Wall Demolition in Prefabricated Panel Houses

Caution is required when demolishing walls in prefabricated panel houses. Whether walls can be demolished mainly depends on their type and structure, and they should not be demolished arbitrarily. Details are as follows:

I. Handling Methods for Different Types of Walls

1. Load-bearing and counterweight walls must never be touched
   Load-bearing walls are the core of a house's structure, bearing the weight of the upper structure and transmitting the pressure from the floor slabs and the walls above to the foundation. If a load-bearing wall is demolished, it will directly change the force system of the entire building, leading to structural instability or even collapse. Counterweight walls are usually located between balconies and rooms, preventing balcony overturning by pressing down on both ends of the balcony floor slab. Removing a counterweight wall will significantly reduce the load-bearing capacity of the balcony, posing a safety hazard.

2. Non-load-bearing walls can usually be demolished, but with caution
   Non-load-bearing walls are generally lightweight partition walls used for indoor separation and do not bear structural functions. Theoretically, they can be demolished. However, wall modifications in prefabricated panel houses involve overall integrity, and any changes require reinforcement. For example, after demolition, the floor slabs need to be reconnected using reinforced concrete or steel structures to avoid uneven force distribution in the cantilevered parts of the floor slabs due to missing walls. The safest approach is to find the original structural drawings to confirm the nature of the walls; if the drawings cannot be found, a professional organization should be commissioned to conduct an appraisal and clearly mark the function of each wall before construction.

3. Special structural walls require testing before handling
   For walls composed of prefabricated concrete lightweight insulation panels, square steel studs, reinforced concrete components, etc., a static load test should be conducted before demolition to determine their load-bearing capacity. If the test shows insufficient load-bearing capacity of the wall, reinforcement measures (such as adding steel supports or attaching carbon fiber sheets) should be taken, and protective nets should be covered to prevent debris from falling and injuring people.

II. House Safety Self-inspection Before Wall Demolition

1. Observe cracks
   Be alert to through cracks, diagonal long cracks (usually at a 45-degree angle to the ground, which may be a sign of uneven foundation settlement), and cracks wider than 2 millimeters. Pay special attention to the joints between beams and columns and the joints of prefabricated panels, as cracks in these areas may indicate structural damage.

2. Tap and listen
   Tap the wall lightly with a small iron rod, screwdriver handle, or key. If a dull 'dong, dong' sound is heard, it indicates dense concrete; if a hollow 'bang, bang' sound is heard, there may be hollowing, peeling, or concrete loosening caused by steel bar corrosion. A comprehensive inspection should be conducted along the joints of the prefabricated panels and the central positions of the floor slabs, marking and recording the locations of any hollow areas.