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The Concrete Damage Plasticity (CDP) model is a widely used constitutive model to represent the non-linear behavior of concrete in numerical analysis. However, a limited number of studies compared the level of accuracy of numerical models with the main code provisions from the literature. In addition, the influence of CDP material parameters on the structural behavior of corbels was scarcely studied. This study proposes to evaluate the ability of numerical models using CDP to represent the structural behavior of corbels regarding the ultimate load, reinforcement deformation and failure mechanism. In addition, we compared the predictions of the numerical models with the ones from design code expressions regarding the ultimate capacity. For this, three test results of corbels from the literature were evaluated with numerical models using the CDP, as well as with analytical models from different code provisions. A sensitivity analysis—by changing the dilation angle (ψ) and shape factor (Kc)—was performed. The comparison between tested and predicted resistances with the proposed numerical modeling choices was equal to 1.04 with a coefficient of variation of 11%. On the other hand, the analytical models evaluated overestimated the corbel capacity by more than 62%, on average. Therefore, the proposed modeling choices provide better predictions of ultimate capacity than the evaluated analytical models and can be used to assess the corbel design under more complex boundary conditions.

This paper provides an experimental investigation on the moment-rotation response of typical moment resisting beam-column connections, employing continuous negative bars consolidated with cast in place concrete over the precast beam and passing through grouted corrugated sleeves into an intermediate column. According to [1], the relative beam-column rotation is highly dependent on the elongation mechanism of the negative bars related to both the embedment length into the grouted sleeves and the development length over the beam end, being also inversely dependent on the vertical distance between the position of the top bars and the centre of rotation at end beam section. The flexural secant stiffness of the moment-rotation response is caused by a sum of the joint opening mechanisms at the beam-column interface and crack propagation within the connection zone, wherein the bond-slip at crack positions occurs prior to the first yielding of the negative bars. Therefore, the semi-rigid behaviour of the beam-column connections is associated with deformation mechanisms that occur at the SLS, but which also affects the global behaviour and stability analysis of precast frames at the ULS.Cruciform tests of full scale beam-column connections were carried out at the Precast Research Centre of the Federal University of Sao Carlos (Brazil), where 6 prototypes were studied varying the detailing of the positive connectors over the concrete corbel. The first pair of connectors employed elastomeric bearing pads with 2 vertical dowel bars, the second pair of connectors employed horizontal joints filled with grout with 2 vertical dowel bars and the last pair of connectors employed positive welded plates. The comparison between the experimental results showed that the smallest secant stiffness, which was obtained from the connector with elastomeric bearing pad, was corresponded to 89% and to 82% of the highest secant stiffness obtained for the connectors with welded plates and grouted joint, respectively. Therefore, the experimental results indicate that the major deformation mechanism within the beam-column connections is mostly dependent on the elongation of the top bars. Finally, a simplified analytical equation has been calibrated against the experimental results of the studied beam-column connections.

Precast structures for multi-storey buildings can be designed with economy, safety and high performance. However, depending on the height of the building and the intensity of the lateral loads, the lateral stability system must be carefully chosen in order to maximize the global structural performance. In Brazil, the most common method for lateral stability is achieved by moment resisting precast-frames, wherein the moment-rotation response of the beam-column connections are responsible to provide the frame action, which will govern the distribution of internal forces and the sway distribution along the building height. On the other hand, in Europe, bracing systems comprised by shear walls or infill walls are mostly used, wherein beam-column connections are designed as hinged. The aim of this paper is to present a comparison between these methods for lateral stability, applying nine structural simulations with moment resisting precast-frames, shear walls and infill walls solutions, divided in three groups - 3 building with 5 storeys (21 meters high), 3 buildings with 10 storeys (41 meters high) and 3 building with 20 storeys (81 meters high). All first storeys are 5 meters high, while all the others are 4 meters high. The results from all structural analyses are compared. As conclusion, while moment-resisting beam-column connections are more feasible for applying in low-rise precast buildings, the use of shear walls and infill walls are more efficient for tall buildings due to decrease of lateral displacements, having a reduction of second order effects but also increasing the reactions at the foundations of bracing elements.