Prefabricated Slab Floor Housing

Prefabricated slab floor housing is a type of building constructed using prefabricated slabs as the main components. It originated in the early 20th century and has gradually been replaced, with current efforts focusing on repair and renovation.

Definition and Components

Prefabricated slab floor housing primarily uses prefabricated slabs as floor panels. These slabs are pre-made concrete components manufactured in factories. During production, wooden molds are nailed together, steel bars are arranged, and cement is poured to form the slabs, which come in two types: solid and hollow. The hollow structure reduces the amount of non-load-bearing concrete, achieving lightweighting for easier transportation and installation.

Origin and Development

This architectural form emerged in the early 20th century and was initially used mainly for floor panels and roof insulation layers. In China, residential buildings constructed before 1985 often adopted this structure. During the 1970s and 1980s, state-owned enterprises, government agencies, and institutions invested heavily in building such structures to address housing needs for their employees. Due to its fast construction speed and low cost, it could quickly meet the high demand for housing at the time. However, with the advancement of building technology, cast-in-place concrete and prefabricated buildings have gradually replaced traditional prefabricated slab houses. In 2023, China's "Building Energy Efficiency Regulations" stipulated that the construction, renovation, and expansion of non-compliant prefabricated slab houses are prohibited within urban construction land areas.

Characteristics

Advantages: Low cost, short construction period, convenient construction, fast building speed, and the ability to meet a large demand for housing in a short time. For example, cast-in-place floors require waiting half a month for the cement to dry, while prefabricated slab floors can be assembled to form a floor in just three days. Disadvantages: Poor overall integrity, as the connection between prefabricated slabs and beams is a pinned joint, resulting in generally poor waterproofing, sound insulation, thermal insulation, and seismic performance; weak seismic resistance, a common issue in existing prefabricated slab houses; poor sound insulation and thermal insulation effects; a relatively short service life, typically 30-50 years, much shorter than modern commercial housing; difficulty in structural modifications, as load-bearing walls cannot be removed, and the housing design lacks humanization; rigid housing layouts, with all rooms having to conform to the dimensions of the cement slabs, and easy leakage at joints.

Disposal Methods

Currently, the disposal of prefabricated slab houses follows the principle of "adapting measures to local conditions and implementing differentiated strategies" and does not involve a complete demolition. Since 2022, China has been implementing an old housing renovation policy, focusing on repair and renovation of prefabricated slab houses, and only demolishing buildings that meet the criteria for dangerous houses. Priority for demolition is given to prefabricated slab houses with damaged main structures, those unable to withstand natural disasters, those affecting urban planning, and those located in prime urban areas. Demolition compensation and resettlement follow the "Regulations on the Expropriation of Houses on State-owned Land and Compensation Therefor," with resettlement methods mainly including monetary compensation, physical resettlement, housing vouchers, and in-situ reconstruction. Reinforcement methods include increasing the cross-sectional area and bonding steel plates.