Out-of-plane behaviour of connections between precast concrete panels and their foundations

Abstract

Precast concrete panels are commonly used throughout New Zealand in both low-rise industrial buildings and multi-storey buildings. The panel connection details vary depending on the building and connection type. Following the Canterbury earthquakes, concerns have been raised regarding the seismic behaviour of several different types of precast panel connections. One particular concern is the out-of-plane behaviour of shallow embedded anchors used in wall-to-foundation connections in low-rise industrial buildings. This type of connection is commonly used within the precast industry, and therefore it is essential to understand the expected seismic performance. A comprehensive experimental investigation is underway to assess the out-of-plane behaviour of different panel-to-foundation connection details using threaded inserts. A test setup was developed to simulate the expected shear and bending actions on the panel during an earthquake using a horizontal jack positioned at a certain height up the panel. A total of 12 panels were designed to represent commonly constructed connection details.