Prefabricated Housing Building Materials

The building materials for prefabricated housing mainly include three categories: prefabricated component materials, structural materials, and modular building integrated materials.

Prefabricated component materials are the fundamental components of prefabricated housing, covering core structural elements such as beams, slabs, walls, and columns. Their technical systems are divided into two types: prefabricated concrete structures and steel structures:

• Prefabricated concrete structures, represented by prefabricated slabs, are produced through standardized factory manufacturing. During production, wooden molds are first nailed together, and then steel reinforcement skeletons are placed inside before pouring concrete to form the components. Prefabricated slabs come in two types: solid and hollow. Solid slabs have higher strength and are suitable for areas with high load-bearing requirements; hollow slabs reduce their self-weight through internal cavity designs while maintaining structural stability, and are commonly used for partition walls or non-load-bearing parts.
• Steel structure prefabricated components use steel as the framework, forming standardized modules through welding or bolt connections. They are lightweight and detachable, making them particularly suitable for overseas transportation and high-rise building scenarios.

Structural material types determine the overall form and performance of prefabricated housing, mainly divided into steel structures, concrete structures, and wooden structures:

• Steel structures, with steel as the core, have the advantages of light weight, high strength, and short construction periods. Additionally, steel is recyclable, aligning with green building concepts. Their lightweight nature makes them the preferred choice for overseas transportation and high-rise prefabricated buildings.
• Concrete structures are assembled from prefabricated concrete components, providing a more traditional living experience and enjoying high market acceptance in China. Their advantages lie in lower costs, strong durability, and the ability to enhance earthquake resistance and fire protection by adding admixtures.
• Wooden structures, using engineered wood as raw material, are environmentally friendly and renewable. However, due to the limited strength of wood, they are mostly used for low-rise residential buildings or vacation villas, with relatively limited applications in China.

Modular building integrated materials represent the high-integration development direction of prefabricated housing. Their ceilings, floors, water and electricity pipelines, etc., are all prefabricated on factory assembly lines to form standardized modules. In terms of material applications, the steel-concrete integrated pouring technology significantly enhances structural earthquake resistance by combining steel and concrete. Additionally, modular buildings also adopt new materials such as lightweight partition walls and integrated bathrooms, further shortening on-site construction times and enabling a convenient "move-in ready" experience.