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The Precast Advantage
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Why Precast Concrete? |
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Design considerations must balance a variety of needs, including
aesthetics, function, and financing. Precast concrete not only
can ensure these goals are met, but also provides a myriad of
life-cycle and ancillary benefits that are difficult to match
with other materials. |
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Durability: Precast concrete provides long-term durability and
requires little or no maintenance to preserve the original look.
Economical precasting is based on achieving high strength to allow
units to be stripped from the mold at an early age. This requires
high cement contents and low water-cement ratios. Combined with
good compaction and curing in a controlled factory environment,
these factors ensure a dense,
highly durable concrete.A low
water-cement ratiohas been proven to increase resistance to
weathering and corrosion. Precast concrete is also non-combustible
with inherent fire-resistant capability, creating a safe envelope
that helps protect personnel, equipment and the building itself.
This in turn reduces insurance rates. |
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Aesthetics: Precast concrete provides the designer with an unlimited
architectural vocabulary of expression. It is incredibly responsive
to the designer’s needs, as it can be shaped in a cost effective manner.
The only limits are imagination and creativity. Design flexibility is
possible in both color and texture by varying aggregate and matrix
colors, size of aggregates, finishing processes and depth of exposure. |
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Quality: Precast concrete units produced by PCI-certified plants are
produced under strict, factory-controlled conditions to ensure a high
quality façade in the desired shapes, colors and textures along with
close tolerances. PCI inspections focus on the process by which the
units are produced, as well as the plant’s general operation. PCI
Certification pays off for owners and designers because it produces
fewer worries about on-site discovery of units out of tolerance,
connection details that aren’t cast precisely or finishes that aren’t
matched from panel to panel. It also minimizes the need for continuous
inspections, again saving the the project money. |
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