Abstract
This paper investigates the behavior of a transfer slab system used in medium rise building. For this purpose, two slab-wall full-scale specimens were designed, built, and tested to cyclic loads. The two slab-wall prototypes were exposed to three load stages: (a) vertical load, (b) horizontal load, and (c) vertical and horizontal combined load. The first specimen, SP1, includes a masonry wall situated on top of a squared two-way slab of 4.25 m by side, thickness of 12 cm, on four reinforced concrete girders, while the second specimen, SP2, consists of an identical slab but was constructed with a reinforced concrete wall. Some numerical finite element slab-wall models were built using linear and nonlinear models. The most important results presented herein are the change on lateral stiffness and resistance capacity of the load-bearing wall supported on a slab versus the wall supported on a fixed base and the effects that these walls cause on the slabs. During the experimental test process of horizontal loading, we detected that the stiffness of the two slab-wall systems decreased significantly compared to the one on the fixed base wall, a result supported by the numerical models. The models indicated suitable correlation and were used to conduct a detailed parametric study on various design configurations.
Highlights
1.1 Buildings with transfer slab systemsIn Mexican cities the construction of medium-rise buildings with a structural floor system called “transfer slabs” have been popularized in the last 15 years
A study [1] evaluated a set of buildings constructed in a sector of Mexico City, in this evaluation was detected a high percentage of buildings that were constructed with discontinuous walls, a structural configuration that induced irregularities in several buildings
The behavior of the Reinforced Concrete (RC) wall of specimen SP2 was according with the expected, it is to say, only minor cracks, the pattern is very similar with the numerical model of Figure 10; In the case of RC walls, the crack pattern was quite different when the base condition is analyzed; the wall on a flexible base only showed a few cracks, while a wall resting on a fixed base, the crack pattern is concentrated in the tension zone of the wall
Summary
In Mexican cities the construction of medium-rise buildings with a structural floor system called “transfer slabs” have been popularized in the last 15 years. A study [1] evaluated a set of buildings constructed in a sector of Mexico City, in this evaluation was detected a high percentage of buildings that were constructed with discontinuous walls, a structural configuration that induced irregularities in several buildings. These structures, projected with transfer floor systems represent a high risk, because it is known that buildings with discontinuity in elevation are vulnerable to seismic loads. The buildings designed with transfer slab (or transfer floor) have a floor system supported on one rigid level, which is used as a parking lot On top of this transfer slab is constructed a shear masonry walls super-structure of more than four stories.
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