Hamid and Mander 2010
The authors experimentally assess the performance of full-scale precast hollow core walls with longitudinal unbounded pre-stressing tendons. The tendons in this investigation consist of a slender portion to act as a structural fuse under in-plane quasi-static reverse cyclic loading during the tests. The samples are excited to a peak drift of 4%.
System Concept
The purpose of this system is to resist seismic loads with minimal damage to the surrounding structure. It is thus desired that damage be concentrated in a single replaceable area. The core walls are not rigidly connected at the base, so as to allow for rocking, aiding in deforming the fuse bars. Fuse bars are chosen as the only energy-dissipating element because of their ability to be replaced and energy-dissipating characteristics. The fuse bars are designed with an initial pre-stressing of 50% of the yield stress and as tension only members. Using tension only members prevents any buckling from occurring during compression. This enables the fuse bars to properly yield when the core wall rocks, and provide self-centering capabilities. The use of rubber block spacers between units was also examined in the study.
Experimental Study, Results and Discussion
Precast hollow core walls with unbounded vertical tendon fuses were tested under quasi-static reverse cyclic loading. It was found that no damage to the walls occurred at the maximum drift of 4% for low story structures. The only damage that occurred was to sealants at the joints, a section that can be easily repaired.
Reference
Hamid, N. H. and Mander, J. (2010). "Lateral Seismic Performance of Multipanel Precast Hollowcore Walls." Journal of Structural Engineering, 136.7, pp. 795-804.