PREFABRICATED STRUCTURES

UNIT 1- INTRODUCTION
• NEED FOR PREFABRICATION
• ADVANTAGES
• MATERIALS
• MODULAR COORDINATION
• STANDARIZATION
• TRANSPORTATION
• ERECTION
 DEFINITION
• Prefabricated building is the completely
assembled and erected building of which the
structural parts consist of prefabricated
materials
 AIM
• To effect economy in cost
• To improve quality
• To speed up construction since no curing is
necessary
• To use locally available materials
 ADVANTAGES
• Work time is reduced
• Less workers needed
• Work done with better technology
• Interruption in connection can be omitted
 Materials of Construction
• Materials like concrete,steel,treated
wood,aluminum etc…
• Special characteristics while choosing
materials
– Easy available
– Economy
– Easy workablity
– Light weight
– Durablity
 MODULAR COORDINATION
• Modular coordination is a concept of
coordination of dimension and space in which
buildng components are positined in terms of
MODULE(M)

• 1M= 100mm
Dimensions of pre fab components
• Flooring and Roofing
– Length- multiple of 3M
– Width – multiple of 1 M
– Thickness – multiple of M/4
• BEAMS
– Length – multiple of 3M
– Width – multiple of M/4
– Depth – multiple of M/4
• Column
– Height – multiple of 1M for ht up to 2.8M and ht
above 28M is multiple of 2M
– Lateral dimension- multiple of M/4

• Wall
Thickness – multiple of M/4

• Staircase
– Width – multiple of 1M
 lintels
– Length – multiple of 1M
– Width – multiple of M/4
– Depth – multiple of M/4
• Sunshade
– Length – multiple of 1M
– Projection- multiple of 1M
 STANDARDIZATION
• Factors influencing :
– Reducing the number of joints by using largest
type of elements
– To select the suitable type of member for each
element from the point of production,assembly
,economy
– To limit the size there by reducing the
transportation and by reducing the over all weight
 ADVANTAGES
• Easier in design
• Easier in manufacture
• Makes repeated use of specified equipments
in erection and completion easier and quicker
 Types of pre cast RC elements
• i) precast concrete foundation structures
– Use of pads should permit larger loads and poorer
soil condition
– Load bearing walls consist of wall blocks,wall
panels,shell units….
– Entire scheme should be simple in design and easy
construction
Prefabrication pad locks
Isolated column footing
Combined footing under two columns
Cross section of completed prefab
footing
 Precast RC slab units
• 1.slabs with precast funicular shell units
– Funicular shells are ideal for shell roofs
– These precast shell are also called waffle shells,
can be either square,rectangular or triangular
– They can be cast in a factory or at site with simple
moulds with concrete or surki mortar
– No reinforcement is req in body of shell since no
tensile stress is developed
– However 6mm mild steel bar is used in edges of
ribs to take care during transportation
Section of shell units
• Slabs with RC joists and hollow clay blocks
– In this joist with bottom flange of width slightly
greater than web width are precast in site and laid
over support
– Space bwn them is adjusted by providing clay
blocks
– The precast joist are provided with reinforcemnt
to take shear and flexure tension.
• Celcrete slab units
– Natural light wt agg is not available in india so
autoclaved aerated concrete is used to produce
slab units
– Also called foam or cellular concrete
– Density is 500-900kg/m3
– C.s is 3MPa-5MPa
– This foam concrte is used in prefab bldg
• Pre cast concrete column
– Bldg constructed by using precast columns and beams
are generaly designed as framed structures
– Connection bwn column and beam is designed in such
a way shear force and moments are transferred
through structural embers
– Connection can be done by placing insitu concret or
welding of projectng steel renforcements
– In some case bolted connection also used to connect
precast columns later coverd wit insitu concrete
 Precast water tank elements
• Water tank can be cast either as part or whole
• Large water tank cannot be prefab at factory
bcoz of over wt .
• Small segemnts are precasted and bolted
together at site
• In order to avoid corrosion stainless steel bolts
are used
• Tanks up to 2.5m ht and 40m in dia have been
built using such segments
 Precast pavement slabs
• Pressed pavement slabs can be made from
palin concrete for covering large open lands
• These elelments can be pressed to obtain
smooth finish and also enhance durablity
• Excess strength is achieved by pressing by
squeezed out in wet state
 Precast retaining wall
• Cantilever type retaining wall itself can be pre
casted if the ht is with in 1.5m
• Normally in railway platform, verandah in
residential bldg are provided with retaining
walls of about this ht
• These retaining wall can be bwn 1.5m-2m
length depending up on facility available
• Weep hole are provided on vertical face to
drain water from fill.
 Transportation
• Transportation of precast elements inside the
factory and to the site is based on not only
economy but also design aspect to avoid jerk
as it s placed in final position
Inside the factory
its based on method of production selected
for manufacture
Transport from factory stacking yard to
site of erection
• It s planed based on traffic rules
• Size is restricted by the availability of suitable
transport equipments such as tractor cum
trailer
• While transporting through wagons, trucks ,
bullock cart etc care should be taken such that
excessive cantilever is avoided
• Also care should be seen at sharp bends and
uneven roads
 Erection
• Factors to be considered
– Precast element position
– Crane capacity
– Crane rotation radius
– Cleaning of elements and site for erection
 Types of crane
• 1.stationary erection
– Guyed derrick
– Climbing carne
– Tower crane with fixed base
• 2. cranes on rails
– Portal crane
– Tower crane
• 3.Mobile crane moving on ground
– Truck mounted
– Crawler mounted
 Stationary cranes
• A.guyed derrick
– Used on framed buildings for errection of floor
panel ,columns .
– Lighter in weight
– Can be shifted from floor to floor operating from
an erected floor.
 b.Climbing crane
• Tall building over 20storeys are constructed
this type crane is used
• Horizontal jib and balancing counter weight is
placed on top of shaft
• It operates around 360 degree and can be
lifted up to new position as buldg goes on
completion and dismantled
• This is used in longest areas
 C . Tower cranes with fixed base
• Places were rail mounted and climbing cranes
are not possible tower cranes can be installed
• These cranes are fixed at base and braced
horizontally to the building portion already
completed as building go up ,the vertical mast
can be hoisted up by special hydraulic jack.
 2. Cranes on rails
• A. portal cranes
– In storage yards and in buildings where the travel
distance is short portal crane is used
– Consist of two vertical legs and horizontal beam
– Travelling trolley is attached to bottom flange of
beam tht carries load horizontally
– It is very stable
 Mobile cranes moving on ground
• A . truck mounted crane
– For quick movements from place to place cranes
are mounted on track with operating cabin and
separate chassis
– Chassis will have generator and motor
– Before operating the crane with loads,crane is
taken off from pneumatic tyres and load
transferred to the ground by simple hydraulic legs
 Crawler mounted cranes
• It s used in excavation ,dredging and material
handling.
• Should be used on a hard and compacted soil
• On loose soil it is difficult to move the crane
with load
• It can operate 360 degree
 Methods for manufacture of pc
elements
• factory prefabrication
• Site prefabrication
 Factory pre fabrication
• Done in centrally located plant
• High level of mechanization
– Preparation of Moulds
– Concreting
– Vibration
– curing
 Major disadvantage
• Extra cost –transportation from plant to site
• Shape and size is limited due to lack of
transportation
 Site prefabrication
• Manufactured at site or near the site
• Normally done in open space with local
labours
• Reduction of transport cost
draw backs:
• Not suitable for high degree mechaniztion
• Continuity of work is not available
 Process involved
• Main process
• Auxiliary process
• Subsidary process
 Main process
• Assembling moulds
• Placing reinforcements in position
• Fixing of tubes if necessary
• Pouring of concrete
• Vibrating
• Demoulding
• curing
 Auxiliary process
• It s necessary for successful completion of
process covered by main process
• Testing products
 Subsidary process
• Storage of materials
• Transport of cement and aggregate
• Transporting and stacking the precast
elements
• Repairs and maintenance of tools,machines
etc…
• Various methods of manufacture of precast
unit can be broadly classfied in two methods
– Stand method
– Flow method
 Stand method
• Moulds remain stationary at factory
• Various elements required for work is casted
in factory itself and then transported to site
 Flow method
• Precast unit under consideration is in
movement according to the various process
involved in it.
• Moulds are transported to site for required
elements
 Cycle of precasting
• Preparation of concrete
• Preparation of reinforcement
• Preparation of moulds
• Assembly of reinforcement in mould
• Casting and compaction
• Curing