Rural Prefabricated Panel Houses

Rural prefabricated panel houses are structures built primarily with prefabricated panels. They face multiple issues such as waterproofing, earthquake resistance, and thermal insulation, and are gradually being replaced by cast-in-place concrete and prefabricated buildings. Existing houses are mainly repaired and renovated, with some regions carrying out demolition work.

Construction Characteristics

Prefabricated panels are cement components manufactured in factories, available in solid and hollow forms. The hollow structure achieves lightweighting by reducing non-load-bearing concrete. Twenty years ago, in rural self-built houses, due to their low cost and rapid construction speed—with installation possible in just a day or half a day—prefabricated cement panels were commonly used for roofs.

Disadvantages

• Waterproofing Issues: There is a high probability of rain leakage during waterproofing work. It is said that among rural houses with prefabricated panel roofs, eight out of ten experience rain leakage, and the waterproofing industry cannot guarantee 100% leak-proofing.
• Poor Earthquake Resistance: They should not be used in earthquake-prone areas due to their low seismic resistance coefficient, which makes them prone to collapse.
• Poor Thermal Insulation: Prefabricated panels are generally about 12 centimeters thick and, despite being hollow, still have poor thermal insulation. In summer, indoor temperatures are high, and in winter, they are low. Secondary roofing material coverage on the floor slab is usually required to compensate for this deficiency.
• Other Issues: The edges of prefabricated panels rest on walls, and even with the pouring of a ring beam, it is not as good as pouring the ring beam and floor slab together. The seams in the middle are particularly prone to cracking and water leakage. Sound insulation is poor, with activities on the upper floor clearly audible on the lower floor. The lifespan is only 30 years.

Current Situation and Handling Methods

With the development of construction technology, cast-in-place concrete and prefabricated buildings are gradually replacing traditional prefabricated panel houses. Prefabricated buildings use modular factory-prefabricated components, reducing construction time by 30% compared to traditional methods. Since 2022, China has implemented renovation policies, focusing on repairing and renovating prefabricated panel houses and only demolishing those that meet the criteria for dangerous buildings. Existing prefabricated panel houses generally have issues such as weak earthquake resistance, poor sound and thermal insulation, and a lifespan of about 30-50 years. Some regions have already initiated demolition work.