Prefabricated Panels for House Construction

Prefabricated panels for house construction were commonly used floor slabs in early 20th-century architecture. They are engineering modules or panels that are processed in a prefabrication yard and then directly transported to the site for installation.

Manufacturing Process and Types

The production of prefabricated panels involves first constructing a hollow wooden mold. Reinforcing steel bars are placed inside the mold, and concrete is poured. After drying, the wooden mold is removed to form the finished product. Based on structural differences, prefabricated panels are divided into two types: solid and hollow. The hollow design achieves lightweighting by reducing non-load-bearing concrete, thereby lowering material costs and transportation difficulties.

Specifications

In rural self-built housing scenarios, the specifications of prefabricated panels must balance practicality and transportation conditions:

• Length: Commonly ranges from 3 meters to 4.2 meters, with intervals of 30 centimeters between each size. Transportation risks increase significantly for lengths exceeding 4.2 meters, requiring special planning.
• Width: Two standard sizes are available: 50 centimeters and 60 centimeters, to accommodate different room layouts.
• Thickness: For ordinary rooms, 12 centimeters is sufficient to meet load-bearing requirements. If used on the second floor or for carrying heavy loads, at least 15 centimeters is needed to ensure structural safety.

Advantages and Limitations

Advantages:

• Low Cost: Prefabricated production reduces on-site construction procedures, resulting in significantly lower material and labor costs compared to cast-in-place concrete.
• Efficient Construction: A small team can complete the main assembly in half a day, and a three-story residence can be capped in about a week, shortening the construction period by more than 50%.

Limitations:

• Insufficient Durability: Due to material aging and connection techniques, cracking and water leakage issues may arise after 10 years of use, requiring regular maintenance.
• Weak Seismic Performance: Simple connections between panels make them prone to dislocation or even collapse during earthquakes, making them unsuitable for high-seismic-intensity areas.
• Poor Comfort: The hollow structure results in inferior sound insulation and thermal insulation performance, with indoor temperatures potentially 3-5°C higher than those of cast-in-place structures in summer.

Modern Applications

With advancements in building technology, cast-in-place concrete and prefabricated buildings are gradually replacing traditional prefabricated panel houses. However, prefabricated panels are still used for non-load-bearing structures or temporary facilities, such as:

• Roadside ditch covers, roof insulation layers, and other scenarios with low load-bearing requirements;
• Low-cost, rapid construction projects like agricultural greenhouses and storage sheds.

Their service life typically ranges from 30 to 50 years, requiring regular structural safety inspections based on environmental conditions (e.g., humidity, load).