Testing and Analysis of Precast Columns with Grouted Sleeve Connections and Shifted Plastic Hinging

Prefabricated reinforced concrete column connections employing grouted sleeve (GS) splices enable rapid construction, are familiar to contractors, and their detailing resembles cast-in-place (CIP) construction. Previous studies showed disrupted plastic hinge formation in the stiff sleeve region. The proposed design method shifts the plastic hinge location above the sleeve region, which effectively increases the plastic rotation capacity and ductility. Plastic hinge shifting was realized by using transition splicing and high-strength steel reinforcement in the connecting element (footing). The proposed method was investigated experimentally using two 0.42-scale column tests under slow cyclic loading and a series of uniaxial tensile tests. Results indicate that good ductility can be achieved compared with conventional CIP construction and previously tested GS connections details. Experimental and analytical moment-curvature results were used to support discussion of design considerations and of an approximate method for calculating the displacement ductility of precast columns with GS connections and shifted plastic hinging. (C) 2017 American Society of Civil Engineers.