Simply stated, the Tilt-Up method embraces the precasting, either on site or in a factory, of reinforced concrete load-bearing walls and floor panels to modular designs. Windows and door frames are built in during the casting and the prefabricated units are placed in position by crane.
At Fuk Loi the site casting method is being used. The seven-storey block of 224 flats is being built on part of the site of the Old Ho Pui Village: the low lying land was filled in in 1965 and while piling for the foundations was still in progress pre- paratory work on the casting yard and the concrete steam curing plant was put in hand.
Trials were carried out to test the working of the plant and the strength of the concrete and production was started in April. 1966.
Site Cycle
The sequence of events on site is as follows: Coarse aggregate and sand, which are stored on the site, together with cement from a bulk storage silo. are fed into a large ver- tical rotary mixer. This discharges direct into large buckets carried by an overhead travelling gantry.
The concrete is carried by the gan- try to the curing beds which are laid out in four parallel lines. The steel moulds are set up with the required steel reinforcement and blocking out where necessary. and concrete poured in from the bottom-discharge buckets.
is
A beam vibrator is employed to re- lease entrapped air and the surface is given a final trowelling before the curing beds are covered by a steel hood.
Top left: Beam vibrator used be- fore final trowelling
Top right: Moulds being covered be- fore steam curing
Facade panel being positioned by tower
crane
The concrete panels are then sub- jected to steam-curing, the steam be- ing supplied at a controlled tempera- ture of 70 degrees C. from an oil- fired boiler on the site. The applica- tion of steam speeds the curing.
The atmospheric conditions Hong Kong high temperature and humidity
in are close to ideal for fast
in
curing by normal exposure, so that this part of the process is made even
Far East Architect & Builder August, 1966
Wall units clamped position. A plumb-line device on the right panel ensures verticality
FAME
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