Cyclic Lateral Loading Behavior of Thin-Shell Precast Concrete Wall Panels

Two precast concrete thin-shell wall panels were subjected to reverse-cyclic lateral loads to replicate wind fatigue over a 50-year design lifetime prior to loading to failure. The panels consisted of an outer wythe of concrete connected to light-gauge steel framing. Wire mesh was used to reinforce the concrete panel skin. Rivets provided a connection between the steel studs and the concrete panel. Two reinforced concrete (R/C) beams were integrated into the top and bottom parts of the panel, isolated from the concrete face by a thin sheet of extruded polystyrene (XPS) foam insulation. To connect these beams with the concrete face through the rigid foam insulation, a carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) grid was utilized. The aim of the experimental program was to characterize the behavior of the concrete and steel framing panel, with particular attention focused on the connections between the various structural elements of the panel. The first and second thin-shell panels survived the fatigue loading cycles and behaved elastically through failure-level lateral load cycles equivalent to 54 psf (2.6 kPa) and 66 psf (3.2 kPa) of applied uniform load, respectively. The failure mode was the separation of the top R/C beam from the concrete panel on the pull stroke of the loading cycle (when the connection between the beam and the concrete shell was in tension) for both specimens.