CONCEPTS OF PRECAST CONCRETE

by

K. Rajasekhar Reddy
III/IV B.Tech (Civil)
C.M.R.C.E.T, Medchel,
Hyderabad
Cell: 9493519101
Nani7792@gmail.com

K.Sidhartha

III/IV B.Tech (Civil)

C.M.R.C.E.T, Medchel,
Hyderabad

From
VIGNAN’S ENGINEERING COLLEGE,
GUNTUR
ABSTRACT:
Structural precast concrete units are used to form the structural system of a building.
These include columns, beams, girders, floor and roof slabs, and exterior and interior wall
panels. They are cast under factory – controlled conditions and moved to the job site

Precast concrete as a structural engineered stone offers new possibilities in expressing the
intrinsic qualities of the raw materials – cement, aggregates and pigment. Here the material’s
plastic form, the choice and range of colours, combined with surface texturing and profiling
gives scope and great opportunity to design with freedom and imagination. The surface can be
finished with an acid-etch, grit blast, mechanical abrasion or diamond polishing to give it a
terrazzo like appearance

INTRODUCTION:
Precast Concrete is a construction
product produced by casting concrete in a
reusable mould or "form" which is then cured
in a controlled environment, transported to the
construction site and lifted into place. In
contrast, standard concrete is poured into site-
specific forms and cured on site. Precast stone
is distinguished from precast concrete by using
a fine aggregate in the mixture so the final
product approaches the appearance of naturally
occurring rock or stone.

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. Utilizing a Precast Concrete system offers many potential advantages over
site casting of concrete. The production process for Precast Concrete is performed on ground
level which helps with safety throughout a project. There is a greater control of the quality of
materials and workmanship in a precast plant rather than on a construction site. Financially, the
forms used in a precast plant may be reused hundreds to thousands of times before they have to
be replaced which allow cost of formwork per unit to be lower than for site-cast production.
• Every construction material & system has its own characteristics which to a greater or
less extend influence the layout, span length, construction depth, stability system, ect.
This is also the case for precast concrete , not only in comparison to steel, wood, &
masonry structures, but also with respect to cast in-situ concrete. Theoretically, all joints
between the precast units could be made in such a way that the completed precast
structure has the same monolithic concept as a in-situ one. However, this is a wrong
approach & one, which is very labour intensive & costly. If the full advantages of precast
concrete are to be realized, the structure should be conceived according to its specific
design philosophy:

Structural Components
• Precast Foundation
• Precast Beams & Columns
• Precast Building System

Precast Foundation
To enhance strength and durability, they are manufactured with steel-reinforced
concrete studs, rigid insulation(optional), a reinforced top and bottom bond
(footer) beam and a 2-inch thick concrete facing

Precast Building System

• Precast concrete frame
• Precast concrete wall
• Precast concrete floor
Precast concrete frame
 Precast concrete frames are designed as structural elements have heavier
reinforcement than is required for non-structural cladding.
 Elegant connections are required between columns and beams to transfer considerable
forces without adversely affecting the visual appearance of the frame.
Precast concrete wall
 Can be load bearing or only partition walls. The surface of the elements is smooth on
both sides & ready for painting or wall papering.
 Precast walls offer the advantage of smooth surface finishing, acoustic insulation &
fire resistance.
Precast concrete Floor
 Hollow core Floors
 Hollow core Composite Floors
 Solid Composite Floors

Tendencies In Precast Concrete

• Structural efficiency
• Flexibility in use
• Optimum use of materials
• Speed of construction
• Quality consciousness
• Protection of the environment

Erecting Precast Concrete

1. Planning
• After the structural design work has
been completed and reviewed, the
plans go to the company that will
cast the unit..
2. Transporting units to the site
• Deliveries of precast members are usually made by truck. This requires the
shipper to do some careful planning. The distance of the job, the type, size, and
weight of the member, the type of vehicle required the weather, road conditions,
and other such factors. Must be considered.

3. Rigging
• Refers to the equipment, cables, slings, and other hoisting equipment used to lift
the precast units into place. This is the work of specialists.
• Prestressed members must never be lifted by their center only, and they should
not be lifted or stored upside down. They must be kept in the upright position in
which they will be installed. If lifting devices are not in the member, it can
usually be safely lifted by slings placed near each end.

4. Placing Precast Units

• The foundations and footings are cast – in – place and carefully located.
Tolerances are rather tight, and assembly will halt if tolerances have not been
carefully maintained.
• The structure may be built using precast columns
and beams. The columns are lifted and placed with
a crane, then plumbed and grouted with drypack
grout.
• Columns are joined by beams and the floor decking
is set in place. Floor decking often is hollow core
units.

5. Framing Plan
• The specific way these are drawn varies but the information shown is consistent.
Single or double tees also are often used for floor decking. Double tees are
preferred to single tees because they do not require bracing during erection.
 • Some buildings use precast structural walls instead of columns. These are erected
on foundations and braced until members abutting them in place.
• If precast exterior wall panels are used to enclose the building, they are lifted in
place and secured to the structural frame.

CONCLUSION

• Pre-fabrication has a great potential to respond to new market demands. Possible solution
lie not only within the classical advantages related to working conditions, technology &
speed of construction, but also in new developments of materials such as high
performances & self-compacting concrete, buildings system such as mixed structures,
manufacturing technology, automation, service integrated products & others