Members of the team recently visited Gate Precast Concrete in Nashville, Tennessee. This company is responsible for creating the precast concrete panels that will form the exterior shell of Raleigh’s new City Hall. Precast concrete refers to a product made offsite and then delivered to its destination for final use.
The panels are large and require 24 hours to fabricate, with only the concrete mix being automated. A video illustrates part of this process.
For each panel type, a wood form is constructed, and concrete is poured into it. A team levels and smooths the concrete before leaving it to cure. The night shift removes the form from the panel, marks it with a special number, and places it in a holding area for further curing before shipment to Raleigh. These numbers guide contractors on where each panel should be placed on the building.
Once ready for installation, Gate Precast Concrete will transport the panels via semi-truck to Raleigh, an eight-hour journey. In Raleigh, another team prepares each panel by placing glass in its frame for installation.
Currently, work continues on the underground section of City Hall. However, in coming months as construction progresses to higher floors, these panels will be installed. The community can expect to see signs of progress on City Hall’s exterior soon.
