Introduction

The Dutch Pilot Project is consisting of the deconstruction of the Prinsenhof Building in Arnhem and the construction of a new building with a structure of reclaimed precast concrete elements in Heerde.

The deconstruction of the Prinsenhof building with over 8000 m² of floor area, has been performed in 2022. The structure mainly consists of hollow-core slabs, spanning from load bearing facade to load bearing facade.

A number of hollow-core slab elements have already been reused in the construction of the sports hall facility in Arnhem. The majority of the hollow-core slabs and all precast concrete façade elements have been transported to the Lagemaat site in Heerde. The elements will be reused in a new building that will predominantly be constructed with recycled elements, such as the reclaimed elements from the Prinsenhof Building. The building will be a knowledge centre for circular use of building components. The construction of this building will start in 2025. Prior to this, it is aimed to create a mock-up in which the principle of construction of the structure can be tested. In this test, experience will be gained with dimension tolerance and reconnecting the reclaimed elements to a robust structure.

Deconstruction and Storage

The precast concrete structure of the Prinsenhof building consists of precast concrete hollow-core slabs and precast concrete load-bearing façade elements. Due to the connections between the elements, called wet connections, the deconstruction of the elements could only be done by sawing. An in-situ structural topping was applied on the hollow-core slabs. This is done to enable diaphragm action by the floors. Therefore the floors have to be sawn apart at the locations of the longitudinal joints between the hollow core slabs.

Immediately after sawing the connections of the several elements, they were hoisted and placed on a truck. The trucks transported several elements to the yard of Lagemaat in Heerde.

Check out the YouTube videos showcasing the deconstruction of the Dutch donor building and the investigation of concrete slabs for circular applicability

Dutch Country Cluster Partners