New development for a pre-stressed façade concrete panel

Abstract

Development of a panel for closing the façade quickly, efficiently and at a competitive cost. The panel is: massive as a brick, prefabricated as a pre-stressed slab and adaptable as a cement-board. It is equivalent to the main façade layer and is the adequate support for different façade solutions. The proposal focuses in the construction cost reduction, shorten timelines, and promoting a cleaner, local and more sustainable industry. This technology rationalizes the construction of the main layer of the façade, the one we normally build with brick. We propose closing the building with serial-industrialized pre-stressed concrete-panels as the base for any façade system. The panel has the same mass as a brick wall, a similar cost, but in a completely prefabricated element. Dimensions can be adapted without a mould, just by cutting at the industry before hardening. The on-site assembly, operating from the inside, avoids external platforms permitting secure conditions. As the brick wall, it is the main wall of a rain screen façade, ETICS,etc. Changing the façade image is easy just by changing the cladding or finishing materials; changing the openings distribution is easy just by disassembling some panels, moving or eliminating them. BIM management permits controlling the work-process, execution-time, costs and quality level. Block-chain increases supply-chain transparency during contracting and building process, and helps managing the community from the very beginning, and during all the lifetime. Even though it is concrete, a long lifetime reduces the environmental impact. Potential for reusing or recycling is high. Not resorting to 3D modules permits easily having diaphanous floors to reusing the building; dry assembled construction permits disassembling and reusing the elements.Peer Reviewe