ABSTRACT
Concrete frame construction accounts for the majority of high-rise residential construction in the UK, and is the normal method for buildings above four storeys, as load-bearing masonry approaches its structural limit. This chapter examines the details of the first two methods. The first method, light gauge steel infill, has advantages of speed and efficiency, and is the most popular of concrete frame constructions. The second method, with block infill, is slower but allows much better airtightness. Each of the methods is examined more closely in the details and illustrations. The chapter highlights good practice detailing for concrete frame with an emphasis on thermal performance. It, through a typical apartment block, shows the most significant details affecting thermal performance. A common alternative is to wrap the concrete upstand with insulation, which increases material, cost and heat loss.
