huangyhg

precast wall modification
anyone have any pointers for modifying precast wall panels? specifically, what if someone wanted to put a window into an existing wall? i'm thinking it shouldn't be done because its an engineered system.

depends.
size of opening? where it is located? is the steel reinforcing size & pattern known?
if you can answer these questions and know what the applied loads are, the wall panel can be checked for the opening. you will find whether or not an opening can be cut into a wall panel.
i know nothing about the reinforcement. so my only way of knowing what steel is in the wall is by somehow getting the precast drawings (probably dated 1980) or having someone come out with a bar finder. this is an existing building in which a firm is coming into and doing a few internal modifications.
looks like you will have to do some detective work! people put holes in precast (or tilt-up) walls all the time, but they have to anaylze the building to see if either the panel is still adequate or they have to modify the building to keep it conforming to code.
a "few" internal modifications can be major structural headaches.

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