A. weight B. grid C. position D. interchangeably
E. debris F. compound G. install H. wooden
I. preparation J. weighed K. lifting L. precision
1. In some regions the term tiltwall is used …… with the term tilt-up.
2. A tilt-up construction project begins with job site …… and pouring the slab.
3. Workers tie in the steel …… of reinforcing bars into the form.
4. The slab beneath the forms is cleaned of any …… or standing water.
5. The size of the crane depends on the height and …… of the panels.
6. Workers help to guide the panel into …… and the crane sets it into place.
7. The crew works as a team, setting the braces and guiding the panel with remarkable …….
8. Tilt wall is a …… word using the terms "tilt-up" and concrete "wall" panels.
9. The largest panel used for a tilt-up construction project …… just over 150 tons.
10. Normally, the form is created with …… pieces that are joined together.
UNIT 19
Precast Concrete, Tilt-up Construction and Tiltwall:
What's the Difference in These Terms? (Part II)
Read, translate the following text and be ready to fulfil the tests:
Several terms - tilt-up panel construction, tiltwall construction, precast concrete building construction - are used to reference new or nontraditional cement building processes. What are the differences? Tilt-up and tiltwall are two terms used to describe the same process. For a tilt-up concrete building, the walls are created by assembling forms and pouring large slabs of concrete called panels directly at the job site. The panels are then tilted up into position around the building's slab. Because the concrete tiltwall forms are assembled and poured at the job site, no transportation of panels is required. One major benefit of this is that the size of the panels is limited only by the needs of the building and the strength of the concrete panels themselves.
Tiltwall panels can sometimes be extremely wide and/or tall. Tilt-up panel have been measured at just over 69 feet across and almost 93 feet from top to bottom. Thus, architects and tilt-up concrete contractors have a great deal of flexibility in planning and creating their buildings. Because concrete tilt-up walls are poured outdoors, contractors are at the mercy of climatic conditions. When temperatures drop below freezing, curing the concrete panels becomes more difficult and expensive. Certainly, tilt-up concrete buildings are built in northern areas, but the window of time for temperate weather is much smaller and less predictable, which can make construction schedules more difficult to meet.
The precast concrete building process is similar to tilt-up construction, but it addresses the challenges presented by weather. For precast concrete buildings, work crews do not set up forms at the job site to create the panels. Instead, workers precast concrete panels at a large manufacturing facility. Because the precast concrete forms are poured indoors, this activity can take place regardless the weather conditions. After curing, the precast concrete panels are trucked to the job site. From this point, precast concrete buildings are assembled in much the same manner as tiltwall buildings. The fact that precast concrete walls are formed at a manufacturing facility resolves the weather issue, but presents a different limitation not found in tilt-up construction. Because the panels must be transported - sometimes over long distances –it places a substantial limitation on how wide or tall each panel can be. It would be impossible to load precast panels that were 60 feet wide or 90 feet long onto trucks and transport them any distance.
For a precast construction project, the panels must be smaller and more manageable to allow trucks to haul them over the road to their final destination. This places greater design restrictions on architects and limits the applications where precast construction can be used. Clearly, tilt-up or tiltwall construction and precast concrete are similar processes. Because tilt-up affords more flexibility, it is the method of choice in locations where the weather allows it. Precast concrete is a suitable choice in circumstances where environmental factors and the construction schedule preclude tiltwall as a viable option.
Read and memorize the active vocabulary to the text:
Active Vocabulary
1. assembling сборка, монтаж
2. precast construction строительство из сборных элементов, сборная (железобетонная) конструкция, сборное строительство
3. to pour (здесь) укладывать бетонную смесь
4. benefit польза, благо; полезность; преимущество
5. flexibility эксплуатационная гибкость; переналаживаемость; приспособляемость
6. outdoors на открытом воздухе, вне помещения
7. at the mercy of во власти
8. curing уход за бетоном, выдерживание бетона, отверждение
9. predictable предсказуемый, прогнозируемый
10. challenge вызов; угроза, испытание, проверка
11. to precast изготавливать на заводе
12. work crew рабочая бригада
13. to truck перевозить (на грузовых автомобилях)
14. to resolve решать, разрешать
15. to load загружать
16. manageable управляемый, выполнимый, контролируемый
17. to haul буксировать, тащить, перевозить
18. destination место назначения
19. restriction ограничение
20. circumstances обстоятельства, условия, положение дел
21.to place ставить, устанавливать, возлагать
22. preclude предотвращать, устранять, препятствовать
CONTROL TESTS
TEST I
Decide whether these statements are true or false:
1. a). For a tilt-up concrete building, workers install footings around the slab in preparation for the panels.
b). For a tilt-up concrete building, the forms are created with wooden pieces that are joined together.
c). For a tilt-up concrete building, the walls are created by assembling forms and pouring large slabs of concrete directly at the job site.
2. a). Because the concrete tiltwall forms are assembled and poured directly at the job site, panels can be raised into position forming the exterior walls.
b). Because the concrete tiltwall forms are assembled and poured directly at the job site, no transportation of panels is required.
c). Because the concrete tiltwall forms are assembled and poured directly at the job site, it places a substantial limitation on how wide or tall each panel can be.
3. a). Because the precast concrete forms are poured indoors, this activity can take place regardless the weather conditions.
b). Because the precast concrete forms are poured indoors, it provides the exact size, shape and door openings to meet the design specifications.
c). Because the precast concrete forms are poured indoors, the size of the panels is limited only by the needs of the building.
4. a). Because concrete tilt-up walls are poured outdoors, contractors are at the mercy of climatic conditions.
b). Because concrete tilt-up walls are poured outdoors, it resolves the weather issue.
c). Because concrete tilt-up walls are poured outdoors, the concrete panels are trucked to the job site.
5. a). For precast concrete buildings, the work crew applies finishes to the walls with sandblasting or painting.
b). For precast concrete buildings, work crews do not set up forms at the job site to create the panels.
c). For precast concrete buildings, the panels must be smaller and more manageable.
TEST II
Match words in columns A and B (synonym match):
A B
1. to reference a). to approve b). to perform
c). to complete d). to consult
2. to describe a). to list b). to depict
c). to cite d). to hire
3. to measure a). to determine b). to insulate
c). to assume d). to suspend
4. flexibility a). reinforcement b). replacement
c). plasticity d). settlement
5. schedule a). enclosure b). timetable
c). partition d). substance
6. challenge a). perfection b). resistance
c). ornamentation d). invocation
7. regardless a). despite b). densely
c). continuously d). exceptionally
8. issue a). reason b). problem
c). base d). load
9. substantial a). reliable b). vertical
c). significant d). supportable
10. to preclude a). to prevent b). to differ
c). to excavate d). to cause
TEST III
Select the best possible answer out of the choices from the list to the statements (multiple choice):
1. Workers precast concrete panels ….
a. setting up forms at the job site.
b. after preparation of the job site.
c. directly at the job site.
d. at a large manufacturing facility.
2. Tilt-up and tiltwall are two terms used ….
a. for the activity that can take place regardless the weather conditions.
b. for a precast construction project.
c. to describe the same process.
d. for prefabricated panel process providing a controlled environment.
3. Architects and tilt-up concrete contractors ….
a. have greater design restrictions and limits for the applications.
b. have a great deal of flexibility in planning and creating their buildings.
c. are at the mercy of climatic conditions.
d. emphasize the remarkable speed of the process.
4. When temperatures drop below freezing, ….
a. curing the concrete panels becomes more difficult and expensive.
b. construction schedules are more difficult to meet.
c. contractors are at the mercy of climatic conditions.
d. environmental factors preclude tiltwall as a viable option.
5. The precast concrete building process is similar to tilt-up construction,….
a. but in the first case the panels must be smaller and more manageable to allow trucks to haul them.
b. but itprovides a more controlled environment for consistent quality.
c. but it addresses the challenges presented by weather.
d. but presents different limitations not found in tilt-up construction.
TEST IV
