From building an office warehouse, to school buildings, to a giant movie theater, to a beverage distribution system, the use of precast wall panels that sandwich design of the structures makes them stronger and has thermal benefits. Even more so when the material used for precast concrete is made of carbon composites.
For about four decades, we have witnessed the innovation of the building system when it comes to precast concrete. Carbon fiber turned out to be an ingenious material that lends itself perfectly to this task. Because the material is stronger compared to other materials and metals, and it weighs much less than steel or aluminum, it is perfectly suited for the job. It also has low thermal expansion, so is very suitable for the designs and constructions of various structures.
The sandwich system for precast wall panels is built so that the reinforcement conducts heat between the outer and inner wythes. Since carbon fiber is thermally efficient, it has been used in conjunction with epoxy resin to replace conformal shear connectors. The new reinforcement takes the form of a truss and is then processed into a panel. The crack resistance and tensile strength of the panel increase significantly due to the way the lattice is continuously incorporated into the wall panel.
Since carbon fiber has somewhat minimal thermal conductivity, it follows that when applied to wall panels, heat transfer between them is also minimal. Thus, when used for support, the composite grid provides better thermal performance. The insulation between the inner and outer wybert can provide one hundred percent of its rated performance. The problem of hot and cold spots will never again be a threat, as they only occur in metal trusses.
Engineers, building owners, and structural engineers can benefit tremendously from the use of this material in prefabricated sandwich panels. The use of custom carbon fiber tube technology in these concrete wall panels has been proven to produce R-values as high as 32. Common values range from 11 to 16, and a huge long-term energy saving is one of the most important values it provides. For warehouses or storage facilities, the use of these panels helps in maintaining a constant temperature, thus protecting the quality of the stored products.
Some famous structures using this system are the Cardinal Health office warehouse with these reinforced wall panels up to one meter fifty high; the new Magic Theater with these wall panels up to one-meter forty-six high; school buildings for primary and secondary schools; and a beverage distribution center.
The said technology is leading a new process in the world of construction that may become even more famous in the coming years in terms of exterior envelope options.
