3D concrete printing and the digital design processes associated with this technology are developing quickly across the world, both in academia and in practice, moving from the realm of the artisan to the early stages of automated manufacturing. How do architects engage this emerging new field that combines fabrication technologies with material in their design […]

Naturally, the Precast Concrete and the Canadian Construction Industries are not going to come out of the COVID-19 crisis unscathed. The various players will all be affected in different ways. And of course, demand will fall sooner or later as the crisis continues, which will squeeze profits throughout the entire construction industry and the Canadian […]

Precast/prestressed concrete sandwich panels (PCSP) are used widely as architectural or structural units. They consist of two concrete wythes, rigid insulation foam in between, and shear connectors. Although they exhibit excellent attributes and perform well in the field, some factors can deter the full utilization of PCSPs and cause safety concern. One of those factors […]

The rate at which chlorides from deicer salts penetrate into concrete towards the reinforcing steel has a strong influence on the time-to-corrosion and service life of concrete structures. Thus, the permeability of the concrete cover layer protecting the reinforcement has to be minimized especially in severe exposure conditions. In addition to the type of concrete, […]

Advances in engineering technology and requirements for sustainable development are main drivers for changes and innovations in the current construction industry. The paradigm shift to precast construction moves conventional field construction efforts into the controlled environment of an offsite manufacturing facility. These precast concrete products lend a significant advantage in execution of fast-paced construction projects, […]

Ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) double wythe panels are commonly used in building envelopes, however, the connections between panels have not been investigated properly. Several design connections will be designed and tested in association with the industrial partner to determine the feasibility of the designs. The project will investigate the structural behaviour and strength of different connections […]

Precast concrete sandwich panels are commonly used as architectural or structural walls. A typical concrete panel is made of two normal strength concrete wythes and a layer of a rigid insulation sandwiched in between. The purpose of this research is to design and experimentally validate a new generation of precast sandwich panels that are much […]