Cyclic response of precast concrete shear walls with reduced grouted sleeves or corrugated metallic duct splices

The structural behavior of precast concrete shear walls (PSWs) is highly dependent on their vertical connections. Current PSWs mainly use two-row (paired) connections, which is relatively time-consuming and involves high cost and construction difficulties on wall assembly. Reducing the number of vertical connections from two-row to one-row or even partial could be economical and efficient solutions for the use of PSWs in practice. Reversed cyclic tests on seven full scale shear wall specimens were conducted under the axial compression ratio of 0.24. Grouted steel sleeves (GS) and grouted corrugated metallic duct (CMD) connections were used in the test program, considering three different layouts: two-row, one-row and partial. Test results showed that all shear walls failed by flexural-shear. The PSWs exhibited more and plumper hysteretic curves than the monolithic wall. The load carrying capacity of PSWs was close to the monolithic wall with an average difference of less than 7%. The displacement ductility coefficients of the PSWs with two-row, one-row and partial GS were 2.5, 2.8 and 2.6 respectively, which were slightly higher than that of the monolithic specimen (2.2). The ductility of the PSWs with CMD were2.3, 2.9 and 2.3. It was also indicated that PSWs with GS or CMD connections had greater energy dissipation capacity than the monolithic shear wall. The decline in stiffness and energy dissipation capacities of all precast specimens were similar.