Seismic Strengthening with Precast Concrete Panels - Theoretical Approach

Abstract

An economical, structurally effective and practically applicable seismic retrofitting technique has been developed on the basis of the principle of strengthening the existing hollow brick infill walls by using high strength precast concrete panels. The technique would not require evacuation of the building and would be applicable without causing much disturbance to the occupant. For this purpose, a total of eighteen reinforced concrete frames with hollow brick infill walls were tested under reversed cyclic lateral loading simulating earthquake. The specimens were strengthened by using six different types of precast concrete panels. In the present study, hollow brick infill walls strengthened by using high strength precast concrete panels were modeled once by means of equivalent diagonal struts and once as monolithic walls having an equivalent thickness. The experimental results were compared with the analytical results of the two approaches mentioned.