Calculate each precast concrete element

Every wall, column or beam must comply with the normative rules of the Eurocode both in the production hall and during transport and after assembly. Fortunately, software such as IDEA StatiCa offers the solution to perform this calculation work with precision and ease.

This article follows the path of forces - from floor to wall or via a beam to the column with console. Each part of the precast structure has its own challenges, and IDEA StatiCa offers targeted solutions for these.

The force starts in the floor

80% of all floors are constructed in precast concrete, with hollow-core slabs being the most standardized. Precast concrete floors can be combined with a poured layer to form a composite cross-section. IDEA StatiCa Beam and RCS allow such cross sections to be easily modeled and analyzed, including the effect of creep, shrinkage and time-dependent loading (TDA).

The forces from the channel plates are transferred through a wall, or through a beam to the column. For example, consider a load-bearing interior cavity wall with frame openings and an overlay cam for the floor slabs. Here the reinforcement around the openings is an important consideration. Especially when openings are added at a later date or when the wall is to function as a wall beam, a nonlinear analysis is essential. IDEA StatiCa Detail makes it possible to calculate these complex situations with precision, including checking for crack widths.

Who gets to go for it? The girder or water pipe

Precast girders are efficient - until you need to save space. Then tooth supports or large openings for installations appear, and as a structural engineer you end up in a D area where the classical Bernoulli hypothesis fails. With IDEA StatiCa Detail you model these critical areas including bearing, reinforcement and boundary conditions. The program analyzes the stress fields, determines where cracks occur and how the reinforcement must be adjusted accordingly. This gives you a grip on areas where normally only intuition rules.

The concrete beams are supported by columns with a console. The design of the console and its reinforcement are very important to minimize cracks.

Lifting without a headache

Structures must not only comply during the use phase, but also in temporary situations such as transport and lifting operations at the construction site. This is crucial with precast because the elements are produced in the factory and then transported and assembled as a whole. Pre-stressed beams in particular require extra attention here: they enable large spans with slender cross-sections, but are susceptible to instability along the way.

One of the most critical moments in the precast process is the lifting of such a slender beam. What is stable in the final state can suddenly be vulnerable to lateral torsional buckling during transport. This is precisely where IDEA StatiCa's Beam module proves its worth. With time-dependent analysis (TDA), effects such as creep, shrinkage and aging of the concrete are realistically taken into account. In addition, the software simulates exactly what happens when a beam is lifted via eccentrically positioned lifting eyes. An unfavorable lifting angle? That becomes immediately visible - including the risk of buckling or overturning.

A full toolbox

Precast is efficient construction, but requires careful engineering. IDEA StatiCa offers a complete toolbox for this. Any type of precast element - from simple section to complex recess - can be calculated reliably. Thanks to modules such as RCS, Detail, Beam and Member, the structural engineer has all the tools to assess the behavior of precast elements integrally.

In addition, the software provides reports and parts lists that can be used directly for verification, documentation or production. This speeds up the workflow and increases the reliability of the entire design process.

"Calculate yesterdays estimates"

Precast construction requires smart solutions and accurate engineering. With IDEA StatiCa, structural engineers get the freedom and certainty to safely design and optimize every precast element. From floor to column, from production to erection: with the right software, control is at your fingertips and yesterday's estimates can be calculated.