Precast Solutions

Dr.L.R.Manjunatha Chairman, Indian Concrete Institute, Bangalore, & GM, JSW Cement
Dr.L.R.Manjunatha Chairman, Indian Concrete Institute, Bangalore, & GM, JSW Cement

It is very important for us to have a greener, faster and sustainable approach towards the construction of buildings and infrastructure in order to meet the ever-increasing demands of the construction industry. One such method is the precast/prefab technology. Though this construction practice has been in use for over eight decades, it is the least understood in developing countries, and only a few countries in North America, Europe, Australia, Japan and some parts of South East Asia have explored precast construction to the fullest.

In precast concrete construction, the structural elements are casted and cured in a factory environment and post the curing period, they are transported and assembled at the place of construction. This technique helps the user save energy and time, reduce pollution, and make the construction process more efficient. However, it is also one of the most complicated construction techniques. It involves a huge amount of investment initially and availability of skilled labor for erecting the casted structures is also difficult. If there is repeated shuttering it may lead to a lot of honeycombing and undulations on the structural element casted.

Use of secondary cementitious material (SCM’s) like GGBS, fly ash, ultra-fine GGBS in the production of the concrete reduce carbon-dioxide emissions, reduce water demand, and increase the durability and serviceability of the concrete. It is also observed that by using SCM’s one can also achieve cost reduction in precast concrete production for the project. According to research, millions of trees can be saved in a year by using SCM’s in concrete production with an estimate of about 100 kgs CO2 reduction per cum of concrete if ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) is used in concrete making.

Due to the increased fineness of the SCM when compared to OPC, it helps in providing an improved surface finish and also enhances the aesthetic look of the structure, apart from bringing increased resistance to permeability, sulphate attack and chloride attack, and improved compressive strength, flexural strength and tensile strength.

Benefits of precast/prefab technology:
  • Reduction in the construction time.
  • Reduction in the construction cost.
  • Improved balance between environment and construction activities.
  • Enhanced buildability of structure with increased repetitions of the same plan.
  • Can reduce problems at site with minimal staging, increasing safety etc.
  • Solution for quality, surface finish and durability of structure.
  • Constructions are sustainable with reduced use of natural resources.
LEED, GRIHA and GREEN PRO certifications for buildings and structures are encouraging builders to adopt greener, faster and sustainable techniques; they are also bringing some construction rules and laws. Off late, the government too has been bringing strict enforcements in the construction sector.
Benefits of Shear Keyed Surfaces in Precast Building
Depending on the finish of the concrete surface, different coefficients are assigned by international codes in the calculation of shear resistance. The American Concrete Institute Code ACI318, Nov.19, states the following: Chapter 16.2.1.1 – Transfer of forces by

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Revolutionizing Precast Industry with Advanced Tracking of Precast Concrete Elements
The precast concrete industry is undergoing a transformative change with innovative software solutions that offer enhanced tracking of precast concrete elements. One of these pioneering software solutions is StruSoft’s Impact Precast, which aims

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Emerging Trends & Growth of the Prefab Industry
Prefabricated technologies are becoming increasingly popular in the construction industry, particularly for large-scale construction. As prefabricated structures continue to evolve and improve, they are being used to construct warehouses, factories

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Precast RCC Structures versus Pre-Engineered Steel Structures
A comparative study on Industrial Building Adopting Structural Frames as Precast RCC and Structural Steel Frames with Prestressed Precast Hollow Core Slabs as Flooring Slabs, presented by C. A. Prasad, Director, METEY Engineering Consultancy, Hyderabad

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My Home Mega Project Shows Potential of Precast Construction Technology in India
Storey by storey, Asia’s tallest precast towers with a total planned built-up area of 3.7 million sqm are rising towards the sky in Hyderabad. These two 180-meter towers of 43-stories each will be followed by six more similar towers. With each tower

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Mekuba: A Leader in Mould Releasing Agents for Concrete
With over 47 years of experience in the petrochemicals industry, and an expert in the formulation and production of mould-releasing agents, Mekuba Petro Products is growing rapidly in the construction chemicals segment with a daily production

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Dextra Groutec Coupler - A Unique Solution for Reliable Joints in Precast
Dextra has added yet another customer-centric, innovative, and custom engineered product - the Groutec Coupler - an efficient product that has been qualified and tested successfully on several major infrastructure projects in the recent past. With the

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India an Important Market for TOPWERK
Sachin Shetty, India Head – Operation & Sales, and Rajesh Jha, India Head - Sales & Market Development, TOPWERK INDIA, discuss the potential of precast concrete construction in India, localization of non-critical components to bring down cost, and the possibilities of digitalization

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Vollert: Building A Stronger India with Precast
Vollert India has recently expanded its production capacity in Sikandrabad (UP) India. As a global leader in precast concrete components, systems, and machine solutions, Vollert’s investment in India indicates a growing interest among German companies

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Precast India Connector - Helping Precasters Overcome Cost & Time Overruns
Precast India Connections, a new entity of Precast India Infrastructures, has innovated and patented a method of achieving a Dowel-Sleeve connection that functions even in the horizontal direction. Kapilesh Bhate, MD, Precast India Connections, shares

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Prensoland Modern Precast Floors Appearance of the iHCS
Pre-stressed concrete hollow core slabs used for building floors are unidirectional members; they are laid one next to the other until the complete carpet area is covered. In the presence of lateral loads like wind, or due to seismic episodes, they behave

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Vollert India Expands Production Capacity
The expansion of the Vollert plant in India marks an important milestone in the company’s commitment to provide high-quality products to customers. With the increased production capacity, the company aims to expand its market share and strengthen

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Brimax AAC: An Indian Lighthouse Project from HESS AAC SYSTEMS, Netherlands
Brimax AAC Products LLP contracted Hess AAC Systems to supply a new AAC plant in Vadodara, India, with a capacity of 680 cbm/day (expandable up to 900 cbm/day with reinforcement for panel production). This order strengthens Hess´ position as

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Vollert India Expands Production Capacity to Cater to Infra Development Sector
Vollert India, based in Sikandrabad, near Greater Noida (UP) since 2017, is strengthening its commitment to India; it is now expanding its production capacity of precast machinery and components to meet the greater demand from India’s fast

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Elematic Precast Technology Solutions for Building, Industrial and Infra segments
Elematic offers a comprehensive range of precast technology solutions for the Building, Industrial and Infra segments. Elematic precast technology enables clients to automate the production of walls, slabs, columns, beams, and stairs, providing an efficient

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Advanced Concrete Curing Systems from Kraft Curing
Kraft Curing Systems GmbH is offering advanced concrete curing systems that optimize the hardening process of concrete. Kraft Curing’s Advanced Concrete Curing System provides numerous solutions, from vapor-based (steam) systems mainly for the precast

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Why Automating Production is the Solution
Automating the production processes will lead to reduced wastage, fewer errors, more precision, greater safety, and higher quality of the end-products, and in a shorter period of time. First, we need to understand where we stand today as regards industrialisation

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Elematic India confident of the future of Precast Business
Elematic India sees growing demand for its precast plants in India due to the growth in precast construction across segments. What gives the company an edge is its ability to support the customer through the entire value chain. Says Sridhar Rao, Sales

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F.B.I. Tasbud Partners With Progress Group
Progress Group is helping companies like Tasbud stay ahead in a changing market with automation and software integration. Automated machinery to produce precast elements as well as the reinforcement and the integration of the fitting software are

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Mekuba Petro Products - Catering to Mega Precast Concrete Projects
Mekuba Petro Products has a strong presence in the petrochemicals industry since 47 years and has been growing rapidly in the construction chemicals segment over the past decade. An expert in the formulation and production of mould-releasing agents, its

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