Precast, prestressed concrete is one of the most resilient building materials available today, offering projects structural durability, hazard protection, and improved health and safety. If you’re not familiar with the term, plant-manufactured precast concrete refers to concrete that’s manufactured off-site in a quality-controlled facility and then transported to the final location where it will be erected or placed.
Precast and prestressed concrete is used as an architectural material for building envelopes and other applications, as well as a structural system for buildings, parking structures, and bridges. It’s a versatile, high-performance material that easily integrates with other systems and provides a wide variety of benefits, from versatility to efficiency to resilience.
We’ll explore what makes precast and prestressed concrete one of the most resilient building materials available, so you can decide if it’s right for your next project. To learn more about the resilience of precast, prestressed concrete, watch the video below.
What Are the Inherent Durable Qualities of Concrete?
Concrete is renowned for its inherent durability, a quality that makes it a cornerstone in modern construction. Its robust composition allows it to endure for decades with minimal maintenance, resisting wear from traffic, weather, and chemical exposure.
Concrete is impervious to fire, water, and pests, and it does not rot, rust, or burn, ensuring that structures made from it are safe, stable, and long-lasting. Over time, concrete can even gain strength, particularly when its components continue to cure in the presence of moisture.
This capacity for enduring harsh conditions and heavy loads without significant wear makes concrete an ideal choice for everything from residential buildings to critical infrastructure.
What Is Prestressed Concrete vs Post Tensioned Concrete?
Different techniques in the construction industry can serve distinct purposes and offer unique advantages, which is why it’s important to be familiar with the difference between prestressed concrete vs post tensioned concrete.
Prestressed concrete and post-tensioned concrete are two forms of concrete reinforcing techniques designed to enhance the strength and durability of concrete structures, particularly by overcoming concrete's inherent weakness in tension. Both methods involve the application of compressive stress to the concrete, but they differ in how and when this stress is applied.
Prestressed concrete, and in particular especially pre-tensioned concrete, typically involves tensioning the steel before the concrete is cast and often has the steel bonded to the concrete, providing immediate structural integrity and load-bearing capacity.
Post-tensioned concrete allows for tensioning after the concrete has cured, which can be adjusted and inspected throughout the life of the structure. This method is particularly useful in structures requiring large spans and slender profiles, such as bridges, parking garages, and slab constructions.
Is Architectural Precast Concrete Structurally Durable?
Architectural precast concrete describes any precast concrete element that enhances a building's architectural appearance through its design, finish, color, or texture. This method marries the creative flexibility of architectural design with the efficiency of mass production, allowing for both aesthetic appeal and economic advantage in construction.
This form of concrete is engineered to resist considerable lateral and vertical loads, such as those from wind, earthquakes, and its own weight. It is also designed with specific mixtures and reinforcements to endure severe environmental conditions and mechanical stresses during construction and transportation.
A key aspect of architectural precast’s durability is the ability to specify certain properties during the production process, such as minimum compressive strengths, maximum water to cement ratios, and suitable air entrainment levels, which significantly enhance the longevity and resilience of the concrete.
How Does Precast Concrete Provide Hazard Protection?
For structures that are required to withstand destructive hazards, precast concrete is a valuable building material, as it’s strong enough to endure these safety threats.
In addition to providing multi-hazard protection, precast also provides excellent weathering capabilities and is resistant to corrosion, all while meeting FEMA 362 guidance for safe rooms.
Precast and prestressed concrete offers unparalleled durability in construction, resisting common issues like rust and degradation that often affect other materials in moist environments. As previously mentioned, concrete can strengthen further when any residual dehydrated cement particles encounter water.
This robust material is ideal for safeguarding against harsh weather conditions, including tornadoes, hurricanes, and floods, making it a preferred choice for structures demanding heightened protection from the elements—such as FEMA shelters and buildings across residential, institutional, and government sectors.
Precast concrete is also highly resistant to fire and extreme temperatures, and it also provides substantial protection against the intense forces generated by explosive devices. Read our blog on precast concrete hazard performance for more information.
How Does Precast Concrete Improved Health & Safety?
Precast and prestressed concrete is a noncombustible building material. Because of this, structures composed of precast provide passive fire protection, eliminating the need for other systems or building occupants to act and making for a safer structure.
Precast concrete also emits remarkably low levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which can limit adverse health effects on building occupants and residents.
When precast sandwich wall panels are combined with insulation, they can act as air barriers and limit the intrusion of moisture and mold growth, which contributes to better air quality indoors. All of these health and safety benefits make precast concrete a truly inimitable building material—as many other materials can’t boast these unique characteristics.
Learn More About Precast, Prestressed Concrete
Review the benefits of precast and prestressed concrete in the video above and share it with your industry peers and clients to spread awareness of this innovative material.
Interested in learning more about precast and how the precasters of the PCI Mid-Atlantic Chapter support projects of all kinds? Explore the PCI Mid-Atlantic Solutions Center for helpful resources and get in touch with PCI-MA for precast information, higher education partnerships, and more.
