Yantai Prefabricated Panel House

Yantai prefabricated panel houses are buildings constructed primarily with prefabricated panels, which have issues such as weak earthquake resistance and poor sound and heat insulation. Renovation focuses on repairs, and only dangerous buildings are demolished.

Definition and Characteristics of Prefabricated Panel Houses

Prefabricated panel houses are buildings constructed mainly with prefabricated panels. These panels are cement components prefabricated in factories. During production, a wooden model is first nailed together, then steel bars are arranged and cement is poured to form the panels, which come in solid and hollow types. The hollow structure achieves lightweighting by reducing the non-load-bearing concrete. This building form originated in the early 20th century and was widely used in residential buildings constructed in China before 1985. However, existing prefabricated panel houses generally have some problems. Their earthquake resistance is weak, and the building structure is prone to damage during natural disasters such as earthquakes. Their sound and heat insulation effects are poor, which affects living comfort. Their service life is about 30 - 50 years, and as time goes by, the buildings will gradually age.

Impact of Yantai's Climate on Prefabricated Panel Houses

Yantai is located on the Jiaodong Peninsula and has both maritime and continental climate characteristics. Winters are long and snowy. When the snow melts in spring, it is prone to forming "snowmelt-induced leakage". In summer, rainfall is concentrated and heavy, which can easily lead to "rainy-season leakage". Many old red-brick buildings and prefabricated panel buildings in Yantai have aging structures. The leakage problem poses a great threat to the building structure, accelerates building damage, shortens the service life of the houses, and even creates safety hazards.

Renovation Policies for Prefabricated Panel Houses

Since 2022, China has implemented an old-building renovation policy. For prefabricated panel houses, the focus is on repair and renovation, and a series of measures are taken to improve building performance and living conditions, such as repairing and upgrading waterproofing and thermal insulation. Only buildings that meet the criteria for dangerous buildings are demolished. When the structural safety of a prefabricated panel house is seriously threatened and it is identified as a dangerous building, it will be demolished to protect the lives and property of residents.