The column is the basic load-bearing component found in all precast structures in the UAE, from villa boundary wall to a multi-storey commercial tower structure. It’s the thing that most people don’t notice after the project is complete, but it is the one component upon which the whole project relies to get right. This guide clarifies what precast concrete columns in UAE are, in what applications they are used, how to select a good precast concrete supplier, and the entire process of from specification to erection.
Understanding the Precast Concrete Column and Its Importance in UAE Construction
Precast concrete column is a column made in a factory and brought to the on-site construction site for installation in place to carry the load of beams, floor and roof down to the foundation. The precast structural frame is a structural system in which the columns carry and transfer horizontal loads to the columns, while the beams carry and transfer horizontal loads to the columns.
One of the most commonly used precast components in the UAE is the column, which has been used wherever a building frame is required, whether it be a commercial or residential tower, an industrial building’s framework, or maybe most obviously throughout the UAE, as the structural backbone of the panel-and-column boundary wall system for use on the perimeter of almost every villa, farm or compound in the Emirates. That system relies on precast columns placed on isolated footings and wall panels slotted between the columns, and offers an exceptionally sturdy and durable structural system in addition to being easy to install.
The benefits of precasting in this market sector are also the same as for the precasting market in general, namely that the precast column can be stronger than the in-place cast column, because casting takes place under controlled conditions of temperature and humidity in the factory – and that the extended curing time of the in-place casting is eliminated from the critical path. With the UAE precast concrete market worth an estimated USD 2.2 billion, columns and beams is a well-developed market and a key product globally, with actual choice and competition among manufacturers.
Types of Precast Concrete Columns Available in the UAE
There are several types of precast concrete columns in UAE.
The structural application and loads will have a major influence on column specification.
Structural Building Columns
The load bearing column is a column that is a part of a primary structural frame of a building and is designed to carry the beam, floor and roof loads for commercial, residential & industrial buildings, and is sized based on the type of structural loading on the building and the storey height.
Boundary and Compound Wall Columns
Isolated footings used to make up the structural framework of the panel-and-column boundary wall system, which are spaced at intervals along a wall and support the wall panels placed in between.
Pre-Stressed Columns
Columns produced with internal tensioning to achieve higher load carrying capacities per area for use in taller structures or where the slender profile of the column is architecturally desirable but not compromising its strength.
Custom-Engineered Columns
They are manufactured to drawings specifically created for each project for non-standard heights, loadings or connection requirements where a standard column size is not capable of achieving the structural engineer’s specification.
Factors to Consider When Selecting a Precast Column Supplier in UAE
The structural load carrying weight columns here require true effort and not a decision on price.
Certificate of Conformity
All precast concrete manufacturers must obtain a Certificate of Conformity from Dubai Central Laboratory before selling precast concrete in Dubai to the regulated construction industry as per Dubai Municipality Administrative Decision No. 316 of 2012. Ask any supplier you’re looking at for this certificate – if they are hesitant to give it to you, it’s a sure sign of trouble for the maker.
Manufacturing Consistency and Scale
If a project requires a great number of columns to a consistent specification, enquire about the supplier’s production capacity and quality control facilities to ensure dimensional accuracy over the full order and not just a sample unit.
Structural Engineering Support
As with boundary wall columns on uneven ground, verify the supplier’s engineering team can confirm sizing of the columns in relation to your project’s specific structural loads; it’s not a standard size that can be supplied for all applications.
Connection Detailing
When using columns for structural building, inquire about the method used for connecting the column to the footing and the footing to the column and the beam, and ensure that this is the same as your project’s erection process and structural design.
Verified Supplier Listings
The UAE Contractors and Suppliers Directory (UAECSD.com) serves as a helpful resource to cross-check claims of any supplier before ordering a precast concrete product in UAE.
Lead Times and Delivery Logistics
Ensure that delivery and production deadlines are realistic and written out; delivery schedules may be affected by site restrictions – columns are heavy, often too large loads.
Leading Precast Concrete Column Suppliers in UAE
1. KKK Precast Concrete Industry LLC
KKK Precast offers precast concrete columns in the range of structural and boundary wall systems, produced in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah, to suit the specific needs of the project, including structural building columns and panel-and-column boundary wall systems.
2. Gulf Precast
Gulf Precast is one of the UAE’s longest established precast manufacturers holding a Certificate of Product Conformity accreditation from the Dubai Municipality Standards Specifications and is a leading supplier of structural columns at scale for commercial, residential and infrastructure projects.
3. Dubai Precast
Dubai Precast is a manufacturer of structural columns and beams for commercial and industrial building frames in the UAE, supported by the UAE’s Eastern Pretech, which provides technical support from its international base.
4. Abu Dhabi Precast (ADP)
Abu Dhabi Precast has been trusted in the UAE market since 2001 and have a wide range of precast products including structural columns, with dedicated QA/QC and structural design teams to meet standard and complex structural scopes.
5. Exeed Precast
Exeed Precast’s boundary wall systems are founded on precast columns and footings for individual walls (isolated footings) and panel elements in strip footings which is a common foundation system in UAE residential and villa projects, with an automated system which ensures dimensional accuracy in the production process, enabling the factory to produce at volume.
6. Hard Precast Building Systems (HPBS)
HPBS has established a large scale production facility in Dubai Investment Park, UAE, with proven international precast technology and manufactured structural columns as part of its comprehensive “Total Precast Solutions” supply, from design to production to installation.
7. UCES Middle East
UCES Middle East is ISO 9001:2015 certified and compliant with ADNOC standards, offering a range of structural columns, beams and hollow-core slabs for commercial, residential and industrial projects and building facilities throughout Abu Dhabi and the UAE, especially in the oil and gas and heavy industrial sectors.
Designing and Erecting Precast Columns
Realistic planning of a project based on precast structural columns will be facilitated by understanding the sequence.
Site Survey and Structural Design
Their engineering team visits the site to evaluate the existing ground levels, soil conditions and any differential elevation between the site, which is incorporated into the design of the footing and the sizing of the columns for the particular structural or boundary wall application.
Foundation Work
The footing or pile caps must be isolated and cast on site and allowed sufficient curing time before the columns are erected, which may be a risky period if done in the hot summer months of the UAE when curing time is subject to more stringent conditions.
Manufacturing
The columns are cast and cured in the factory to structural grade and the sleeves, bolted fixings or embedded plates are designed as part of the casting process.
Delivery and Erection
In-situ concrete columns will then arrive on flatbeds, chain and latching to ensure correct transport and alignment, and are then lifted by crane and positioned correctly in cast-in-place footings by a professional erection crew who ensure alignment and dimensions throughout.
Backfilling (Boundary Wall Applications)
For boundary wall column-and-panel constructions, backfilling is done in stages, after column and footing erection, and after installation of each wall panel, to alleviate any uneven loading prior to the completion of the structure.
UAE Approvals and Regulations for Precast Columns
Precast columns are structural elements and as such are subject to the requirements of the relevant emirate authority under the emirate authority’s structural code (Dubai Municipality, Department of Municipalities and Transport, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah Municipality, and elsewhere). For Dubai, this applies to the Certificate of Conformity issued by Dubai Central Laboratory as per Administrative Decision No. 316 of 2012.
This should be easily available from a supplier who has true experience of undertaking structural projects in the UAE and can assist the overall structural approval procedure, in addition to the project’s structural consultant.
Conclusions About Precast Concrete Column Suppliers in UAE
The UAE’s precast column market is big, mature and truly competitive, and has been around for decades – from established structural companies such as Gulf Precast, Abu Dhabi Precast and Dubai Precast, to emerging regional providers such as KKK Precast, boundary wall specialists such as Exeed Precast, and heavy industrial specialists such as UCES Middle East. The important question here is not really one of price per cubic metre at all, it’s which supplier’s certification, engineering and delivery reliability is the right fit for your project?
Be sure to ask for the Certificate of Conformity before you commit to a supplier, ask for structural sizing before you use any column, and if the supplier is not well known to you, check his work with a known column directory such as the UAECSD.com. Once properly designed and installed, a precast column is the backbone of any structure, silently and permanently supporting all other components.