Connections

for Framed
Buildings
Lecture 4

Assoc. Prof. Ts. Ir. Dr. Ma Chau Khun

Deputy Director
Forensic Engineering Center,
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
 About myself
• Born in 1985
• Kota Marudu, Sabah
• Primary & secondary school at hometown
• KML 2004
• UTM 2005~2008
• Perunding Teknovasi 2008~2010
• Perunding Arif Reka 2010~2011
• PhD UTM 2011~2014
• Senior Lecturer@UTM 2014
• Registered as Ir. with BEM 2020
• Appointed as Associate Professor 2021
• Registered as Ts. With MBOT 2022
• Currently the Deputy Director of FEC
Joints vs Connections
 Introduction

• Precast concrete
components require external
connecting devices.
• These usually require
additional bolting or welding.
 Connection could
be the weak link, if
not designed
properly

Strong Strong
column beam
element element
General

•Connections form the important part

of precast concrete construction. The
connection types employed will not
only affects the construction cost but
also the erection speed.

•The type of connections employed

will also govern the types of structural
system of the global frames.
 Methods of Joining Precast Components

There are several methods of joining

precast components such as:

• Welding - Plates or anchors are cast in

the precast elements and welded
together after erection.
 
• Bolting - Steel inserts are cast in the
precast members. During erection, steel
bolts are employed to join the precast
components.
• Grouting - Looped or
straight bars are cast into
the precast components.
After the erection, a grouted
joint is used to join the bars
of the precast components. 

• Friction and Bearing - This

is normally a bearing type
of connection.
 Design Criteria of Connections

Precast concrete connections must meet a

variety of design and performance criteria,
and not all connections are required to meet
the same criteria. The criteria include:

• Strength - A connection must have the

strength to resist the forces to which it will
be subjected during its lifetime.
• Ductility - A connection must be able to
accommodate relatively large deformations
without failure.

• Durability - Poor durability of connections is

normally exhibited by corrosion of steel elements,
cracking and spalling of concrete. Therefore when
exposed to weather, or used in a corrosive
environment, steel elements should be adequately
covered by concrete or be painted or galvanised.
PRECAST CONCRETE PHILOSOPHY

Strength

Duct
ility
Load

ss e
Stiffn

Deformation
• Constructability
The following items sould be kept in mind
when designing connections:
– Standardised product
– Use repetitious details
– Avoid reinforcement and hardware
congestion
– Provide accessibility
 Beam-to-Column
Connection Design
 Types of Connections in
Precast Concrete Frames

Pinned Semi-rigid Rigid

 The choice of connection type will
Structural System affect the structural frame system.

Unbraced Frames Braced Frames

Rigid Pinned
Connections Connections

Rigid/Continuous Simple
Construction Construction
 c
c


 = b – c  = b – c
 = b

M b M b M

Pinned joint Connection Moment, M Rigid joint Semi-rigid joint

Rigid
Semi-rigid
Response of
Connections

Pin

Rotation, 

M- curve
 Mmax (rigid) Rigid joint
Semi-rigid
joint
Mmax (semi-rigid
joint)

 full
less simple
than
Mmax (pin joint) beam
simplerotation
beam
No rotation
rotation

Inflection
Inflection
point point

Moment distribution with

different connection rigidity
• The structural stability and sway
stiffness of precast concrete framed
structures is greatly influenced by the
rotational strength and stiffness of the
beam-to-column connection
Rigid

STIFFNESS
Connection Moment, M

STRENGTH

Pin

Rotation, 
Beam-to-column head connection test at CERIB, Epernon, France
 Types of Connections

Pinned Semi-rigid Rigid

 Pinned connection

1. Zero moment at beam end, M = 0

2. Beam end free to rotate
 Pinned connection

• Simple construction system

• Frame is not stable when subjected to lateral
forces.
 Pinned connection

Failure of pinned connections as a result of

earthquake force
Failure of connections can cause
instability of the global unbraced frame
 Pinned connection

Typical example of precast frame with

pinned beam-to-column connections
stabilized against lateral forces by shear wall
bracing system.
 Pinned connection

Advantages of pinned connections:

• Simple detailing
• Easy to construct
• The simples pinned can be formed
by element to element bearing
Pinned connection

• Transfer mainly
shear forces.
• The connections
lead to simple
construction system
 Pinned connection
Hidden corbel using mechanical connection system:

1
1

• Different flexural stiffness, EI at sections 1 & 2

 Pinned connection
CLEATED CONNECTOR

Fixing tolerances

Column insert,
UC section
Stiffened cleat, cut
from structural tee
 Pinned connection

Haunched column
 Effect of pinned connections to the analysis
• Pinned connections
• Beam-to-column connections are not capable to
transfer moments from beams to columns.
• Simply supported beams.

BENDING MOMENT (kNm)

1. Splitting crack 2. Cracks due to
rotations of beam
 Types of Connections

Pinned Semi-rigid Rigid

 Rigid Connections
(Moment Resisting Connections)

• Rigid connections are able to transfer

moment and shear forces. In precast
structures, rigid connections are possible
in many situations, particularly at
foundations and between beams and
columns.
 Rigid connection

Typical example of
EI
rigid connections in
EI RC structure.

• EIconnection= EIbeam
Deformed shape
Undeformed shape
Monolithic rigid
connection in
reinforced concrete
frames
 Tension force, T
Couple
External force, M
moment,
Mi
Compression force, C

External moment,
Mi is resisted by
force couple, M
Rigid connection
 Rigid connection

• Rigid beam-to-column connection is formed

by overlapping steel bars and insitu concrete
Rigid connection

Column

Beam
 Column

Beam
 Effect of rigid connections to the analysis

• Rigid connections
• Beam-to-column connections are capable to resist
moments.

174.8
140.7

140.7 174.8

201.2
114.87 135.9
109.44 170.96
224.3

306.9
194.7
166.01 210.65
57.3 158
368.7
223.3

299.7

10.2 117.1
BENDING MOMENT (kNm)
Load case 2:
1.2Gk + 1.2Qk + 1.2W k
Simple connections at inflection points.

Inflection point

174.8
140.7

140.7 174.8

201.2
114.87 135.9
109.44 306.9 170.96
224.3

194.7
166.01 210.65
57.3 158
223.3

368.7

299.7

10.2 117.1
BENDING MOMENT (kNm)
Load case 2:
1.2Gk + 1.2Qk + 1.2W k

• Connections are made at point of

zero moment
• Simple connections at inflection
points are possible.
 174.8
140.7

140.7 174.8

201.2
114.87 135.9
109.44 170.96
224.3

306.9

194.7
166.01 210.65
57.3 158
223.3

368.7

299.7

10.2 117.1
BENDING MOMENT (kNm)
Load case 2:
1.2Gk + 1.2Qk + 1.2W k

• Connections are made at point of zero moment

• Simple connections at inflection points are possible.
 Cast insitu rigid
connection

Knife connection (pinned

connection)
 Design of Beam-to-Column Conections

Design of Corbel Beam

• A corbel is a short
cantilever component
which supports a load
bearing component. The
beams are supported by Corbel
corbels, so that the shear
forces are transmitted
directly to the corbel.
 V
Design of Concrete Bracket or Corbel
e
Potential cracks are assumed to develop as follows:
        
Crack 1: due to direct shear at corbel junction with column. T
To avoid this failure, provide shear friction steel reinforcement, As and Ash. 3 M = V.e
1
2
=200

Ash

As + Asn
 V
Crack 2: Due to diagonal tension e
in corbel.
T
To avoid this failure, provide 3 M = V.e

shear friction reinforcement, Ash. 1

2
=200

Crack 3: Due to inclined shear at

bearing.
To avoid this failure, provide
reinforcement As and Ash and
ensure that anchorage of this
reinforcement is achieved. Ash

• The reinforcement calculated

above is not cumulative but the
greater of the different As + Asn
considerations.
Design of Shallow Corbel

Moment, M = 372.36 kNm,Reaction, R = 297 kN

Corbel dimension
Length of corbel, L = 160mm

Design of Tension Reinforcement

Shear check
V
V
(0.87 f cu  bd

V 297 103 N
d  2
 146.8mm
(0.87 f cu  b 0.8 40N / mm  (400mm)

Provide d = 200mm
X = 0.5d = 0.5(200mm) = 100mm
 1  d
 0.5 x  1  200mm  0.5(100mm)  o
  tan    tan    61.9
 av   80mm 

Tension force in reinforcement bar,

R 297kN
Ft   o
 158.6kN
tan  tan 61.9

Area of tension reinforcement required

Ft 158.6  103 N 2
Ast    396 mm
0.87 fy 0.87(460 N / mm 2 )

Provide 4T12 ( As provided = 452mm2)

 h = d + cover + fbar/2 = 200 + 25 + 10/2 = 230mm
Min reinforcement, Asmin =
0.4bh 0.4(400mm)(230mm)
  368mm 2
100 100
Ast > Asmin, OK

Horizontal friction force, Ft = mR = 0.4(297kN) = 118.8 kN

Ff 118 .8  103N 2
As2    297 mm
0.87 f y 0.87(460 N / mm 2 )

Total area of tension reinforcement required,

Ast = As1 + As2 = 396 + 297 = 693 mm2

Therefore provide 4T16 ( As,prov = 804 mm2)

Design of horizontal strirrup (shear reinforcement)

Shear stress, v =
Ff 118 .8  103 N 2
As2    297 mm
0.87 f y 0.87(460 N / mm 2 )

0.87 fcu  0.87 40  5.06 N / mm 2

v  3.71N / mm 2 < 0.87 fcu  5.06 N / mm 2

100 As 100(804mm 2 )
  1.01
bd (400mm)(200mm)
Table 3.9 BS 8110
100 As
 1.01 , d = 200mm } vc = 0.75
bd
since fcu = 40 N/mm2 > 25N/mm2 ,
vc should be multiplied by  f cu 1/ 3
 
 25 

1/ 3 1/ 3
f   40 
vc cu   (0.75)   0.88 N / mm 2

 25   25 

2d 2(200mm)
Enhancement factor,  5
av 80mm)
 2
vc  5  0.88  4.4 N / mm 2 > v  3.71N / mm

Provide minimum shear reinforcement, Table 3.8

0.4bv Sv 0.4(400mm)(75mm) 2
Asv    55.2 mm
0.87 f yv 0.87(250 N / mm 2 )
Adopt 2R8@50mm

2R8@50mm

4T16
 Try this

• Assuming the nominal gap between end of beam to column face is 20 mm and
friction factor, μ = 0.35. (Any other assumptions not given herein should be
assumed by the candidate).
 Column-to-Base
Connection Design
 Rigid Connections between column-to-
base can be of three types:
1). Pocket foundation
2). Base plate connection
3). Grouted sleeve.
    
 Pinned column-to-base connection

• Different properties of EI at sections 1 and 2.

• Discontinuous properties.
• Full base plate To protect
from fire and
corrosion,
open corner is
dry packed
with grout
after the
column is
aligned and
bolted.
• Use adjusting nut for base plate levelling
• Bolt holes are drilled
• Under the base plate, use grout.
• Rigid column-to-base connection
STEEL BASE PLATE - extended

100 mm
overhang

M20-24 min. 300 long

H/D bolt
 20 mm clear annulus
GROUTED SLEEVES
around projecting rebars

h
gt
len
nd
Bo
 Column-to-base connection
High tensile protruding
Grouted sleeve reinforcement bar

Funnel-shaped Column connected by

opening for grouting grouted sleeve

Anchorage length Vertical profile hole

between precast
column and foundation
Starter bars from the
base.
Starter bars from the
base are inserted
into the sleeves.
 Grouting

Grouted sleeve
The main disadvantages of this connection:
• The tendency of the bar to be touching the
sides of the sleeves in the precast column,
thus preventing a full development of grout
around the bar.
Design of Grouted Sleeve Column-to-Base Connection

Design of starter bars

Design the connection based on the following forces:
M = 56.68 kNm, N = 805.5 kN
Use fcu = 40 N/mm2
Fy = 460 N/mm2
Cover to link = 30mm, Column size 400mm x 400mm

N 805.5  103 N
  5.03N / mm2
bh 400mm  400mm

M 56.68 106 Nmm 2

  0 . 89 N / mm
bh 2 400mm  (400mm) 2
Effective depth,
d = h – cover – bar/2 = 400 – 30 – (20/2) = 360mm
d 360mm
  0.9
h 400mm

Use chart No. 39

100 As
 0.4
bh
0.4(400mm)(360mm)
As   576mm 2
100

Provide 4T16 (As provided = 1010mm2)

 N
Check the anchorage length of the starter bar
Compressive stress at column bottom end (section 1-
1)
N 805.5  103 N
   5.03 N / mm 2
A 400mm  400mm M

1 1

Bending stress at section 1-1

My 6 M 6(56.68  106 Nmm 2
    5 .31N / mm
I BD 2 400mm  (400mm) 2

Bending stress is greater than compressive stress,

hence starter bars are in tension.
Table 3.29 BS 8110
Tension bond length = 32bar = 32 (16mm) = 512mm
Provide anchorage length, L = 550mm for all 4T16 starter bars.
 N Pocket
M
Foundation
a
Concrete infill or
grout HB
HD

0.1h
HB
HA
0.9h

HA
A
0.1h

R
(a/6)
CASTELATED COLUMN IN POCKET
then D =

h
40 mm root depth

D
 If M/N < 0.15 h, then D > 1.2 h
COLUMN IN POCKET
If M/N > 2.00 h, then D > 2.0 h

C40 infill
Pocket foundation
Thank You