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15 Advantages of Precast Concrete

15 Advantages of Precast Concrete

Producing precast concrete involves casting concrete in a recyclable mold before curing it in a controlled environment and then transporting it. Precast concrete construction projects include structures like floors, walls, and concrete frames.

There are many advantages to using precast concrete, which include neater working areas, reduced wastage, durability, enhanced construction safety, and many more.

What Are The Advantages Of Precast Concrete?

In the construction industry today, precast concrete elements are very popular among contractors and workers alike. Manufacturers aim to produce precast structures that express the beauty of architecture.

So, these are the main advantages of using a precast building system.

Superior Quality

Precasting concrete structures gives you high-quality assurance. The concrete is fully inspected as it is mixed (sand, cement, aggregates) until the mold is prepared or in its usable form.

A precast concrete plant is typically filled with labs for examining precast concrete components. The labs take a careful approach to help lower the risk of failure and ensure optimal mix design of precast concrete structures.

The concrete is well tested before being released and used for precast concrete buildings.

Extreme Durability

Another great advantage of using precast concrete as a construction material is that it doesn’t need much maintenance and lasts a long time.

With the use of lab-tested components, high-density precast concrete is produced, which makes precast concrete very durable and corrosion-resistant. It can withstand impact, corrosion, and acid attack. It also reduces surface voids.

The outstanding corrosion-resistant properties of reinforced concrete make it the perfect pick for pillars, walls, and other precast construction. It is also ideal for constructing foundations as it is resistant to moisture.

Support Extreme Heavy Loads

With reinforcement bars added, precast elements can support heavy loads. Precast concrete can last for decades, whether below or above ground.

As precast concrete is made in a controlled environment like a factory long before it is needed, it can continue strengthening for a long time.

It is also tested before a structural frame of a building is carried out to ensure it is strong enough to bear the weight of any load.

Weather and Fireproof

You don’t have to worry about weather conditions as you can produce precast concrete all year. Structural members like concrete floors, concrete wall panels, and concrete frames should be constructed with precast concrete because it has fire resistance properties.

Precast concrete products don’t catch fire. Therefore, the fire doesn’t spread. In the case of a fire, there is no risk of molten particles pouring, which will lead to other materials catching fire.

Resistant To Mildew And Rust

Another reason precast concrete is loved by the construction industry is it’s not susceptible to rust or mildew growth. So a building will remain in tip-top shape for a long time.

Versatile

Depending on the design of a construction project, you can mold the precast concrete to any size and shape you want. Architects love using precast concrete in many cases because it ensures better productivity.

Using precast concrete allows architects to shape it into many designs. However, they must take into account the design and mechanical characteristics of each unique shape before the first step of production.

Comes In A Variety Of Widths And Weights

Precast concrete can come in different weights and widths as it can be light, heavy, thick, or thin. With such flexibility, it does not matter the type of structure you want to build, as you can customize it how you want.

Different Colors

Precast concrete can be produced in various colors. It is one of the most versatile building materials, giving you the freedom to let your creativity run wild and complete any building project.

The controlled conditions during casting result in an aesthetically pleasing end product.

High Level Of Precision And Detail

Among the advantages of precast concrete are the ease of quality control and precision. Precision molds can be utilized to create very detailed project elements.

Saves Construction Time And Budget

Precast concrete production is typically carried out in a precast plant or precast factory. So there is no project delay as the workers can carry out other projects like earthwork and surveys on the construction site.

Eliminating the need for casting concrete at the construction site allows other engineering work to be carried out unhampered while the precast concrete is being manufactured, thereby saving time and money.

Lower Site Labor Cost

A fluid assembling technique that doesn’t need as much labor ensures the process will save money. There is no need to constantly check on-site logistics and available workers, resulting in a lower labor cost which helps ensure sufficient profit.

Environmentally Safe And Sustainable

When considering precast concrete advantages, you cannot overlook its ability to eliminate clusters and other materials not needed at the construction site.

Another thing is precast concrete only needs a one-time installation and lifting on the site. So there is no need for many workers in comparison to cast-in-place concrete.

A safe working platform is provided as no raw materials will be stocked on the job site for precast concrete construction.

This also means there will be less risk of workplace accidents as the place is less crowded. Precast concrete’s sustainability is also one of its many advantages.

Can Utilize Prestressed Concrete

When working on heavy projects like office buildings or other commercial buildings, prestressed concrete helps bolster the total load-bearing capacity and strengthens the final precast structure.

Using prestressed concrete while working on a large structure reduces the total cross-sectional size of the load-bearing precast members, which will also help you save money.

Noise Reduction

One of the benefits of precast concrete is its sound insulation characteristics, so noise is dramatically reduced. Precast walls are thick and help to block out excess noise properly, which is why it is ideal for complexes, hotels, and apartments.

It is a popular building material for commercial buildings because of its sound insulation characteristics.

Low Maintenance

Precast concrete products are strong and durable, which makes them very sustainable. All materials or wastewater created during the production process of precast concrete can be reused.

Precast concrete products don’t require frequent changing, as the material has low maintenance requirements.

So, precast products are perfect for any construction project, as their incredible features make them last a very long time.

Benefits Of Precast Concrete vs Cast-in-Place Concrete

  • Unfavorable weather conditions can impact the construction work when using cast-in-situ concrete. But this is not the case with precast concrete. Even on a rainy day, you can effortlessly lift your precast concrete into place just as you would on any other day.
  • It is well known that concrete gains strength over time. Precast concrete is favored over cast-in-place concrete because it continues strengthening before it is needed at the construction site.
  • The curing area for precast concrete is in a factory, which means that the process can be sped up without affecting the quality or strength.

Does Precast Concrete Have Any Disadvantages?

Yes, there are some disadvantages of precast concrete. But not enough to outweigh its advantages.

  • If you need to install precast concrete for high-rise buildings, you will need special equipment like tower cranes.
  • When cured, precast concrete is usually heavy. So you should be very careful during transportation as an excessive impact could damage it.
  • Precast concrete must be transported from the plant to the job site, unlike cast in situ concrete. As you are required to transport it, you will need to spend more on transportation costs. This can also impact delivery time.

Conclusion

There are a lot of advantages of precast concrete, which is why its popularity continues to grow in the construction industries and factories.

Looking for the best precast concrete solutions for your construction project? Premier Precast, a leading provider of high-quality precast concrete, has a vast range of high-quality precast products available.


Daniel Arkin
Daniel Arkin
Daniel is a graduate of Texas State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Concrete Industry Management. Daniel has introduced several advanced production techniques as Director of Operations for Premier Precast to insure Premier Precast is always on the cutting edge with our precast concrete manufacturing. Premier Precast under Daniel pioneered the use of UHPC in the US into the manufacturing of complex agricultural shapes to be used in a buildings design.

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