Precast walls are popularly used in mid-rise buildings such as motels, hotels, offices, hospitals, nursing homes, and apartments. These insulated wall panels offer a soundproof interior for single units and fire resistance for the building. These concrete panels are being used since the 20th century, but they have been widely used since 1960. Now it has undergone extensive modernization and is commonly used in the construction industry. Some precast panels are used as column covers, and some spread over many floors; it has height and is added in window openings.
The architect chooses the cladding material based on looks, offers details of performance and weatherproofing. The structural engineers then initiate the design process of the structure to support the cladding, assign connection points, and measure the consequences of structural movement on the cladding. TSSC, as a precast panel manufacturer, designs cladding for erection loads, connection details, mentioned loads, and offers for the performance, weatherproofing, and robustness of the cladding. Precast walls provide different colors, shapes, finishes, and textures.
There are four types of precast panels that are used for building envelopes:
- Curtain walls – These are standard cladding used for building envelopes. These panels do not shift the vertical loads and only encloses the space. These are designed to resist seismic forces, wind, and forces necessary to shift the weight of the concrete walls to the support. You can take off these units one by one if needed.
- Load-bearing walls – These units offer resistance and transport load from different elements. It cannot be taken off without hindering the stability and strength of the building.
- Shear wall panels – These are functional in providing load resisting laterally when united with the diaphragm action of the floor structure. The efficiency of these panels hugely depends on the connections between them.
- Formwork for cast-in-place concrete – Sometimes, the precast panels in UAE are used as formwork for cast-in-place concrete. Here, the panels act as the foam offering a lot of aesthetics to the system. The cast-in-place provides the structural constituent of the system.
Now, take a look at the benefits of precast walls:
Thermal insulation – All the elements of this panel function together to offer a higher level of insulation. A building made of precast concrete can lower energy consumption by almost 30%.
Faster installation: When precast panels are transported to the site, they are ready to install, and the process can happen quickly. For instance, an experienced team like ours can install 20-30 panels that measure 12 feet in a single day.
Fire and sound resistance – These panels act as a barrier of fire and sound. The panels are capable of offering 2-4 hours fire rating; these are also not affected by chemical fires.
Offers wind resistance and can bear loads – The panels are capable of resisting the forces of the wind. The structural panels are made of steel strand that is pre-stressed and durable concrete so it can easily bear a load of a building.
AT TSSC, we construct precast panels in UAE with care and run a quality check before supplying to the market. These panels require maintenance, the sealant in the joints needs to be taken care of and also protection systems. In case a concrete coating or sealant is used to improve the look and feel or to lower the level of moisture penetration inside the panels, you need to reapply the coat of sealer after a few years.
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