New fib-handbook

Planning and design of precast

concrete building structures
Arnold Van Acker
Stef Maas

TG 6.12, fib-commission on prefabrication

Precast Concrete Association FEBE, Belgium

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First edition in 1994

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 Scope
• Precast building systems
• Specific design philosophy precast
construction
• No general concrete calculations but specific
aspects related to prefabrication
• Principles and detailing of connections
• Specific construction detailing

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 Content of the handbook
• Chapter 1 Suitability for precast construction
• Chapter 2 Preliminary design considerations
• Chapter 3 Precast building concepts
• Chapter 4 Structural stability precast buildings
• Chapter 5 Structural connections
• Chapter 6 Portal and skeletal structures
• Chapter 7 Wall frame structures
• Chapter 8 Precast floors and roofs
• Chapter 9 Architectural concrete façades
• Chapter 10 Constructional detailing and dimensional tolerances
• Chapter 11 Fire resistance

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Chapter 1

SUITABILITY
PRECAST CONSTRUCTION

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 Suitability precast construction
• Advantages and limitations
• Differences between precast and cast in-situ
construction
• Opportunities with prefabrication
• Quality assurance and product certification
• Best practices with precast concrete

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 Differences with cast in-situ

• Traditional • Modern technology • Easy

• High labour • Limited labour • Large design flexibility
• Long construction delays • Fast construction
• Much waste • Limited waste • Modern technology and
• Large finishing work • Finished surfaces organisation
• Weather conditions • No adverse weather conditions

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 Opportunities
Forerunner in development of construction

Construction delay Quality Efficiency

Concrete technology

Environment Economy
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 Best practices with precast concrete
• Overview typical realisations in market segments

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Chapter 2

PRELIMINARY DESIGN
CONSIDERATIONS

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Preliminary design considerations
• Basic design principles
• Conceptual design principles in earthquake
regions
• Design stages
• Selection of structural precast system

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 Basic design principles
• Respect the specific precast design systems
• Use standard solutions whenever possible
• Details should be simple
• Take account of dimensional tolerances
• Take advantage of industrialisation
• Modulation is recommendable
• Standardisation of products and processes

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 Conceptual earthquake design
principles
• Structural simplicity
• Regularity and uniformity in plan
• Regularity and uniformity in height
• Bi-directional resistance, torsional resistance and stiffness
• Adequate and secure connections in precast buildings
• Adequate foundation
• Effects of the contribution of infills, partitions, and claddings

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Conceptual earthquake design
principles

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Design stages

• First step: general layout of the

floor plan and vertical and
horizontal circulation
• Second step: selection of the
precast structural system
• Third step: choice of the column
grid and floor span
• Fourth step: choice and
implantation of the stabilising
components
• Fifth step: choice and preliminary
dimensioning of the precast
beam and floor units
• Sixth step: choice of the façade
cladding

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 Selection of precast system
Portal structures Skeletal structures Bearing wall structures

Cell structures

Façade systems
Floors and roofs 16
Chapter 3

PRECAST
BUILDING SYSTEMS

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 Precast building systems
• Structural systems
– Portal and skeletal structures
– Wall frame structures
– Floor and roof structures
– Precast façades
• Applications
– Housing and apartments
– Offices and administrative buildings
– Hotels, hospitals
– Educational buildings
– Commercial buildings
– Car parks
– Sport facilities

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 Constructional systems
load bearing systems

Wall frame
structures

Portal structures
Skeletal
structures

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 Constructional systems
Complementary systems
Roofs

Stairs
Floors

Façades in precast concrete 20

 Examples of applications
Car parks
Slooping floor
system

Underground park
Split level
system

Flat parking deck

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Chapter 4

STRUCTURAL
STABILITY

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 Structural stability
• Prefabrication shall be designed according to a
specific philosophy which is different from in-situ
construction
• Stability concepts
– Unbraced structures
– Braced structures
• Floor diaphragm action
• Expansion joints
• Structural integrity
• Design with regard to accidental actions

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 Unbraced structures
Interaction between
• Columns restrained into foundations columns by diaphragm
• Diaphragm action floors and roofs action of the roof
• Diagonal bracing

Schematic deflection
Steel diagonal
of unbraced skeletal
cross bracing 24
structure
 Braced structures
• Principle Stability through
• Cross wall action central cores
• Central core and lift shafts
• Diaphragm action floors
• Structural integrity
• Tying systems

Precast central
core

Stability through
cross wall action Floor diaphragm action

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Structural integrity
1. Peripheral floor ties
2. Longitudinal internal ties
3. Transversal internal ties
4. Floor to wall ties
5. Vertical ties

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 Design with regard to
accidental actions

Floor lifted up and

wall panel pushed
out by explosion

Catenary action
Phenomenon

• Design strategies
• Tie force method
• Alternative load path method
• Specific load resistance method
Beam or arch action Cantilever action Membrane action

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Chapter 5

STRUCTURAL
CONNECTIONS

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 Structural connections
• Objectives
• Design criteria
• Basic force transfer mechanisms
• Design of structural connections
• Other design criteria

The purpose is to
realise a coherent
and robust structure
out of individual units

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 Design criteria
• Structural behaviour
– Strength: resist forces during whole lifetime. Consider also the possibility of accidental actions
– Absorb possible volume changes :shrinkage, creep, temperature
– Allow movements
– Ductility
– Durability
• Dimensional tolerances
– Possibilities for adjustment during erection
• Fire resistance

Coherent and robust

structure

3-dimensional Ductility
adjustemt 30
 Basic force transfer mechanisms
• Encasing
• Lapping of reinforcing bars Encasing
• Dowel action
• Bond
• Friction + shear interlock
Lapping
• Shear keys
• Staggered joints
• Bolting
• Bars in grout ducts
• Welding
• Post tensioning

Bolting or Dowel action

welding 31
 Design of structural connections
Bending
• Transfer of compressive forces moments
• Transfer of tensile forces
• Transfer of shear forces
• Transfer of bending and torsion

Compressive forces Force transfer and failure modes

Torsion

Shear forces 32
Chapter 6

PORTAL & SKELETAL

STRUCTURES

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 Portal & skeletal structures
• Types of linear precast structures
• Lay-out and modulation
• Stability
• Elements
• Typical connections

Skeletal structures

Portal structures

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 Existing systems
Portal structures (idem for skeletal)
Portal
frames
with
purlins

Simple portal frames

Portal frames with

saddle roof units

Portal frames with

intermediate floor 35
 Structural stability
• Cantilevering columns from the foundation
• Cores and shear walls

~ 3 storeys > 3 storeys

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 Elements
• Columns
• Roof beams
• Purlins
• Floor beams
Columns

Floor beams Spandrel

beams

Roof beams 37
 Typical connections
Examples of connections in portal and skeletal structures

Floor beams to columns

Projecting bars from

the foundation 38
Chapter 7

WALL FRAME
STRUCTURES

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 Wall frame structures
• Structural wall frame systems
• Modulation
• Structural stability
• Elements
• Examples of connections

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 Structural wall frame systems

Integral wall system

Enveloppe wall system

Cross wall system Spine wall system

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 Structural stability
Cores and lift shafts
• Elements
• Eccentricity of floor support
• Eccentricities between superposed
walls
• Geometrical deviations
• Horizontal stability
Tube action
• Robustness

Eccentricities

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 Typical connections
• Wall to wall connections
• Wall to floor connections

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Chapter8

FLOORS & ROOFS

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 Floors and roofs
• Main types of precast floors
• Concrete roof elements
• Stairs
• Modulation
• Design of the floor elements
• Design of the complete floor
• Transverse load distribution
• Examples of typical connections

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 Overview
types and characteristics
Floor
Max. span Unit width Unit weight
Floor and roof types thickness
in m m kN/m²
mm

7 120 - 200 300 - 600 2,1 – 3,2

600 – 1200 -
20 120 - 500 2.2 – 5.2
2400

12 175 – 355 2400 1.2 – 1.8

24 -30 200 – 800 2400 – 3000 2.0 – 5.0

6 100 - 200 300 - 600 0,7 – 3,0

7 - 10 100 – 400 600 – 2400 2.4 – 4.8

6 200 - 220 515 - 635 1,7 - 2,3

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 Main types of floors and roofs
• Hollow core and ribbed floors
• Types and dimensions
• Modulation
• Concrete roof elements
• Floor plates
Hollow core floors
• Stairs
• Modulation

Precast
stairs

Ribbed floors Floor-plate floors

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 Design of precast floor elements
• Prestressed hollow core floors units
• Shear capacity
• Punching resistance
• Ribbed floor units
• Floor plates

Shear capacity Punching

resistance
Shear & torsion

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 Design of the complete floor
• Structural integrity
• Diaphragm action
• Transversal load distribution
• Hollow core floors
• Ribbed floors
• Composite floors
• Cantilevering floors and balconies Diaphragm action

Cantilevering floors

Transversal load
distribution
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 Typical connections
• Support connections
• Support length
• Tie arrangements
• Connections at lateral joints

Mixed structure

Support connection

Causes of unintended restraint

Support connection
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Chapter 9

ARCHITECTURAL
CONCRETE FACADES

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 Architectural concrete facades
• Precast façade systems
• Structural stability
• Principles of design and dimensioning of the units
• Other design aspects
• Shape and dimensions of the elements
• Surface finishing
• Thermal insulation
• Panel fixings
• Weathering joints

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 Architectural concrete facades

Source : Hurksbeton.nl

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 Examples of applications

Housing Industry
Offices
Schools
Hotels Sport facilities Shopping malls

Culture Shops 54
 Structural systems
• Load bearing façades
• Non-load bearing façades
• Twin skin façades
• Cladding panels

Non-load bearing façades

Load bearing façades

Twin skin system

Cladding panels
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 Structural stability
• Stability provided by core and shear wall action
• Stability provided by the façade
• Differential deformations

Differential thermal
deformations

Load bearing
façades

Cores and shear

walls

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 Shape of the units and finishing
• Shape in relation to moulds
• Preferential dimensions
• Modulation
• Surface finishing
• Faced panels

Storey high panels

Granite facing

Polishing
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 Building physics
• Thermal insulation (sandwich panels)
• Weathering joints

Joint sealants

Sandwich Panels
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 Typical connections
• Projecting bars
• Bolted and welded connections
• Durability

Bolted connections

Projecting bars with

Weathering joints
in-situ concrete

Projecting bars
in grout holes 59
Chapter 10

CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILING
AND DIMENSIONAL TOLERANCES

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 CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILING
and dimensional tolerances

• Support connections
• Concrete corbels
• Openings and voids
• Inserts
• Special reinforcement detailing

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 Supports
• Support length

Normal support Half joints

->Table with practical values for nominal support length

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 Nominal support length “a”
Supported Supporting Slab thickness h Minimum nominal
element structure or beam length l support length

Hollow core floors concrete/steel h ≤ 300 mm 60 - 80 mm

h > 300 mm 100 - 120 mm
masonry h ≤ 250 mm 100 mm
h > 250 mm 120 mm
Floor planks concrete
− with propping - 30 mm
− without propping 50 mm
masonry -
− with propping 40 mm
− without propping 50 mm
Ribbed floors concrete ℓ ≤ 15 m 150 mm
Secondary roof beams concrete ℓ≤8m 140 mm
Floor beams concrete ℓ = 12 - 20 m 200 - 230 mm
Roof beams concrete ℓ ≤ 24 m 195 mm
ℓ ≤ 40 m 225 mm

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 Concrete corbels
• Types of corbels
• Corbel design
• Detailing of corbel reinforcement
• Two-step corbels Stress trajectoria
• Hidden corbels

Detailing of
reinforcement

Types of corbels 2-step

production

Hidden corbel
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 Openings and cut-outs
• Design and dimensions of openings
in floors and beams

Openings in roof Openings in HC floors

beams

Openings in ribbed elements

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 Special reinforcement
• Anchorage zones of prestressed components
• Column ends
• Boot beams

Transfer zone of
Boot beam prestressing
reinforcement

Hooping
reinforcement

Beam corbel reinforcement

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Chapter 11

FIRE
RESISTANCE

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 Fire resistance
• Basic requirements
• Fire actions
• Global structural analysis
• Member analysis
• Fire resistance of precast concrete elements
• Fire resistance of structural connections

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 Fire actions
• Reduction of material performances
• Thermal expansion
• Transverse deformation of the cross-section

when 120 °C ± 100 mm

Large expansion may lead to incompatibility of connections

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 Structural fire design
• Global analysis
• Member analysis

Fire is an accidental action

• Design only for ULS
• Quasi permanent values for actions
• Partial safety factors = 1.0

Failure modes
Depending on the type of structure, four theoretical failure mechanisms may appear in precast
concrete structures exposed to severe fire
1) Bending failure for columns, beams and floors
2) Shear and anchorage failure, mainly for beams and floors
3) Excessive compression in the bottom section specifically for flat floors
4) Spalling of concrete; in this Lecture, spalling is not dealt with since it is a material property
independent of structural calculations.

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 Member analysis
Tabulated data
Standard fire Minimum dimensions (mm) Web
resistance Possible combinations of a and bmin thickness
where a is the average axis distance and bmin the width of the beam
bw
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)

R60 bmin = 120 bmin = 160 bmin = 200 bmin = 300 80

a = 40 a = 35 a = 30 a = 25
R90 etc. etc. etc. etc.

R120

R180

R240
Typical lay-out of Table

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Member analysis
simple calculation method
Calculation of
the bending
capacity

Fire resistance R60 R90 R120 R180 R240

Minimum width b 90 120 160 200 280

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Simple calculation method
determination of material characteristics

Ribbed floors

I - beams Rectangular beams

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 Fire resistance precast elements
• Columns
• Beams
• Walls
• Prestressed HC floors

Failure test roof beam after repair

Test on precast industrial hall

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The software company Nemetschek Scia
headquartered in Belgium, kindly offered to
redraft all technical drawings in order to get a
uniform presentation for the whole Handbook.

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