Benefits of Precast

Benefits of Precast/Prestressed Concrete to Owners

Owners and developers considering new structures must balance a variety of needs, including aesthetics and function. Each plays a role in achieving success with the finished project, and maximizing them all takes great experience and expertise. Precast prestressed concrete not only can ensure these general goals are met, but it also provides a myriad of life cycle and ancillary benefits that are hard to match with other materials.

An important point to remember is that every facet of precast prestressed concrete's outstanding performance characteristics can be brought on board early in the process. This helps ensure all programmatic needs are considered and efficiency is maximized. Such early input can improve any element in the program, including placement on the site, design that exploits precast's ability to replicate components quickly, flexibility to meet any aesthetic need, and planning for long-term performance and maintenance goals.

Structural Flexibility

Precast prestressed concrete is a highly adaptive and easily erected material that responds well to site needs, such as tight locations, and the desire to blend with existing structures or site conditions. It can meet almost any structural requirement, meshing with a variety of specific needs. These include benefits derived from long clear spans or larger panels that reduce the number of columns or joints.

Casting components off-site and delivering them as construction proceeds, ensures an efficient site that minimizes interference with on going traffic and activity around the construction site.

Aesthetic Versatility

Precast concrete can mimic a wide variety of costly facing materials, including limestone, granite, sandstone and terra cotta. It creates a sturdy, safe, authoritative image the reassures security-conscious users. It works well for all types of structures, from corporate headquarters buildings to institutional facilities, to Universities, hospitals, medical centers, motels, parking structures and stadiums.

Creation of Customized Components in Unusual Shapes and Sizes

Precast's ability to provide rustication and detailing as well as reveals and other decorative treatments allows it to create drama and character on any facade. It can also match textures or colors on existing structures, whether those buildings are historic or contemporary. It can be molded into almost any shape or texture, putting virtually no limit on what effects can be achieved for a façade.

Speed of Erection

Casting precast prestressed components off-site ensures fewer problems maneuvering at the site among crews and subcontractors, which speeds their work. In addition, the precast approach allows construction to continue in weather that would slow down or stop on-site construction using other materials. Since the casting process does not rely on other critical-path activities to begin, components can be produced as soon as drawings are approved, ensuring they are ready for erection as soon as foundation work and other site preparation is completed. Precast's ability to enclose the structure so much quicker than other types of construction allows trades to begin quicker and put the project "in the dry" faster, producing additional cost efficiencies.

High Performance Concrete/Durability

Blakeslee Prestress typically provides products with higher compressive strengths and lower water cement ratio's than those used for site cast concrete. This high-performance concrete provides even longer life cycles for all types of projects, particularly bridges and parking structures, at minimal cost. The result can be that a 35- year structure can even double in life expectancy. Such mixes also provide more resistance to the salts used to de-ice the structures in winter, minimizing corrosion and maintenance problems.