At Concrete Panel Systems, we supply prestressed concrete panels and precast interlocking concrete blocks. However, the two keywords there which you may be wondering ‘what’s the difference?’, are precast and prestressed. What sets them apart?
Precast Concrete
Precast concrete is a product used in construction, which is produced by casting concrete in a reusable mold, which is then cured in a controlled environment before being transported and placed where the customer sees fit for their project.
By following the above procedure, the precast concrete is given the chance to properly cure and be closely monitored – this is with thanks to our dedicated staff on the yard.
Prestressed Concrete
Prestressed concrete on the other hand, is a form of concrete which is commonly used for our prestressed concrete panels for the likes of agricultural buildings. To be prestressed, the concrete is ‘prestressed’ by being placed under compression prior to supporting any loads beyond its dead weight.
The ‘pre-stressed’ procedure is done by the tensioning of high-strength tendons which are located either withing or adjacent to the concrete volume. This is done to improve the performance of the concrete in service. In this case, tendons can consist of single wires or threaded bars, which are most commonly made from high tensile stress, carbon fibre.
Prestressed concrete is used in a wide range of building and civil structures. This is due to its improved performance allowing longer spans, reduced structural thicknesses and material savings too. Typical applications you may find prestressed concrete panels used for are agricultural buildings; Livestock, grain stores and more, silage clamps, aggregate storage and more.