What Belongs to Prefabricated Housing Structure

Prefabricated housing structures mainly include three main types: panel assembly, box assembly, and frame assembly. At the same time, they can be classified into three forms based on material morphology: steel, concrete, and wood. The following is an introduction from two aspects: structural types and material forms.

Structural Types

• Panel Assembly: This type uses prefabricated panels as the main structural components, which are assembled on-site to form a complete building. Panels typically include prefabricated wall panels, floor panels, roof panels, etc. After production in the factory, each component is transported to the construction site and quickly spliced together using bolts, welding, or pre-installed connectors. This structural type offers high construction efficiency, significantly shortening the construction period, and has a high degree of component standardization, which is conducive to quality control. For example, some low-rise residential buildings or temporary structures often adopt this type of structure.
• Box Assembly: With prefabricated spatial modules (i.e., "boxes") as the core, each box contains complete room functions, such as bedrooms and kitchens. After the boxes are completed with interior decoration and equipment installation in the factory, they are transported to the site and directly stacked or connected to form multi-story buildings. This structural type has a high degree of integration and enables a "move-in ready" fast delivery model, suitable for projects with high standardization requirements such as hotels and apartments.
• Frame Assembly: With prefabricated frames (such as beams and columns) as the main structural body, an overall frame is formed through node connections on-site, and then prefabricated floor panels, wall panels, and other enclosure components are installed. Frame structures offer good spatial flexibility and seismic performance, suitable for multi-story or high-rise buildings. For example, some commercial complexes or office buildings adopt steel frame assembly, ensuring structural strength while improving construction efficiency.

Material Forms

• Steel Structure: Using steel as the main load-bearing material, it has the characteristics of light weight, high strength, and fast construction speed. Steel prefabricated houses are suitable for ocean transportation (due to the ability to disassemble and package components) and high-rise buildings (due to excellent seismic performance), but attention should be paid to anti-corrosion treatment to extend service life.
• Concrete Structure: Using prefabricated concrete components (such as PC components), it is closer to the traditional living experience and has high acceptance in the domestic market. Concrete structures have good durability and low cost, but they are heavy and require special equipment for transportation and lifting, mostly used in low- to medium-rise residential buildings or public buildings.
• Wooden Structure: Using wood as the load-bearing material, it has the advantages of environmental protection, renewability, and convenient construction. Wooden prefabricated houses are often used in low-rise residential buildings or vacation villas, especially suitable for areas with high ecological requirements, but attention should be paid to fire and insect prevention treatments.