Precast Concrete Frames

MAB1023 Analysis and Design of Structural System

Dr. Ahmad Baharuddin Abd Rahman,

Associate Professor
Faculty of Civil Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai, Johor
 Overview of the problems

The construction of conventional

reinforced concrete frames requires:

The use of formwork

Cast in-situ concrete
Labour
Precast Concrete
Components
 Types of Structural Systems in Precast
Concrete Structures

Wall System
(Load bearing system) Skeletal frame system
Joints
between
components
 Skeletal Structures

Unbraced Frames Braced Frames

In unbraced frame, the lateral forces In braced frame, the lateral

are resisted by its own lateral forces are resisted by lateral
stability such as cantilever columns supports such as bracing, core
or rigid frames. or shear wall.
Unbraced Frame
 Putrajaya Site Office

Sek. Keb. Brickfields 1, KL

Unbraced precast concrete frames

BRACED FRAME
BRACING precast cross bracing designed as
fixed ended struts
Braced Frame
with Shear Wall
 Skeletal Structures

Number of Type of frame Bracing

storey elements
2 Unbraced Cantilevered
columns
Up to 3 (small Unbraced Cantilevered
roof load) columns
 Skeletal Structures

Number of storey Type of frame Bracing elements

Up to 4 Braced Steel cross bracing

Up to 5 Braced Precast hollow core

infill
3 to 10 Braced -Precast solid infill
walls
-Solid cantilever
wall
15-20 Braced Insitu concrete
shear core
 Frame Stability

The design against horizontal loads can be

performed as follows:
Frame Action
Independent lateral stability mechanism
(shear wall, core or bracing).
Floor diaphragm action
 Frame Stability

Vertical load

Lateral
load

Pinned beam-to-column connections

Frame is not stable when subjected to lateral
forces.
Unstable Stable
configuration configuration
 Frame Stability

Unstable frame

Stable frame

Methods to stabilize the structure:

Introduce bracing system
The system is known as Simple Construction System
 Rigid beam-to-
Frame Stability
column connection

Unstable frame
Pinned base
Rigid base
Methods to stabilize the structure:
Introduce rigid beam-to-column connections
Column-to-base connection can be pinned or rigid
 Frame Stability

Pinned
connections

Rigid core Rigid core

Unstable frame

Frame is stabilized by rigid shear wall or RC core

PRECAST CONCRETE PHILOSOPHY

Load Strength

Deformation
Unbraced Frame Action
 Pinned connection

Unbraced frame
with pinned
beam-to-column
connections

Rigid connection

Unbraced Unbraced frame

with rigid beam-
frame to-column
connections
 Frame Action
Cantilever Columns
Frame Action - Cantilever column

Cantilever column:
Low-rise skeleton structures are
normally stabilized through the
cantilever action of the columns.
Frame Action - Cantilever column
Criteria for unbraced frames with cantilevered columns
Beam-to-column connections are assumed
as pinned.
Any partial restraints provided by
the beam-to-column connections, walls
or spandrel panels are ignored.
Column-to-base connections are fixed.
The precast columns are fixed into the
foundations with moment-resisting
connections. As a result, columns can
be analyzed and designed as cantilevers

No other independent lateral resisting

systems such as shear walls or cores.
Frame Action - Cantilever column
The stability of unbraced
pin jointed frames is
provided entirely by
columns designed as
cantilevers for the full
height of the structures.

Typical example of unbraced

frame with cantilever columns
 Frame Action - Cantilever column

Other examples where the stability of

unbraced frames against lateral forces
can be achieved by the designing the
columns as cantilevered. Pinned

Rigid base
 Frame Action - Cantilever column

Typical frame model

for analysis Pinned beam-to-column
connections

Continuous
columns

Fixed bases
STABILISING METHODS

Partially braced top up, or bottom down

SWAY

DIAPHRAGM REACTIONS IN
BRACED PART
STABILISING METHODS

Unbraced sway frame cantilever columns

LARGE SWAY DUE TO

2nd ORDER

DIAPHRAGM

NO MOMENT TRANSFER
 Frame Action - Cantilever column
Analysis of lateral
loads for unbraced Rigid
Equivalent
diaphragm Equivalent
frames with point loads point loads
acting on on columns 1,2 and 3.
cantilever columns: building

The distribution of F3
1 2 3

horizontal loading 3.0m

10.05m
F2
between columns 7.05m
is directly Wind
pressure F1
3.0m

proportional to q =
2
the second 3kN/m
1 1
3.5m 4.05m
moment area of G.L

the columns, I. 0.5m

0.05m

In most cases, the x x x 0.05m

Section
columns will be 1-1
x x x
equally loaded VIEW B
horizontally.
 Frame Action - Cantilever column

Limitation:
The maximum height of an unbraced frame with
cantilever action is 10m (i.e. up to about 3 storeys).
Cantilever columns are designed using effective
length factor of 2.3, hence larger columns.

Advantages:
No bracing
Pinned beam-to-column connections simple to
construct.
Columns are manufactured in a single length,
column splices are not required.
 Frame Action
Moment Resistance Frame
System
Frame Action Moment Resistance Frame

Moment Resistance Frame System:

In this system, the resistance to
horizontal loadings is provided by the
bending resistance of frame members
and their connections.
Frame action of conventional
reinforced concrete building at
ultimate limit state.Yogyakarta
earthquake, 6.2 Ritcher Scale
(Utusan Msia 4Jun 06).
Frame Action Moment Resistance Frame
Rigid beam-to-column connection
Criteria for unbraced frames with
frame resistance action

Beam-to-column connections are

assumed as rigid.
Restraints provided by
the beam-to-column connections are
considered in the analysis and design.

Column-to-base connections are fixed.

No other independent lateral resisting
systems such as shear walls or cores
when lateral deflections are not
excessive (I.e. in the case of low storey
frames).
 Frame Action Moment Resistance Frame
The stability of unbraced rigid frames is
provided by the bending resistance and the
rigid connections. Rigid beam-to-column
connections

Typical example of
unbraced precast
frame with rigid
beam-to-column
connections
 Frame Action - Moment Resistance Frame

Example of moment resisting frame system

Example of rigid
beam-to-column
connection
 Frame Action
Moment Resistance Frame

Other examples of
rigid frames
Beam Column Joint

welding

43
44
45
 Frame Action - Moment Resistance Frame

Typical frame model for analysis of Moment

Resisting Frame System
Rigid
Floor floor connection
7 8
[9]
3500 [5] [6] 3500

2nd floor
5 [8] 6
3500 [3] [4] 3500

1st floor
3 4
[7]
4000 4000
[1] [2]
Ground floor
1250 1250
1 2
9500 9500
All dimensions are
in mm 2D plane frame model
 Frame Action - Moment Resistance Frame

Example moment resisting frame analysis

31.8 kN/m
15.75 kN

40.8 kN/m 3500

14.58 kN

3500 Load case 2:

52.8 kN/m
1.2Gk + 1.2Qk + 1.2W k
13.1 kN

4000

1250

9500
 Frame Action - Moment Resistance Frame

Results of analysis of bending moment

of resisting frames The resistance to
174.8
horizontal loadings is
140.7
provided by the
140.7 174.8 7 8
bending resistance of
frame members and
114.87
201.2
135.9 6
their connections
5
224.3

306.9

109.44 170.96

Y
194.7
166.01 210.65 4
3
57.3 158 X
223.3

368.7

299.7

10.2 117.1 1
BENDING MOMENT (kNm)
Load case 2:
1.2Gk + 1.2Qk + 1.2W k
 Frame Action Moment Resistance Frame

Limitation:
Rigid beam-to-column connections,
difficult to construct.
Rigid base foundation should be
designed considering the moment.

Advantages:
No bracing such as shear walls or cores.
Suitable for low rise frames.
Suitable for buildings in seismic regions.
Frames with Independent
Lateral Stability System
 Independent lateral stability system

Skeletal braced frames (the skeletal frames are

combined with other lateral stabilising components):
In precast concrete structures, bracing elements are
provided in the forms of shear walls).
Other methods of bracings are infill brick walls or steel
cross-bracing.
 Shear wall

Shear walls act as vertical cantilever beams

Shear walls transfer lateral forces from the
superstructure to the foundation.
In most precast, it is desirable to resist lateral
loads with shear walls of precast or cast-in-place
concrete.
Shear walls can consist of the following:
Exterior wall system
interior walls
walls of elevator
cores
 Precast skeletal
structures of more
than 3 storeys are Bracing
system
normally braced.
Precast concrete
walls may be
classified as infill or
cantilever.
 In braced structures,
pinned beam-to-
column connections
may be employed,
hence connection
details, design and
construction are
greatly simplified.
Typical example of precast concrete frame analysis

FRAME MODEL:
1. Pinned beam-
to-column
connections.
2. Rigid base.
 Shear
wall

Shear
wall
 Shear wall to resist
lateral loads
Shear wall model
Bending moment results
Shear force results
Column axial force results
Deflection results
 To achieve stiffer
structures, rigid
beam-to-column
connections
combined with
bracing elements
may also be
employed.
Typical example of precast frame with pinned
beam-to-column connections stabilized against
lateral forces by shear wall bracing system.
Infill walls without
beam framing elements

No beams
between
columns

Infill shear
walls
 Infill walls without
beam framing
elements

The beams are

replaced by dowels
(starter bars) between
upper and lower walls

Wall-to-wall
connection
BRACING METHODS

Infill shear walls - Smith & Carter theory

BRACING METHODS

Infill shear walls - Smith & Carter theory

V = 0.6 f yA s
22-story precast concrete office building utilizing a precast Vierendeel wall frame supporting a long span, precast
double-tee floor framing system.

Precast Panels Provide Durability, Speedy

Erection
71
72
 Motor City Casino Hotel
Detroit, Michigan

The structure is a combined system of:

Structural steel columns
Steel trusses for supporting the precast floor
system
Precast concrete hollow core slabs to stabilize
the columns and to act as a diaphragm for each
floor
Core walls at each end of the building
Each floor consists of:
15,500ft2 of hollow
core slabs
3,600ft2 of solid slabs
Construction aspect:
4,000ft2 of slabs were
delivered to site each
day
 The slabs tie together
the steel trussess
 Core

Very effective lateral stability system

as it acts as a rigid hollow box
Can be provided in buildings as lift
shafts and stairwells
Can serve as a fire resisting shell in
the case of staircases.
The effects of partial shear wall on
simple construction frame
DL 14.4kN/m IL 6kN/m
Pinned beam-to-
WL 10kN column connections

DL 27.9kN/m IL 20.0kN/m

WL 20kN

DL 27.9kN/m IL 20.0kN/m

WL 20kN

Rigid column-to-base
connections
Partial shear wall
is placed at different Pinned beam-to-
storey. column connections

Partial shear wall

is placed at different storey.
 Different Shear Wall Location
~ Simple Construction ~

kerangka pin 5 tingkat (dinding ricih 0.25m)

300

tiada dinding ricih

250
anjakan maks (mm)

200

Location of 150
partial shear tingkat 1
100
wall that gives
the minimum 50 tingkat 2
tingkat 3 tingkat 5
tingkat 4
frame deflection
0
kedudukan dinding ricih

Deflection of 5 storey simple frame.

 Different Shear Wall Location
~ Simple Construction ~

kerangka pin 9 tingkat (dinding ricih 0.25m)

1600
tiada dinding ricih
1400

1200
anjakan maks (mm)

1000
tingkat 1
800
Location of tingkat 2
600
partial shear tingkat 9
wall that gives 400
tingkat 3 tingkat 8
tingkat 7
the minimum 200 tingkat 4 tingkat 6
frame deflection 0
tingkat 5
kedudukan dinding ricih

Deflection of 9 storey simple frame.

 Partial shear wall can contribute significant stability to the
skeletal frames especially for simple construction.

Shear wall located at mid-height of the simple construction

building gives better performance in terms of reducing
lateral deflection.
The effects of floor slabs in reducing overall lateral deflection.
 80.0
Wind Load Direction X

70.0

60.0

Simple Construction
50.0
Rigid Construction
Deflection (mm)

40.0
Node 33

30.0
3
3 3
m
20.0 7 3
4 m
6 4
m m
6 6
10.0 3
m m
6 6 m
m m

0.0
without slab with g slab with g & 1 slabs with g,1 & 2 slabs with g,1,2 & r slabs
No of floor slab

Comparison of deflection response between simple

and rigid construction system as observed at node 33.
 From the results, it can be suggested that in order to achieve
immediate stability during the erection of precast concrete
frames, it is advisable to construct the floor slabs for the
lower storeys prior to erecting the upper storeys.
Introducing permanent slabs to the lower levels can increase
the stiffness of the global frame and hence reduces the
flexibility of the frame.
Eventually, this will provide additional stiffness to maintain
the stability during erection.