Hazards of Prefabricated Panel Houses
The hazards of prefabricated panel houses are mainly reflected in poor earthquake resistance, fragile connection points, shoddy materials, poor sound insulation and thermal insulation, difficulty in adjusting internal structures, high risk of water seepage, and relatively short service life.
Almost zero earthquake resistance: Prefabricated panel houses have poor integrity, with weak connections between panels and walls, as well as between panels themselves, resembling houses built with building blocks. During an earthquake, the floor slabs and walls can easily separate instantly, causing the house to collapse suddenly without any crack warnings or deformation buffers, leaving residents with few chances to escape. In past earthquakes, prefabricated panel houses have suffered severe collapses and high casualty rates.
Extremely fragile connection points: Prefabricated panels and walls are usually simply overlapped, and the gaps between panels are only simply filled, lacking rigid frame structures such as ring beams and structural columns. When the foundation settles or the walls crack, the panels are prone to misalignment and loosening. Over time, the connection points weather, the steel bars rust, and their strength decreases. In old houses, after living for two or three decades, the floor slabs may become precarious and could collapse in a chain reaction with slight external forces.
High incidence of shoddy materials: Regular prefabricated panels use thin steel bars, but small workshops may use thin steel wires instead. The concrete grades may not meet standards, and the thickness may be insufficient, resulting in reduced material quality and no guarantee of quality. Moreover, they are brittle and prone to fracture, unlike cast-in-place floor slabs which have toughness. When exceeding the load-bearing capacity, they can break instantly without any warning. Daily activities such as stacking heavy objects, knocking on the floor during renovation, and aging over time can all cause sudden collapses.
Poor sound insulation and thermal insulation: Many residents report that prefabricated panel houses are hot in summer and cold in winter, and they can clearly hear their neighbors' voices, affecting their quality of life.
Difficulty in adjusting internal structures: Prefabricated panel houses almost do not allow large-scale modifications, as every wall may be related to the overall structure, making it difficult for residents to customize their living space according to personal needs.
High risk of water seepage: Over time, cracks appear in the cement components, and the gaps between components increase, raising the risk of water seepage between floors.
Relatively short service life: Prefabricated panel houses are designed with a service life of about 30 to 50 years. Most of them were built in the 1970s to 1980s, and many have approached or exceeded their intended service lives, showing signs of aging and posing a threat to residents' safety.
