ADVANTAGES OF PRECAST MANUFACTURE
Ten top reasons for choosing precast, by the European Federation for Precast Concrete
1. Comfort
The material has intrinsic properties of thermal inertia (allowing a more constant temperature both in cold and hot regions) and acoustic insulation.
2. Versatility
Precast Factory production of concrete panels allows for a wide choice of surface finishing, colour range and special shapes. Precast concrete has another advantage - its mouldability, which allows designers to copy classical details like keystones and capitals or match the finish of materials like weathered stones.
3. Optimisation
Advanced technologies used in the precasting plants create a better quality product (i.e. reduced tolerances, thinner sections, engineered solutions) compared with concrete cast on site. Additionally, this quality can be checked before a unit is inserted into the structure or site work.
4. Environmental
Made of natural raw materials (stones, gravels, sand, cement), locally available almost everywhere and in an enormous quantity, precast concrete minimises the whole life cycle impact on the environment when compared with other construction materials.
Precast concrete units can entirely be re-used or recycled (almost 100% of a concrete building can be recycled, no matter how heavily reinforced).
5. Affordability
Precast concrete combines the consistent quality of factory production with a relatively inexpensive material. The costs to repair and maintain concrete structures are highly limited, so it is better to get it right first time and to choose the best way to use locally available resources.
6. Safety
Not only is the structural stability maintained for longer periods, but precast concrete construction prevents the spread of the fire from one building to another. It is sufficiently strong to resist impacts, blasts and natural catastrophes like earthquakes, tornadoes and floods.
7. Stability
Precast concrete is stable throughout its life and does not need chemical treatment to protect it against rot and insect attack.
8. Durability
Egyptian and Chinese people use an ancient form of concrete for buildings and structures that still exist today and in many ways these ancient civilizations were the pioneers of precast moulds and systems still used worldwide today.
Precast concrete elements are used where the structural stability has to be maintained for long periods. Effective design detailing helps to lengthen the life of a concrete building; precast manufacturers can offer guidance on designing for durability.
9. Speed
The top floor of a skyscraper can be precast manufactured and cast in a factory when the foundations have not yet started, but project requirements of modern construction sites typically prefer just-in-time deliveries. On-site construction using precast factory cast concrete elements is not only faster, but also safer as secure working platforms are quickly established.
10. Sustainability
Sustainable means a “three-win” situation for the three pillars of our society - people, profit and the planet. If only one of these elements is “negative”, a solution can’t be considered sustainable. Precast moulds and precast systems with the modern advancements in sustainable ‘green’ concrete can fulfil this requirement.