The Hazards of Prefabricated House Panels
The hazards of prefabricated house panels are mainly reflected in poor earthquake resistance, fragile connection points, shoddy materials, poor sound insulation and thermal insulation, difficulty in adjusting the internal structure, a high risk of water seepage, and a relatively short service life.
Poor earthquake resistance: Prefabricated panel houses have poor overall integrity, resembling structures built with building blocks. The connections between the prefabricated panels and walls, as well as between the panels themselves, are not strong enough. In the event of an earthquake, the floor slabs and walls can easily separate instantly, causing the house to collapse suddenly without any warning cracks or time for deformation buffering, greatly reducing the chances of escape. In past earthquakes, prefabricated panel houses have suffered severe collapses with high casualty rates.
Fragile connection points: The connection between the prefabricated panels and walls is usually just a simple overlap, and the gaps between the panels are simply filled without the support of rigid frameworks such as ring beams and structural columns. When the foundation settles or the walls crack, the prefabricated panels are prone to misalignment and loosening. Over time, problems such as weathering and steel bar rusting may occur at the connection points, leading to a decrease in strength. The floor slabs of old houses may even become precarious and could trigger a chain collapse with just a slight external force.
Shoddy materials: Regular prefabricated panels should use relatively thin steel bars, but some small workshops may use thin steel wires instead. At the same time, the concrete grade may not meet the standards and the thickness may be insufficient, resulting in high brittleness of the prefabricated panels. When their load-bearing capacity is exceeded, the prefabricated panels may break instantly without any warning. Situations such as stacking heavy objects, knocking on the ground during renovation, or long-term aging can all cause the sudden collapse of the prefabricated panels.
Poor sound insulation and thermal insulation: Prefabricated panel houses tend to be hot in summer and cold in winter, and have poor sound insulation, allowing the sounds of neighbors to be clearly heard, seriously affecting the quality of life of residents.
Difficulty in adjusting the internal structure: The internal structure of prefabricated panel houses is almost not allowed to undergo large-scale modifications. Every wall may be related to the safety of the overall structure, making it difficult for residents to customize their living space according to personal needs.
High risk of water seepage: Over time, cracks may appear in the cement components, and the gaps between the components may increase, thereby increasing the risk of water seepage between the upper and lower floors.
Relatively short service life: The design service life of prefabricated panel houses is about 30 to 50 years. Most of them were built in the 1970s to 1990s, and many houses have approached or exceeded their intended service life and are showing signs of aging.
