Connection

Design
Lecture 5

Dr. Ahmad Baharuddin Abd Rahman

Faculty of Civil Engineering,
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
 Introduction

Precast concrete
components require external
connecting devices.
These usually require
additional bolting or welding.
 Connection could
be the weak link, if
not designed
properly

Strong Strong
column beam
element element
 General
Connections form the important
part of precast concrete
construction. The connection types
employed will not only affects the
construction cost but also the
erection speed.

The type of connections employed

will also govern the types of
structural system of the global
frames.
 Methods of Joining Precast
Components

There are several methods of joining

precast components such as:
Welding - Plates or anchors are cast
in the precast elements and welded
together after erection.

Bolting - Steel inserts are cast in the

precast members. During erection,
steel bolts are employed to join the
precast components.
 Grouting - Looped or
straight bars are cast into
the precast components.
After the erection, a
grouted joint is used to
join the bars of the
precast components.

Friction and Bearing -

This is normally a
bearing type of
connection.
 Design Criteria of Connections

Precast concrete connections must meet

a variety of design and performance
criteria, and not all connections are
required to meet the same criteria. The
criteria include:

Strength - A connection must have the

strength to resist the forces to which it will
be subjected during its lifetime.
 Ductility - A connection must be able to
accommodate relatively large
deformations without failure.

Durability - Poor durability of connections

is normally exhibited by corrosion of steel
elements, cracking and spalling of
concrete. Therefore when exposed to
weather, or used in a corrosive
environment, steel elements should be
adequately covered by concrete or be
painted or galvanised.
PRECAST CONCRETE PHILOSOPHY

Strength
Load

Source: Dr Kim Elliot

Deformation
 Constructability
The following items sould be kept in mind
when designing connections:
Standardised product
Use repetitious details
Avoid reinforcement and hardware
congestion
Provide accessibility
 Beam-to-Column
Connection Design
 Types of Connections in
Precast Concrete Frames

Pinned Semi-rigid Rigid

 Structural System The choice of connection type
will affect the structural frame
system.

Unbraced Frames Braced Frames

Rigid Pinned
Connections Connections

Rigid/Continuous Simple
Construction Construction
 fc
fc
f

f = fb fc f = fb
f = fb fc

M fb M fb M

Pinned joint Connection Moment, M Rigid joint Semi-rigid joint

Rigid
Semi-rigid
Response of
Connections

Pin

Rotation, f

M-f curve
 Mmax (rigid) Rigid joint
Semi-rigid
joint
Mmax (semi-rigid
joint)
f
f full
less simple
than
Mmax (pin joint) beam
simplerotation
beam
No rotation
rotation

Inflection
Inflection
point point

Moment distribution with

different connection rigidity
 The structural stability and sway
stiffness of precast concrete framed
structures is greatly influenced by the
rotational strength and stiffness of the
beam-to-column connection
Rigid

STIFFNESS
Connection Moment, M

STRENGTH

Pin

Rotation, f
Beam-to-column head connection test at CERIB, Epernon, France
 Types of Connections

Pinned Semi-rigid Rigid

 Pinned connection

1. Zero moment at beam end, M = 0

2. Beam end free to rotate
 Pinned connection

Simple construction system

Frame is not stable when subjected to
lateral forces.
 Pinned connection

Failure of pinned connections as a result of

earthquake force
Failure of connections can cause
instability of the global unbraced frame
 Pinned connection

Typical example of precast frame with

pinned beam-to-column connections
stabilized against lateral forces by shear wall
bracing system.
 Pinned connection

Advantages of pinned connections:

Simple detailing
Easy to construct
The simples pinned can be
formed by element to element
bearing
Pinned connection

Transfer mainly
shear forces.
The connections
lead to simple
construction system
 Pinned connection
Hidden corbel using mechanical connection system:

1
1

Different flexural stiffness, EI at sections 1 & 2

 Pinned connection
CLEATED CONNECTOR

Fixing tolerances

Column insert,
UC section
Stiffened cleat, cut
from structural tee
 Pinned connection

Haunched column
 Effect of pinned connections to the analysis
Pinned connections
Beam-to-column connections are not capable to
transfer moments from beams to columns.
Simply supported beams.

BENDING MOMENT (kNm)

1. Splitting crack 2. Cracks due to
rotations of beam
 Types of Connections

Pinned Semi-rigid Rigid

 Rigid Connections
(Moment Resisting Connections)

Rigid connections are able to transfer

moment and shear forces. In precast
structures, rigid connections are
possible in many situations, particularly
at foundations and between beams and
columns.
 Rigid connection

Typical example of
EI
rigid connections in
EI RC structure.

EIconnection= EIbeam
Deformed shape
Undeformed shape
Monolithic rigid
connection in
reinforced concrete
frames
 Tension force, T
Couple
External force, M
moment,
Mi
Compression force, C

External moment,
Mi is resisted by
force couple, M
Rigid connection
 Rigid connection

Rigid beam-to-column connection is formed

by overlapping steel bars and insitu concrete
Rigid connection

Column

Beam
 Column

Beam
UiTM, near to Melaka, 2012
 Effect of rigid connections to the analysis

Rigid connections
Beam-to-column connections are capable to
resist moments.
174.8
140.7

140.7 174.8

201.2
114.87 135.9
224.3

306.9
109.44 170.96

194.7
166.01 210.65
57.3 158
223.3

368.7

299.7

10.2 117.1
BENDING MOMENT (kNm)
Load case 2:
1.2Gk + 1.2Qk + 1.2W k
Simple connections at inflection points.

Inflection point

174.8
140.7

140.7 174.8

201.2
114.87 135.9
224.3

109.44 306.9 170.96

194.7
166.01 210.65
57.3 158
223.3

368.7

299.7

10.2 117.1
BENDING MOMENT (kNm)
Load case 2:
1.2Gk + 1.2Qk + 1.2W k

Connections are made at point of

zero moment
Simple connections at inlection
points are possible.
 174.8
140.7

140.7 174.8

201.2
114.87 135.9
224.3

306.9

109.44 170.96

194.7
166.01 210.65
57.3 158
223.3

368.7

299.7

10.2 117.1
BENDING MOMENT (kNm)
Load case 2:
1.2Gk + 1.2Qk + 1.2W k

Connections are made at point of zero moment

Simple connections at inlection points are possible.
 Cast insitu rigid
connection

Knife connection (pinned

connection)
 Design of Beam-to-Column Conections

Design of Corbel Beam

A corbel is a short
cantilever component
which supports a load
bearing component. The
beams are supported by Corbel
corbels, so that the shear
forces are transmitted
directly to the corbel.
 V
Design of Concrete e

Bracket or Corbel T
3 M=
1 V.e

Potential cracks are 2

q
assumed to develop as =200
follows:

Crack 1: due to direct shear

at corbel junction with
Ash
column.
To avoid this failure,
provide shear friction steel
reinforcement, As and Ash.
As + Asn
 V
Crack 2: Due to diagonal e

tension in corbel.
T
To avoid this failure, provide 3 M=
shear friction reinforcement, 1 V.e
2
Ash.
q
=200

Crack 3: Due to inclined shear

at bearing.
To avoid this failure, provide
reinforcement As and Ash and As
ensure that anchorage of this h

reinforcement is achieved.

The reinforcement calculated

As + Asn
above is not cumulative but
the greater of the different
considerations.
Design of
Corbel
Corbel is considered as short cantilevered (0.4hc ac hc)
Corbels can be designed as strut-and-tie system
a
FEd
ac
HEd

A B QH
Ft

z hc
d
2(d-z) d
C (d-z)

2(d-z)cos
The design and detailing of a corbel has the following
requirements:
1. The bearing stress of the load on the corbel directly under the load should
not exceed 0.48 (1- fck/250)fck
2. A horizontal force HEd= 0.2FEd must also be resisted. This force acts as
the level of the top of the bearing, a distance aH above the horizontal tie.
3. The main tension steel, As,main must be fully anchored into the column
and the other end of these bars must be welded to an anchorage device or
loops of reinforcing bars.
4. The angle of inclination, of the compression strut must be within the
limits 22 45, or 2.5cot 1.0
5. The design stress, fcd of the concrete strut must not exceed (ccfck/c) v1
where:
v1 = 0.6 (1 fck/250)
cc= 0.85
c= 1.5, the partial factor of safety for concrete in
compression
6. Horizontal links of total area, As,link should be provided to confine the
concrete in the compression strut and As,link = 0.5 As,main
 The strut and Tie system of design
(a) Force in the concrete strut , Fcd
The force Fcd in the concrete is
Fcd= fcd wstrut bw cos
where bw is the width of the corbel

(b) Angle of Inclination, of the concrete strut

Resolving vertically at point B:
Fed= Fcd sin= fcd 2(d-z) bw cos sin
= fcd (d- atan )bwsin 2
= fcd d bw (1- 1[d/d]tan )sin 2
Rearranging
(FEd/fcdbw) = (1-[d/d]tan )sin2
This equation cannot be solved directly for but table 7.2(overleaf),
which has been developed directly from equation above, can be used.

(c) Main tension steel, As,main

Resolving horizontally at B, the force Ftd in the steel tie is given by
Ftd= Fcd cot + 0.2FEd
= Fed (cot + 0.2)
The area of main tension steel, As,main, is given by
As,main = Ftd/0.87fyk
Example of Corbel design
Design the reinforcement for the corbel shown
in Figure below. The corbel has a breadth
b=350mm and supports an ultimate load of
VEd= 400kN at a distance cc= 200mm from
the face of the column. The bearing is flexible
and at a distance aH= 75mm above the tension
tie. The bearing is 350mm by 120mm.
 a
200mm
400kN

75mm

550mm
Check the bearing stress
Safe bearing stress= 0.48 ( 1- fck/250)fck
= 0.48 (1-30/250) 30
= 12.7 N/mm2
Actual bearing Stress= 400 103/(350 120)
= 9.6 N/mm2
Concrete strut
The effective depth of the corbel is d = 550mm
Distance, d = (200 +0.2 75) = 215mm
Therefore d/d = 215/550= 0.40
Fcd = 0.34 fck(1 fck/250)
= 0.34 30 (1-30 /250)
= 8.98 N/mm2
Hence, from table 7.2, = 35.5
Main tension steel
The force in the main tension steel is
Ftd= Fed(cot +0.2) = 400(cot 35.5 + 0.2)
= 400(1.40 + 0.2)= 640kN
As, main= Ftd/ 0.87 fyk = 640 103/ 0.87 500
= 1471 mm2
Provide two H32 bars, area =1610mm2
Horizontal links
As,links >0.5As,main= 735mm2
Provide four H16 links, As,links = 804 mm2
Detailing of the Reinforcement in
Corbel
Source: Dr Kim Elliot
 Column-to-Base
Connection Design
Rigid Connections between column-to-
base can be of three types:
1). Pocket foundation
2). Base plate connection
3). Grouted sleeve.
 Use adjusting nut for base plate levelling
Bolt holes are drilled
Under the base plate, use grout.
STEEL BASE PLATE - extended

100 mm
overhang

M20-24 min. 300 long

H/D bolt
Dr Kim Elliot
 Column-to-base connection
High tensile protruding
Grouted sleeve reinforcement bar

Funnel-shaped Column connected by

opening for grouting grouted sleeve

Anchorage length Vertical profile hole

between precast
column and foundation
Starter bars from the
base.
Starter bars from the
base are inserted
into the sleeves.
 Grouting

Grouted sleeve
 N
Pocket
M
Foundation
a
Concrete infill or
grout mHB
HD

0.1h
HB
mHA
0.9h

HA
A
0.1h

R
(a/6)
CASTELATED COLUMN IN POCKET
then D = h

h
40 mm root depth

Dr Kim Elliot
 If M/N < 0.15 h, then D > 1.2 h
COLUMN IN POCKET
If M/N > 2.00 h, then D > 2.0 h

C40 infill

Dr Kim Elliot
Thank You