Seismic Fragility of Existing Precast Buildings with non-Seismic Connections

Connections for existing precast buildings built in the 1960s to 1970s in Alberta were not detailed for earthquake loads. These connections exclusively rely on the friction between the floor (double tees) and the corbel in resisting lateral movement. The original design considered possible lateral movement due to thermal effects and shrinkage but did not consider the relative movement due to earthquake loads. Under earthquake excitation, the beams may lose support by falling off the corbel or by causing the corbel to fail under increased eccentricity. The objective of this research is to develop a framework of analysis for examining the seismic capacity of precast buildings without mechanical devices at the beam-corbel interface and apply the developed framework for assessing the structural safety of a typical precast building in Alberta.

Faculty Supervisor:

Yi Liu;Fadi Oudah

Student:

Partner:

NOEL Consultants

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

Dalhousie University

Program: