Basalt Prefabricated Panel House

The basalt prefabricated panel house has not yet formed a mature system, but the application of basalt materials in the construction field provides theoretical possibilities for the renovation of prefabricated panel houses.

1. Typical Applications of Basalt Materials in Construction
The applications of basalt in the construction field mainly fall into two categories:

• Basalt Wool Board: Made from natural basalt as the raw material through high-temperature melting and fiberization processes, it features high energy efficiency, thermal insulation, and stable durability. With a low thermal conductivity coefficient, it can significantly reduce building energy consumption and is commonly used in the insulation projects of exterior walls and roofs.
• Basalt Block Stone: Utilizing its natural hexagonal structure, it forms walls without the need for cement jointing through stacking. For example, the traditional dwellings in Rongtang Village, Hainan, take advantage of basalt's thermal insulation properties and structural stability to achieve characteristics such as light wall self-weight, strong earthquake resistance, and good ventilation effects, earning them the nickname 'natural air conditioners.'

2. Current Status and Issues of Traditional Prefabricated Panel Houses
Prefabricated panel houses mostly refer to buildings constructed in the 1970s and 1980s using factory-prefabricated cement panels spliced on-site, which have the following common issues:

• Poor Structural Safety: Loose joints and insufficient earthquake resistance. Nationwide, 87% of prefabricated panel houses have exceeded their designed service lives, and 40% have been listed as dangerous buildings.
• Low Durability: Prone to issues such as water leakage and cracking, necessitating reinforcement or demolition based on structural safety assessments.
• Limited Renovation Techniques: Existing reinforcement methods include carbon fiber cloth, steel bonding, rebar planting, and BFRM basalt fiber tough mortar, among others, but they need to be selected based on specific scenarios.

3. Potential Applications of Basalt Materials in the Renovation of Prefabricated Panel Houses

• Improvement of Thermal Insulation Performance: Basalt wool boards can replace traditional insulation materials for use in the insulation layers of exterior walls or roofs of prefabricated panel houses, reducing energy consumption and enhancing comfort.
• Optimization of Structural Reinforcement: Basalt fiber tough mortar, with its thin single-side plastering thickness and light self-weight, is suitable for reinforcement scenarios in prefabricated panel houses with limited space, enhancing the stability of joint connections.
• Verification of Theoretical Compatibility Needed: Currently, basalt materials are more commonly used in the restoration of traditional dwellings or as insulation layers in new buildings. Their long-term compatibility with prefabricated panel structures (such as thermal expansion and contraction, load distribution) still requires further research.

4. Current Practices and Challenges
The direct application of basalt materials in prefabricated panel houses is relatively rare, mainly because the renovation of prefabricated panel houses needs to balance cost, construction efficiency, and structural safety. Existing cases are mostly concentrated on the restoration of traditional dwellings or new buildings. In the future, experimental verification of the synergistic effects between basalt materials and prefabricated panel structures is needed to promote technical standardization.