Developments within the built environment are a major investment – materials, time and money. The article by Dean Oliver focusses on the use of system construction utilising light weight, pre-frabricated steel columns and trays with a potential for significant reduction in the construction programme.
An Australian company has developed a construction system for rapid mid-rise construction using lightweight, prefabricated steel columns and trays. The company, called PT Blink, says the process can reduce construction programmes by up to 50%.
Their construction system uses steel trays and columns which act as permanent formwork to create composite slabs and columns. The trays comprise prestressed steel, which means they contain steel cables that are stressed in the factory to ‘reverse camber’ the steel and counter loads introduced after concrete is poured.
“The prestressing also makes the trays self-supporting, eliminating the need for falsework and formwork – providing immediate access to each floor after concrete is poured,” says PT Blink’s Director of Manufacturing, Wayne Larsen.