SEISMIC BEHAVIOUR AND DESIGN OF BEAM-COLUMN CONNECTIONS IN PRECAST INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS

Seismic response and safety of precast buildings predominantly depends on the efficiency and behaviour of the connections between structural elements. Precast building system composed of an assemblage of cantilever columns tied together with beams is extensively used in Europe. The connection between columns and beams is achieved by the use of dowels. Although this connection is relatively simple, its behaviour had not been fully understood until in-depth studies were made within the SAFECAST project (i.e. Isakovic et al., 2017). Design practice was frequently based on engineering feeling, code procedures were not adequately formulated and several collapses were observed during recent earthquakes in Italy. The overview of the related experimental and numerical studies done by the researchers in Ljubljana is presented.Typical response mechanisms were identified and numerically modelled. Finally, design procedures and formulas to be incorporated into Eurocode 8 were proposed.A number of cyclic experiments were performed on beam-to-column connections with centric and eccentric dowels

Keywords:

Precast buildings , Dowel connection , Cyclic experiment , Design procedure