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SESOC Journal

SOME ASPECTS OF THE DESIGN OF FACE


LOADED SLENDER PRECAST CONCRETE WALL
PANELS (SPCWPs)
Gordon Hughes

BUILDING REVIEWS, SEISMIC parts provision. This applies to face loaded SPCWPs and
ASSESSMENTS & CPENG any upper horizontal beam, connections between the
upper beam and portals and connections of the panels
COMPETENCE
to the upper beam and/or the portal leg. (Note the parts
Assessments indicate significant variations in practice provision loads do not apply to the portal frame).
for the design of SPCWPs typically used in single story
Despite the guidance available observed design practice
industrial, warehousing and commercial buildings.
varies considerably.
Typical structures are portal framed supporting
Lateral Restraint
lightweight roofing on cold rolled steel purlins with
SPCWP’s spanning either horizontally between portal The upper horizontal beam frequently has little lateral
legs or vertically from the ground. SPCWPs spanning restraint at the ends and often has minimal torsional
vertically have either pinned or fixed base connections restraint between supports. The design of this horizontal
and are usually supported near the top by a horizontal beam must therefore take account of the restraint
spanning steel beam (often called eaves beams, girts, conditions.
transoms or walers). Designers have been observed assuming full lateral
These notes refer to face loaded concrete wall panels. restraint despite none being available to an outstanding
For the complete design of SPCWPs, ‘in plane’ actions flange. This lack of restraint often results in significant
and concurrent loads should also be considered. reduction of member capacity. HERA publication R4-
92 (Restraint Classifications for beam member moment
Numerous examples of poor practice in the design capacity determination to NZS 3404:1997) provides
of these structures have been observed by SESOC guidance on restraints. A detail frequently encountered
members and these relate to: is shown below. (This detail is recommended in the
• Determination of design actions Russell A Poole report). The connection provides little
• No consideration of lateral support torsional resistance for the outstanding flange but can
• No consideration of deformation compatibility allow for thermal and shrinkage movement between
the panel and the PFC depending on the extent of the
• Detailing of members
clamping action. If the fixing allows for movement then
Design Actions there is limited lateral restraint to the PFC.
Reference manuals and design guides give clear
guidance on the determination of design actions for
the SPCWP’s and the supporting structure (where the
walls are not explicitly modelled in the analysis). These
include:
• The CCANZ Red books published in 1998 and 2008
which have examples using the parts provisions of
NZS 1170.5.
GENERAL DESIGN ISSUES
• The 2007 BRANZ Design Guide Slender Precast Connections
Concrete Panels with Low Axial Loads which uses the Fixings of the SPCWPs to steel members are made
parts provisions of NZS 1170.5. using weld plates, cast in inserts, through bolts, epoxied
In addition MBIE Building Determination 2013/057 bolts or drilled in fasteners.
provides authoritative guidance and requires SPCWPs and Due to cyclical earthquake loading and possible elevated
their connections to be designed using the NZS 1170.5 temperatures for fire conditions (as many walls are fire

26 Journal of the Structural Engineering Society of New Zealand Inc


SESOC Journal

walls), connection selection is critical. When selecting an


appropriate fastener, there are a number of factors that
should be considered. These include:
• Epoxied bolts should be seismic grade and heat
resistant while undercut fasteners for post-installed
fixings should be considered. (Note the report by
Russell A Poole does not recommend the use of post
installed fasteners).
• Sleeve type drilled in connectors should not be used
(unless there are credible testing results confirming
resistance to cyclic seismic loading) as these are likely
to loosen with a reduction in capacity under seismic
actions. should keep up to date with progress. When using such
• Design of size and spacings of fasteners should be a detail it is important to consider the positioning and
conservative and take into account the potential for detailing of the insert to avoid brittle fracture occurring.
brittle failure modes, and a reduction in capacity when Ductility
they are fixed into a potentially cracked concrete zone.
If ductility is assumed in the SPCWP (out of plane) then
• Starters (especially if Grade 500) are susceptible to this must be followed through in the design of all other
uncontrolled bending and should only be used with elements that interact with the wall (both in, and out of
care. Bent bars can only be rebent if they satisfy strict plane). For example, out of plane ductility for a fixed
conditions and are subject to controlled criteria. For base SPCWP will result in an increase in actions on
further information, refer to MBIE Practice Advisory 1. the eaves beam once the wall becomes inelastic. Note
Deformation Compatibility that Amendment No.3 of the public draft of NZS 3101
Deformation compatibility is an important consideration precludes the use of ductility for in-plane actions of
when detailing. Care must be taken to ensure unintended reinforced panels with a single layer of reinforcement.
actions are not introduced into the structure. Typical
Additional References
considerations include:
G J Beattie: Slender Precast Concrete Panels with Low Axial
• Slotting holes in connections - Holes should be Load (BRANZ 2007)
slotted vertically to allow for in plane deflections when
James Burley: Threaded Insert Connections between Precast
the SPCWPs are acting as shear walls.
Panels and Foundations: Part 2 (University of Auckland
• Accommodating thermal movement and concrete Unpublished??)
shrinkage movement - This is important as the James Burley and Tautua Faitotoa: Threaded Insert
actions induced by these effects can be significant. It Connections between Precast Panels and Foundations
is common to see cracking around fixings especially (University of Auckland 2014 Concrete Conference)
weld plates where movement allowance has not been
made. S M Burridge, M P Casey, H D Wright, L Hogan, R S Henry and
J M Ingham: Improved Detailing of Precast Concrete Panel to
Base Fixity Foundation Connections to Withstand Out-Of-Plane Earthquake
Fixity at the base of vertical spanning walls can be Loads ( University of Auckland 2015 Concrete Conference)
provided with either bent reinforcing rods protruding from MBIE determination
the face of the SPCWP or rods threaded into ‘cast in’
MBIE Practice Advisory 1
inserts.
Russell A Poole: Report to Department of Building and Housing
It is common practice to use ‘cast in’ inserts to fix Review of Design and Construction of Slender Precast Concrete
SPCWPs to the foundations as shown in the example Walls (DBH August 2005)
above. SESOC has expressed concern over the
J I Restrepo, F J Crisafulli & R Park, Earthquake Resistance of
performance of this type of connection detail. Recent
structures: The Design and Construction of Tilt-up Reinforced
research by the University of Auckland has indicated that
Concrete Buildings (University of Canterbury -September 1996)
these concerns are warranted. The research indicates
that performance is improved in deeper footings and in
cases where the inserts are placed closer to the outside
face of the panel. The research is ongoing and designers

Volume 29 No.2 September 2016 27

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