Tutorial Exercise 6.

The above picture shows a section view of a two story office block and its various components.

Construction Article 6-

Article web address: http://www.construction-manager....

Article Source: Construction Manager Magazine.

Article Title: Bye-bye brickie.

Article Author: Kristina Smith.

Article Publish date: May 2006.

Summary: This article describes a new type of brick that relieves the necessity of mortar. These 'v' shaped bricks are laid with the first course being attached to a purpose-made polymer starter track, and every fourth course after that is fixed with screws onto vertical battens. This new type of brick has significant time and labour savings.

Construction Article 5-

Article web address: http://www.construction-manager....

Article Source: Construction Manager Magazine.

Article Title: A gap in the market.

Article Author: Rory Olcayto.

Article Publish date: September 2006.

Summary: This article describes concrete sandwich panels that are internally insulated. Unlike standard panels which are insulated by fibre or foam the reinforced concrete panels described in this article employ a newer system referred to as vacuum insulated panels (VIP's). While standard insulation traps gases to reduce heat transfer, VIP's work by removing these gases thus producing a vacuum within the slab. The use of VIP's within precast concrete panels reduces the thickness of the panel compared with those insulated with fibre or foam.

Tutorial Exercise 5.

Shown above is an end section of a load bearing concrete panel wall and its various elements.

Construction Article 4-

Article web address: http://www.construction-manager....

Article Source: Construction Manager Magazine.

Article Title: Slice of inspiration.

Article Author: Kristina Smith.

Article Publish date: July 2004.

Summary: This article describes the use of precast reinforced concrete panels to form walls. However these are precast panels with a diferrence. The panels described in this article consist of two outer skins of precast concrete with a filling of lattice girders between. Such panels are lifted onto starter bars, fixed into position with props and are then filled with in-situ concrete forming a soild concrete panel. This system is said to reduce wall erection by up to 65% compared with traditional pre-cast concrete panels.

Construction Article 3-

Article web address: http://www.construction-manager.co....

Article Source: Construction Manager Magazine.

Article Title: Bag to the Future.

Article Author: Professor Remo Pedreschi.

Article Publish date: February 2006.

Summary: This article describes the use of fabric formwork to produce pre-cast concrete columns. Rather than traditional methods of formwork that are stiff and rigid, materail formwork is flexible and has shown to be inexpensive, strucurally efficient and aesteically desirable.

Tutorial Exercise 4.

The above picture shows the various elements involved in the construction of a load bearing pre-cast concrete panel wall.

Site Visit 1: Pakington St - Rope Works Site

Foreground: Precast concrete panels that have been craned into place to act as a load bearing wall.
Background: I beams arranged in a manner to provide for a two-way rigid framework.
- I beams can be seen stored on the ground ready for internal framing use.
- Steel props can be seen supporting the precast concrete panels until the are appropriately stabilised.
- Mastic can be seen above protruding from the wall.
- This brown/orange material is fitted between neighbouring concrete panels to allow for movement.
- As mastic is a foam like material it is covered with a rubbery water proof membrane which can be seen in the lower half of the above picture.
- Two holes remain in the precast concrete panels above after support struts have been removed.
- Such holes are grouted over.