TECHNOLOGY OF

IBS
BFP40603 INDUSTRIALISED BUILDING SYSTEMS (IBS)

CONTENT
Types of IBS
Precast Concrete Framing, Panel and Box
System
Formwork Systems
Prefabricated Steel Framing Systems
Prefabricated Timber Framing Systems
Blockwork Systems
Innovative
Facilities and infrastructures

Learning outcome:
Identify and understand the components type of IBS such as
Precast Concrete Framing, Panel and Box system; Formwork
System, Steel Framing System; Prefabricated Timber
Framing System; Blockwork System and Innovative.

INTRODUCTION
Earliest classifications of IBS were a) frame or post and
beam system; b) panel system; and c) box system (Junid,
1986).

Loads are distributed through large

floor and wall panels where walls
Column and beam - main
support the building weight.
structure member (support
Applicable to buildings which require
all the building weight)
large number of walls-apartment
Walls - light and easy
house, hotel and hospital.
to install
Not suitable to buildings with large
Concrete panels - flooring spans or many stories

Three-dimensional modules
or boxes for fabrication of
habitable units that are
capable of withstanding load
from various directions due to
their internal stability

INTRODUCTION
Classification of IBS developed by the CIDB:

IBS Types
Precast concrete
framing, panel
and box system

Formwork
system

Prefabricated
steel framing
system

Blockwork
system

Innovative
product system

Prefabricated
timber framing
system

1) Precast concrete
framing, panel and box
system
The most common group of IBS
products is the pre-cast concrete
elements, such as, pre-cast
concrete column, beams, slabs,
walls, 3-D components
(examples, balconies, staircases,
toilets, lift chamber, refuse
chambers), lightweight pre-cast
concrete, as well as permanent
concrete formwork

Preparing M&E for precast wall panel

2) Formwork system
Considered as one of the low-level or the least
prefabricated IBS, as they generally involve site casting
High quality finishes, fast construction with less site labour and
material requirement.
These include tunnel forms, tilt-up systems, beams and
columns moulding forms, and permanent steel formwork
(metal decks).
Onsite fabrication - the walls and complete building are cast
on-site, using specially designed and reusable formwork
moulds.
The formwork may be made from plastic, steel etc.
The claim to prefabrication lies in the manufacture of the
moulds, into which the concrete is poured.

3) Prefabricated steel framing

system
Commonly used with pre-cast
concrete slabs, steels column and
beams, steel framing systems have
always been the popular choice and
used extensively in the fast-track
construction of skyscrapers.
Recent development in this type of
IBS includes the increased usage of
light steel trusses consisting of costeffective profiled cold-formed
channels and steel portal frame
systems as alternatives to the heavier
traditional hot-rolled sections.

Video: Ajiya IBS Green (Enduroframe)

4) Prefabricated timber
framing system
Products - timber building
frames and timber roof trusses.
While the latter are more
popular, timber building frame
systems also have its own niche
market: offering interesting
design from simple dwelling
units to buildings requiring high
aesthetical values such as
chalets for resorts

5) Blockwork system
Interlocking concrete
masonry units (CMU) and
lightweight concrete blocks.
Simplify the traditional
brick-laying tasks
Usually, the block is
designed as a load bearing
wall system, in which the
bricklaying work does not
require mortar (dry system),
and the component can
easily be installed like a
Lego system.

Proven Holdings
To strengthen the block to allow for load
bearing, reinforcing steel was put inside the
cavity and filled with concrete.

6) Innovative
This category refers to the various pre-fabricated materials that
have entered the market, which include gypsum, wood wool,
polymer, fibreglass, glass and aluminium-based IBS components.

FB: IBS Concrete panels Sdn Bhd

IBS FACILITIES AND INFRASTUCTURE

Typical Industrialised Building System (IBS) Construction Process (Adapted from Hamid, 2010)

Production
facility
Equipment
at site

Transportation

1) Producing the components within controlled environment whether offsite or on-site;

2)Delivery of component to the construction site or workplace; and
3) Installation of components and ancillary site works.

1) Production facility

Plant Equipment
Skilled worker
Management resources

>> initial capital investment is relatively expensive - such huge

investment can only be breakeven if there is sufficiently high
demand for the products. On the other hand, a temporary
casting yard or factory can be established at the project site in
order to minimized the transportation costs (Peng, 1986)

Batching plant

Overhead crane

Precast concrete mould &

casting bed

Precast concrete fabrication yard

Skilled worker

Precast concrete fabrication yard

Precast concrete fabrication yard

QA/QC

Forklift

Storage facility

Blockwork manufacturing

Blockwork manufacturing (automatic)

Prefabricated steel framing factory

Prefabricated timber framing factory

2) Transportation
Large truck, lorry
It is found that casting a large panel system can reduce
labour cost up to 30 percent. However, these cost savings
are partly offset by the transportation costs. The
transportation of large panels is also subject to the road
department and relevant authorities (Peng, 1986)

3) Equipment at site
For the purpose of erecting and assembling pre-cast panel
into their position, heavy crane is required especially for
multi-story building.
Crane, other equipment and tool

References
Thanoon et al, THE ESSENTIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF
INDUSTRIALISED BUILDING SYSTEM, International
Conference on Industrialised Building Systems, Kuala
Lumpur, Malaysia, 10-11 September, 2003