Continuous development of precast reinforced concrete

The use of prefabricated elements in reinforced concrete construction is becoming increasingly popular. Recognising this and following several successful development projects, Épszerk-Pannónia Invest Kft. is now successfully applying the results achieved and its high-performance solutions in its own factories.

From research to production

Innovation has always played a key role in the company's operations. The company's quality work, professionalism and innovation have made it one of the best known and most outstanding reinforced concrete structural engineers in the Hungarian construction market. In 2018, the company won a research and development grant ÉPI for the "Development of reinforcement methods for reinforced concrete rod structures made of high-performance concrete". The project number KFI_16-1-2017-0526 was funded by the National Research Development and Innovation Fund under the VÁLLALATI KFI_16 grant programme. As a result of the research, which will run until 2020, not only know-how has been created, but the company has also started its own operational development.

Building on the expertise gained through their R&D project, they have developed a new type of special friction-welded piercing stud system that is completely different from the existing piercing stud systems in the construction market, but provides orders of magnitude more stable production quality and more predictable production capacity. With this production technology, production speeds are approximately twice as fast as with previous technologies, while production quality remains within the expected standard quality spread, with minimal changes in the material structure of the raw materials used.

New production technology, significant economic potential

In summary, this production technology ensures a more efficient use of raw materials, less waste, less waste and less change in the material structure of the raw materials compared to conventional production technology. A significant part of the whole production process is automated and robotised. The piercing pins can be used directly in the construction of monolithic reinforced concrete structures, so the first line installed can supply all the Company's construction projects and also orders from other partners.

A further, even more significant result of the Research and Development Project is the development of a column-slab junction system consisting of a prefabricated column head and a monolithic reinforced concrete slab, incorporating this new type of penetration bolt system, and its expected, standardised, experimentally verified behaviour. The fact that the experiments carried out in collaboration with the Budapest University of Technology have confirmed and verified that the entire system used, including all its elements, can meet the requirements of the current standards and relevant regulations in a fully safe and guaranteed manner, deserves special attention. It offers considerable additional potential in terms of concrete technology, taking advantage of the ever higher concrete strength classes available in precast plants. And the friction welding technology offers the possibility to use higher strength grades of raw materials.

All these factors together give a significant economic potential to the whole production process, as the use of raw materials can be reduced and made more economical. In addition, on-site tasks are simplified, and greater quality and work safety can be achieved. Last but not least, the use of prefabricated systems can also help to solve the shortage of skilled workers on site. In 2021, following successful product qualification, this system of taps manufactured using friction welding technology obtained the necessary marketing and applicability permits and certificates, and thus started its commercialisation.

Building on the success of these developments, they also launched a precast reinforced concrete element production unit at their Ercsi site in spring 2021. This plant will enable them to move forward in the above-mentioned prefabrication application area. A precondition for this is, of course, that the plant itself and the products made on its production lines also have the necessary qualifications and certifications, which apply to both the concrete raw materials and the finished products produced here. The relevant certifications were also successfully obtained by the Company in 2021, thus creating the opportunity to develop the use of the tap system in precast elements for the aforementioned precast column head designs.

Research is not stopping

A fruitful professional collaboration has developed between Épszerk-Pannónia Invest Kft. and the Department of Bridges and Structures at Budapest University of Technology and Economics Department of Bridges and Structures, which has been maintained ever since.