Precast civil products offer asset managers, specifiers and installers tremendous advantage:
- Durable – precast is produced in a factory controlled environment manufactured using high performance self-compacting concrete or slump concrete in rigid forms with intense vibration with tighter quality and process controls than insitu poured structures
- Sustainable – precast uses less material than insitu concrete and can be manufactured using waste products such as flyash and slag. Precast can also incorporate recycled materials such as steel, recycled concrete, aggregate or fibres. Precast is 100% recycled at end of life.
- 100 year design life – following product standards such as AS1597.1, AS1597.2, AS4198 ensures 100 year design life.
- Uses less material – with factory controlled environments and rigid forms, both AS5100.5 and AS3600 require less cover to steel equating to less wall thickness for precast than insitu poured structures recognising the increased vibration and process control. Additionally precast is specifically designed by experienced engineers to optimise material use whilst still meeting design loads and durability requirements.
- Efficient design – precast is specifically designed by experienced engineers to optimise material use whilst still meeting design loads and durability requirements. Products such as circular pits and maintenance chambers are performance load tested ensuing efficient material use.
- Speed – precast is efficiently installed with no delay due to curing of concrete and no establishment of formwork on site.
- Low impact – precast means less time on site, less time in the trench, less disruption to community.
- Non bouyant – precast civil components are designed to resist bouyancy without additional insitu concrete pours ensuring structures remain in place with variation in water table.
Fire and high temperature resistance – Precast concrete products do not lose their structure or deform when exposed to heat. Nor do they release harmful emissions and fumes during bushfires.