Precast is Fast Gaining Popularity in the Building and Infrastructure Sectors

- Nirmalya Chatterjee, Executive Director & COO, Trimble Solutions India How is precast construction developing in India and how would you forecast its future? Precast technology is fast gaining popularity among the building and infrastructure fraternity. Need for industrialised methods and increased mechanisation is important for the construction sector now, given that controlling wastage, reducing rework, cutting project time delays, improving safety at construction sites are focus areas for almost all players in the construction industry. The advantages of precast concrete construction are well-documented. Speed, facilitated by modular construction, is a huge benefit. The construction process can be split into small activities, based upon typification of sub elements. Contract time and cost can be forecasted with high accuracy since the risk period is shrunk to a much smaller time window. Precast technology can help manage the three biggest challenges of the construction sector - problem of skilled labour, sustainability of construction and conservation of natural materials. We are confident of this technology gaining rapid acceptance in the months and years ahead in the Indian construction landscape. What is the software product that you offer to precast construction companies? Trimble has various software that fully meet the requirements of the precast concrete producers. Tekla Structures, Trimble Connect, a web-based collaboration tool that works on desktop, mobile and web, and our structural analysis and design tool, Tekla Structural Designer, are class-leading software that have been adopted by top precast companies in the construction industry in India. How does the software interface with production management and precast and rebar production machinery? Tekla integrates to machinery and interfaces with production management software exceptionally well. Tekla integrates to all leading precast and rebar production automation systems and industry standards such as Unitechnik and BVBS (CAD-CAM). It also provides interface with ERP systems and export model data to industry standard software solutions such as MS Excel. Your own applications can communicate within the Tekla modeling environment using the Tekla Open API™ application programming interface. It is easy to secure the information needed: Categorise models by object groups, building sections, project phases and deliveries. Erection sequence and detailing status information in the model help production planning. Visualise production status with the model to monitor and communicate progress. Generate up-to-date material reports and transportation lists from the information rich model. Precast users can also use Tekla mobile solutions to bring visual model information to the shop floor, export individual precast element models from Tekla Structures to Tekla Field3D and view, navigate and get part information from the accurate model with the easy-to-use mobile tools. ¨Precast buildings are monotonous and lack in aesthetics.¨ Is it true or a myth? Are there projects designed with your software which contradict this statement? Precast buildings are aesthetically appealing too and here are a few examples to prove that point. OP-Pohjola Vallilla is located in Helsinki, Finland. The project included demolition of old buildings, construction of a new building on the location of demolished buildings and also renovation of some old buildings. The area of the new building, together with a glass roof, is about 58,000 sq m and the renovated area is about 30,000 sq m with four underground floors and seven above ground. The beautiful but complex parking garage serves the passengers using the new railway station of Mons (Bergen), Belgium, and is designed by architect Santiago Calatrava. Hurks Delphi Engineering and Hurks prefabbeton addressed the challenges with the advanced use of BIM. In addition to gaining benefits by choosing BIM, they also won the Tekla Global BIM Awards Precast Concrete category. The parking garage has architectural wall structures in complex shapes. The beam and wall elements connect to and support the massive cast in the concrete deck above. Due to this complexity, the frames and wall elements set challenges for Hurks Delphi Engineering and Hurks Prefabbeton.