Translation of the Structure Diagram of Old Prefabricated Houses

Most old prefabricated houses from the 1980s were of brick-concrete structure. Although there is no direct reference for their structural diagrams, a general description and analysis can be made based on their structural characteristics.

Overall Structural Framework

Old prefabricated houses from the 1980s mainly adopted brick-concrete structures, which consisted of a load-bearing system formed by brick walls and concrete components. The vertical load-bearing structures of the houses were primarily brick walls, which were formed by bricklaying to bear the upper loads. The horizontal load-bearing structures included prefabricated or cast-in-place slabs, which were used to transfer the loads from the floors and roofs to the vertical load-bearing structures.

Structural Characteristics Related to Prefabricated Slabs

• Types of Prefabricated Slabs: In old houses from the 1980s, there were two types of floor slabs: prefabricated slabs and cast-in-place slabs. Prefabricated slabs were concrete slabs pre-made in factories, commonly including solid slabs and hollow slabs. Hollow slabs had multiple holes inside, which reduced their own weight while ensuring a certain strength, facilitating transportation and installation.
• Load-Bearing Function of Prefabricated Slab Walls: In general brick-concrete structures, prefabricated slab walls were usually load-bearing walls. This meant that these walls not only had to bear their own weight but also the loads from the upper floor slabs, roofs, and live loads on the roofs. In structural diagrams, load-bearing walls were represented by thicker lines or specific filling patterns to highlight their importance.
• Arrangement of Prefabricated Slabs: Prefabricated slabs were usually arranged in parallel on the floors. They were connected to form a whole through certain connection methods (such as welding of reserved steel bars and concrete grouting) to jointly bear the floor loads. In roof structures, the arrangement of prefabricated slabs was similar, but considerations such as roof drainage and thermal insulation needed to be taken into account.

Other Structural Components

In addition to brick walls and prefabricated slabs, there were also structural components such as constructional columns and ring beams in the houses. Constructional columns were generally set at the corners of the houses, the junctions of internal and external walls, and other positions. They were connected to the ring beams to form a frame, enhancing the overall integrity and seismic performance of the houses. Ring beams were set at regular intervals along the height of the house walls, connecting the walls into a whole and improving the stability of the walls.