What is the Best Thickness for Prefabricated Houses?

There is no uniform standard for the thickness of prefabricated houses, which needs to be determined according to specific components and usage scenarios. The common ranges are as follows:

Thickness of Prefabricated Floor Slabs

It usually ranges from 10 to 20 centimeters.

• Ordinary Residences: Mostly adopt a thickness of 12 to 15 centimeters, which can meet the load requirements for daily living (such as furniture and human activities) while balancing economy and construction efficiency.
• Industrial Plants or Commercial Buildings: Due to larger equipment loads or the need to lay pipelines, the floor slab thickness may increase to 15 to 20 centimeters, or even thicker to enhance structural strength.
• Special Scenarios: For areas such as basement roofs or those requiring sound insulation and fire protection, the thickness may further increase to over 20 centimeters. For example, floor slabs that need to meet sound insulation standards may achieve this by adding a 5 to 8-centimeter sound insulation layer or using a composite structure; basement roofs need to consider both waterproofing and load-bearing, often reaching a thickness of over 20 centimeters.

Thickness of Prefabricated Wall Panels

Common specifications include 75mm, 90mm, 100mm, and 120mm, with specific thicknesses varying depending on the usage scenario.

• 75mm Wall: Primarily used for interior partitions to meet basic space separation needs.
• 90mm Wall: Often used for exterior wall insulation, balancing insulation performance and structural stability.
• 100mm Wall: Suitable for exterior wall insulation and light-weight house construction, balancing insulation and load-bearing requirements.
• 120mm Wall: Mainly used in heavy industrial buildings that need to withstand large loads or meet higher strength requirements.
  Note: Some netizens have commented that a prefabricated wall panel thickness of around 12 centimeters (120mm) feels too thin, which may be related to specific usage scenarios or personal expectations and needs to be evaluated based on actual needs.

Design Basis

• Load Requirements: The load that the floor slab needs to bear is the core factor determining its thickness. According to the 'Building Structural Load Code', the standard value for live loads on residential floors is 2.0kN/㎡ (approximately 200kg/㎡), while for industrial plants, it may reach 3.5 to 5.0kN/㎡. The greater the load, the more the floor slab needs to increase its thickness or reinforcement to enhance its load-bearing capacity.
• Span and Reinforcement: The span of the floor slab directly affects the magnitude of the bending moment, thereby influencing thickness design. The larger the span, the thicker the floor slab needs to be or the reinforcement ratio needs to be increased to control deformation.
• Functional Requirements: Special functional requirements such as sound insulation, fire protection, and waterproofing also affect thickness. For example, floor slabs that need to meet sound insulation standards may achieve this by adding a sound insulation layer or using a composite structure.
• Construction and Economy: Increasing thickness raises material costs and construction difficulty. For example, a 12-centimeter-thick floor slab uses approximately 0.12m³ of concrete per square meter, while an 18-centimeter-thick slab increases this to 0.18m³, with corresponding cost increases. Therefore, design needs to seek a balance between safety and economy.