Building, component, and connector typologies of precast concrete building systems

This report proposes an ordering system for precast concrete elements (PCEs) at the building, component, and connector scales. Diagrams and text illustrate and describe these scales and their relations and, at the same time, present a visualization and naming convention of physical attributes of PCEs.

The report presents knowledge of PCEs at three scales: building, component, and connector. The primary findings are captured in five diagrams (Figure 1, Figure 7, Figure 9, Figure 16, and Figure 17) where the three scales are ordered separately and then combined into a common naming convention. The report’s structure follows the three scales. After an introduction describing the methodology, sections studying the building, component, and connector scales follow. The concluding remarks argue that future increased reuse of PCEs not only depends on studying individual PCEs but also on the knowledge of properties at different scales.

Understanding the material and functional aspects that influence PCEs is an often-overlooked step in making elements available for reuse. In this report, both quantitative and qualitative aspects are analysed at three scales in order to capture and connect their impact on PCEs. First of all, when PCEs are combined at the building scale, their properties constrain and are constrained by the structures and functions proposed. Structural and functional typologies of buildings are, therefore, more or less suited to certain element typologies (as shown in Figure 6). At the component scale, PCE properties and characteristics are analysed and compared from historical and BIM perspectives (as shown in Figure 9). When elements are joined, their properties at the connector scale determine and are determined by the type of connector used. As a result, certain elements are better suited for or more commonly used with certain connectors (as shown in Figures Figure 16 and Figure 17). The closeness of the relationships between PCEs, their connectors and the structural systems they form is thus uncovered.

Further, this report proposes a common nomenclature (as shown in Figure 1) for PCEs at the three scales. The nomenclature covers the main categories for classifying PCEs for reuse. The typological names that accompany the additional diagrams and charts in the report serve as a reference for a deeper reading and classifying of PCEs at the three scales. The report is a step on the path towards describing a comprehensive taxonomy of precast building systems. The taxonomy will be a framework and guideline for classifying precast systems, elements and structural details. It will act as a general knowledge base for PCE reuse and support to the process of creating a digital element database.