How to Demolish Walls in Prefabricated Slab Houses

Demolishing walls in prefabricated slab houses must strictly adhere to structural safety principles and should not be carried out arbitrarily. Specific operations should select compliant methods based on the scenario and confirm the nature of the wall in advance.

I. Compliant Methods for Reinforcing Load-Bearing Walls

If reinforcing a load-bearing wall in a prefabricated slab house is necessary, it is prohibited to directly stack heavy objects on the original wall or add heavy ceiling fixtures, as this may lead to cracking or collapse due to insufficient load-bearing capacity of the prefabricated slabs. The correct approach is:

1. Adding an External Wall: Construct a new brick wall or cast-in-place concrete wall on the exterior side of the original load-bearing wall to disperse the load by expanding the contact area with the prefabricated slabs. For example, if the original wall is a 240mm thick brick wall, an additional 120mm thick brick wall can be built on the exterior to form a composite structure for enhanced stability.
2. Material Selection: The newly constructed wall should use lightweight materials (such as aerated concrete blocks) to avoid adding excessive load. If cast-in-place concrete is used, the thickness should be controlled (generally not exceeding 100mm) and reinforced with a steel mesh to prevent localized stress concentration.

II. Standard Requirements for Door Jamb Installation

The connection between the door jamb and the prefabricated slab directly affects structural safety and must strictly adhere to the following standards:

1. Prefabricated Slab Width Limitation: The width of the prefabricated slab (such as an ALC slab) connecting to the door jamb must not be less than 400mm. If the width exceeds 800mm, a single prefabricated slab must be used, and splicing is prohibited to avoid cracking at the seams due to stress.
2. Handling Narrow Door Jambs: Door jambs with a width of less than 200mm should be treated with cast-in-place concrete, connected to the prefabricated slab by embedding steel bars to form an integrated load-bearing structure and prevent the door jamb from detaching due to excessive localized pressure.

III. Construction Prohibitions and Precautions

The weak joints and load-bearing capacity of prefabricated slab houses are core safety hazards, and special attention should be paid during construction:

1. Prohibition of Arbitrary Wall Construction: If a non-load-bearing wall needs to be added, the load-bearing capacity of the prefabricated slab must be confirmed through professional calculations, and lightweight partition materials (such as gypsum board partitions) should be used to avoid adding structural burden.
2. Assessment Before Wall Removal: If a wall needs to be removed, it must first be confirmed through structural inspection whether it is a load-bearing wall. If it is a load-bearing wall, a reinforcement plan (such as adding temporary supports or replacing with steel structural columns) must be formulated, and stability acceptance must be conducted after construction.
3. Avoid Adding Heavy Ceilings: The floor load-bearing capacity of prefabricated slab houses is limited. Installing large crystal chandeliers, heavy storage cabinets, etc., is prohibited to prevent localized overload from causing structural deformation.

Summary: Operations for demolishing walls in prefabricated slab houses must prioritize structural safety. Reinforcing load-bearing walls and handling door jambs must comply with regulations. Removing or adding walls requires professional assessment, and arbitrary construction is strictly prohibited.