Redesign and Reassembly of old precast concrete elements

1. As part of the ReCreate project, Circular Structural Design leads the Working Package 5 (WP5) that focuses on the redesign and reassembly of precast concrete elements to enable their reuse in new buildings. The ReCreate project is structured into several interconnected work packages, each addressing a key aspect of concrete reuse—from deconstruction (WP2), logistics (WP3) and quality assessment (WP4) to redesign and reassembly (WP5) and construction of real-life pilot buildings. All aspects are evaluated and improvements for an easier future process are developed in WP 6 that focuses on the environmental and economical impact, WP7, where feasable business models for reuse are developed and WP8 where the policy support and social acceptability will be explored.

2. The primary goal of WP5 is to develop methodologies for integrating reclaimed precast concrete elements into new constructions. This involves:
• Identifying technical parameters that influence reuse.
• Developing retrofit connectors for efficient assembly and future reuse.
• Creating architectural and structural design solutions tailored for reclaimed components.
• Collaborating with other WPs to ensure seamless integration into pilot projects.

Key Activities

1. Design and Technical Feasibility
WP5 assesses salvaged elements for structural integrity, durability, and adaptability, ensuring compatibility with new designs.
2. Connection Systems
New retrofit connectors are being developed to enable easy disassembly and reassembly, enhancing circularity in construction.
3. Pilot Implementation
Four real-life pilot projects in Finland, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Germany will demonstrate practical applications of WP5’s research.

Expected Outcomes

WP5 will deliver a Design Manual (D5.1) outlining best practices for precast reuse, retrofit connectors (D5.2) tested in real-world conditions, and pilot project insights (D5.4) that showcase circular construction in action.

Advancing Circular Construction

By redefining how precast concrete elements are reused and suggestion a workflow that allows for the integration of reclaimed elments in new designs, WP5 significantly contributes to reducing waste, lowering carbon emissions, and promoting circularity in the built environment. Stay tuned for updates on how WP5 is transforming sustainable construction!

ReCreate Design Guideline: Form-Follows-Availability

The design process based on existing components fundamentally differs from the previous standard. Potential design options here take consider the geometry and load-bearing capacity of the available existing components. Research is underway to develop solutions that are technically reliable, functionally appropriate, aesthetically pleasing, and logistically feasible.

The ReCreate project tests and documents the necessary steps and existing information within the design process of pilot projects. The goal is to consolidate the experience gained from all pilot projects into a comprehensive design guideline by the end of the project. This guideline will inspire designers for future reuse projects and outline the process and individual steps necessary to enable stock-based design.

ReCreate: It All Depends on the Connections

Precast concrete buildings allow for easier non-destructive deconstruction compared to cast-in-place concrete structures. Often, only discrete connection details need to be solved to dismantle existing components and reuse them at the component level. This project describes the existing connections in the donor buildings as well as commonly used precast connections.

Particular attention is given to how the same connection points can be reused during reassembly (with minor adjustments). Connections to be used in the pilot projects will be illustrated. The project is also developing new connection types that will significantly simplify reuse in the future.

ReCreate “Best Practice Guideline” for a BIM-Supported Deconstruction Process

The structural reuse of existing components is only possible if all necessary information (geometry, material data, load history) is available and they have been dismantled without damage and with the required quality. Therefore, the planning, recording, and documentation of all relevant information is a critical step in the ReCreate project. Digital workflows are suitable for collecting and documenting the information in a bundled way.

One of the aims was to create a “best practice guideline” for a BIM-supported deconstruction process. This is publicly available at: Publications – ReCreate. The project focuses on the dismantling of precast concrete structures. Common precast concrete components are introduced, and the possibility of gathering information about precast concrete structures to assess their reuse potential is outlined. Aspects of quality assurance are also touched upon. As a result, a “best practice recommendation” is formulated. The goal was not to create a precise software-specific guide but to present a general overview of the process.