The Design and Construction of

Precast Concrete Structures

Precast Floor
Diaphragm Action
 Precast Floor Diaphragm Action

Floor plate action

Frame reactions
Horizontal moments and shears
Diaphragm strength & stiffness
Reinforcement details
Differential camber and levels
Diaphragm action in pin-joined braced frame
10 storey frame using precast diaphragm
10 storey frame using precast diaphragm

Slabs span
Slabs span
Precast hollow core diaphragm
Develop a series of ring beams using chord tie steel
and interface shear between precast planks
Determine the centre of frame stiffness, i.e. where does
net reaction occur.

For symmetrical bracing x- = mid-length:

Shear centre x- = ΣEIx / ΣEI

x
Determine the centre of frame stiffness, i.e. where
does net reaction occur.

For eccentric bracing:

Shear centre x- = ΣEIx / ΣEI

x
 Determine the reactions in the bracing/shear wall

Reaction in each wall due to 2 effects:

EI
H=
ΣEI

x
 Determine the reactions in the bracing/shear wall

Reaction in each wall due to 2 effects

EI +- e EIa
H=
ΣEI ΣEIa2
a

e
Floor diaphragm example
Precast hollow core diaphragm
Precast hollow core diaphragm
Structural models
Deep beam model

z = 0.8B

V
 Deep beam model

Chord tie force = Mh / z

z = 0.8B (c. Walraven & Stroband, Delft)

Mh
A sh=
0.8B 0.95yf
 Deep beam model

Chord tie force = Mh / z

z = 0.8B (c. Walraven & Stroband, Delft)

Mh
A sh=
0.8B 0.95 fy

Interface shear stress

v= V
0.8B (D – 30 mm)
75 m between bracing, resulting in approx
120 kN ultimate interface shear force

120 k
N sh
e ar f
orce
in joint
Gap now 40-50 mm to allow placement of grout/mortar
Grade C25 mortar (6 mm agg.) placed into joints
Shear deformation occurs in longitudinal joints
1
Test data shows shear modulus = 6 of solid RC
FEM by Walraven & Stramen
Surface texture is important to shear wedging
Full scale testing in UK (c. Bensalem)
Dowel action prevents complete failure
Vibrocemento Perugia, Italy (c. Menegotto)
 6 mm waveform
edge profile

2
0.2 N/mm
fo rce =
shear
cyclic
380 kN
Full scale testing in UK (c. Wahid Omar)

Diagram
Dowel action

Diagram
Idealised shear force v slip

ction

Shear force
el a
D ow

Aggregate
interlock

Slip
Cyclic loading up to 8 cycles until
shakedown to constant stiffness
Shear stress = 0.42 N/mm 2

Shear stress = 0.23 N/mm 2

Variation of shear and tie force

Require about 140 kN tie

restraint = 70 kN per end
Chord tie bars and coupling bars
Special shape hollow core to allow chord steel to
bend radius 500 mm at corners
Completed floor diaphragm
without structural topping
Differential camber between adjacent
hollow core units, at worst 30 mm
Differential bearing level
 Differential camber due to changes in span

Interface shear stress

v= V 20 mm lip
0.8B (D – 30 mm)
 Conclusions

Distribution of horizontal load across

diaphragm

Deep beam model with chord tie steel and

coupling bars

Interface shear by tests

Differential camber and lip reduces depth