What Is Tilt-up Wall Construction?

Defined

• Tilt-up construction earns its name in a logical manner: Tilt-up panels are large slabs of concrete formed in place at a specific commercial (non-residential) construction site. These include buildings such as warehouses, call/or distribution centers, retail stores and industrial buildings. Workers use a crane to raise the large panels into position, literally "tilted-up," forming the building's exterior (perimeter) walls. The exterior "shell" of the building is rapidly put in place, fast-forwarding the remaining construction process.

Cost Benefits

• Tilt-up wall buildings are far less costly to build. This is primarily because of the rapid construction pace. For instance, developers have several costly traditional construction technique options for commercial buildings. First, most traditional commercial buildings are built from plastered or painted masonry exterior walls (CMU). In other common situations, exterior walls are constructed of gypsum sheathing-covered, brick- or stucco-faced heavy steel. Both of these processes often take months (or more) to complete, whereas a tilt-up takes several days, thus saving the developer labor and material costs. Additionally, tilt-up buildings are more affordable to heat and cool due to the inherent thermal mass in concrete tilt-up walls.

Safety

• Tilt-up wall construction is safer than traditional construction. Tilt-up walls are built on the ground, eliminating dangerous scaffolding and bypassing the inherent risks of construction at tall heights. Also, according to the Tilt-up Concrete Association, tilt-up buildings require far fewer workers, further reducing the risk of construction site injuries.

Difference Between Precast and Tilt-up Wall Construction

• Precast and tilt-up wall constructions are similar in that both building techniques use large concrete panels for the building's walls and structure. Unlike onsite-constructed tilt-up walls, a nearby facility manufactures precast concrete walls and transports them to a construction site. The process is common in cold climates where temperatures disallow onsite tilt-up construction. Nevertheless, the process is more costly and requires that the jobsite be in close proximity to the precast wall manufacturing plant.