System of prefabricated concrete ceilings

Advantages

Lightness The light weight of the buildings enables :

• Reduction in foundations.

• The structure to have more seismic resistance.

Less material on site

The prefabrication of the components in the factory reduces the amount of material on site :

• No shuttering .

• Less concrete.

• Fewer reinforcements.

• Fewer props.

Rapid erection The simplicity of the components and their assembly enables a saving in constructions time.

LARGE RANGE OF EXTERIOR FACADES

Building with components enables the use of all types of constructions and exterior facades.

QUALITY The factory controlled precasting ensures strict and constant quality of the components .

SAFTEY Building with industrially prefabricated components lowers the risks on site.

EASY ERECTION

The lightweight prefabricated components enables :

• Hand portable solutions.

• Lifting by forklift or crane .

• Rapid construction facilitated by uncomplicated connection points.

ASSEMBLY The simple project conception ensures perfect cohesion on erection and adaptation to any architectural project.

LESS CONCRETING ON SITE

The erection of components requires very little concreting on site.

SAVINGS Wood : no shuttering

Steel : 1 to 5 times less than in reinforces concrete

Concrete : 1 to 2 times less than in reinforced concrete.

Less expensive due to :

• Use of prestressing with steel rods.

• Optimized dimensions of the components.

• Less restricting tolerances.

• Easy and rapid erection.

It is largely evident that the most economic way of building is to use a combination of the least expensive aspects of both prefabricated and traditional methods.

1. FOR THE ARECHITECT

• Freedom of architectural concept .
• Thinner ( prestressed ) beams and floor beams.
• Saving in floor thickness.

2. FOR THE PROJECT MANAGER

• Assurance of factory manufactured elements subjected to strict quality control.
• Very few reinforcing bars to be erected on site.
• Computerized and standardized design and concepts ; calculations and plans are computer prepared in the factory.
• Verification done by the project manager contracted for the plans without him having to carry them out.

3. FOR THE CONTRACTOR

• NO investment in shuttering for the floors and beams.
• Saving in construction costs:
• Neither heavy handling equipment nor transport for materials.
• Reduction in weight, thus reduction in posts and foundations .
• Rapid erection with unskilled labour.
• Less concrete due to the reduce thickness of the floors.
• Few reinforcing bars to be used on site .
• Reduced risk due to a strict quality control of products.
• Clean and easy site organization.
• Work under the floor is possible immediately after erection .
• Most components are available ex-stock direct from the factory , ensuring excellent price maintenance.

4. The manufacture of the components is perceived from and industrial point of view :

• Standardized products .
• High yield .
• Low wastage .
• Low manufacturing costs in comparison with traditional methods .
• Good profitability of investment .
• A very large market due to the products being adaptable to all types of construction ,
• Highly saleable products due to their many plus-features .
• Products not " made to measure " but storable in most cases enabling a regular production flow ( stocks absorb the overproduction ).
• The advantages of a franchise system which enables the manufacturer to benefit from the continual experience know-how and research of PPB INTERNATIONAL support in all domains.

ADVANTAGES OF THE COMPONENTS FOR ARECHITECTS,
CONSULTATS, CONTRACTORS, AND MANUFACTURES

The research into cost reduction , reduction in erection time, has given birth to a variety of concepts for prefabrication.

Most concepts involve heavy , one-off manufacturing processes with numerous disadvantages :

• High equipment investment,

• Heavy transport and handling methods,

• One-off systems for a single project for which all the elements are specially defined,

• Qualified labour for specific jobs,

• Large scale components with inherent problems in assembly tolerances,

• Problems of site organization,

• Usually expensive due to large quantity of raw materials and difficulties to pay off the factory.

THE AALAAM concept of widely compatible components – the other way of doing it – has proved with success over the years that is was much closer to the real needs of people involved with construction, Inevitably, the following advantages arise:

• Low investment, and profitable exploitation for the investor,

• No heavy transport or components which can be used in almost every type of architectural project without changing manufacturing equipment,

• Simple assembly methods,

• No problems of tolerances,

• Very easy site organization.