Concrete benefits

Nathan Waugh

Take even a cursory look at the construction projects underway in the Middle East today, and certain similarities will be evident in the majority of them.

The most obvious of these is the materials used, with concrete being one of the most popular across the board. However, despite its widespread use, opportunities are regularly being missed that could maximise the effectiveness and potential efficiency of the use of concrete.

The versatility, availability and cost of concrete mean that it is used as a primary material in projects ranging from residential villas to five-star hotels and transport networks.

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Its importance to the region’s construction industry has recently been underlined by the launch of a dedicated event in 2011.

Due to run alongside major construction industry event The Big 5, Middle East Concrete (MEC) is being introduced in direct response to industry demand. And with such demand comes an expectation of progress from users, both in terms of the material mixes available and technology advances that simplify its use.

One of the easiest ways to benefit from the use of concrete on large-scale jobs is prefabrication (or precasting); yet while the take-up of this technique is increasing in the region it is far from universal, with on-site casting remaining popular. And considering the benefits of precast concrete techniques proven elsewhere in the world, one has to ask why?

Using methods that are being continuously improved by manufacturers and suppliers, precast concrete sections can be easily made in specially-created moulds off the project site and delivered when needed. Most often carried out in a factory environment, this enables the production of cleaner and more accurate building sections, giving a better final build quality for the job.

The curing process is also simpler off-site, as it can be carried out in a controlled environment, often without the vagaries of the harsh local climate. With competition for work ever increasing, being able to demonstrate a high quality of workmanship would surely help in winning those all-important contracts.

Human error is reduced by precasting as the inevitable on-site pressures are removed. The focus can be placed entirely on the production of the concrete components.

The creation of reusable moulds can ensure that duplicate items on a large-scale project are identical, giving a level of accuracy that is virtually impossible to recreate with on-site pouring.

Other important features of precast concrete products are the reduction in time and labour that are needed to complete a job compared to identical sections created on-site.
In many cases, the final surface of the project can be created at the precast stage, saving on-site time and significantly reducing the overall project schedule.

Although the extreme time pressures that were being felt just a few years ago during the peak of the construction industry boom in the region have subsided, both developers and contractors expect project completion in timescales that would verge on the miraculous in other parts of the world. So any time that can be saved during the build process is surely to be grabbed with both hands.

Some supporters of the on-site pouring method cite transport and labour costs as reasons for avoiding the use of precast.

Contractors with their own staff have argued that their labourers will not be fully utilised if the concrete casting is carried out off-site; but aren’t such arguments missing the point? Surely the benefits that firms using precast methods regularly can offer potential clients will help win more contracts and allow them to spread their labour across more project sites? If the use of precast concrete means less staff is needed on one site, the others can be deployed elsewhere with no detriment to any project.

If further persuasion is required, the changes to building methods needed to meet sustainability must be a deciding factor. Concrete mixes are being adapted, and increased insulation of external walls is now a must – by using precast insulated wall panels. If you want to continue winning contracts, can you really afford to avoid precast solutions?

Nathan Waugh is exhibition manager of Middle East Concrete and PMV Live.