City Research Online

Abstract

The design of inter-modular connections strongly influences the seismic performance of precast modular walls. This study investigates the cyclic behavior of three full-scale walls: S1 (integrally cast), S2 (through-reinforced grouted), and S3 (bolted), each connected to floor and ceiling slabs using vertical splicing methods. Under combined axial and lateral cyclic loading, S1 and S2 exhibited bending-dominated failures, with cracks initiating at the wall corners an propagating toward mid-height, along with superior load-bearing capacity and stiffness. In contrast, S3 experienced sliding failure at the wall-slab interface and significant interface damage. S2 outperformed S1 by 1.6% in capacity, while S3 demonstrated 36.2% lower capacity but 9% higher energy dissipation. Finite element models closely matched experimental results, with average prediction errors of 4.9% (capacity), 3.3% (displacement), and 10.6% (ductility). Parametric analysis showed that increasing reinforcement or bolt configuration significantly improved capacity and stiffness. Theoretical predictions aligned well for S1 and S2 (2.2% and 3.9% errors) but underestimated S3 due to its distinct failure mechanism. These findings provide practical insights for designing robust and resilient precast modular structures.

Publication Type:	Article
Additional Information:	© 2025. This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Publisher Keywords:	Precast Volumetric Modular Structures; Inter-modular Connections; Seismic Performance of Reinforced Concrete Walls; Full-scale Experimental Testing; Finite Element Modeling; Load-carrying Capacity Models
Subjects:	T Technology > TA Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General) T Technology > TH Building construction
Departments:	School of Science & Technology School of Science & Technology > Engineering
SWORD Depositor:	Symplectic Administrator

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