Precast concrete is rapidly gaining prominence as the preferred construction material for conquering project challenges and fulfilling and surpassing client demands. From parking structures to schools, from warehouses to bridges, from residential to healthcare, and from airports to stadiums, no matter the structure type, owners, developers, designers, and engineers are choosing precast concrete to meet their building and transportation project goals. 

Strength, sustainability, functionality, and durability are all advantages of precast concrete. It easily integrates with other systems and offers and offers the resilience, versatility, and efficiency required to meet high-performance structures' multi-hazard requirements and long-term demands. 

Let's dig deeper into some of the advantages of precast, prestressed concrete and see how it can benefit your next project. 



Resiliency 
Precast concrete structures provide the resilience required to resist decades of service, harsh and corrosive environments, and damaging events such as storms and fires. With continuous insulation and improved thermal performance, precast further ensures occupant comfort and well-being. Even with such long-term life cycles, precast structures provide simple, low-cost maintenance. Precast concrete structures not only provide protection for life-safety but are building systems that can quickly be ready for re-occupancy and use after an event. 

Precast concrete provides structural durability through a long service life, barrier wall system, and functional resilience. Precast concrete is storm, blast, and weather earthquake-resistant, making it the most suitable building material and system for multi-hazard protection. Beyond this protection, precast concrete additionally offers benefits for life-safety and health with its high indoor environment quality, passive fire resistance, and meets FEMA-361. The bottom line is precast concrete protects life through its inherent resilience. 

Versatility
Precast concrete provides designers the ability to conceive and flawlessly implement one-of-a-kind designs. It is possible to apply any type of facade treatment, including thin brick, coloration, sandblasting, etching, stone, and more. The utilization of precast materials enables teams to construct structures that either match or contrast their surroundings. With virtually any color, form, or texture, facade integration, and the ability to mimic historic architectural features, precast concrete provides designers a wide range of aesthetic versatility. 

Precast concrete's structural versatility is evident in its scaleable performance, use of economical sections, and ability to accommodate long open spans. With the right interior systems and access floors for connectivity, precast concrete structures can readily and affordably handle modification. An open floor plan gives building owners a flexible interior that can accommodate a variety of future building possibilities. The fact that precast concrete can be recycled, deconstructed, and reused demonstrates its use versatility. 

Efficiency
Because precast concrete is manufactured in a quality-controlled manufacturing facility, weather delays and other construction setbacks are not a factor. The precast elements are supplied to the job site in time and are ready for efficient installation, which speeds up the construction timeline. 

In terms of site efficiency, precast concrete reduces construction time and waste while causing minimal disruption to the site. Energy and operational efficiency are gained through precast concrete's inherent thermal efficiency and low life-cycle maintenance costs. It also minimizes risk by using design assist and reducing trades onsite, ultimately enhancing any project's profitability. 

Every precast concrete bridge, building, and parking structure offers distinct benefits by incorporating an abundance of aesthetic, performance, and functional qualities. 

Want to learn more about precast concrete's resiliency, versatility, and efficiency? Explore these free resources! 

On-Demand Learning
- Discover High performance Precast  (1 PDH Credit, 1 HSW/LU Credit)
- Precast Protects Life  (1 PDH Credit, 1 HSW/LU Credit) 

Periodicals
- Ascent  for the buildings industry
- Aspire  for the transportation industry

Publications
- Precast, prestressed concrete Designers Notebooks