The road to industrialisation in building

Abstract

This thesis is a review of European experience with the emphasis on the experience of Eastern Europe in the field of prefabricated construction of single-storey shed-type framed "universal" industrial buildings with consideration of possible application in New Zealand. The detailed treatment of the subject has necessitated sub-division of the thesis into three parts. The first part is concerned with putting the problem into perspective as well as including principles and fundamentals. The second part is devoted mainly to illustration of the systems approach to building through design of a "kit of parts", that is a catalogue of unified standard precast, prestressed, reinforced concrete structural components which being assembled could form the load-bearing structural system for an unlimited variety of single-storey buildings of a type capable of being used by a wide range of industries and also in commercial, agricultural, military, etc. construction. The structural components may also be introduced into any other compatible industrialized or conventional structural systems. The problems of industrial architecture are treated in both above-mentioned parts. Finally, a few illustrative problems of calculation and design of proposed unified standard prefabricated members of the load-bearing structural system are presented in the third part. Comparison of the U.S.S.R. and N.Z. codes of practice with respect to the design of precast prestressed concrete structural elements is provided.