Prefabricated construction systems can help address India's shortage of affordable housing. Prefabrication allows for faster construction at lower cost while ensuring quality. It can save resources and reduce waste compared to conventional construction. Various prefabricated technologies used worldwide include precast concrete panels, light gauge steel framing, and sandwich panels. India is promoting prefabrication under programs like Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna but needs more widespread adoption, standardized guidelines, and trained workers to fully realize the benefits of prefabricated housing.

1. Prefabricated construction systems in India-
Precast Status and needed Impetus
Prof. S. K. Singh
Sr. Principal Scientist & Professor, AcSIR
CSIR-Central Building Research Institute
Roorkee-247 667, Uttarakhand, India

2. Outline
• Introduction
• Issues
• Affordable Housing
• Why Prefabrication?
• Worldwide Status
• Prefab Technologies
• Sustainable Approach
• Advantages &
Disadvantages
• Summary
CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee-247 667, INDIA

3. Questions to be Answered
Is it
sustainable?
What are the
benefits?
Why prefabricated
construction system?
CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee-247 667, INDIA

4. Collapse
while
demolition
Conventional Reinforced Concrete System
Source: NDTV
CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee-247 667, INDIA

5. Problems in India
Affordable Housing system is the need of today
The Ministry of Housing
estimated a housing
shortage of 20 million
houses ,with 99 percent
in the economically
weaker and lower income
groups.
Source: Ministry of housing(July 2017)
CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee-247 667, INDIA

6. Compromising
Quality Legal Issues
Improper
manwork
Time
consuming
High formwork
cost
Issues in conventional system
CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee-247 667, INDIA

7. Prefabricated Construction System
CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee-247 667, INDIA

8. Introduction
“The partly/fully assembled and erected building, of
which the structural parts consist of pre-fabricated
individual units or assemblies using ordinary or
controlled materials, including service facilities; and
in which the service equipment may be either
prefabricated or constructed in-situ”.
Source: IS 15916:2010
CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee-247 667, INDIA

9. Need
for
Technology
Proper
strength
Better
quality
control
Sustainable
Time & cost
saving
Eco-friendly
Prefab
Technology
CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee-247 667, INDIA

10. Worldwide Status
CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee-247 667, INDIA

11. Prefabrication in India
Emergence of Hindustan Housing Factory in
1950s
Partially prefabricated system developed by CSIR-
CBRI joist and plank system in Early 1980’s
Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna (PMAY) launched on
25th June 2015
Rural housing which launched on 1st April, 2016
16 innovative pre-fabricated construction
systems adopted /developed
CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee-247 667, INDIA

12. Status in India
Innovative technologies for
affordable housing
Techniques adopted in ancient
time
Large scale adoption of
prefabrication reduces cost
• Prasher et al.
(2016)
• BMTPC 2017
• Palanichamy et al.
(2002)
CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee-247 667, INDIA

13. Worldwide Status
Improving the performance of
company by identifying the gaps
Sustainable construction method
Management of prefabricated
construction (MPC)
• Steinhardt et al.
(2016)
• Li et al. (2014)
• Dave et al. (2017)
CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee-247 667, INDIA

14. Pre-cast Roofing Solutions
CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee-247 667, INDIA
 Pre-fab Brick Panels
 Brick Arch Panel
 RCC Planks and Joists
 Ferro-cement Channels
 Baffle Unit
 Ribbed Units

15. Pre-cast RC Planks & Joists System
CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee-247 667, INDIA

16. CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee-247 667, INDIA
Pre-cast RC Planks & Joists System

17. Pre-cast Roofing Solutions
CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee-247 667, INDIA
Technology Embodied Energy /10 sqm of roof in Mega Joules
Cement Steel Aggregate Total/sq.m saving
RCC Slab 2100 2400 600 5,100 0
RC Plank & Joist 1,617 2064 444 4,125 975
RC Ribbed Slab 1,113 2,064 318 3,595 1,505
RC Channel Unit 1,344 2,352 384 4,080 1,020
L-pan units 1,155 1,320 330 2,805 2,295
Brick panel & RC
JoistBricks: 1,220 MJ
1,800 1,984 140 5,144 - 44

18. Pre-cast RC Planks & Joist System
 The floor / roof is constructed with precast RC
joist and precast RC planks.
 The size of precast RC plank is 300 mm wide x 30
to 60 mm thick x up to max. 1500 mm long;
precast RC joists 150x150 mm in cross-section
and up to 4.2 m long.
 The components are produced on casting
platform at construction site.
 As soon as the walls reach the floor/roof level, the
components are created, and partly filled with
concrete to form the floor roof.
 This results 20% saving in overall cost, 25% in
cement and 10% in steel as compared to
conventional R.C. slab floor/roof.

19. SK Singh, CSIR-CBRI,
Roorkee
Pre-cast RC Planks & Joist System
 Suitable For Single/Multi Storied
Houses
 Economical to RCC slab
 Saves shuttering, construction
time & materials
 Manual handling of components
 Amenable to entrepreneurship
development
 Widely accepted in cost effective
housing
 Conventional water proofing
methods

20. Standards used
Country Codes
New Zealand Standards New Zealand 1995 covers many
aspects of seismic designs,
Precast R.C. structures
U.S.A. Design Guides and Manuals by Precast/Pre-
stressed concrete Institute
Canada CPCI (Canadian Pre-stressed Research
Institute) Design Handbook;
NBCC (National Building Code of Canada)
Japan Design and construction of precast R.C.
buildings by AIJA
(Architectural Institute of Japan)
Mexico Mexico City Building Code
India IS 15916: Building Design and Erection using
Prefabricated Concrete –Code of Practice
CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee-247 667, INDIA

21. White Space Mapping
2255
294 294
110 70 68 41
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
No.
of
scientific
publications
World USA China Germany Italy Canada India
CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee-247 667, INDIA

22. Technologies
Prefabricated Technologies
Formwork
system
Precast
sandwich
panel
system
Light
gauge
steel
structural
system
Steel
structural
systems
Precast
concrete
construc
tion
system
CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee-247 667, INDIA

23. Formwork system
Monolithic
Concrete
Construction
System --
Plastic
aluminium
formwork
Concrete
Construction
System-
aluminium
formwork
Modular
Tunnel
form
Kayson's
Formwork
System
Sismo
Building
Technology
CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee-247 667, INDIA

24. Precast sandwich panel system
Advanced Building System
EMMEDUE (Expanded
polystyrene core panel)
Rapid
Panels
Glass Fibre Reinforced
Gypsum (GFRG)
Panel System
Concrete
wall Panel
System
QuickBuild
3D Panels
Reinforced
EPS Core
Panel
System
CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee-247 667, INDIA

25. CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee-247 667, INDIA

26. Light gauge steel structural system
• Light Gauge Steel
Framed Structure
1.LGSFS
• Light Gauge Steel
Framed Structure
with Infill
Concrete Panels
2.LGSFS-
ICP
CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee-247 667, INDIA

27. Steel Structural Systems
1
• Factory Made Fast Track
Building System
2
• Speed Floor System
3
• Composite Engineered Steel
Building Solution System
CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee-247 667, INDIA

28. Precast Concrete Construction Systems
Industrialized 3-S system
Waffle crete slab
Precast Large Concrete Panel System
3D Monolithic Volumetric Construction
System
Types
CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee-247 667, INDIA

29. Prefabrication: A Sustainable Approach
Sustainability: Meets the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations.
Prerequisites :
Judicial use of construction materials there by
conservation of natural resources.
Use of products that avoid toxic or other emissions.
Reduction in waste materials during construction &
utilizing C & D wastes in construction.
Reducing emissions during the production of
construction materials.
CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee-247 667, INDIA

30. Prefabrication: A Sustainable Approach
Using more durable materials in buildings thereby
requiring lesser maintenance cost.
Use of energy efficient building materials and
products that save energy or water .
Use of products that contribute to a safe, healthy
built environment.
Use of materials which can be recycled.
Use of construction system minimizing air, water
and noise pollution during construction.
CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee-247 667, INDIA

31. Advantages
Faster construction and low labour costs.
Prefabrication allows for year-round construction.
Mechanization in prefabricated construction
ensures precise conformity to building code
standards and greater quality assurance;
Less on-site waste ,reduced by about 40%(Vivian et
al. 2006).
Less theft of material/equipment.
less property damage due to vandalism.
CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee-247 667, INDIA

32. Worker safety higher.
Computerization in production process.
Quality control and factory sealing.
More comfortable work environment.
Improvement in efficiency and productivity of work
force.
Prefab companies are more likely to have quality-
control programs implemented into their
manufacturing process (Phil Mitchell 2009).
Advantages
CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee-247 667, INDIA

33. Disadvantages
1.Transportation
issues
2.Shipping
limitations
Permit cost
Trailers
requirements
Transport
distance
Load
constraints
Dimensional
constraints
CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee-247 667, INDIA

34. Summary
Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna (PMAY)- Driving force
Technology not widespread in India –
- lack of proper guidelines
- awareness and
- skilled labours
Identifying new emerging construction systems
Prefabricated affordable housing for rural and urban
poor
 low cost and quality conforming
Improve in the standardisation
CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee-247 667, INDIA

35. Emerging Trends in Housing construction
CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee-247 667, INDIA
 Precast construction
 Tunnel form construction
 Large area formwork construction
 Lightweight concrete construction
 Cold-Formed Steel (CFS) housing system
 GFRG building system
 EPS Panel system

36. Monolithic Concrete Construction Technology
CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee-247 667, INDIA

37. Assembly of Precast Concrete Elements
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38. Industrialised 3-S Technology
CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee-247 667, INDIA

39. Prefab Steel Construction
CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee-247 667, INDIA

40. Light Gauge Steel Structural System
CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee-247 667, INDIA

41. Composite construction with expanded polystyrene panels
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42. GFRG Panel based Technology
CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee-247 667, INDIA

43. Wafflecrete System
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44. Pre-stressed Precast Prefab Technology Using Hollow Core
Slab, Beams, Columns, Solid Walls, Stairs
CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee-247 667, INDIA

45. Precast Concrete Panel System
CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee-247 667, INDIA

46. Technology Using Expanded Steel Mesh Panels,
Polystyrene Beads & Alleviated Concrete
CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee-247 667, INDIA