Connectors and Methods of Construction for a Precast Special Concrete Moment Resisting Shear Wall and Precast Special Concrete Moment Resisting Frame Building Panel System

Abstract

A precast concrete wall panel molding system for fabricating a wall shell and a plurality of ribs and beams. A precast concrete wall panel molding system with facilities for incorporating door and window frames. A ductile panel end connector for attaching panels one to another whether in parallel or angled as in inside or outside corners. A ductile panel end connector for attaching panels to columns. A wall anchor / shear plate with post-tensioning brace plate. A hybrid precast / cast-in-place special moment resisting shear wall / special moment resisting frame reinforced concrete building system for regions of potential seismic activity. A prescriptive method building system for composite structural building assemblies with conventional wood and light-gauge steel framing, structural steel, and other building code approved and tested building systems, building components, building panel systems, building roofing systems, modular and manufactured buildings, and building electrical, mechanical, and plumbing systems. A precast concrete wall panel system conforming to industry practices and standards as published by the Precast / Prestressed Concrete Institute, (PCI) in it's “PCI Design Handbook” (fifth edition, 1999), the American Concrete Institute “Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete” (ACI 318-05), The “International Building Code 2006” and the “Uniform Building Code”.

Description

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AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0047]The wall panel system herein described, with the benefit of the connectors, boundary elements and ductile anchoring devices of the present invention, offers a building system conforming to the existing model codes for use anywhere including regions of high seismic activity. The wall panel system offers an economical building system that is beneficial to environmental conservation, durable, non-flammable, thermally efficient, attractive, and flexible to adaptations of conventional building technologies, components, and accessories.

[0049]The diagonal wall connectors and wall anchor / shear plate with post-tensioning brace plate connectors of the present invention, along with the building methods described, provide a wall panel connection that is as strong or stronger than the wall panels themselves, as well as being ductile and therefore able to dissipate substantial energy as that energy is transmitted amongst the various portions of the building component system during a seismic event.

Problems solved by technology

Conventional methods of constructing prefabricated concrete buildings and particularly prefabricated concrete foundations and foundation walls in seismically active areas have become increasingly difficult to design in recent years as the requirements of State's building codes and the model building codes on which they are based have become more restrictive with the continuing scientific research and resultant improved understanding of the vulnerability of ordinary concrete and conventional reinforcement methods to seismic events.

Analysis of the Superior Wall System™, reveals that principle among the reasons that the system is not available for seismic applications is insufficient / untested anchorage to a foundation system to resist seismic shear, inadequate and / or non-continuous reinforcement resulting in plastic hinge regions, a lack of ductile connections for beams, shear walls, or columns within the building, and a lack of a damping mechanism for dissipating the energy of a seismic event by ductile yielding or other means.

In the parlance of the current building codes, it does not meet the requirements for “Special Concrete Moment Resisting Shear Walls”.

Even in panel systems with integral corner panels the panel connections are potential failure points during a seismic event.

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