Emulating Cast in Place Detailing In Precast Concrete Structures

Reported by Joint ACI-ASCE Committee 550. © 2001 American Concrete Institute.

Emulative detailing is defined as designing connection systems in a precast concrete structure so that its structural performance is equivalent to that of a conventionally designed, cast-in-place, monolithic concrete structure (Ericson and Warnes 1990).

Emulative detailing is different than jointed design where precast elements are separated from each other but are connected with special jointing details like welded or bolted plates. As commonly applied, the term “emulation” refers to the design of the vertical or horizontal elements of the lateral-force-resisting system of a building. Emulative detailing of precast concrete structures is applicable to any structural system where monolithic reinforced concrete would also be appropriate, regardless of seismic region (Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute 1999).

Design practice in some countries with a high seismic risk, such as New Zealand and Japan, follow design codes that address precast concrete designed by emulation of castin- place concrete design. Performance of joints and related details of emulative precast concrete structural concepts have been extensively tested in Japan. Because emulative precast concrete structures have been constructed there for over three decades, emulative methods for seismic design are widely accepted. Until recently, this practice has not been formally followed in the U.S.

Referenced standards and reports

American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)

American Concrete Institute (ACI International)

International Conference of Building Officials (ICBO)

Cited references

International Conference of Building Officials, “Uniform Building Code,” V. 2—Structural Engineering Design Provisions, International Conference of Building Officials, Whittier, Calif.

Noureddine, I.; Richards, W.; and Grottkau, W., 1996, Plastic Energy Absorption Capacity of #18 Reinforcing Bar Splices under Monotonic Loading, California Department of Transportation, Division of New Technology, Materials and Research, Office of Structural Materials.

Iverson, J. K. and Hawkins, N. M. 1994, “Performance of Precast/Prestressed Concrete Building Structures During Northridge Earthquake,” PCI Journal, V. 39, No. 2, Mar.- Apr., pp. 38-55.

Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute, 1999, Erectors Manual, Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute, Chicago, Ill., MNL-127-99.

Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute, 1997, “Design for Lateral Resistance with Precast Concrete Shear Walls,” PCI Journal, V. 42, No. 5, Sept.-Oct., pp. 44-64.

Soudki, K.; Rizkalla, S.; and LeBlanc, B., 1995, “Horizontal Connections for Precast Concrete Shear Walls Subjected to Cyclic Deformations—Part 1: Mild Steel Connections,” PCI Journal, V. 40, No. 3., pp. 78-96.

Warnes, C. E., 1990, Precast Concrete Moment Frames, Seminar Presentation to Consulting Engineers, Western Canadian Prestressed Concrete Institute.

Suenaga, Y., 1974, Box-Frame-Type Precast Reinforced Concrete Construction of Five, Six and Seven-Story Apartment Type Buildings, Yokohama National University, Yokohama, Japan.

Ad Hoc Earthquake Reconnaissance Committee, 1989, Reflections on the Loma Prieta Earthquake, Structural Engineers Association of California.

Architectural Institute of Japan, 1996, Preliminary Reconnaissance Report of the 1995 Hyogoken-Nanbu Earthquake (Kobe, Japan).

Architectural Institute of Japan, 1994, “AIJ Structural Guidelines for Reinforced Concrete Buildings,” Tokyo, Japan.

Building Seismic Safety Council of the National Institute of Building Sciences, 1997, “National Earthquake Hazard Reductions Program (NEHRP) Recommended Provisions for Seismic Regulations for New Buildings and Other Structures,” Building Seismic Safety Council of the National Institute of Building Sciences, Washington, D.C.

Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute, 1990, “Pacific Park Plaza, Emeryville CA: A 30-Story Special Moment Resistant Frame Reinforced Concrete Building: Case History Report,” Bulletin No. 39-25.

Cole/Yee/Schubert and Associates, 1993, Seismic Design Examples of Two 7-Story Reinforced Concrete Buildings in Seismic Zones 4 and 2A of the Uniform Building Code, Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute, Schaumburg, III.

Ericson, A. C., and Warnes, C. E., 1990, “Seismic Technology for Precast Concrete Systems,” Concrete Industry Bulletin, Concrete Industry Board, Inc., Spring.

International Code Council, Inc., 2000, “International Building Code,” International Code Council, Inc., Falls Church, Va.

Ghosh, S. K., 1995, “Observations on the Performance of Structures in the Kobe Earthquake of January 17, 1995,” PCI Journal, V. 40, No. 2, Mar.-Apr., pp. 14-22.

Other references

Warnes, C. E., 1989, “Emulation of Cast-in-Place Monolithic Design,” Seismic Committee Report, Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute, Chicago, Ill., 5 pp.

Warnes, C. E., 1992, “Precast Concrete Connection Details for All Seismic Zones,” Concrete International, V. 14, No. 11, Nov., pp. 36-44.

Warnes, C. E., 1990, “Precast Concrete Moment Frames,” Paper presented to Structural Engineers Association of Central California, Mar., 10 pp.

Warnes, C. E., 1990, Design and Construction Features of a 37-Story Precast concrete Reinforced Concrete Moment Frame Building in Tokyo, Structural Engineers Association of California Annual Convention; Precast/Prestressed Concrete Annual Convention.

Yee, A. A., 1973, “New Precast Prestressed System Saves Money in Hawaii Hotel,” PCI Journal, V. 18, No. 3, May-June.

Yee, A. A., 1991, “Design Considerations for Precast Prestressed Concrete Building Structures in Seismic Areas,” PCI Journal, V. 36, No. 3, May-June.

Cleland, N. M., 1997, “Seismic Design of Precast Systems,” Seminar notes, Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute, New England Region, Watertown, Mass., May 13.

Ericson, A. C., 1994, “Emulation Design of Precast Concrete,” The Construction Specifier, V. 47, No. 10, Oct., pp. 96-103.

Okada, T, 1993, Earthquake Resistance of Reinforced concrete Structures, University of Tokyo Press, Nov. 25.

McDermott, J. F., 1969, “Effect of Steel Strength and of Reinforcement Ratio on the Mode of Failure and Strain Energy Capacity of Reinforced Concrete Beams,” ACI JOURNAL, Proceedings V. 66, No. 3, Mar., pp. 165-173.