Prefabricated Slab Houses Can Add Partition Walls
Prefabricated slab houses can add partition walls, but strict adherence to structural safety requirements is necessary. This involves ensuring proper load transfer through rational design of location, materials, construction, and construction measures. The following key points should be noted:
1. Location Selection: Prioritize Placement Near Load-Bearing Structures
Partition walls should be installed on load-bearing walls, beams, or other structural supports, or by adding ground beams or structural beams to distribute loads. Direct placement in the middle of floor slabs is strictly prohibited. According to the "Building Structural Load Code" (GB 50009), non-load-bearing partition walls should avoid being fixed in the middle of floor slabs, as the bending moment is greatest in the mid-span area, and directly increasing the load may lead to slab cracking or deformation. If space constraints necessitate mid-span placement, structural measures must be taken to transfer the load to supports. For example, a reinforced concrete structural beam can be added above the prefabricated slab, or channel steel reinforcement can be used: two channel steels are placed parallel on the prefabricated slab, with their ends resting on load-bearing walls, and then lightweight bricks are laid, using the channel steels to transfer the partition wall load to the walls.
2. Material Selection: Prioritize Lightweight Materials
If partition walls cannot avoid the mid-span of floor slabs, low-density materials should be used to reduce the load. Lightweight steel keel gypsum board and aerated concrete panels (such as ALC panels) are recommended. Taking ALC panels as an example, their density is only 1/4 to 1/3 of that of ordinary concrete, with a dry density controlled between 400-725 kg/cubic meter, significantly reducing the building's self-weight. These materials not only lighten the load on the floor slab but also possess fire-resistant and sound-insulating properties, meeting the renovation needs of prefabricated slab houses. Heavy materials such as red bricks and concrete blocks should be avoided to prevent structural safety hazards caused by excessive loads.
3. Construction Measures: Strengthen Load Transfer Paths
When partition walls must be placed in the mid-span, structural design is required to ensure safe load transfer. Adding reinforced concrete structural beams or ground beams is a common method: pouring concrete beams below or above the floor slab to distribute the partition wall load to the load-bearing structures on both sides. If channel steel reinforcement is used, ensure that the channel steel specifications match the span and are fixed to the prefabricated slab and load-bearing walls with expansion bolts or welding to form a stable support system. Additionally, concrete pads can be placed at the bottom of the partition wall to further disperse local pressure.
4. Construction Requirements: Avoid Damaging the Original Structure
Partition wall installation should be staggered with the seams of the prefabricated slabs to prevent cutting or drilling from weakening the connection strength between slabs. If grooving or drilling on the prefabricated slabs is necessary, avoid the seams and main reinforcement positions, and use specialized tools to minimize damage. It is recommended to conduct structural calculations before construction, commissioning a professional institution to assess whether the floor slab's load-bearing capacity meets the requirements for the new partition wall, especially for old houses or prefabricated slab structures with loads close to the limit. After passing the calculation, construction can proceed according to the design drawings, and the stability of the partition wall should be regularly inspected.
