Cement Prefabricated Panel Wall House

A cement prefabricated panel wall house is a building constructed primarily with prefabricated panels and is now prohibited from new construction. Only qualified old houses are allowed for renovation or demolition if they are deemed dangerous.

Materials and Structural Characteristics

Cement prefabricated panel walls are primarily made of Portland cement and steel reinforcement frames, pre-fabricated into panel structures using molds. They come in two types: solid and hollow. Hollow panels reduce weight and construction costs, offering advantages such as easy construction and lower costs. Their standard specifications include a maximum span of 4.2 meters, widths typically of 500mm or 600mm, and thicknesses mainly of 120mm and 150mm. This building form originated in the early 20th century and was commonly used in brick-concrete structures. Houses built before 1985 in China generally adopted this structure.

Performance and Defects

1. Poor thermal insulation: The high thermal conductivity of prefabricated panel walls leads to easy heat loss in winter and heat absorption in summer, causing significant indoor temperature fluctuations and requiring additional insulation measures.
2. Insufficient structural stability: As prefabricated components, the panels rely on splicing for connection to the main structure, resulting in weak overall integrity and susceptibility to cracks due to foundation settlement or external impacts.
3. Limited load-bearing capacity: The span is limited (maximum 4.2 meters), making it unable to meet large-space requirements and prone to deformation under long-term loads.
4. Panel joint issues: Gaps between panels are prone to cracking due to material shrinkage or construction errors, leading to water leakage and seepage, with high maintenance costs.
5. Weak earthquake resistance: Poor overall integrity results in insufficient seismic performance, making the building prone to collapse during earthquakes and not meeting modern seismic design standards.
6. Poor sound and thermal insulation: Although the hollow structure reduces weight, it offers poor sound insulation and thermal insulation performance compared to cast-in-place concrete.
7. Short service life: The design life is approximately 30-50 years, much shorter than the over 70 years for cast-in-place structures, requiring regular maintenance or replacement.

Current Status and Policies

Due to the aforementioned defects, the construction of cement prefabricated panel wall houses has been banned in the architectural field, with cast-in-place panels now commonly used in new buildings. Since 2022, China has implemented renovation policies, focusing on renovation and transformation of prefabricated panel houses and only demolishing those that meet the criteria for dangerous buildings. Some regions have initiated demolition work, targeting houses with serious safety hazards, those affecting urban planning, or those with compromised living functions.