Page 36 - November Full Issue Digital

PRECAST CONCRETE The plus factor Precast concrete is increasingly becoming ubiquitous in real estate projects across the country mainly on account of the enormous benefits it offers constructors. CONSTRUCTION OPPORTUNITIES reports India’s real estate skyline has changed challenges of building mammoth projects The first is a good value proposition dramatically over the last decade and and individual structures on urgent because it saves excise duty which half thanks to increased urbanisation timelines increases. factory made precast components attract. and a growing emphasis on all round For real estate developers and constructors However adopting the second option, a infrastructure development. precast is also increasingly becoming site based plant, necessitates sufficient With cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, a practical option because of its cost construction volumes to justify the initial Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and effectiveness, environment friendliness installation costs. Further onsite plants Pune out growing their former limits and – it reduces energy consumption and have lesser efficiency than regular state increased demand for constructing new subtracts from the waste and dust on site – of the art plants. structures – residential and commercial and in ensuring longevity of the structures Buildings using precast concrete use a like hotels, offices, malls and SEZs – the where such technology is employed. load bearing – cross wall frame – type challenges of building them are huge of construction thus eliminating in the particularly in the light of requirement of THE UPSIDE process ugly looking columns and beam delivery of enormous volumes. For an India in which housing is a major offsets inside the compact confines. While a majority of the projects taken issue precast concrete can produce In the case of flooring the slabs could up are delivered through conventional wonderful and quick results mainly assume the form of solid reinforced construction techniques precast because of its ability to deliver greater precast units of the size of a room(this, technology has already begun to leave volumes of structural construction which in the case of site based plant) resting its impress across the country owing to a would be well nigh impossible through on load bearing walls thus obviating the combination of urgency in terms of shorter the conventional building route which need of structural topping. Meanwhile for timelines of construction which reduces requires a lot of labour. In the latter dedicated precast plants precast planks cost in the sector, as also its efficacy. case project management becomes of a certain size would be required in the Prestressed and precast technology complicated in terms of speed and quality light of difficulties in conveying it to the process involves casting concrete in a of the construction. Using precast hugely construction site. reusable mould, then curing it before subtracts on the cost of construction transportation to the construction labour and maintenance, ensures seismic THE OPPORTUNITIES site where it is appropriately placed resistance and for the developer ensures Precast concrete concrete find applications and positioned. What is remarkable a quick financial turnover. over various segments of real estate. In about the technology is that precise With the emphasis shifting to quality the case of high end condominiums they casting of concrete under controlled in construction and shortage of skilled reduce the need for load bearing walls circumstances ensures adherence to the manpower precast concrete could well and thus contribute to the interior layout of highest international standards of safety show the way. It therefore needs to be the apartment becoming more flexible and and production. This goes against the underlined that precast must be exploited attractive from the point of sale. Usage conventional grain of construction which to the fullest by construction communities of decorative precast walls or spandrels necessitates the pouring of standard in India’s growing urban space through on the exterior makes the building more concrete into specific forms onsite – an careful planning and designing. It is ideal attractive in terms of elevation treatment. effort which lacks uniformity and quality for large scale projects. Further in the case of structures like hotels control which precast technology affords. Admittedly there is inevitability about the and hospitals which require large column Assuredly precast technology has found prospects of increased usage of precast free space – to accommodate restaurants, growing popularity globally where it is concrete technology as India marches dining rooms, operation theatres and used for residential, commercial projects ahead with its ambitious construction waiting halls – precast portal frames and public projects like bridges, flyovers, exercise particularly to address at the ground floor to support the load dams, canals and in the manufacturing requirements in the low cost affordable bearing walls of the larger super structure sector. housing segments. Precast concrete could be employed effectively. Precast Currently in Europe, United States and technology can be used to construct pre-stressed hollow-core slab units offer the Middle East region up to 80 per compact sized apartments. Developers the best solution for commercial buildings cent of structures are constructed using can implement the projects in two ways which are largely column beam framed prefabricated concrete elements. In – site based precast plant and dedicated structures requiring large column free India, rapidly urbanising, precast is precast plant according to their economic areas with floors large span load carrying now beginning to find acceptance as the convenience. capacity. 38 construction opportunities|NOVEMBER 2014