University of Notre Dame
Browse

Seismic Behavior, Design, and Analysis of Short-Grouted Ductile Rebar Connections for Precast Concrete Structures

Download (8.52 MB)
dataset
posted on 2025-05-15, 13:10 authored by ETD DepositorETD Depositor, Baha'a Ahmad Burhan Mohammad Al-Khateeb
This dissertation presents an investigation of precast concrete shear walls with nonproprietary, short-grouted connections for ductile energy-dissipating reinforcing bars crossing horizontal joints. Unlike available proprietary grouted splices that use end-threaded reinforcing bars for force transfer along the splice, the energy-dissipation bars in the proposed connection are terminated and grouted inside straight corrugated thin-gauge steel ducts. Vertical, transverse, and longitudinal tie reinforcement is designed around the connectors to transfer the energy-dissipation bar forces into the precast component. The research included six large-scale shear wall test specimens, numbered as specimens 1-6. Specimen 1 was tested by a previous Master’s student at the University of Notre Dame. All six specimens were tested and evaluated under pseudo-static reversed-cyclic lateral loading and superimposed axial loading per seismic acceptance criteria for special precast concrete shear walls in ACI 550.6-19. Specimen 1 was designed based on previous tests of isolated (that is, single) energy-dissipation bar connections subjected to reversed-cyclic uniaxial loading. The results from each wall test informed the design of the subsequent specimens. Among the first three walls, only specimen 3 satisfied the maximum lateral strength loss limit of 20% at the validation-level drift prescribed by ACI 550.6-19. Important connection design and detailing recommendations were made based on the performance differences between these specimens. Specimens 4, 5, and 6 were tested to evaluate the connections for varying energy-dissipation bar size, wall base moment-to-shear ratio, wall thickness, axial load ratio, and layout of connectors and tie reinforcement in the wall cross section. These specimens met all applicable validation requirements of ACI 550.6-19, sustaining limited damage despite undergoing large lateral displacements, and demonstrating high performance of the connectors for seismic application. The wall test results were used to improve a previous strut-and-tie model for designing the connection tie reinforcement and connector length. A simplified set of equations and accompanying sample calculations were created for engineers to design connections without engaging into the details of the strut-and-tie design model. Fiber element-based nonlinear numerical models as well as closed-form analytical approaches to predict the nominal and probable axial-flexural strengths of walls utilizing these connections were also developed.

History

Date Created

2025-04-14

Date Modified

2025-04-14

Defense Date

2025-04-04

CIP Code

  • 14.0801

Research Director(s)

Yahya Kurama

Committee Members

Luis Fargier Gabaldon Alex Taflanidis Brad Weldon

Degree

  • Doctor of Philosophy

Degree Level

  • Doctoral Dissertation

Language

  • English

Publisher

University of Notre Dame

Additional Groups

  • Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences

Program Name

  • Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences

Usage metrics

    Dissertations

    Categories

    No categories selected

    Keywords

    Exports

    RefWorks
    BibTeX
    Ref. manager
    Endnote
    DataCite
    NLM
    DC