Innovation in technologies has really aided commercial construction techniques in recent times. These techniques have reduced construction timelines, costs and changes. In the case of Zimbabwe, precast or modular construction should be the one of the best method of the construction of commercial building.
Speed and cost is of essence, for structures to come off the ground in quck time so we meet infrastructure development targets, modular construction method should be adopted widely. There are a number of modern changes, but here are some of the most common commercial construction techniques in recent times, let’s discuss.
Cross-wall construction, or precast flat panel modules, are for floors and walls. These panels are manufactured off-site and then shipped to the construction site for integration into the building. Even pieces which are load bearing (including insulation panels) can be produced as precast flat panel modules. One of the attractive points of this type of construction is the speed of integration into the building.
Tunnel formwork system is a commercial construction technique for repetitive units or walls to be quickly constructed. The speed is achieved by using readily mixed concrete in a high-production setting where the formwork can be stacked via cranes.
3D volumetric construction uses 3D units produced in factories, or offsite, for modular systems from building materials. Upon completion of production, these modules are shipped to the construction site to be integrated into the building and finished. These units can be produced in advance to be fire retardant, sound resistant and to contain other important construction properties before final assembly.
Pre-cast foundation technique is for quickly building foundations with precast, factory-produced, concrete elements. These result in strong foundations (regardless of weather in construction) from connecting concrete piles.
Hybrid concrete building technique uses the best parts of concrete pre-casting to speed up the commercial construction process. Although the process is quickened, quality actually improves and cost reduces. It’s fairly simple to build hybrid concrete structures.
Flat slab technology uses modern formwork for fast construction of flat slabs for partitioning. These flat slabs can be changed even below the floor slabs, but require less reinforcement than traditional methods, and reduce labor costs.
Insulating concrete formwork technique uses polystyrene blocks as twin walls, easy and fast to assemble as wall formwork. After assembly, these blocks are filled with ready mixed concrete. This makes the building process fool-proof and sound and thermally insulated.
Thin joint masonry technique uses less mortar in concrete blocks and panels. While less is used, speed and efficiency increases and cost reduces. With these achievements, the strength of the bond is still as good as traditional mortar application.
Commercial construction techniques have certainly improved in modern times with modern technologies. There are many which can be used, but some of the most popular include cross-wall construction (or precast flat panel modules), tunnel formwork system, 3D volumetric construction, pre-cast foundation technique, hybrid concrete building technique, flat slab technology, insulating concrete formwork technique, and thin joint masonry technique. The point of all of these is to increase speed and quality of construction, while reducing costs and changes.
