Prefabricated Steel Structure Housing

Prefabricated steel structure housing is a form of steel structure residential building that uses a steel structure system as the main load-bearing structure and is typically constructed in a prefabricated manner.

Structural System and Composition

The steel structure residential system consists of four major systems:

1. Structural System: The main forms include steel frames, steel frame-bracing, or steel frame-core tube structures. The frame columns are made of profiled steel or concrete-filled steel tubular columns, the beams are profiled steel beams, the floor system uses composite slabs or steel bar truss floor decking, and the stairs are prefabricated components. This design ensures high strength and stability of the structure.
2. Exterior Enclosure System: The exterior walls use materials such as autoclaved aerated concrete panels and integrated composite wall panels, which provide thermal insulation, heat insulation, and fire resistance. The interior partition walls use panel-type or light steel keel-type walls to meet the needs of flexible space division.
3. Equipment and Pipeline System: Through standardized design, water and electricity pipelines are integrated into the walls or floor slabs, reducing on-site construction errors and improving maintenance convenience.
4. Interior Decoration System: Prefabricated decoration technologies are adopted, such as integrated kitchen and bathroom modules, enabling rapid installation and facilitating later renovations.

Core Advantages

1. Excellent Seismic Performance: Steel structures have good ductility and can absorb seismic energy, making them suitable for earthquake-prone areas.
2. High Construction Efficiency: The prefabricated construction method significantly shortens the construction period. For example, Anhui Construction Engineering Group completed the main structure of a two-story building in just 7 days, reducing the time by more than 50% compared to traditional construction.
3. Green and Low-Carbon: The steel recycling rate exceeds 90%, reducing construction waste. Factory-prefabricated components reduce on-site wet operations, lowering dust and noise pollution.
4. High Space Utilization: Steel members have small cross-sections, increasing usable area. The layout is flexible and can adapt to large-span and irregular space requirements.

Application Status and Policy Support

Currently, China has applied steel structure residential buildings in projects such as Baotou Wanjun Metropolis and Hangzhou Qianjiang Century City, covering both affordable housing and commercial housing sectors. Since 2016, the state has promoted its development through policies such as the Guidelines on Vigorously Developing Prefabricated Buildings, aiming to achieve a 10% application rate of steel structures in newly started residential buildings by 2030 (currently around 7%). The industry is addressing challenges such as high construction costs and market acceptance through technological innovations, such as optimizing node connection methods and promoting lightweight materials.

Typical Case

The intelligent manufacturing model of Anhui Construction Engineering Group demonstrates the advantages of prefabricated steel structures: wall panels, stairs, and other components are prefabricated in the workshop and then assembled on-site like "building blocks," achieving standardized and refined construction. This model not only improves quality but also provides efficient solutions for scenarios such as rural low-rise housing and emergency buildings.