Numerical study on the design performance of wedge-type precast horizontal wall-slab joint for vertical load transfer

Abstract

Construction of the residential buildings using large panel system (LPS) technology is an efficient and cost-effective way to provide housing to the populations at large scale. The main weakness of the system is the vertical load transfer at the joints. Horizontal wedge-type joints have known to perform well in load transfer from slab and the upper wall to the lower wall. However, limited research has focused on understanding the damage mechanism in the horizontal joints. This study is aimed at developing a finite element (FE) model of a horizontal wedge-type connection based on the experimental results. Parameters that affect the failure mechanism are transverse wall reinforcement, relative concrete strengths and slab bearing. These parameters were incorporated in the calibrated model to examine their effect on joint strength and damage progression. The results showed that the addition of transverse reinforcement improves the joint capacity and relative concrete strengths between joint and precast members influence the failure type. Furthermore, the comparison of simulation results with the existing design procedures showed that the design formulation, which is primarily focused on closed-type horizontal joints, shows good agreement with the simulation results and can therefore be used for the design of wedge-type joints.