GS Construction Successfully Expands Application of Korea's First Underground Exterior Wall PC Method

At the redevelopment site of Jeungsan 2 District in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul, GS Engineering & Construction is constructing the exterior walls of the underground parking lot using precast concrete for the first time in Korea (Provided by GS Engineering & Construction)

[Asia Economy Reporter Donghyun Choi] GS Engineering & Construction has succeeded for the first time in Korea in applying the precast concrete (Precast-Concrete·PC) method to the exterior walls of underground parking lots. The PC method is an advanced modular technology used in developed countries, where concrete structures such as columns, beams, walls, and slabs are manufactured in factories and then assembled like Lego blocks on site, shortening construction periods and improving quality.

GS Engineering & Construction announced on the 7th that it developed the technology to expand the PC method, which had been applied only to the regular sections (rectangular sections) of underground parking lot floors, to the exterior walls of underground parking lots, in collaboration with IS Dongseo, a PC manufacturing company, and successfully applied it in actual construction. This is the first time in Korea that the exterior walls of an apartment underground parking lot have been constructed entirely using the PC method.

Recently, as labor costs for construction workers have risen and the 52-hour workweek system has been implemented, many construction companies have been striving to increase the application area of PC to improve productivity. The application of PC to the exterior walls of underground parking lots is being evaluated as a groundbreaking technology.

Generally, due to the nature of the PC method, which involves prefabrication in factories, it had been applied only to the standardized sections of underground parking lots, while the exterior walls of underground parking lots were typically constructed using conventional methods involving "formwork installation → rebar placement → concrete pouring → formwork removal." This is because there are not many standardized sections in the exterior walls of underground parking lots, making PC application difficult. Recently, a "Half PC method," which does not require formwork removal by installing factory-made PC formwork on the exterior walls followed by rebar placement and concrete pouring, has been developed, but it was still far from the PC method where components are prefabricated in factories and simply assembled on site.

GS Engineering & Construction and IS Dongseo improved these technical issues by carefully investigating the shapes of the underground exterior walls and then prefabricating them in factories for application on site. When constructing underground exterior walls using conventional methods, formwork installation, rebar placement, concrete pouring, and formwork removal are carried out one floor at a time. This process is affected by labor supply, worker skill levels, and weather conditions, making it difficult to ensure uniform quality. However, the technology developed by GS Engineering & Construction and IS Dongseo allows walls prefabricated in two-floor units at the factory to be simply assembled on site with minimal equipment and labor, like fitting Lego blocks, which is expected to compensate for the drawbacks of conventional methods.

GS Engineering & Construction verified the performance of the PC components themselves and the structural performance of the connections through experiments with accredited institutions, completed tests under conditions identical to the site, and then pilot-applied the technology at the Jeungsan 2 District housing redevelopment site in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul, where underground frame construction is in full progress. GS Engineering & Construction produced 55 underground exterior wall panels with a height of two underground floors (about 7.5m) and constructed a section approximately 127m long. They plan to expand the application to upcoming construction sites and conduct research on technology for applying it to three underground floors and incorporating seismic design.

A GS Engineering & Construction official said, “Based on the technology developed this time, we will also research applying the PC method to the entire underground parking lot of apartments,” adding, “In the past, the PC method was considered exclusive to developed countries, but through various technological research and development, we will strive to be competitive in the global market as well.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.