
then through nanoscale tailoring. The resulting effect creates translucent
wood that has various application in the construction industry.

In most constructions, mild steel is used. It has immense strength, which

makes it an ideal choice for constructing buildings. Apart from
that structural steel is tensile, ductile, flexible, and cost-effective
Architectural glass is glass that is used as a building material. It is most typically used
as transparent glazing material in the building envelope, including windows in the
external walls. Glass is also used for internal partitions and as an architectural feature.
When used in buildings, glass is often of a safety type, which include reinforced,
toughened and laminated glasses.
A nanometre-scale coating of titanium dioxide on the outer surface of glass introduces
two mechanisms which lead to the self-cleaning property. The first is a photo-catalytic
effect, in which ultra-violet rays catalyse the breakdown of organic compounds on the
window surface; the second is a hydrophilic effect in which water is attracted to the
surface of the glass, forming a thin sheet which washes away the broken-down organic
compounds.
nsulating glass, or double glazing, consists of a window or glazing element of two or
more layers of glazing separated by a spacer along the edge and sealed to create a
dead air space between the layers. This type of glazing has functions of thermal
insulation and noise reduction. When the space is filled with an inert gas it is part
of energy conservationsustainable architecture design for low energy buildings.

expansion joint
In building construction, an expansion joint is a mid-structure separation
designed to relieve stress on building materials caused by building movement
induced by:

 thermal expansion and contraction caused by temperature changes,

 sway caused by wind
 seismic events
 static load deflection
 live load deflection

. They are commonly found between sections

of buildings, bridges, sidewalks, railway tracks, piping systems, ships, and other
structures.

expansion joint
becomes the main source of leakages in the structure which
can ruin the interiors of the
building if not sealed or treated confidently.
Parapet Wall
A parapet originally meant a defensive mini-wall
made of earth or stone that was built to protect
soldiers on the roof of a fort or a castle. Now it
indicates any low wall along the roof of a building,
the edge of a balcony, the side of a bridge, or
similar structure.
These days, parapet walls are used more as a guard to help prevent the
spread of fires. In fact, they are also often referred to as fire walls. This
portion of the wall which extends above the existing roof system must be as
fire resistant as the lower wall.
Taller parapets can actually help prevent people from falling from the edge.
If your commercial building will house guests in the roof, make sure your
wall is tall enough for this
colors
RGB refers to the primary colors of light, Red, Green and Blue, that are
used in monitors, television screens, digital cameras and
scanners. CMYK refers to the primarycolors of pigment: Cyan, Magenta,
Yellow, and Black.
 Scanners, digital cameras and computer monitors use red, green and
blue (RGB) light to display color.
 Commercial printing presses print with cyan, magenta, yellow and
black (CMYK) ink, called process printing, instead of RGB light, and therefore
produce a different range of color.
Aesthetics
Aesthetics is the branch of philosophy that deals with the nature and
expression of beauty.

A set of principles followed by the Architectural designers or any designers for that matter
for the evolution of the end product that is aesthetically pleasing to the eye, is called
aesthetics. It is directly influenced by the artistic taste of an individual.

Aesthetics is concerned with bringing art into the daily lives of the people. Like people need
colorful, designer clothes to wear and taste and presentation of food. Likewise, people like to
live and work in places that are beautifully designed and are aesthetically pleasing to the eye.

When a building is designed, the aesthetic aspects can be satisfied using elements such as
sloped roof, decorative columns, roofs for window elements, and semicircular and segmental
arches.

The philosophy of aesthetics can be mastered by any designer if he follows these key
elements listed below…
1. Mass and space
2. Proportion
3. Symmetry
4. Balance
 5. Contrast
6. Pattern
7. Decoration
8. Massing

Sky Line

A skyline is the horizon created by a city's overall structure, or by human intervention in

a non-urban setting or in nature.

Spiritual skylines indicate to us that the community values its religious institutions,
allowing places of worship to remain dominant and uncontested. Communal
skylines portray civic buildings such as city halls as most prominent, placing
emphasis on places that people share with one another. Laissez-faire skylines
express non-interference and freedom, reflecting the most potent forces in the
city. Ecological skylines show respect or adherence to the natural landscape, with
buildings complementing the scene. Skylines can convey information about a
society’s values, which may subsequently inform a city’s identity