Thread: ICF Built Homes
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Old 06-26-2018, 02:51 PM
Arty Arty is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: one Fort or another
Posts: 768
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I was mainly getting at the use of precision-built long panels to span several storeys at one time (bsmt, main, second fl) when planted on its short edge, or one entire basement or upper wall if laid on its long edge. And mostly when a simple rectangular structure is involved, with limited penetrations through the wall. That's when crane-erected panels start to make sense.

Unfortunately, too much [tract] housing has now gone from simple Frank Lloyd-Wright architecture, to a narrow tiny Herman Munster peaky horror-house style with all sorts of nooks, crannies, recesses, protrusions and peaks to give the fake illusion of size and uniqueness. That won't work with panels.

Commercial buildings mostly have vertical insulated (or even hollowcore) panels attached to a steel support skeleton, where one panel is not much different from the rest. When you need a big simple box that's very strong, quiet, insulated, secure and requires no maintenance. If the panels are pre-stressed rather than just precast, you can reduce the amount of red-iron steel in the frame too. If you downsize all that a bit it can effectively replace a multi-storey ICF structure in a similar configuration, without all the complications and playing around needed on site.

As a pure basement technology though, I'd still prefer precast or even prestressed insulated sandwich panels laid lengthwise if a simple rectangular foundation is needed.
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