Precast concrete framing

Precast concrete framing are well traditional for the construction of low- rise and multi
storey building. There are also have a lot of examples of precast concrete framing in
retail, industrial and warehousing developments.

The skeletal framed system contains of main structural components of beams, columns,
connections and bases. The layout of floor system consists of precast beams in both
transverse and longitudinal directions of the building. Precast beam –column
subassemblages have the advantages that the connecting faces between the
subassemblages can be placed away from the critical frame regions.

However, most of the linear elements are mostly favored because of the hardness
associated with forming, handling and erecting spatial elements. Placing the connecting
faces at the beam-column junctions is use by linear elements. It can be placed on
corbels at the columns, for easiness of construction and to help the shear transfer from
the beam to the column. The beam-column joints accomplished in this way are hinged.

A precast reinforced concrete space frame considered as load – bearing structure. It is

built by using two main modular elements which is cruciform element and linear beam
element. The cruciform element consists of the transverse frame joint with half of the
adjacent beam and column lengths. Installing the precast beam elements in between the
transverse frame joints is always considered as longitudinal frames.

The precast elements are connected by welding the projected reinforcement bars and
casting the concrete in place. Joints between the cruciform elements are located at the
mid-span of beams and columns, whereas the longitudinal precast beam-column
connections are located close to the columns.
Advantages of precast concrete framing

 Fire resistance – concrete itself consisted fire resistance which is present during
all construction phases. It is typically reached without any application of
additional sprays or linings. This is an important inherent benefit over steel and
timber types. Precise frames are commonly considered for one hour inbuilt fire
rating. This will deeply reduces the need for additional fire protection and the
associated costs.

 Reduced construction time– Time- consuming works which is formwork,

scaffoldings and curing are needed to produce a structural element. Most of the
precast elements are made in factory, when the structural elements are need
they will send to the site immediately and assembled to forming the structural
frame and build up the building.

 Reduced construction cost – In precast concrete machineries plants are utilized

with some technicians attending to certain production process. This deeply
reduced the number of unskilled labor requirements.

 Increased quality of structural elements – most of the precast elements is

constructed in plants by used of modern techniques and machineries. Raw
materials such as concrete, sand, reinforcement bars and prestressing strands
are under high level of quality control. Precast components have higher density
and better crack control and provide better protection from harsh weathers and
sound insulation.

 Flexibility of forms and shapes – architects and designers can full use of their
imagination to construct and allowing all sorts of decorative pattern and shapes
for all the precast structural components.

 Less wastage – precast systems significantly reduce the amount of waste

materials produced on site.
 Plug and play – precast concrete can carry preinstalled utility services and
fixtures, such as communications, plumbing or even windows. Value – added
components can be cast within a precast components can include connection
plates ready to receive heating and lighting fittings on site. This will make easy
for construction and maintenance.

 Air tightness – air infiltration in precast buildings is minimal because of the

relatively small number of joints in the construction. This factor combined with the
thermal mass of concrete gives excellent thermal performance.
Disadvantages of precast concrete framing

 High capital cost – a large amount of resources need to be invested in order to

set up a precast concrete plant. Such as sophisticated machineries which are
expensive and require heavy investment. Precast concrete framing are utilized in
construction of housing estates where the design of houses is uniform. Such as
large stadiums, halls, factories, warehouses, airports and hangars are suitable to
use precast concrete. Therefore, the scale of the construction projects using
precast concrete components should have large enough to ensure sufficient cost
to offset the initial capital cost,

 Sophisticated connection works – the performance of connections determines

the behavior of precast concrete structures. When erection of precast concrete
structures, connections between precast components have to be checked and
done correctly. Therefore, a skilled and well- trained labors are required to
ensure proper connection is produced during erection stages, in order to avoid
additional cost happen.

 Transportation, handling difficulties and modification limitation – installer or

workers must handle the precast component carefully to avoid damage. Precast
concrete component must be transport from the plants to the sites using trailers.
Usually difficulties in transportation because of large and heavy components.
Upon arrival at the sites. Tower cranes or portable will lift the precast
components into place for erection. This is increase the speed of construction.
Proper construction planning and site management is a must in order to provide
large space for several cranes. All the workers must be trained to ensure that
precast components are placed and connected correctly to avoid cases where
the columns, beams, walls or slabs are not well aligned, dislocated or out of
plane.
 Limitation - Due to panel size is limited, precast concrete can not be used for
two-way structural systems.
Types of frames and components

Beam
Beams served as the main horizontal load carrying members in skeletal structures.
The specified loadings and support conditions are designed for prestressed or reinforced
concrete beams in a precast concrete frame. The most common shape is the inverted
tee where part of the beam section fall within the slab so that the whole depth of the
available slab area is used structurally.
External beams are more often made of reinforced concrete due to have an
asymmetrical cross section, which makes them difficult to prestress without causing
unwanted deflections. The beam may be composite or non - composite. The floor,
column and screed to form a monolithic structure are act by composite beams. Beams
generally span from column to column. It can formed few connections such as beam to
column and beam to beam. Alternatively, the beam can cantilever over the end of the
column to facilitate a drop- in beam.
Precast beam members are generally inverted T, I and L beams desgined to
facilitate the support of the precast concrete floor units. L shape beams normally provide
support non-symmetrical floor loads. The design of beams is based on ordinary
reinforced or prestressed concrete principles for specified loads and support conditions.
it may be simple or continuous.

Beams with steel reinforcement bar

Columns

A column in structural engineering is a vertical structural element that transmits,

through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements
below.

The following is the requirement to column design:

i. It is designed for joined axial compression and bending.

ii. Column bending moments at beam level are determined from the eccentric
loading at the connection.
iii. In the case of slender unbraced columns, the additional moments due to
slenderness effects are added to the total design moment at each floor level.

There have 2 type of precast concrete column which are:

i. Continuous Columns
ii. Single Storey Columns

Type of column Description

 Have a corbel at each floor level to support the

surrounding beams.
 It can be made up to 24m lengths.
 Its main advantage is speed of installation

Continuous column

 Usually located inside the perimeter of the building

 Spine beams are normally connected over these
columns.

Single storey column

Slabs
It is a flat structural member of a house or building in construction that are made using
concrete. The importance of a slab cannot be overstated as it is one part of the home
that will bear the weight and dead load and live loads of everything that is placed on top
of it.
In recent years many larger projects are using precast concrete slabs as the
building’s frames. Precast concrete slabs are separated into 3 categories which are:

i. Prestressed hollow-core slabs

ii. Prestressed double-tee slabs
iii. Precast composite solid slabs

Type of slab Description

 Using a long line extrusion to manufacture it, in the
prestress degree, strand pattern and the depth of slab
are the main design parameter.
 It is cut to lengths to suit the building design in factory
so that resulting in safe and speedy construction and
Prestressed hollow- time efficiency.
core slabs  Low construction cost and low wastage
 It can be easily transportable as it is a lightweight
concrete
 It is durability, corrosion resistance, impact resistance,
fire resistance, security and long lasting maintenance

 It has greater span and load carrying capacity

compared to hollow-core slabs
 Its ends can be notched to form a halving joint thus
reducing the overall structural depth.
 Double-tees can be cantilevered over supports to form
balconies by combining top reinforcement to alter
structural behavior.
Prestressed double-tee
 Have a minimum fire resistance of two hours.
slabs
  It is combined with an in-situ reinforced concrete
topping to construct a powerful solid composite slab
 Have a smooth surface and can be fixed rapidly
 The fire resistance is depends on the thickness of
precast planks, span and load capacity

Precast composite
solid slabs

Staircases
Staircases is a compulsory structural element for a building that more than one storey
high. It was also acts as an escape way in case of fire happen in a building. Precast
concrete staircases are normally used with precast concrete frame. It is costly but
shorter construction times are needed. The most important factor when using precast
concrete stair is the plan configuration of the staircase and its compatibility with the
structural frame. This can makes optimum use of the frame to prevent the need for extra
components to support the staircase.
Precast concrete connections

Beam to column

Beam to column connections are the most important connections in precast skeletal
frames. It is also one of the basic structures in the design of multi-storey precast
structures. The structural performance of the connection such as beam-to-column
connections will affect the strength, stability and constructability as well as load
distribution of the structure under load. In beam and column construction, the vertical
member is continuous and horizontal members are framed into it at several levels.
Another for low-rise unbraced structures is to upright columns floor-by-floor and in situ
connections are made between precast components. There is an even split between the
use of concrete corbels with twin rib or rectangular beams and cast-in steel inserts
forming the invincible corbel.

In our site, they are using the hybrid beam to column connection. It has consisted of mild
steel and post-tensioning steel, both of it contributed to the moment resistance. The mild
steel contains as a greater energy dissipater and post-tensioning clamps the beam
against the column, allowing beam trim at the interface to be resisted by friction.

They beam usually in rectangular and with corbel in our site, the size always depending
to the design and calculation by the engineer and architecture.
Columns to foundation
In our site, there were using column shoe to connect a precast column to a foundation.
The column shoes are standardized base connections for precast columns available in
different capacities (bolt sizes) and finishes (black steel or hot dip galvanized). A precast
column is fixed to bolts which are cast into the base of the structure. Fixing is achieved
with nuts and washers attached to the anchor bolts. It is also possible to set the column
at the correct height level and vertical position using the leveling nuts. The joint between
column base and structure below should be grouted as soon as possible after
installation. After that the connection parts and grouting will work as reinforced concrete
structure.
Column to column
Column to column connections are continuity of vertical element is essential for
structural stability. It is connected either by coupling, welding or bolting together
mechanical connectors anchored into the separate precast components or by continuity
of reinforcement through a grouted joint.
In our site, there were using grouted sleeve connections method to connect the
column to another. Grouted sleeve connections are the most popuar and economical
column connections. These connections may be made at almost any level in the column,
but they must be made carefully.

Precast concrete columns with Holes for connecting another

projecting bars column

Before connecting another After connected

column on top of it
Slabs to beam
For connecting one precast concrete component to another, there are two types of joints
methods, which is the dry and the wet connection. The dry connection is a method
makes use of an ancillary steel plate as connector between the precast concrete
components and the connection between the respective steel plates is made with a bolt
or by welding. The second method of joints is the wet connection.
In our site, second method is being used as its joint method. It is a method used
to emulate cast in-place detailing by pouring concrete on the joint parts on the spot.
Temporary supports are used to keep the slabs in the position until the connection with
the columns has been achieved. In the connections, the steel bars that project from the
edges of the slabs are welded to the dowels of the adjacent components. The concrete
quality used for joining the precast elements need not be of equal concrete grade to the
precast concrete components.
Staircases to beam
Staircase to beam connections are usually using scarf or halving joints. There are
designed as short cantilever where it is important to position the reinforcement
accurately.
In our site, there was using intermittent scarf joint method to connect the stairs to
the beam. The intermittent scarf joints enable the joints to connect the structural
continuity. Welded connections made between fully anchored plates also may be
specified. Concrete cover to the welding is provided for fire protection and appearance.