Precasting is the process of casting part of a structure at a place other than where it is intended for use or installation. When concrete is cast or fabricated in the form of blocks, slabs, or other shapes in this manner, the concrete obtained is termed precast concrete. After you fabricate the elements of precast concrete, you need to join and connect them to each other and cast-in-setu parts. Using precast concrete in structures is an economical solution because of structural efficiency and reduced costs.

This article introduces precast elements and their characteristics and describes the various advantages that precast concrete offers as compared to cast-in-setu concrete. It explains the principles of prefabrication and describes why the design and construction of joints and connections is an important consideration for precast concrete structures. The article also describes the design considerations applicable to precast elements at the pre- and post-erection stages. It also describes various factors that affect failure of precast elements. Finally, it describes various ongoing research and development work in the field of precast concrete and various application areas of precast concrete.