The invention of concrete dates back over 5,000 years to the time of Ancient Egypt when an early form of the powerful building material was used to create the Great Pyramids. It has evolved quite a bit since then, becoming one of the most common materials to be used in construction. It’s now used for buildings, streets, bridges, dams, and much more.
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But when exactly was precast concrete invented?
The method of pouring concrete into reusable forms and allowing it to dry and cure in a climate-controlled factory may seem like a pretty modern spin on concrete construction. However, you might be surprised to learn just how far back the history of precast concrete really goes.
Inventing Precast Concrete
No, precast concrete is not a new invention. In fact, it dates all the way back to the days of Ancient Rome. Builders in that time combined lime with volcanic ash and poured it into forms made of wood to create the same concrete structures over and over again. This saved them time, allowed them to be more precise, and opened up a world of possibilities as far as design was concerned. Precast concrete was used to build many structures that are still standing today, such as aqueducts, tunnels, and even the Colosseum and the Pantheon.
While this method of construction proved incredibly fruitful for the people of Ancient Rome, they would be the last to widely use it for many centuries. After the Roman Empire fell, the use of stone and mortar became far more popular, and concrete fell out of use.
The 20
th
Century Renaissance
Although concrete came back into favor with the invention of Portland cement by Joseph Asdin in 1824, precast concrete would not return to use until 1905, when engineer John Alexander Brodie had the idea to use forms to create precast reinforced concrete in the construction of a number of buildings in Liverpool, England. The trend quickly became a widely used construction method in countries all over the world.
In America, the use of precast concrete in construction projects blossomed during the suburban expansion that occurred in many places around the country in the 1950s. With incredible demand for housing brought on by the post-World War II baby boom, precast concrete became a simple solution for fast, easy, affordable building materials that were safe and strong.
Modern Precast Concrete
The basic principles behind precast concrete remain the same today as they were at their inception in Ancient Rome, but the process has enjoyed quite a bit of refinement, thanks to advances in technology.
Today’s precast concrete is stronger and more durable than ever before while also being resistant to weather and insects. It’s now available in a wide array of colors and designs that accurately emulate the style of other popular building materials.
As technology continues to advance, the possibilities for the future of precast concrete will only continue to grow. We expect this powerful, affordable, and beautiful building material to only become more popular over time.
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Learn more about the history of precast concrete elements from the first patented planter to computer-controlled industrial production of intelligent precast concrete elements.
Joseph Monier (1823 – 1906) was a gardener and his idea was to develop permanent planters at a low price. In 1867, he patented different products made of reinforced concrete. After his invention of reinforced concrete the next logical step was the invention of precast concrete elements because prefabrication has great advantages compared with in-situ concrete (quality, speed, health and safety).
The precast systems were so-called solid precast systems (connection of precast elements by means of grouting, welding or bolting). These systems were used to build very uniform apartment buildings. There was not much room for flexibility because flexible molds for solid parts were not available. They were not invented until the middle of the nineties.
These solid precast systems had advantages and limitations. The most significant limitation was the uniformity of the buildings and ground plans, as well as the limitation of high-rise buildings when it came to high seismic loads. One advantage is the industrial principle, which is the basis for the production of the buildings.
The lattice girder (main part of the so-called half-precast system) was developed at the beginning of the fifties of the last century.
In the middle of the 60s, the lattice girder was used for precast products, which was the starting point for the industrial production of precast elements on a broad basis. The production units were very simple at that time, consisting mostly of fixed beds in open areas and in basic production buildings. A tower crane in open space or an overhead crane in the building were the most important tools for the production.
The driving factor for a further development was the need to optimize the building process and cut down work on the building site, as well as to increase the quality of the product and buildings. In the years from 1980 to 1985, the half precast wall, the so-called twin wall, was invented and introduced to the market.
The second phase of development was characterized by two inventions. The developments were on the one hand the personal computer in connection with CAD (computer-aided design) systems to generated electronic data of the product and on the other hand the PLC control system (PLC = programmable logic controller) to control automated machines. These developments made it possible to implement automated machines (e. g plotters, concrete spreaders) into the production process and control them using CAD data.
This was also the hour of birth of CAD/CAM-controlled production. In connection with the pallet carousel systems (invented in the 60s), it was possible to reduce the man hours per m² by two thirds compared to manual production on beds. Simultaneously the quality of the product was improved (surface, edges).
Step by step, automated machines were added to the production process. E.g. automated production of reinforcement (mesh welding machines), demolding and molding robots, laser projection, automated concrete spreaders and master computer systems to guide and control the production process.
Since the year 2000, there has been a number of developments dealing with the digitalization and networking of production. In parts, these methods are already used, but not on a broad scale and not in every country. Please find below a short overview of the methods and concepts.
For some years, everyone has been talking about the term BIM. BIM is short for Building Information Modeling and deals with the exchange of data and information for the design, construction and maintenance of a building. By letting all persons involved access to the same data, BIM ensures data consistency, which saves time and money. If any of the involved persons changes data, this is immediately visible for all the other involved parties and mistakes can be prevented.
“Industry 4.0” is also one of the terms that are excessively used in the industry. The utilization of automated machines in the production process is complemented by a connection of the machines and plants with each other and the internet. Sometimes this principle is also called "smart factory".
In addition to that, some efforts have been made lately to reduce the utilization of paper in the production of precast concrete elements. Data are to be be transferred only digitally in the future and printing won't be necessary anymore. This is advisable for environmental, as well as economic reasons. Moreover, the most recent plans are available at any time.
Image source: Innogration GmbHConstruction products will be getting more and more complex in the future, like intelligent precast concrete elements with integrated building services. They place new demands on the production and the necessary additional work and material flows need to be coordinated with each other and the existing processes. The smart factory is the intelligent solution to these requirements.
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