Short answer is yes; UAE contractors have been doing this for years. Residential towers, commercial offices, parking structures, schools and industrial buildings are already built on precast concrete columns in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and beyond. It’s not the theory that can only be tested, it already is the common practice on a significant portion of the multi-storey projects in the region.
This guide explains the structural components and how it works, its height and connection options, UAE regulations, and the growing demand for precast columns in multi-storey buildings.
Precast Columns are Widely Used for Multi-Storey Buildings and Their Applications, and Why They Work, is Described Here
A precast columns is a type of vertical structural component that is manufactured in a factory and used to support the weight of floors and beams above and transfer it to the foundation below. The question of the actual engineering is not if the column can bear the vertical load, but if the entire frame is able to withstand lateral forces such as wind, sway and, in applicable areas, seismic forces.
This really depends on the type of frame. A pin-jointed braced frame configuration is usually the most economical and structurally efficient solution for multi-storey precast construction, while shear walls or diagonal bracing provide sidesway resistance rather than the columns. As per structural engineering literature published by the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute, the maximum height for an unbraced frame is limited to around 3 storeys and for braced frame up to 20 storeys.As per the structural engineering literature published by the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute, up to 3 storeys is possible for unbraced frame and up to 20 storeys is possible for braced frame.
Most multi-storey precast structures are designed using this structural logic, in which gravity loads are carried by the columns, and lateral stability is provided by shear walls or cores, which are generally located around the lift shafts and stairwells. The two systems are complementary to each other instead of one doing both.
What is the Maximum Height that Precast Columns Can Be?
One of the most frequently asked engineering questions and one that comes as a surprise to some. Precast columns can be cast in a continuous pour of around 18 metres (approximately five storeys of height), without any splices.Precast columns can be poured continuously up to approximately 18 metres (five storeys) without splices.
Column to column connections carry that up a bit more with taller structures. The significance of structural connections is reflected in the standards, ISO 20987:2019 provides guidance on connections between column segments in multi-storey precast structures, and column-to-foundation connections for fixed support.
With the proper bracing and detailing, a well-designed precast column system can, in practice, support structures which are between 15 and 20 storeys high. In addition, precast columns that support gravity loads are typically used with an additional lateral stiffness from the cast-in-place concrete cores required for taller buildings.
Precast Columns Across the UAE Multi-Storey Market
In the UAE, the answer to the question “can this be done” is already known from what is actually being built. Precast beams and columns are ideal for fast-track and conventional projects, and are being manufactured all around the country for as many projects as can be found from low-rise buildings to high-rise towers, parking structures and bridges.
The UAE suppliers are established and this application is recorded in their technical materials themselves. As the volume of precast is increasing in taller structures due to speed and quality demands, precast’s use of high-rise towers, office buildings and institutional projects, especially in open floor layouts, is becoming more popular. Precast beams and columns are also specified often for parking structures and mixed commercial and residential applications, frequently as a complete precast package with wall panels, hollow core slabs and double tees.
Multiple Storey Column Types and Shapes
Not all column profiles are appropriate for all projects so some knowledge of the range aids in correct specification in early stages.
Rectangular Precast Columns
Rectangular columns continue to work the hard graft: They’re easy to make, simple to join and will fit with most beam systems throughout the entire breadth of multi-storey projects.
Circular Precast Columns
In areas such as building lobbies, podium levels and car park entrances, circular columns can provide obvious visual benefits without compromising their structural capabilities.
L-Shaped and T-Shaped Precast Columns
L-shaped and T-shaped columns are ideal for more complex structural situations, such as connections between columns and beams with integrated corbels, or for any architectural designs that call for non-standard column profiles.
Prestressed Precast Columns
When the architectural design calls for very slender cross-sections, or when a column is expected to function beyond the capabilities of a normal reinforced column, prestressed columns come into play.
The Relationship that is The Key Thing!
If there is one part of the multi-storey precast column design to which the engineering eye should be applied, it is connections. A column which stands on a foundation should be connected to the foundation in an adequate moment resisting manner. A joint that can reliably transfer force and moment must be used between a column and the one above it.
Similarly, beam connections are important, with either corbels at the end of the beam or cast-in steel bearing components on which the precast beam ends sit, and additional detailing to provide moments at the end of the beam and continuity in the frame. When erecting columns, temporary bracing is necessary until all connections of the beams and slabs are made and the desired stability for the frame has been attained.
That is the point where supplier capability makes good results and costly results.That is the point where supplier capability makes good results and costly results. If a manufacturer is not involved technically, he just provides the product and the connection engineering is entirely yours, and you will be in real risk as well as time. The better the UAE suppliers can involve the structural engineer early in the design process and give fully coordinated shop drawings before any components are manufactured.
The UAE Regulatory Framework
The UAE has a firm structure of regulations for precast concrete design in multi-storey buildings, it’s not optional advice, it is the minimum requirement for compliance. Dubai’s building code is based on the International Building Code (IBC) and includes wind, seismic and live load calculations, and detailed seismic analysis is required for high rise buildings in the context of Dubai’s overlaid Seismic Design Code.
It is worth noting that Dubai Municipality’s Administrative Decision No. 316 of 2012 mandates that every precast concrete factory must be certified by the Dubai Central Laboratory with a valid certificate before the products can be used in regulated projects, so it is better to confirm the validity of the certificate before ordering products as the certificate would not be valid if it expired months ago and the factory has continued production without receiving an updated certificate.
Why is Demand Continuing to Rise?
Four practical reasons why precast columns continue to prove their popularity on UAE multi-storey projects.
The number one factor is speed. The factory-cast columns are ready to install since they don’t require onsite formwork, pouring, curing or stripping; this can save time in a multi-storey construction program.
Good quality is ensured directly from controlled factory production. In the UAE, concrete curing is not always predictable in the summer heat because the hydration, finishing and strength acquisition of concrete can be influenced by the extremes of the weather conditions – which are not controlled in the factory.
Design flexibility is more of an issue than most developers may initially think. It is well known that precast concrete skeletal frame systems can support buildings taller than three stories, and architects and structural engineers have the flexibility they would not expect from the reasonable assumption that “precast means boxy.
When efficiency of cost is taken into account, it makes the case. A factory produced finish is competitive with a cast-in-place finish and the time savings can directly impact developer revenue as early as the time for commercial and residential projects.
Final Thoughts on Top Rated Precast Columns Companies in Abu Dhabi
Precast columns are not a new solution and are used extensively in multi-storey building projects in the UAE, not an impromptu idea for a special project. It is supported by the structural engineering literature, extensively documented in the UAE’s large manufacturers, and can be seen in buildings in each emirate.
The 4 keys are: The right bracing system for a building’s height, well designed connections from the start, a supplier who’s been certified by a DM, and a structural engineer from the initial design phase. They are the four elements that help precast columns provide exactly what UAE developers are looking for, whether it’s a small residential building or a real high-rise.