WHAT IS PRE-CAST WALL PANEL SYSTEM?

Precast concrete walls are constructed by casting concrete in a reusable wall mold or form which is
then cured in a controlled environment, transported to the construction site and lifted into place. The main
function of the precast walls is to speed up the construction process.
Precast concrete wall systems can be comprised of a variety of shapes, and wall types. Typically,
precast concrete wall systems fall into three basic categories: solid, sandwich and thin-shell. These can be
panelized and erected in either a horizontal or vertical position and used on all types of structures from
residential to commercial, institutional to industrial. Wall panels can be designed as nonloadbearing or
loadbearing, carrying floor and roof loads, as well as lateral loads.
TYPES OF PRE-CAST WALL PANELS
1. Cladding or Curtain Walls
The cladding or curtain walls are the most widely used precast wall for building envelopes. They are non-load
bearing walls intended for the use to oppose the wind and encase the space. This type of precast wall
incorporates divider boards, window divider units, spandrels, mullions, and section cover.

Image source: https://www.archiexpo.com/prod/james-taylor/product-50366-1723770.html

Types of curtain wall systems

Aluminum-framed wall systems date back to the 1930s and developed rapidly after World War II when the
supply of aluminum became available for non-military use. There are a wide range of curtain wall options:

 Stick systems where glass panels or aluminum-sheathed thin panels are fitted into aluminum or steel
glazing sections that are fixed to the structural frame of the building usually at each floor level – also
described as a framed system.
 Unitized curtain wall systems consisting of a series of units manufactured off site, typically 1 storey
high, that are installed with purpose-made jointing extrusions.
 Semi-unitized systems, which are a combination of stick and unitized systems.
  Point-fixed glass systems where the glass panels are mechanically fixed to the structure using
stainless steel fixings housed in counter-sunk holes, which means a conventional framework is not
required. Joints between glass panels are formed with silicone sealant.
 Structural glazing where the glazing is adhered to the aluminum curtain wall members with the joints
between the glass sealed.
 Pressure-equalized open-jointed engineered rainscreen systems.
Stick or framed systems
A stick system curtain wall consists of aluminium members – sticks – cut and machined in a factory and
delivered to site as unassembled aluminium mullions and transoms, essentially in a kit format.

Unitized curtain wall systems

Unitized curtain wall systems consist of a series of units, typically 1 storey high and a modular width –
typically 1200–1500 mm. These join to adjacent units above and alongside with male/female designed
extrusions complete with pressure-equalized cavities for performance.
Unitised curtain wall systems offer several advantages:

 Quality control – because the units are manufactured and glazed in factory conditions, the finish of
the product is of a higher standard.
 Speed of installation – the unitised nature of the product makes it remarkably fast to install on site.
Given time costs as a commodity on a construction site, this makes a unitised system more
competitive than the capital cost first suggests.
 Performance – due to the introduction of pressure-equalised systems and the split mullion/split
transom arrangements, unitised systems have superior performance parameters under building
movement conditions.
Point-fixed glazing systems
Many buildings have a component of engineered glass, structural glass or point-fixed glass systems,
all meaning essentially the same thing.
The glass is the only barrier between inside and out and is usually constructed of single-glazed
tempered glass, supported by stainless steel clamps in the corners or edges. The stainless steel is usually
bolted to and supported by structural steel either inside or out.

Structural glazing
In many projects, the glass is structurally glazed to the aluminium curtain wall members where the
sealant and spacers between the glass and the frame transmit wind loads to the structure. The flexibility of the
sealant and spacers allows the glazing system to withstand flexure, tension, compression and differential
thermal shear stresses.
Structural glazing can be one of two systems:

 A two-sided system where either the vertical or the horizontal joints are bonded to the structure and
support the live load while the remaining sides are either mechanically fixed and support the dead
load or are not structurally supported. Two-sided systems are often done on site.
 A four-sided system where the structural silicone bonds all four sides with the dead load either
supported mechanically by a supporting fin or by the silicone alone. These should be factory built.
Pressure-equalized rainscreen systems
Pressure equalised systems incorporate a rigid air barrier fixed over the primary structure to which the support
for the open-jointed pressure-equalised rainscreen cladding system is attached.

Design considerations
Specialized designers, generally employed by the curtain wall manufacturer, prepare shop drawings
for the manufacture of the curtain wall cladding systems.
Curtain wall systems require an integrated design approach including:

 an appropriate structural support system

  weathertight detailing of joints
 the inclusion of thermal and solar control
 the effects of reflectance and shading
 the aesthetic appearance of the building.
In addition, designers must consider other factors that may affect the design of the curtain wall cladding
including:

 the building height and area of external walls

 floor-to-floor heights
 the size of the units for transportation
 access onto site – for large vehicles and cranes
 lifting equipment
 on-site storage – if required.

2. Solid Walls
Solid wall panel refers to walls being made of solid concrete as opposed to including integral insulation.
These wall systems require some form of insulation and an interior wall/finishing system to complete the
building enclosures.

 Typical widths: 4 to 15 ft.

 Typical heights: 10 to 50 ft.
 Typical thicknesses: 4 to 12 in.
Finishes: Since wall panels are cast in a flat orientation, the form side is typically the side that will be exposed
to view in the final construction. This face can be made with virtually any type of finish. The back face is
commonly troweled smooth or may have a light broom finish.
 Solid Wall Comparison
Precast Walls Conventional Walls
 Time – Shorter construction time  Comparatively longer construction time.
 High quality finish as it is manufactured in  Additional Procedure needed to get a
controlled environment. finished product
 Precast Concrete walls requires little or no  Other products such as brick, may require
maintenance. repair after severe weather or impact.
 Less thickness, Maximum carpet area.  More thickness, minimal Carpet area.

Advantages

 Time– Shorter construction period and low maintenance cost.

 Environmental Soundness–Since precast wall panels are manufactured in a production facility, the
impact that these panels impose onsite is minimal. This helps reduce the space needed on a job site
 Aesthetically Pleasing–Precast wall panels can be customized to the architect’s or owner’s desire.
 Swiftness of Construction– these systems can be installed in a quick process without involving
multiple trades. By eliminating the use of other trades, a wall panel system can decrease the overall
cost of the project.
 Fire resistant
 Economical- Precast concrete wall panels offer lower long-term costs when compared with other
materials. Ease of installation, reduction in overall project timeline & total flexibility in design make
precast the economical solution.
 Low Maintenance- Precast concrete requires little or no maintenance, which makes it the ideal choice
for nearly any design solution.
 Modularity –Because of the modular nature of precast concrete products, buildings of nearly any size
can be accommodated.
 Energy Efficiency–Precast walls are energy efficient due to a high thermal mass that enables materials
to absorb and store temperatures at a more constant rate. With this system, it reduces the fluctuation
of temperatures within the building.
2. Load bearing Wall Panel
Pre-Cast Concrete Wall
It is the type of load bearing wall that is mostly constructed by casting concrete in a reusable wall
mold or form which is then cured in a controlled environment, transported to the construction site, lifted, and
placed in position. The primary objective of constructing such precast walls is to accelerate the speed of the
construction. The precast wall must be capable of opposing the parallel loads bestowed on it due to the self-
weight, wind loads, and earthquake loads.
Before the construction, the plan and the specifications must be prepared and thoroughly analyzed.
This is done so that during the erection of the precast walls, no undesirable burdens are enforced on the wall.
The undesirable loads can greatly affect the transportation and the lifting of the precast walls and thus
it must be analyzed during the design phase itself. The joints between the pre-cast concrete walls must
be wide enough to withstand the expansion due to high temperature and seasonal variations.
Features of Pre-Cast Concrete Wall
Some of the distinct features of the precast concrete walls are as follows:
1. Thermal Resistance: The precast concrete wall offers significant resistance to thermal changes.
This is usually achieved due to the protection that is set in the depression or inside the reinforcement divider,
which is a metal stud divider.
2. Moisture Protection: The moisture protection is obtained using sealants particularly the
pigmented sealants.
3. Fire Safety: The pre-cast concrete wall has very high fire-resistant properties. This is because
these walls are mostly manufactured using concrete with good fire resisting characteristics.
4. Acoustics: The precast concrete wall offers good insulation to sound.
For preventing the transmission of sound from the outside to the inside of the building, a precast wall with a
veneer is constructed.
5. Durability: Like the concrete, the pre-cast concrete wall is also durable.
The durability of the precast wall is dependent on the type of connections made with the structural member.
6. Maintainability: The precast concrete wall does not require any maintenance.
However, the connection, sealants, anchorages, and accessories used in the precast wall need regular
maintenance.
ii. Advantages of Pre-Cast Concrete Wall
Some of the advantages of the Pre-Cast concrete wall can be listed as follows:
a. It offers the benefit of acting as thermal storage thereby reducing the peak thermal loads.
b. The construction of such a wall helps to minimize the time and cost by eliminating the need for
separate stud framing and drywall costs.
c. The precast concrete wall can be used as a load-bearing structure.
d. The precast concrete wall can be reused for future building expansions if designed accordingly.
e. This wall offers a high degree of durability even in extreme weather conditions.
f. The precast concrete wall permits great flexibility in terms of finishing. The finishing can be achieved
through the use of various aggregates, cement, pigments, and finishing techniques.
g. The precast concrete wall can be produced in several designs with different textures such as linear
shapes, artwork, lettering, etc.
h. h. The precast concrete wall can also be provided with the electrical boxes.
3. Sandwich Walls
Insulated sandwich wall panels can be strictly architectural, strictly structural, or a combination of
both. The difference between typical panels and insulated sandwich wall panels is that the latter are cast with
rigid insulation "sandwiched" between two layers, or wythes, of concrete. The insulation thickness can vary to
create the desired thermal insulating property ("R" value) for the wall.
The structural behavior is either:

 Composite in which the wythes are connected using ties through the insulation that fully
transfer loads. The structural performance is then based on the full thickness of the panel; or
 Non-Composite in which the wythes are connected using ties through the insulation, which
limits performance to the individual capacities of each wythe.

Sandwich Panel Construction details

 Whether the panel is composite or non-composite depends on the configuration and material used for
the ties. Insulated sandwich wall panels can be designed to be loadbearing and support floor and roof
components. They make an ideal structural element for this purpose, typically by casting a thicker interior
wythe to provide the necessary support. They can also be non-loadbearing to complete a façade.
 Finishes: As with typical wall panels, the panels are cast in a flat orientation, so the form side is typically
the side that will be exposed to view in the final construction. This face can be made with virtually any type of
finish. GFRC panels allow for great aesthetic details and extensions such as cornices, due to the
manufacturing process. The back face is typically troweled smooth, but is not left exposed. The back-up
systems are often used to attach drywall and/or other finish materials.

 Typical widths: 1.2m to 4.5m

 Typical heights: 3m to 12m
 Typical thicknesses: 120mm to 500mm

4. Thin-Shell and GFRC

Thin-shell wall panels consist of a thin, outer-wythe of concrete typically ranging between 1.5 and 3 inches in
thickness. This is connected to a back-up system, usually constructed of steel framing or studs, or sometimes
concrete. The back-up system is what connects the wall panel to the structural system of the building and
often provides the furring for interior finishes, such as drywall to be attached. Many of these systems can also
incorporate a layer of rigid insulation between the exterior wythe of concrete and the back-up system.
Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete (GFRC) is a thin-shell system where the exterior wythe of concrete
contains alkali-resistant glass fibers that is normally sprayed into forms. The fibers increase tensile, flexural
and impact strengths. Both thin-shell systems reduce the weight of the panels relative to other precast wall
systems. Some can also be designed as loadbearing.

 Typical widths: 4 to 15 ft.

  Typical heights: 8 to 50 ft.
 Typical thicknesses: 5 to 12 in., including 1 to 4 in. of insulation
Finishes: As with typical wall panels, the panels are cast in a flat orientation, so the form side is generally the
side that will be exposed to view in the final construction. This face can be made with virtually any type of
finish. GFRC panels allow for great aesthetic details and extensions, such as cornices, due to the
manufacturing process. The back face is commonly troweled smooth, but is not left exposed. The back-up
systems are often used to attach drywall and/or other finish materials.

5. Lite Walls
Light or "lite" walls are shear walls used in parking structures cast with an opening in their center to provide
visual continuity and to allow daylight or artificial illumination to penetrate deeper into an interior. The
components provide openness and a feeling of security. These components should not be confused with "light
wells," which are internal, open courtyards designed to provide daylight to the center of parking structures and
other buildings.
As with other types of shear walls, lite walls serve as the lateral force-resisting systems in the structure. They
act as cantilever beams, transferring lateral forces acting parallel to the face of the wall, from the
superstructure to the foundation.

 Typical shapes: Rectangular with rectangular openings to create openness

 Typical sizes: 12 to 16 in. in width greater than the stem-to-stem spacing of the supported double tees
Finishes: Lite walls are cast in a horizontal position, with three of the four sides created with a form. These
finishes are very smooth and most often remain "as cast" in the finished construction. The fourth side is
typically troweled to match the other three sides as closely as possible.
Types of Connections in Precast Concrete Walls
1. Bolted Connections
The bolted connections are a simplified and fastest method of erection operation. The final alignment and
adjustment can be made later without tying up crane time. The bolting should be in accordance with the
erection drawings, using material specified by the designer.
2. Welded Connections
The welded connections are the most common and typical connection used in the erection of precast concrete.
These connections are structurally efficient and adjust easily to varying field conditions.
The connections are usually made by placing a loose plate between two structural steel plates that are
embedded both in the cast-in-place or the precast concrete panel and welded together.
3. Dowel/Anchor Bolt Connections
In a dowel connection, the strength of dowels in tension or shear depends on dowel diameter, embedded
length, and the bond developed. The threaded anchor bolts and rebar anchor dowels that protrude from the
foundation are the critical first connection to precast members.
Structural Design Aspects
The precast walls are designed as blind divider or facade which does not carry any load. Anyhow, the
precast walls must oppose parallel loads conferred on it due to self-weight, winds, and quakes.
It is critical to assess the plan, specifying and erection of precast walls to abstain from forcing
undesirable burdens onto the walls. Loads such as erection, affect, and development related, and
transportation of the precast walls are to be considered in the design phase.
The joints between the walls must be sufficiently wide to suit warm extension and differential
developments due to season variations. The divider hole space and go down divider which is secured with a
water-safe film give an optional line of assurance against water infiltration into the building.
Characteristics of Precast Concrete Walls
1. Thermal Resistance
The precast walls infer their warm execution attributes basically from the measure of protection set in the
depression or inside the reinforcement divider, which is ordinarily a metal stud divider.
2. Moisture Protection
The protection for the moisture in the precast walls is of high importance as the structural members such as
columns and beams are not structurally connected with the precast walls.
The sealer or the joint seal used in the connections and joints to prevent the moisture from entering the
building. To keep the uniformity of precast walls and the sealant’s, pigmented sealants are used.
3. Fire Safety
The precast walls are manufactured with concrete which has good fire-resistant material.
3. Acoustics
A precast wall with a veneer will give comparative execution with respect to sound transmission from the
outside to the inside of the building.
4. Durability
The durability parameter of the precast walls is the same as that of concrete. Anyhow, the durability depends
on the type of connections made with the structural member.
Any irregularities in the member can be rectified by sandblasting, uncovering total, corrosive washing, hedge
pounding, or different methods.
5. Maintainability
As the walls are manufactured with concrete, which does not need any maintenance. The connection, sealants,
anchorages, and accessories used in the precast walls need regular maintenance.
Advantages of Precast Concrete Walls

 Precast concrete walls act as thermal storage to delay and reduce peak thermal loads.
 The precast concrete wall is used as an interior surface which saves time and money by eliminating
the need for separate stud framing and drywall costs.
 The precast concrete wall can be used as load-bearing structures and will save costs by eliminating the
need for an additional structural framing system.
 Precast concrete walls can be designed to be reused for future building expansions.
 Precast concrete’s durability creates a low maintenance structure, which stands up to harsh climate
conditions.
 Precast concrete colors and finishes can be achieved through the use of various aggregates, cement,
pigments and finishing techniques.
 Precast concrete wall panels can utilize a thin brick veneer that can achieve a traditional appearing
facade.
 Precast concrete walls can be produced with textures including form liner shapes, artwork, and
lettering to provide distinctive accent treatments.
 Precast concrete wall panels can have electrical boxes and conduit cast into the panels, to provide
flush electrical fixtures on walls that are not to be framed out.
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