Prefabricated Panel Structure House

A prefabricated panel structure house is a building constructed primarily using prefabricated panels, featuring specific structural characteristics, historical background, and existing issues, and is gradually being replaced by new building forms.

Structural Characteristics

Prefabricated panels are cement components manufactured in factories. During production, a wooden model is first nailed together, followed by the placement of steel bars and the pouring of cement to form the panel. These panels come in two types: solid and hollow. The hollow structure achieves lightweighting by reducing the non-load-bearing concrete, thereby reducing the overall weight while maintaining a certain level of strength.

Historical Background

This building form originated in the early 20th century and was primarily used for floor slabs and roof insulation layers. In China, residential buildings constructed before 1985 often adopted this structure, playing a significant role in the construction field at that time and meeting the housing needs of a large population.

Existing Issues

Existing prefabricated panel houses generally face numerous problems. Weak Earthquake Resistance: In the face of natural disasters such as earthquakes, the stability of prefabricated panel houses is relatively poor. For example, during the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, most of the collapsed buildings were of prefabricated panel structure; on May 27, 2024, a building in Longyuan Community, Tongling, Anhui Province collapsed, and from the cross-section, it was also found to have used prefabricated panels. Poor Sound and Heat Insulation: Due to the structural characteristics of prefabricated panels, their sound and heat insulation effects are not ideal, affecting the comfort of living. Limited Service Life: The general service life is about 30-50 years. Over time, the structural safety of the house will gradually decrease.

Development Trends

With the development of building technology, cast-in-place concrete and prefabricated buildings are gradually replacing traditional prefabricated panel houses. Prefabricated buildings adopt modular factory-prefabricated components, such as CMC combined modular buildings, which enhance earthquake resistance through steel-concrete integral pouring and shorten the construction period by 30% compared to traditional methods. Since 2022, China has implemented a policy of renovating old buildings, focusing on repairing and renovating prefabricated panel houses and only demolishing those that meet the criteria for dangerous buildings. Some regions have already initiated the demolition of prefabricated panel houses.