How to Reinforce Prefabricated Concrete Houses

The reinforcement of prefabricated concrete houses should be carried out by selecting appropriate methods based on the specific damage conditions. Common reinforcement methods are as follows:

Reinforcement of Prefabricated Floor Slabs with Openings

If the opening is located in the middle of the span, to supplement the flexural bearing capacity, equal-strength carbon fiber sheets should be pasted on both sides of the opening and at the end of the slab. Before pasting, a detector should be used to locate the steel bars inside the slab to avoid accidental damage. If the opening is located at the edge of the support, it is recommended to fill with polymer mortar to compensate for the reduced shear bearing capacity.

Foundation Reinforcement

• Compaction Method: Continuously compact the original foundation soil layer using a pneumatic hammer or heavy-duty road roller to increase soil density until it meets the bearing capacity standard for self-built houses. This method is suitable for situations where the soil layer is relatively loose but has not experienced severe settlement.
• Soil Replacement Method: Replace the relatively loose soil on the house foundation with a high-density material for backfilling. This method has relatively high costs but can effectively improve the foundation bearing capacity. It is suitable for situations where the soil quality is extremely poor and the compaction method is ineffective.
• Piling Method: Embed piles into relatively loose soil layers, typically using relatively sturdy reinforced concrete column piles, to increase the stability of the foundation. However, the bearing capacity is limited, and this method is mostly used for small buildings or as an auxiliary reinforcement measure.

Reinforcement Around the Perimeter of Prefabricated Slab Buildings

• Applicable Situations: This method is only suitable for prefabricated slab buildings with insufficient local bearing capacity. If the building has been exposed to fire, the strength of the prestressed steel bars is almost completely lost, making reinforcement difficult, costly, and unable to guarantee safety. In general, it is recommended to directly demolish the building. If foundation settlement causes structural cracking, perimeter reinforcement cannot solve the fundamental problem, and the cost of reinforcement may even approach that of reconstruction, making it not worthwhile.
• Reinforcement Methods: Mature processes such as section steel reinforcement, carbon fiber pasting, and plywood reinforcement can be selected. For example, installing section steel at the four corners of the prefabricated slab and transforming it into an octagonal support can effectively increase the bearing capacity of the floor slab.

Reinforcement of Rural Old-style Prefabricated Slab Houses

• Using I-beams as Crossbeams: Determine the spacing based on the size of the selected section steel. For example, with 20-sized steel, place three beams (forming a cross with the slab). Install I-beam columns at both ends for support, and fix the columns to the walls to significantly enhance the hardness of the prefabricated slab.
• Adding a Layer of Concrete on the Prefabricated Slab: Remove a section of the prefabricated slab in the middle to serve as a crossbeam, add a vertical beam (forming a crossbeam) on the crossbeam, and then add a layer of floor slab to increase the thickness of the floor slab, making the beams and floor slab an integral unit. However, it should be noted that the walls still need to be reinforced to ensure the overall structural stability.