PRECAST POLYMER CONCRETE BUILDING PANELS: CASE STUDIES WITH LONGEVITY EXPERIENCE

This paper presents several case studies from field applications and buildings constructed over the past 50 years demonstrating the rationale for the original development of precast polymer concrete building panels by dissecting each facet of their tested material qualities and then relating them to the longevity of numerous building exteriors. Each element, procedure, and function of the various types of polymer concrete panels here-with dissected have successfully performed and properly functioned over the past 50 years in a variety of environments from the frigid climes of the far north to the dank conditions of the south to hot dry desert areas. These successful products soon penetrated the international market and their applications extended from Europe to the Middle East. But with all of the strength, weathering and insulatory qualities that these precast polymer concrete panels possess all had to undergo and pass extensive and sometimes exhaustive tests in officially registered city, state, federal and national laboratories. This was necessary in order that the actual physical properties, innate characteristics and manufacturing techniques of precast polymer concrete building panels would conform to the code requirements that are obligatory in every jurisdiction, each differing from the other as related to precast polymer concrete panels.