Prefabricated Beams in 1980s Houses

Prefabricated beams in 1980s houses had different characteristics depending on the type of building. Here is a detailed introduction:

Brick-and-Concrete Structures in the 1980s

In brick-and-concrete structures from the 1980s, there were typically only ring beams and lintel beams, with no through beams spanning the entire building. Ring beams are reinforced concrete poured along the perimeter of brick walls horizontally, primarily serving to enhance the overall integrity and stability of the house. They are not strictly prefabricated beams but are cast in place. Lintel beams, on the other hand, are short beams placed above door and window openings to bear the load above these openings. Lintel beams may be prefabricated and installed or cast in place. The floor slabs were mostly prefabricated panels, which were manufactured in advance and then transported to the construction site for installation.

Prefabricated Assembly Buildings in the 1980s

Taking Xixi Villa as an example, this type of building reflects the characteristics of prefabricated assembly buildings from the 1980s. In its roof structure, prefabricated concrete rafters were used above the concrete bays. All components were uniformly prefabricated according to a 300mm module and then assembled on site. This construction method represents a modern structural interpretation of the traditional Chinese wooden column-purlin-rafter-tile system, replacing wood with concrete and manual mortise-and-tenon joints with prefabricated assembly. The exposed joints reflect the architectural pursuit of modern structure while retaining certain traditional architectural aesthetic elements.

Brick Houses in the 1980s

In brick houses from the 1980s, prefabricated blocks were used for the floor surface. Beams were designed only in cantilevered areas and central parts that needed to support the prefabricated blocks. Due to limitations in construction technology and equipment at the time, steel bars were straightened manually, and round steel bars were manually bent into stirrups using tractors. These beams may have been made on site or prefabricated and then installed, depending on construction conditions and design requirements.