In the last few years, precast construction has become a popular choice of building technology. This style of construction seems to be gradually changing the urban landscape, and generating employment. While there are advantages and limitations to precast construction, it helps to understand what actually goes into this construction practice.
To begin with, the concept of precast (also known as prefabricated) construction includes those buildings, where the majority of structural components are standardized and produced in plants, at a location away from the building, and transported to the site for assembly. The components for precast construction are manufactured by industrial methods based on mass production, and this enables construction of buildings in a short time at low cost. We should understand that if all the advantages of precast concrete have to be realized, the structure should be conceived according to its specific design philosophy, taking into consideration appropriate stability concepts.
The designers should, from the very outset of the project scope, consider the possibilities, restrictions and advantages of pre-cast concrete. The burgeoning population in metropolitan cities is resulting in a huge demand for residential units, be it multi-storeyed apartments, gated communities or independent villas. There is an urgent need to supply infrastructure required for commercial and residential buildings at a faster pace to meet the urban demands. And this is the reason why precast structures are gaining popularity in the country. On one hand we have an increased demand for construction, and on the other, we are also facing the problem of shortage of labour, especially skilled labourers such as carpenters, reinforcement fixers, and masons. This severely affects the construction industry and slows down growth and development.
All the above mentioned reasons are forcing the industry to adopt newer technologies such as precast concrete construction, prefabricated structural steel. By opting for precast, builders and developers could complete projects in half the time.
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