Experimental and numerical investigation for an erection safety of precast beam-to-column joints with bolted metal plates

One of the main goals of this study is to confirm structural integrity by sighting via the erection test, demonstrating structural safety with stable structural behavior during the erection stage. The present paper also aimed to examine the use of bolted metal plates for dry precast beam-to-column joints with a clearance gap for tolerance at each end of the beam endplates to avoid conflicts among members during assembly. In this study, a full-scale assembly test of a precast frame was performed to demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed erection method, ensuring the structural safety and constructability of hybrid joints during frame assembly. The accurate placement of precast members was facilitated by avoiding interference among precast members using the clearance gap. These gaps were, then, grouted with non-shrinking high-strength mortar. The erection safety of the proposed joints and their structural stability under construction loads also were numerically investigated using nonlinear finite element analysis based on concrete-damaged plasticity. Strain evolutions were explored to identify the behavior of proposed connections. The proposed assembly method is rapid, sustainable, and resilient under construction stage, offering an alternative for conventional methods of heavy concrete frame construction in constructing infrastructures, such as buildings and pipe-rack frames.