CE8022-PREFABRICATED STRUCTURES

UNIT 1 INTRODUCTION
Syllabus :Need for prefabrication – Principles – Materials
– Modular coordination – Standardization – Systems –
Production – Transportation – Erection

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INTRODUCTION

Prefabrication is the Practice of assembling components of a

structure in a factory or other Manufacturing site and transporting
complete assemblies to the construction site where the structure is to /
be located .

NEED FOR PREFABRICATION

1. Prefabricated structures are used for sites which are not suitable for
normal construction method such as hilly region and also when normal
construction materials are not easily available.
2. PFS facilities can also be created at near a site as is done to make
concrete blocks used in plane of conventional Knick.
3. Structures which are used repeatedly and can be standardized such as
mass housing storage sheds, go downs, shelter, bus stand security
cabins, site offices, fool over bridges road bridges. Tubular structures,
concrete building blocks etc., are prefabricated structures
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PRINCIPLES

The Main reasons to choose precast Construction method over

conventional in method.
1.Economy in large scale project with high degree of repetition in work
construction.
2. Special requirement in finishing.
3. Consistency in structural quality control.
4. Fast speed of construction.
5. Constraints in availability of site resources (e.g. materials & Laborites )
6. Other space & environmental constraints.
7. Overall assessment of some or all of the above factors which points to
the Superiority of adopting precast construction over convention
method.

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MATERIALS USED

Prefabricated building materials are used for buildings that are

manufactured off site and shipped later to assemble at the final location
some of the commonly used prefabricated building. While choosing the
materials for prefabrication the following special characteristics are to
be considered.
 Light weight for easy handling and transport and to economic an
sections and
 sizes of foundations
 Thermal insulation property
 Easy workability
 Durability in all weather conditions
 Non combustibility
 Economy in cost and Sound insulation

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CHARACTERISTICS OF MATERIALS

 Easy availability
 Light weight for easy handling and transport and to economies on
sections and seizes of foundations.
 Thermal insulation property
 Easy workability
 Durability to all weather conditions
 Non combustibility
 Economy in cost

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PREFABRICATION ELEMENTS

1. Flooring / Roofing system.

2. Precast Beams
3. Precast Columns
4. Precast walk panels.
5. Precast Slabs.
CLASSIFICATION:
The Prefabrication is classified as follow from the view of degree of Precast
construction.
1. Small prefabrication
2. Medium Prefabrication
3. Large Prefabrication
4. Cast in Site Prefabrication
5. Off-Site (or) factory Prefabrication
6. Open system of prefabrication
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MODULAR COORDINATION
Modular coordination means the interdependent arrangement of a
dimension based on a primary value accepted as a module. The strict
observance of rules of modular coordination facilitated,
 Assembly of single components into large components.
 Fewest possible different types of component.
 Minimum wastage of cutting needed.
Aims of Modular Coordination
•Major Objective
The principal object of modular coordinate is to assist the building
design construction professional building industry and its associated
manufacturing industries by standardization in such a way that building
components fit with each other with other components and with building
assembly on site thereby improving the economics of building.
• Specific objective
Permits a flexible type of standardization. This encourages the use of
a number of standardized building components for the construction of different
types of buildings.

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 Rules
A set of rules would be adequate for meeting the requirements of
conventional and prefabricated construction
The planning grid in both directions of the horizontal plan shall be
1. 3M for residential and institutional buildings,
2. For industrial buildings,
• 15M for spans up to 12m
• 30M for spans between 12m and 18m
• 60M for spans over 18m
a. The centre lines of load bearing walls shall coincide with the grid lines
b. In case of external walls the grid lines shall coincide with the centre line of
the wall or a line on the wall 5 cm from the internal face of the wall
c. The planning module in the vertical direction shall be 1M up to and
including a ht of2.8M.
d. Preferred increments foe the still heights,doors,windows and other
fenestration shall be1M.
e. In case of internal columns the grid lines shall coincide with the centre lines
of columns.
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Modules
Modules are a standard unit of size used to coordinate the
dimensions of buildings and components. They are of two types:
1.Multi modules
2.Basic modules

Modular Grid
A rectangular coordinate reference system in which the distance
between consecutive lines is the basic module or a multimodal. This
multimodule may differ for each of the two dimensions of the grid.
Type of Modular Grid
There are different types of grid patterns which are used to locate the
positions and dimensions of building spaces components are
Elements in building design
• Continuous grid
• Superimposed grid
• Displacement of grid or Tartan grids
• Interrupted grids as neutral zones.
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STANDARDIZATION
Standardization is to the creation and use of guidelines for the
production of uniform interchangeable components especially for use in mass
production. It also refers to the establishment and adoption of guidelines for
conduct to global marketing the term is used in describe the simplification of
procurement & production to achieve economy

Advantages of Standardization
1) Easier in design as it eliminates unnecessary choices
2) Easier in manufacture as there are limited number of variants.
3) Makes repeated use of specialized equipments in erection and completion 4)
Easier and quicker.

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Factors Influencing Standardization:-
1) To select the most rational type of member for each element from
the point of production, assembly, serviceability and economy.
2) To limit the number of types of elements and to use them in large
quantities.
3) To use the largest size of the extent possible, thus resulting in less
number of joints.
4) To limit the size and number of prefabricate by the weight in overall
dimension that can be handled by the handling and erection
equipment and by the limitation of transportation.
5) To have all these prefabricates approximately of same weight very
near to the lifting capacity of the equipment.

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SYSTEM
The word system is referred to a particular method of construction of
buildings by using prefabricated components which are inter-related in functions and
are produced to a set of instructions with certain constraints. Several plans are
possible using the same set of components. The degree of flexibility varies from
system to system.
Characteristics of a Prefabrication System:-
The following characteristics among others are to be consideration devising a system.
1. Intensified usage of spaces.
2. Straight and simple walling scheme.
3. Limited sizes and number of components.
4. Limited opening in bearing walls.
5. Regulated locations of partitions.
6. Standardized service and stair units
7. Limited sizes of doors and windows with regulated positions.
8. Structural clarity and efficiency.
9. Suitability for adoption in low rise and high rise blocks.
10. Ease of manufacturing, storing and transporting.
11. Speed and ease of erection.
12. Simple jointing system.
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PREFABRICATED CONSTRUCTION SYSTEMS:-
The system of prefabricated construction depends on the extent of the use of prefabricated components,
their material, sizes and the technique adopted for their manufacture and use in building.

Fig: 1 Prefabrication modular grids

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 Fig:2 Prefabrication construction system
Systems of prefabrication
System is referred to a particular method of construction of
buildings using the prefabricated components which are inter related in
functions and are produced to a set of instructions. With certain
constraints, several plans are possible; using the same set of
components, the degree of flexibility varies from system to system.

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Based on Disuniting of member:
1. System consisting of linear member disunited at joints
2. System for prefabricates of entire rigid frame
3. System consisting of I,T,U of straight members disunited at points of
minimum moment.
4. Two hinged and three hinged arches

Fig:3 Members of frame disunited at the joints

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Fig: prefabricates of entire rigid frame

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Fig:4 System consisting of I,T,U of straight members disunited at
points of minimum moment.

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Fig.5Two hinged and three hinged arches

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TRANSPORTATION AND HOSTING OF REFABRICATES

Truck cranes
Gantry cranes
Mast cranes
Derrick cranes
Twinned mast cranes

1.Truck cranes:
 Truck cranes consists of chasis including mortar and pivoting upper
part. These cranes are mobile and an travel on their own needs.
Different features are:
 Weight of the crane while travelling is 31.8 tones .
 Maximum height of hoisting hook is 36.6m .
 Crane can rotate through 360 .

Disadvantage:
Needs firm and compact soil.

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Fig:6 Truck cranes

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Gantry Cranes:

 These cranes are used mainly to serve the operation of

manufacturing and storing areas in prefabrication plants.
 Capacity 5T, Total weight 4.5T
 Horizontal distance between 2 tracks is 7.8m
 Maximum height is up to 11m
 Mast height 10.9m and it can hoist up to 20 tonnes in
operation.
Mast Cranes:
These are wide spread hoisting devices, simple and cheap.
Operation requires great skill and practice.
Useful in hoisting prefabricates in vertical direction.
Suspension load can be slightly moved forward by slackening the
rear staying cable.
 Hoisting load is done by a winch.

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Fig: 7 Gantry Cranes:

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Fig: 8 Single Mast stacker Cranes:

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Derrick cranes:
Highly efficient lifting machines
It is stable or movable
Capacity 20-40T
Suitable for prefabrication halls
These cranes have booms which can move in horizontal directions.
Prefabricated structures are erected in convenient sections which when
fixed correctly should be sufficiently rigid in all directions. Normal
sequence of erection is
a. Structure units- external load bearing walls, columns, etc
b. Non structure units- internal walls, partition walls, etc
c. Floor panels, balconies, stair units
d. Specialized prefabricated units- chimney flumes. Ventilators, sanitary
installation.

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Fig:9 Derrick crane

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Twinned mast cranes:
 It is used for hoisting member to great height. It consists of two steel
column assembled from sections and connected at top by bridging
structure.
 Hoisting capacity using two cranes each of 35-70T Operation of the
crane required minimum 16 workers.
 The crane can be transferred but takes 1-2 days and is suitable fr high
lifting but difficult to operate.
 These are now a days replaced by 30T mast cranes hinged in 2
directions.

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PARTIAL PREFABRICATION OPEN SYSTEM:
The system basically emphasizes the use of precast roofing
and flooring components and other minor elements like lintels,
sunshades, kitchen sills in conventional building construction. The
structural system could be in the form of insitu frame work or load
bearing walls.
Full Prefabrication Open System:
In this system, almost all the structural components are
prefabricated. The filler walls may be of bricks or of any other local
materials.
Large Panel Prefabrication System:
This is based on the use of large prefabricated components.
The components used are precast concrete large panels for walls, floor
roofs, balconies, stair cases etc. The casting of the components could be
at the site or off the site.
Depending upon the context of prefabrication, this system can
also lend itself to partial prefabrication system and full prefabrication
system.
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Fig:10 Large Panel Prefabrication System

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WALL SYSTEM:
Structural scheme with precast large panel walls can be classified as
1) Cross wall system
2)Longitudinal wall system
Cross wall system:
In this system the cross walls are load bearing walls. The facade walls are
non-load bearing. This system is suitable for high rise buildings.
Longitudinal wall system:
In this system, cross walls are non-bearing, longitudinal walls are load
bearing. This system is suitable for low rise buildings.
A combination of the above systems with all load bearing walls can also be
adopted.

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Fig:11 Cross wall system

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TYPES OF PRECAST FLOORS:
Depending upon the composition of units, precast flooring
units could be homogeneous or non-homogeneous.
1) Homogeneous floors could be solid slabs, cored slabs, ribbed or
waffle slabs.
2) Non-homogeneous floors could be multilayered ones with
combinations light weight concrete or reinforced / pre stressed concrete
with filled blocks.
Depending upon the way, the loads are transferred the precast
floors could be classified as one way or two way systems
One Way System:-
One way system transfers loads to the supporting members in
one direction only. The precast elements of this category are channel
slabs, hollow core slabs, hollow blocks and hollow plank system,
channels and tiles system, light weight cellular concrete slab etc.

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Two Way Systems:-
• Transfer loads in precast element under this system etc. Both the
direction imparting loads on the
• four edges. The category is room sized panels two ways ribbed or
waffle slabs.
HOSTING OF COLUMNS
• The hoisting machine for small column is less than five tones. First of
all pick up gear must be assembled on to the column and the column is
then under pinned.
• Thereafter the column is lowered temporarily on to a sheep shoe
assembled at the foot and the roller track is pushed under the shoe.
When column is hoisted the pick up points moves vertically and bottom
resting on the roller tracks shifts towards the footing as shown in
Figure.
• When the column is lifted to the required height, the retaining cable is
used to decrease and finally stop the swinging motion of the column.

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 Fig:12 Hosting of column by mast crane
1.Pick up and hoisting
Beams in general are lifted at two points depending on the weight and
dimensions as well as the load bearing capacity of hoisting machines. The
hoisting girder which is heavy to a great can be executed with hydraulic jacks.
The jacks are lowered and the beam is placed to the required position to the
column.
2.Suspension:
For lifting up of trusses and large beams of length 25-30m. Care is
taken to lift the rocker in uniform rate with two hoisting machines otherwise the
beams would be subjected to distortion during the lifting leading to cracks.
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METHODS OF PREFABRICATION:

• Site prefabrication- for large prefabricates

• Plant prefabrication- large scale production
Dimensions of prefabricate:
There are 3 commonly known dimension for the prefabricates.
1. The design of the erection dimension governing the dimensional
coordination of the prefabricated.
2. Theoretical dimension
3. The actual dimension of the element when delivered the design
dimension should be a multiple of a basic module size m.
Production of prefabricates:
Production techniques involved are
1. Stand method
2. Conveyor method or line method
3. Aggregate method

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Production
• The location of precasting yards consist of storage facilities suitable for
transporting and erection equipment’s and availability of raw materials
are the critical factors which should be carefully planned and provided
for effective and economic use of pre-cast concrete components in
construction.
• The manufacture of the components can be done in a centrally located
factor of in a site where precasting yards set-up at or near the site of
work.
1. Factory Prefabrication;
2. Site prefabrication:

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PROCESS OF MANUFACTURE

Fig:13 Manufacturing of precast element flow chart 36

ERECTION
It is the process of assembling the Prefabrication element in
the find portion as per the drawing. In the erection of prefab elements,
the following items of work are to be carried out.
1) Slinging of the prefabricated elements.
2) Tying up of erection slopes connecting to the erection hooks.
3) Cleaning the elements and the site of erection.
4) Cleaning the steel inserts before incorporation in the joints lifting and
setting the elements to correct position.
5) Adjustments to get the stipulated level line and plumb.
6) Welding of deats.
7) Changing of the erection tackles.
8) Putting up and removing the necessary scaffolding or supports.
9) Welding the inserts laying the reinforced in joints.
The erection work in various construction jobs by
using prefab elements differs with risk condition, hence skilled
foremen, and workers to be employed on the job.
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Equipments required for erection

Equipment’s required for the prefab elements in industry can be classified

as.
1) Machinery required for quarrying of course and fine aggregates
2) Conveying equipment, such as but conveyor, chain conveyors etc.
3) Concrete mixers
4) Vibrators
5) Erection equipment such as cranes, derricks, chain pulley etc.
6) Transport machines
7) Work shop machinery for fabricating and repairing steel.
8) Bar straitening, bending and welding machines
9) Minor tools and takes, such as wheel barreriour, concrete buckets etc…
10) Steam generation a plant for accelerated curing

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