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494 Barry’s Advanced Construction of Buildings
Precast concrete or steel piles are
driven into the ground. Once the
ground has been levelled no further
material needs to be excavated
Precast concrete beams are easily
craned and placed in position
Extensive foundations can be installed
quickly without the need for wet trades
or removing excavated material
Photograph 8.3 Prefabricated foundation system (http://www.roger-bullivant.co.uk).
would be required for in situ construction. After the units are fitted together, the corner
finishing pieces should be attached and the units sealed. Effective fitting of prefabricated
units relies heavily on the use of sealants between panels. Prefabricated panels range from
simple unfinished panels that make up the structural internal leaf of the external cavity
wall to fully finished external wall units. Where the external wall panels are delivered as a
finished unit, they will be loadbearing and come complete with services, finishes to the
internal and external faces, and windows and doors.
The panels may be delivered with finishes or services already fitted or could comprise
just the structural unit, as shown in Photograph 8.4.