The voice of concrete products - British Precast

PRECAST CONCRETE SPECIAL EDITION
solutions for both the external refurbishment of buildings
and new-build projects and vast experience in both areas in
the education sector.
Its Fastbuild building system is a rapid, flexible system
consisting of prefabricated concrete panels with a unique
system of fixing brackets and channels. This modern
method of construction can reduce contract times by as
much as 40%, which is key to the construction of public
sector buildings. For improved sustainability, the pre-engineered
design of the system also means there is minimal
waste.
The design options available are endless due to the various
sizes of the components that make up the system. A
range of aesthetic variations and rendered finishes can be
applied to the system. With so many complex elements and
with strict deadlines for completion, 3D BIM has helped
the company to address the unique challenges of constructing
buildings for the educational sector.
3D BIM in constructing school buildings
Structherm has used the Tekla Structures 3D BIM software
solution to model its Fastbuild walling system on a number
of projects involving school buildings. The Tekla system
has allowed Structherm’s engineers to reduce the time
taken to produce the 3D building models, which are
required to generate manufacturing schedules, by as much
as 60% over standard 3D packages.
Through its use of the software, not only has productivity
been increased, but at the same time inaccuracies caused
by human error have also been greatly reduced. The software
was used to model the wall panels on a recently
completed special needs school with very specialised
building requirements in King’s Lynn, Norfolk, involving
over 1290 wall panels. This would have taken up to two
weeks to complete using standard 3D CAD software but
by using Tekla Structures, the model was completed in just
four working days. Tekla’s 3D BIM solution enables a
functional building information model in extreme detail,
right down to every nut and bolt, to be shared by the entire
project team, visually indicating progress and significantly
reducing on-site errors.
Concluding remarks
In applying 3D modelling technologies to the design and
construction of school buildings, the manufacturers of the
concrete components in these buildings stand to make significant
productivity gains. It allows them to offer, as part
of the BSF initiative, real value to the taxpayer not only in
renovating the nation’s secondary school buildings but also
in the reform and redesign of the pattern of secondary education
provision, to serve communities better, now and for
decades to come.
n
Figure 2 left: Fastbuild
panel being lowered
into position.
Figure 3 above:
Elevation of propped
panels sitting on beamand-block
floor.
Figure 4: Panels
propped in position to
form classrooms and
corridors.
Reproduced f ro m CONCRETE December 2008/January 2009 © The Concrete So c i e t y, 2008 41